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18th Sunday after Pentecost
09/27/2026 - 10:30 am
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
MINUTE FOR MISSION “ One Great Hour of Sharing” George Anich
CENTERING MUSIC “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go” C. Miner
MOMENT OF HOPE
CALL TO WORSHIP – from a prayer by Ben G
Leader: Jesus went up the mountain, sat before the crowd,
and began to speak.
We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
Leader: Richness and fullness in wealth, in knowledge, in spirit do not draw us to heaven. May we be filled with an emptiness and poverty that draws us ever closer to you. May we bring an end to emptiness and poverty that leaves any one isolated and without hope. Bless all with the kingdom of heaven. We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
Leader: Longing for power, surety, and the status quo we create systems of privilege, false normals, and stagnation. May we cease to seek privilege and instead long for the dignity of all. May we cease to seek surety and instead long for growth. May we give up stagnation and embrace humility. Make us see the common humanity of all who live on this earth. We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
Leader: Anger fills us with a need for vengeance and harsh justice; we seek to lessen our pain by inflicting pain upon others. May we acknowledge our anger but not be held by it. May we seek justice for the wrongs done against us but not be defined by them. Give us the gift to be merciful with ourselves and merciful with others so that all may receive mercy. We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
Leader: Refusing to look inward we carry emotional baggage, we leave parts of ourselves in shadow and darkness, we maintain ingrained habits and reactions. May we acknowledge our immaturity and a need to grow to more full and complete individuals. May we bring light into our inner darkness. Give us pure hearts oh God, so that we might see your face. We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
Leader: Christians throughout the world seek to walk the path that Jesus set for us. May we never walk the easy path of complacency. May we ever seek to speak your truth. May we never stop on the account of social stigma. May we ever seek to die to the world and live in Christ Crucified. Grant that we will continue to walk the way of the prophets and saints of old. We are the crowd.
People: May we listen, learn, and do.
*HYMN #738 O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee
O Master, let me walk with thee in lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move by some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay and guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me thy patience, still with thee in closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong
In hope that sends a shining ray far down the future’s broadening way;
In peace that only thou canst give, with thee, O Master, let me live.
PRAYER CONFESSING OUR NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE – Brain Woodcock
Leader: Jesus says to his disciples:
People: Happy are you needy ones:
The kingdom of God is yours.
People: Happy are you who are hungry:
You will be satisfied.
People: Happy are you who weep now:
You will be filled with laughter.
Rejected, insulted, happy are you;
Be glad and dance with joy.
Leader: Jesus said: Take up your cross.
People: We will follow you, O Christ,
into the needs of the world,
into the truth of our lives,
into the pain of our hearts,
into the presence of God. Amen.
MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
SONG OF RENEWAL #740 Lead me, Guide Me
Lead me, guide me, along the way, for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with thee. Lead me, O Lord, lead me
CELEBRATION OF GOD’S GRACE
God loves us more than we can imagine. When we trust in that, we are freed to become the people God calls us into being. Thanks be to God. Amen.
*PASSING THE PEACE
Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And with you also.
Leader: Let us pass the peace of Christ.
People: The peace of Christ be with you. (To one another)
ANTHEM “I Believe” by Drake, Graham, Shiri & Stillman
(Quodlibet with the Bach-Gounod Ave Maria)
MOMENT FOR CHILDREN
BLESSING THE CHILDREN AND SINGING TO GODLY PLAY
This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Today’s Story: “The Ten Best Ways to Live”
Kathleen Krentz & Cyndi Sneeringer
Leader: And as we continue our worship…
Congregation: May God be with you there.
Children: May God be with you here.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Leader: God in your Grace,
People: Hear our prayer
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER
As we pray together the Lord's Prayer, you are invited to say this in whatever version is most comforting and meaningful to you. Here is one possible version (ecumenical version) that you can use:
Our Father, who is in heaven, holy be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Genesis 39:1-23 and Matthew 5:11-12
RESPONSE
Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION, from Psalm 19 - responsively
Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
All: Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,
Our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
SERMON “Blessed are you when people revile you” Pastor Barbara Barkley
MOMENT FOR QUIET REFLECTION
*HYMN OF REFLECTION #819 Be Still My Soul
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
Who through all changes faithful will remain.
Be still my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake to guide the future surely as the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know his voice
who ruled them while he dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord;
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past all safe and blessed we shall meet at last
MOMENT OF THANKS
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
OFFERTORY “O The Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus” Trad. Welsh Melody
*DOXOLOGY
Praise God whose breath fills all the earth
Whose love reveals our sacred worth
Whose Spirit forms one family
Whose grace brings peace and harmony. Amen.
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Thank you, God, for being with us in the hard times as well as the good times. Thank you for every breath we are given. We give to you from our love of you. Amen.
*CLOSING HYMN #243 Be Not Afraid
Be not afraid; sing out for joy! Christ is risen, alleluia!
Be not afraid; sing out for joy! Christ is risen, alleluia!
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE Go with God
Go with God, go with God.
As you leave this place, go with God.
God will direct your way, God will light every day.
As you leave this place, go with God.
*POSTLUDE “Jesus Loves the Little Children” G. Root