Worship at Home: August 23, 2020

You can watch today’s service here.

If you are watching our live stream this morning, you are invited to find a candle, so that we can all light candles at the same time. 

CALL TO WORSHIP (written by Sarah Are for A Sanctified Art LLC)

Don’t hold back. Bring all of yourself,
For God loves us just as we are.
Don’t hold back. Bring all of yourself,
For all of us is welcome here—
scars and fears,
depression and doubt,
hope and joy,
light and laughter.
Don’t hold back. Bring all of yourself.
God longs to be with us, so let us worship the God of love.

OPENING PRAYER

Almighty God, you have taught us that all our deeds without love are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the very bond of peace and of all goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

CALL TO CONFESSION

The pressure to conform to this world, to capitulate to earthly powers rather than fear the Lord, tempts us and sometimes we give in to that temptation. We confess Jesus is Lord with our lips, but our actions reveal that our loyalty lies elsewhere. Nonetheless, God is merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. With the confidence of the children of God, we join together and confess our sin

Please join me in the prayer of confession, followed by a silent personal prayer.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Gracious God, we admit that there are things we sweep under the rug—shame, self-doubt, mental health struggles, and our own insecurities. We know that is not what you want for us, for Jesus loved the healthy and the sick parts of everyone. With Jesus, there was no stigma, fear, or bias. God of creation, help us to love and live in the same way. Forgive us when we hate ourselves or distance ourselves from others, simply for being human. You long for better, and we long for you. Gratefully we pray. Amen.

Moment of silent prayer–people of God, what do you confess this week? 

Assurance of Pardon

We can trust that when we call out to God, God hears and responds. When we humble ourselves and honestly confess, God forgives and makes of us new creations. Friends, believe the good news, through Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

When the demands of the world and the stress of these days weighs heavy upon us, we turn to you, Lord God. We proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the one who claims and saves us. Help us to hear again Jesus’ call and grant us the faith to follow so that we will know the abundant life you want for your people. Amen.

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING

Romans 12:1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING

Mark 5:1-20

They came to the other side of the sea, into the land of the Gerasenes. When Jesus stepped off the ship, immediately a man came out from the tombs to meet him: a man with an unclean spirit. He had been making his home among the tombs and no one could bind him, even with chains. Many times, men had tried to bind him in shackles and chains but he had broken them all and no man could restrain him. Every night and every day he was in the mountains and would cry out and cut himself with stones. Yet when this man saw Jesus, even from far away, he ran to pay him homage.

With a loud voice he cried, saying, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, son of the most high God?  I implore you by God, do not torment me!”

For Jesus had said to the man, “Come out of him, you unclean spirit!”

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

And the answer came, “Call us Legion, for we are many.”

The spirits told Jesus not to send them out of the countryside, but near the mountains there was a great herd of swine grazing, so all the spirits called out and said to Jesus, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter them.”
Jesus did allow this and immediately the unclean spirits did go out from the man and enter into the swine.  The herd of two thousand ran violently down a steep cliff to the sea and were drowned.

The swineherders fled and told this story in the city and in the country and people went out to see what it was that had happened. And they came to see Jesus and the man who had been possessed by the spirit called legion; but the man was sitting and fully clothed and clearly of sound mind and they were amazed and afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the man possessed by the spirit and to the swine told their story. They begged Jesus to leave their land.

When Jesus boarded the ship, the man who had borne the unclean spirit asked him if he might come along and be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Go back to your home and keep telling the story of how the Lord has done great things for you and shown you compassion.”

So the man turned back and began to proclaim in Decapolis what Jesus had done for him so that all men were amazed.

Consider:

• How could the man’s community have been more welcoming?
• Does the story have a happy ending?
• What does Jesus do in this story that you find surprising?

You can listen to Pastor Leia’s sermon, “Unraveling the Mind,” here.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (JILL DUFFIELD)

Lord, when the world looks at us, your church, who do they see that you are? We pray that through the testimony of our lives and ministry others glimpse clearly your goodness and compassion. We hope that indeed the world knows we are your followers by our love. Where we have fallen short of that commandment, forgive us and send your Spirit to correct and transform us. When we attempt to love you and our neighbors, strengthen that urge and embolden our witness.

As the summer moves toward the fall, we admit our weariness with the ongoing threats brought on by this pandemic. We had hoped to be through the worst of this health crisis and all its fallout, moving headlong into the events and transitions that mark this time of year. Instead, we continue to navigate the troubled waters all around us, unsure when this storm and all the damage it has wrought will come to an end. Quiet our anxious minds, Prince of Peace. Grant us courage for the living of these days. Do not let our faith fail when we most need to put it into practice.

We ask for wisdom as we seek to make decisions and act in ways that bring healing and wholeness to the brokenness we feel within and see all around us. As followers of the One through whom all things are possible, give us vivid imaginations for how the difficulties of this time can be used by you to bring good and build communities of mutual care. Trusting your promise that even the gates of hell will not prevail against your church, we pray to take risks for the sake of the gospel that make for abundant life for all people.

We voice to you – who counts every hair on our head and promises never to abandon us – the concerns we hold near to our hearts this day. Hear our prayers for those closest to us for whom we worry and wonder how to support. Intervene for those farthest from us, those we do not know, those we do not want to know, those known only to you. Call us to you now so that we will be drawn toward one another and through you made one, a vision on earth of the multitude of tribes and nations united in worship and praise.

Make of us rocks upon which your church stands firm, a beacon of light that provides warmth, direction and comfort to the world you so love. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Christ, your Son, who taught us to say when we pray:

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN   I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

INVITATION TO OFFERING 

Freely we have received, freely let us give. With joyous and generous hearts, let us offer to God a portion of what God has entrusted to us. Let us worship as we give!

MORNING OFFERING

If you are able to, please consider mailing your offerings to the church (210 Smith Street). Alternatively, there is a link at the top of this page that will take you directly to a secure page where you can make a one-time donation. We appreciate your generosity as we seek to continue our mission and ministry throughout the community during this difficult time.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION 

Receive these gifts, gracious God, bless them and distribute them in ways that reveal to the world your loving kindness and steadfast love. In a season of great upheaval and much uncertainty, may the giving of our resources and the sharing of our lives bring hope, comfort and relief to those most in need of good news. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, Fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May God’s countenance be lifted upon you and give you peace.
Remember that God is with us,
no matter where we find ourselves
no matter how lonely we become
no matter how hopeless our situations may seem
God has seen us through times of brokenness before,
and God will see us through again.
From wherever you are, serve the Lord: Creator, Son, and Holy Spirit.

VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR

If you are using this page to follow along with today’s worship service while it is being live streamed, please join us for virtual coffee hour! Turn on your video camera and join us after the benediction with this link. You could also join over the telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting code 146 874 134, followed by the password 075003.