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 (Joan Stott, based on Psalm 138)
© 2012 Joan Stott – “The Timeless Psalms” RCL Psalm Year B, used with permission.
O Lord our God, we come together with songs of praise in our hearts,
because of your unfailing love and faithfulness.
Even though we struggle with life’s issues, your mercy blesses us.
Listening God, we come together with prayers of thanks in our hearts,
because you hear and answer our prayers.
Even though life is sometimes difficult, your strength blesses us.
Welcoming God, we come together in reverent worship
because your faithful love endures forever.
Even though we are fragile people
who sometimes feel lost and abandoned,
God’s love blesses us and never changes.
Thanks and praise be to our glorious God for ever and ever. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER (Revised Common Lectionary Prayers)
Unlike earthly kings, you, O Lord, are ever steadfast and faithful. You sent us your Son, Jesus the Christ, to rule over us, not as a tyrant, but as a gentle shepherd. Keep us united and strong in faith, that we may always know your presence in our lives, and, when you call us home, may we enter your heavenly kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
CALL TO CONFESSION (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Jesus calls us to enter the joy of discipleship, the joy of following in his way. But sin clings closely, and we struggle to respond fully to Christ’s invitation. Let us seek God’s forgiveness so that we may know more deeply the joy God intends.
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 (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
God of perfect love, you continually bring forth life, transforming sadness to joy, and despair to hope. We are weak, but you are strong. Our ways are flawed, but your ways are true. We are seldom right, but you are never wrong. Forgive us, redeem us, transform us. Take away the sin that burdens us, and restore us to the people you would have us be, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Relentlessly God seeks us out. With abundant grace and boundless mercy, God seeks us out. This is good news! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Gracious God, illumine these words by your Spirit that we might hear what you would have us hear and be who you would have us be, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Amen.
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING
Mark 3:20-35
Jesus went home and the crowd came together again, so close together that they could not even eat. When his family heard the commotion, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’
But Jesus called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And Jesus replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’
- Jesus redefines family as those who are sitting with him. Who is your chosen family?
- When church defines itself as a family, who is being left out? Who is part of the church family?
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Family tried to dismiss Jesus with claim that he was “out of his mind.” Leaders tried to dismiss him with claim that he is working with Satan. How do we still do this to people? Who do we dismiss as crazy or evil, thus cutting off a possibility of relationship?
HYMN Come Down, O Love Divine
lyrics by Bianco da Siena, c. 1367
trans. Richard Frederick Littledale, 1867
music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906
public domain
1 Come down, O Love Divine;
seek out this soul of mine,
and visit it with your own ardor glowing.
O Comforter, draw near;
within my heart appear,
and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.
2 O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming.
And let your glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
3 And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling.
For none can guess God’s grace,
till Love creates a place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING
1 Samuel 8:4-20, 11:14-15
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’
So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’
Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.’ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed offerings of well-being before the Lord, and there Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.
You can listen to Pastor Leia’s sermon, “Give Us a King,” here.
HYMN Holy Spirit, Come to Us
lyrics by Taize Community
music by Jacques Berthier
© 1998 Les Presses de Taizé (admin. GIA Publications, Inc.)
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE # 738214-A
Holy Spirit, come to us
Kindle in us the fire of your love
Holy Spirit, come to us
Holy Spirit, come to us
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
Great God, in you is more love than we can imagine and more grace than we can fathom. You have shown yourself in Jesus Christ as a God who meets us where we are and loves us as we are. We are glad for this day and grateful for your many gifts. You bring good things into our lives, more than we can name, more than we can number. You give us the bread of life, sustaining our souls and feeding our deepest hungers. You accompany us on our way. Thank you for your abundant faithfulness.
Our hearts are full with many things today. Disease and death and pain and sorrow are constantly among us. The journey through these days is marked by uncertainty and heartache. We are frequently overwhelmed by the needs around us and within us. Some need healing, some need encouragement, some need comfort, some need assurance, we all need hope. So we turn to you asking you to hear our prayers and grant what we need for the living of these days.
We pray for our nation. We pray for renewed commitments to our common life. Refresh us in the values of your heart: justice, righteousness, compassion, mercy, peace. Help us to find a unity of purpose as citizens and neighbors.
We pray for your church in places near and far. May the waters of your grace continually refresh and empower us to extend the love of Jesus to all people. We pray for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), for the clarity of our witness and the success of our mission. We pray for our congregation, for our life together and for our efforts to follow in the way of Jesus.
Hear us. Hold us. Heal us. Help us. For the sake of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ who taught us to pray like this:
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 Only King Forever
music and lyrics by Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Steven Furtick, and Wade Joye
© 2015 2013 Be Essential Songs, Elevation Worship Publishing (admin. Essential Music Publishing LLC)
Used by Permission. CCLI License #3456351
Our God, a firm foundation
Our rock, the only solid ground
As nations rise and fall
Kingdoms once strong now shaken
But we trust forever in Your name
The name of Jesus
We trust the name of Jesus
You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
You are the only King forever
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
In love and justice You will reign
And every knee will bow
We bring our expectations
Our hope is anchored in Your name
The name of Jesus
We trust the name of Jesus
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
We lift the name of Jesus
From age to age You reign
Your kingdom has no end
We lift the name of Jesus
From age to age You reign
Your kingdom has no end
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
Almighty God we lift You higher
You are the only King forever
Forevermore, You are victorious
MORNING OFFERING (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
With gratitude for God’s faithfulness and with thanksgiving for all that we have received, let us bring our gifts to God.
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 (John Wurster, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
O God, with faith and hope, we offer these gifts. Use them, even as you use us, to accomplish your purposes in Jesus Christ, the head of the church and the Lord of our lives. Amen.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith)
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.
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.
we rejoice that nothing in life or in death
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 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.
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.