Worship at Home: June 28, 2020

Watch the 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)

One: God is in this house today,
All: For God longs to be in relationship with us.
One: God is in this house today,
All: For God loves the sinners and the saints.
One: God is in this house today.
All: For God sees all, claims all, and loves all.
One: God is in this house today.
All: So let us worship Holy God.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray: O God, light of the minds that know you, life of the souls that love you, strength of the thoughts that seek you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; 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

No longer enslaved to sin, but set free through grace to be instruments of righteousness, we come before God to confess the ways we fail to follow Christ and neglect to care for one another.

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

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (written by Sarah Are for A Sanctified Art LLC)

Gracious God, Zacchaeus valued money over people and power over equality. He was a sinner, but so are we. Like Zacchaeus, we are quick to prioritize the wrong things—valuing our to-do lists over family time, our own success over a relationship with you, and wealth over generosity. We lose sight of what really matters. We lose sight of love. Forgive us for our ignorance and impatience. Call us back to the life you long for us to lead. With humility and gratitude we pray, Amen.

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

Assurance of Pardon (Romans 6:22-23)

But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Friends, believe the good news and be at peace: through Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

Lord, the noise around us is loud and the distractions intense. We yearn to hear your voice in order to know of your presence and hear again your covenant promise. Quiet our busy minds, calm our anxious hearts, come to us now and speak for we are listening. Amen

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING

Jeremiah 28:5-9

Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfil the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.’

HYMN  Just as I Am, Without One Plea

1 Just as I am, without one plea
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou biddest me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come; I come!

2 Just as I am, though tossed about
with many‿a conflict, many‿a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come; I come!

3 Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come; I come!

4 Just as I am, thy love unknown
has broken every barrier down;
now to be thine, yea, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come; I come!

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING

Luke 19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.

Consider:

• Why might Zacchaeus have been so interested in seeing who Jesus was?

• Do you think that Zacchaeus was eventually welcomed by his community, or do you think they would always hold a little distrust for him?

• Has there ever been a moment in your life that totally transformed your outlook on something?

You can listen to Pastor Leia’s sermon, “When Bitterness Is Unraveled,” here.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (JILL DUFFIELD)

Lord God, we bow in prayer humbled by the reality that you want to spend time with us. You long to be in relationship with us. You receive us and care for us, no matter where we have been, what we have done, or how often we have neglected your will. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us, such grace beyond our comprehension. We rest in your compassionate presence; freed from sin and alive to the transformation you promise.

Awed by your mercy and kindness we seek to respond with bold faith. Strengthen our resolve to follow where Christ leads and obey his commandment to love. In a world overflowing with anger and division, send us to be ambassadors of reconciliation. In the wake of injustice and pain, use us as instruments of righteousness and healing. As creation groans for relief, make us bearers of hope and catalysts of life-giving change.

When our faith is tested and we do not feel up to the demands of discipleship, remind us that you provide. Help us to remember the ram in the thicket, the mana in the desert, the water from the rock and the feeding of the 5,000. Send your Holy Spirit to spark our imagination and embolden our witness so that none of your little ones are hungry or thirsty.

Free from sin and alive in Christ Jesus, we pray without reserve for those people and places, circumstances, and situations that weigh on our hearts and minds this day …

We ask you to provide healing to the sick …

We look to you to ease the suffering of those hurting in body, mind, and spirit …

We plead on behalf of the long oppressed and for those still waiting for justice … 

We yearn for you to guide all of those in positions of leadership to make decisions that reflect your will …

We rest in your compassionate presence, freed from sin, alive, and awaiting the transformation you promise.

We make our prayer in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, 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     O God of Love, O God of Peace

INVITATION TO OFFERING 

We respond to God’s grace with gratitude made evident in the joyful giving of a portion of what God has entrusted to us. Freely we have received, freely let us 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 

Let us pray: Loving God, you provide for us in countless and surprising ways. You give us the gift of creation, the community of the church, the love of friends and family. You surround us with the great cloud of witnesses to inspire and cheer us. The Spirit intercedes for us and Christ right now prays for us. Accept and bless these gifts we offer in thanksgiving, use them to show others your promised provision. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (written by Sarah Are for A Sanctified Art LLC)

I believe in God, the Great Tailor—
Who weaves us together in community,
Collecting our loose ends and turning them into belonging.
I believe in the Holy Spirit—
Who hems us in before and behind,
Catching us when we fall and writing us into God’s holy narrative.
And I believe in Jesus Christ—
Who loved and claimed the people society had thrown out, refusing to disregard anyone as scrap.
I believe God has woven part of God’s self into the fiber of our being,
Making us inherently worthy of love and belonging.
I believe the fabric of my life is weak,
That I am prone to error and need God’s handiwork to remind me of love.
I believe in the Church, and that like a quilt of different fabrics,
She is designed to be as diverse and beautiful as God’s creation.
And I believe that when life unravels,
God is there to stitch my wounds together,
To hold me in the palm of God’s hand, to tell me of love,
And to invite me into a new journey.
Amen.

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 Jesus will always see you
no matter how high you’ve climbed.
Remember that Jesus will always love you
no matter who you are, or what you are,
or where you’ve been, or what you’ve done.
God has seen us through times of transformation 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.