FROM: GLEN ECHO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
World Communion & Peacemaking Sunday October 4, 2009
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE “Morning Meditation” by David Paxton
INTROIT “O God of Love, O God of Peace” Hymn #295, Vss. 1 & 4
* CALL TO WORSHIP
God calls us together from every nation and land
Blessed be the God of all the nations
Old and young, female and male, poor and rich, people of numerous colors, we are here together.
Blessed be the God of all earth’s peoples.
Here now we have gathered together for worship.
We join as one family to worship and to celebrate in this Holy Supper.
* MORNING PRAYER
* HYMN “O God of Every Nation” #289
CALL TO CONFESSION
Let us put to rest all those things that trouble our souls – all those things that would separate us from God and one another. In faith, let us confess our sin.
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Holy God we do live in the joy and wonder of your love. However, we find it so easy to be in disagreement. We take each other for granted. So often we are tempted to cut the ropes of love that bind us together. We tend to turn away from those with whom we have disagreements. Help us, Lord, here today in this time of remembrance and celebration to start fresh and new, filled with your holy and redeeming love. AMEN.
SUNG ASSURANCE OF PARDON (From Hymn #507, Verses 1 & 2)
I come with joy to meet my Lord, forgiven, loved, and free,
In awe and wonder to recall His life laid down for me, His life laid down for me.
I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed,
The new community of love in Christ’s communion bread, in Christ’s communion bread.
* GLORIA #546
JOYS AND CONCERNS
PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER
MUSICAL AMEN “Lord Have Mercy” by Swee Hong Lim
INVITATION TO OFFERING
Christ is able to make us one, and to give us gifts to share, so that we can be partners with God in bringing abut the fullness of creation. Let us bring our offerings to God.
OFFERING OF OUR LIFE AND LABOR TO THE LORD
OFFERTORY “Reverie” by Hall M. Macklin
*DOXOLOGY
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
ANTHEM “Let There Be Peace on Earth” by Sy Miller & Jill Jackson
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
HEBREW BIBLE LESSON Isaiah 11:1-11
SPECIAL MUSIC “Letter to the World” by Jack Gladstone
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 10:13-16 p. 893
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
MESSAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
SERMON “Broken Relationships Equal Broken Peace”
* HYMN OF RESPONSE “Come & Find the Quiet Center” Sing the Faith # 2128
* BRIEF STATEMENT OF FAITH from the Confession of 1967
Christians, what do you believe?
To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as his reconciling community. This community, the church universal, is entrusted with God’s message of reconciliation and shares his labor of healing the enmities which separate men from God and from each other. Christ has called the church to this mission and given it the gift of the Holy Spirit. The church maintains continuity with the apostles and with Israel by faithful obedience to his call.
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! They will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. This is the Lord’s Table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast, which he has prepared.
SING: (From Verse 3, “O For a World”, #386 Blue)
We welcome one world family and struggle with each choice
That opens us to unity and gives our vision voice.
GREAT THANKSGIVING (Responsively)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, O God of majesty who brings every person of all races and all beliefs into being.
SING: (From Verse 1, “O For a World”, #386 Blue)
O for a world where everyone respects each other’s ways,
Where love is lived and all is done with justice and with praise.
Throughout the ages you called your people to stewardship of all creation; you called your people to love and serve and share with those who are downtrodden
SING: (From Verse 2, “O For a World”, #386 Blue)
O for a world where goods are shared and misery relieved,
Where truth is spoken, children spared, equality achieved.
We praise you that in the fullness of time, you revealed your love and your commission to us by sending your Son Jesus to be the Light of the world. We praise you, joining our voices with angels and archangels and with all the faithful, who forever sing to the glory of your name:
SING: (From Verse 1, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, #466 Blue)
O for a thousand tongues to sing my dear Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King, the triumph of God’s grace!
You are indeed glorious, O God of creation, and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Baptized by John in the Jordan, Jesus lived for your people – healing them, saving them, setting them free, and dying for them. Rising from the tomb, Jesus raised us to eternal life, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
SING: (From Verse 4, “O For a World”, #386 Blue)
The poor are rich, the weak are strong, the foolish ones are wise.
Tell all who mourn; outcasts belong, who perishes will rise.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
We give you thanks that the Lord Jesus, on the night before he died, took bread, and after giving thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
POURING OF THE CUP
In the same way Jesus took the cup, saying: This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do so in remembrance of me.
COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
The gifts of God for the people of God.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Those who are able may form a circle at the outer walls of the church to close the circle.
* CLOSING THE CIRCLE Verse 4 “O God of Every Nation” #289
Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease,
When hatred and division give way to love and peace,
Till dawns the morning glorious when peace on earth shall reign
And Christ shall rule victorious o’er all the world’s domain.
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Dove Of Peace” by Gilbert M. Martin Ah