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God’s People Gather
*Welcome with Christina*Prelude with Amy
Prelude Pondering
“What kills a soul? Exhaustion, secret keeping, image management. And what brings a soul back from the dead? Honesty, connection, grace”
― Shauna Niequist, author,
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living
*Call to Worship (Romans 6, Matthew 10) with Mary Jo
Leader: In our baptism, we are united with Christ.
People: So that we may walk in newness of life!
Leader: We are no longer servants of the world,
People: but servants of our living Christ!
Leader: We have been set free!
People: And we walk in the light of the Lord!
ALL: Let us worship God!
*Opening Song - Would I Have Answered When You Called
*Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Pardon
Sometimes we think that if no one see us do something wrong, we don’t need to confess it. But we carry the guilt of what we have done, and it weighs on us. Thanks be to God that the Bible says we only need to confess our sins, and God will forgive us and cleanse us. Trusting God’s promise, we pray together our prayer of confession.
Gracious God, so often we try to hide from you, and so often we fail to walk in your light. We crouch in the corners of guilt and shame, and we whisper lies to ourselves and others. We act as if Christ died for nothing, and that the threats of this world are the real truth. We worry about what can kill the body, and ignore sin’s threat to our very souls! We fall prey to fear and forget that our life, our light, our reason for living is in you. Forgive us, God! Help us to shout your grace from the rooftops, and to let your light shine in us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Call to Worship (Romans 6, Matthew 10) with Mary Jo
Leader: In our baptism, we are united with Christ.
People: So that we may walk in newness of life!
Leader: We are no longer servants of the world,
People: but servants of our living Christ!
Leader: We have been set free!
People: And we walk in the light of the Lord!
ALL: Let us worship God!
*Opening Song - Would I Have Answered When You Called
*Call to Confession, Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Pardon
Sometimes we think that if no one see us do something wrong, we don’t need to confess it. But we carry the guilt of what we have done, and it weighs on us. Thanks be to God that the Bible says we only need to confess our sins, and God will forgive us and cleanse us. Trusting God’s promise, we pray together our prayer of confession.
Gracious God, so often we try to hide from you, and so often we fail to walk in your light. We crouch in the corners of guilt and shame, and we whisper lies to ourselves and others. We act as if Christ died for nothing, and that the threats of this world are the real truth. We worry about what can kill the body, and ignore sin’s threat to our very souls! We fall prey to fear and forget that our life, our light, our reason for living is in you. Forgive us, God! Help us to shout your grace from the rooftops, and to let your light shine in us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Silence is kept
Leader: Friends, the scripture tells us this: Christ has been raised from the dead and he will never die again. Death no longer has power over him. Just as Christ died to sin once and for all, he lives for God with his life. In the same way, we are also dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. Rejoice and give thanks!
People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Amen.
*Response - Glory to God
*Sharing the Peace of Christ
Leader: Because of Jesus Christ, we have peace with God! Let us now share that peace with one another, saying: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
God’s Word is Proclaimed
*Scripture Reading - Matthew 10:24-39 & Sermon - Body and Soul
A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.
What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
*Offering
If you are able, please continue to send in your offering and pledge.
*Prayer of Dedication, Pastoral Prayer, & The Lord's Prayer- with Mary Jo & Christina
Thank you, God, for your generous love, for giving us our lives, for giving us your Son. Receive these our gifts. They can never be enough to repay you for all that you have done for us. We bring them in joy and gratitude, for they belong to you, even as we belong to you through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Responding to God’s Word
*Offering
If you are able, please continue to send in your offering and pledge.
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different. If you would like to give online using Paypal, click this
link:
bit.ly/FPCsterling*Prayer of Dedication, Pastoral Prayer, & The Lord's Prayer- with Mary Jo & Christina
Thank you, God, for your generous love, for giving us our lives, for giving us your Son. Receive these our gifts. They can never be enough to repay you for all that you have done for us. We bring them in joy and gratitude, for they belong to you, even as we belong to you through Jesus Christ. Amen.
God’s People are Sent
*Closing Song - Here I Am, Lord
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