WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Come, let us worship the God who loves us and cares for us.
People: Because the Lord leads us and guides our ways, we are confident to entrust our lives to God’s care.
Leader: The Lord redeems us and delivers us from trouble.
People: Let us thank God for the faithfulness that God shares with us.
Leader: Although the way seems long and the road may be rough, we can trust the Lord who gives us hope and peace.
People: As God’s people, let us worship the King, all glorious above!
HYMN O Worship the King Ken Heischman
O worship the King, all-glorious above!
O gratefully sing God’s power and God’s love:
Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O tell of God’s might, O sing of God’s grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
The chariots of heaven the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is God’s path on the wings of the storm.
The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, Thy power, hath founded of old;
Hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.
Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail.
Thy mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Merciful Lord of all life,
although You share Your love with all humanity,
we confess that we have not learned to love all people as Jesus taught us.
You have called us to share Your love with the world, but we acknowledge that our words
and actions are not always grounded in love.
We squabble over things which are often insignificant and petty,
and we frequently get caught up in power-struggles and the desire to control.
Forgive us, Lord, and fill our hearts anew with Your love.
Turn us away from anything which causes pain for You or our sisters and brothers,
so that Christ’s commandment of love may become the chief desire of our hearts,
for we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Silent)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from Romans 8:1-2)
Leader: There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
People: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
HYMN God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me Ken Heischman
God, be the love to search and keep me;
God, be the prayer to move my voice;
God, be the strength to now uphold me:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Bind to myself the Name of Holy,
Great cloud of witnesses enfold;
Prophets, apostles, angels witness:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Brightness of sun and glow of moonlight,
Flashing of lightning, strength of wind,
Depth of the sea to soil of planet:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Walking behind to hem my journey,
Going ahead to light my way,
And from beneath, above, and all ways:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
Christ in the eyes of all who see me,
Christ in the ears who hear my voice,
Christ in the hearts of all who know me:
O Christ, surround me; O Christ, surround me.
SCRIPTURE 1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of
God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s
love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we
might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent
his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we
also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God
lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his
Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of
the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide
in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love
has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment,
because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out
fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in
love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their
brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have
seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him
is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
MEDITATION “Words, Words, Words”
HYMN They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love Ken Heischman
We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord,
We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other, We will walk hand in hand,
We will walk with each other, We will walk hand in hand,
And together we’ll spread the news That God is in our land.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will work with each other, We will work side by side,
We will work with each other, We will work side by side,
And we’ll guard human dignity And save human pride:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
All praise to the Father, from who all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit Who makes us one:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
INVITATION TO GIVE
BENEDICTION (adapted from 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)
Now may God the Father and our Lord Jesus direct your steps in all that you do.
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all,
just as we abound in love for you.
And may God’s Spirit so strengthen your hearts in boldness and holiness
so that in all things and with all people
you may live in faith, hope, and love, for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen