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 (Thom Shuman)
With friends and strangers,
with family and neighbors, we gather:
Come among us, Healing God,
with that love which never ends.
With faith reaching out to touch,
with hearts straining to trust, we hope:
Come among us, Friend of the broken,
with your compassion which makes us whole.
With word and wonder,
with silence and song, we wait:
Come among us, Dryer of our tears,
to lift us to our feet to follow you.
OPENING PRAYER (Rev-O-Lution)
God of Love and Grief, when we grieve it is because we have loved so much. You grieved the oppression of Your people long ago and grieved when they made terrible choices in the wilderness. You grieved Saul, whom You chose as a king for the people but went astray from Your ways. You grieved David, Your beloved, when he went astray. You grieved for the people when they went into exile, and You grieved Your only Son, killed by the empire of violence to maintain a peace for the people. However, we know Your love is stronger than grief, and Your love will see us through our own losses. Remind us that grief comes before joy. That grief is necessary, and it is a sign of strength, not weakness. Help us to remember that grief is a sign of our great love, and the great love others have had for us. For we know that You grieve with us, and You bring comfort to us in the care and love of our family, friends, and neighbors. Remind us not to short-circuit grief, but to allow it to turn, in its own time, from mourning to dancing, from loss into joy, and may we know You are with us in this journey. Amen.
CALL TO CONFESSION (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Let us confess our sins to God, confident in God’s promise to forgive us, heal us and transform us.
I invite you to join with me in our unison prayer of confession, followed by a time either for silent personal confession.
Moment of silent prayer–people of God, what do you need to confess this week?
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Holy and loving God, you promise us that you are making all things new. Yet we see the pain and injustice in our world and in our lives, and we do not believe you. Forgive us for our tiny faith. Make us confident in your promises, that we may be people of courageous hope, healers in a world desperate for restoration. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, God’s mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
God loves us, no matter what. I declare to you with confidence, in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Live in that forgiveness this day and always. Amen.
PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Startle us, O God, with your truth, and open our minds to your Spirit, that we may be one with Christ our Lord, and serve as faithful disciples, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING
MARK 5:24-34
A large crowd followed Jesus and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ He looked all round to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’
-
The woman has “heard about Jesus” and is so impressed that she believes he can heal her, when no one else has been able. What have people heard about Jesus from you?
-
How can we profess our faith and live it out both verbally and silently?
-
How do we respond when we are approached and touched by the “unclean”? Do we see it as an invitation into relationship or as a theft of our personal space?
HYMN Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers
lyrics by Andrew Reed, 1829
music by Johann Crüger, 1647
public domain
1 Spirit divine, attend our prayers,
and make this house your home.
Descend with all your gracious powers.
O come, great Spirit, come!
2 Come as the light. To us reveal
our emptiness and woe.
And lead us in those paths of life
where all the righteous go.
3 Come as the fire and purge our hearts
like sacrificial flame.
Let our whole soul an offering be
to our Redeemer’s name.
4 Come as the dove and spread your wings,
the wings of peaceful love.
And let the church on earth become
blest as the church above.
5 Spirit divine, attend our prayers.
Make a lost world your home.
Descend with all your gracious powers.
O come, great Spirit, come!
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING
1 SAMUEL 18:1-9 and 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
When David had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armour, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.
As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they made merry,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.’
Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?’ So Saul eyed David from that day on.
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. (He ordered that The Song of Hard Things be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:
Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor bounteous fields!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return empty.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!
You can listen to Pastor Leia’s sermon, “The Song of Hard Things,” here.
HYMN SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD
words and music by Daniel Iverson
© 1935 Birdwing Music (admin. EMICMGPublishing.com)
Used by Permission. CCLI License #3456351
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
O God, in these summer days, in this season of ordinary time, we ask that you would make our lives verdant with growth. We long for your restoration and your healing. We long for you to make all things new. We lay before you all our hopes, desires and fears, knowing that you lovingly receive them all.
For the places in our lives, our church and our society that are dry and thirsty, we pray for healing waters. For the places in our lives, our church and our society that are flooded with to-dos and overwhelmed by injustice and inequality, we pray for a receding of the waters, that we would be empowered and emboldened to act with justice, love and peace.
All this talk of fire and flood raises our awareness of the parts of our nation preparing for wildfires and hurricanes this summer. We pray your protection on all people living through the effects of climate change. We pray your courage and discipline to be able to make changes that will prevent deep suffering in the future.
For the needs of this community, we pray now, offering, in the silence of our hearts, the names of those in our midst who are suffering and need your sustaining love.
Shape us into people of bold hope that rest firm on the promise of a new heaven and new earth. Enable us to serve you wherever we are planted, not only in the everyday tasks at hand, but in the larger visions of justice, love, and peace for which we work.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ who taught us to pray, saying:
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 YOU NEVER LET GO
music and lyrics by Beth Redman and Matt Redman
© 2005 Thankyou Music (Admin. Capitol CMG Publishing)
Used by Permission. CCLI License #3456351
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
Even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back I know you are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, you never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, you never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes
We’ll live to know you here on the earth
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
Oh no, you never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, you never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me
Yes I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes
Still I will praise you
Still I will praise you
Oh no, you never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, you never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me
MORNING OFFERING (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Whether we have much or whether we have little, God asks us to offer what we have for God’s purposes, including our tithes, our gifts, our skills and our passions. Let us offer to God what we can, confident that God will take our small offerings, and multiply them to abundance for the good of our congregation and our community.
If you are able to, please consider mailing your offerings to the church (210 Smith Street) or dropping them off in the mail slot. Alternatively, if you visit peoples presbyterian dot org, you’ll find a donate button at the top of the page that will link you directly to a secure page where you could make a donation online. We appreciate the generosity of the Peoples family as we live out our faith in MISSION and ministry.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Rachel Young, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
God of all provision, take these gifts, and use them for your glory and for the good of our world. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith)
In a broken and fearful world
the Spirit gives us courage
to pray without ceasing,
to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,
to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,
to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,
and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,
we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks
and to live holy and joyful lives,
even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,
praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
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.
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. You can find other events throughout the week on our CALENDAR.