Online Worship Resource for June 7, 2020

Jonathan Hancock, Associate Pastor for Congregational Care

Sofia Schumann

Based on Psalm 34

Leader: I will bless the Lord all the time! We’ll never stop praising our God!

All: Magnify the Lord with me. Together we’ll lift his name high.

Leader: Taste and see – the Lord is good! Relax and rejoice – you are safe in him.

All: When trouble comes, cry out to God. He is always around you, protecting you.

Leader: The Lord is near to the broken, he saves those who are crushed.

All: God sees us, God hears us, God knows us. He rescues us from all our fears.

Leader: Listen everyone – this is the way to live: speak truth, speak kindness, walk away from what is wrong, choose to do what is right, seek peace and follow peace.

All: We’ll never stop praising our God!

Andrew Sedlacek, Director of Worship Ministries and Hannah Sedlacek

Cannons by Phil Wickham

Blake Riboli, Director of Student Ministries

Confirmands: Bella Bartolucci, Ellie Beaudoin, Abby Carter, Grace Chibucos, Henry Eldersveld, Katrina Engel, Sarah Gilbert, Ellie Hart, Kathryn Hoder, Emmie Kotarba , Carter Laubinger, Aidan Murphy, Travis Nelson, Sarah Paradis, Grant Roscich, Christopher Schoenherr, Emilia Serna, Emma Smith, Lucie Stutelberg, Chloe Wanless

Bethany VanAntwerp, Student Ministries Intern

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. He was conceived by power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting. Amen.

Leader: Father, we so rejoice in the gift you have given this church body of being multi-generational. We think of the very youngest, like Emilia, born to the Conway family, or Olivia, born to the Merrell family.

All: Thank you, gracious God. They are a gift to us and to you.

Leader: We rejoice in those at the other end of the spectrum, for their lives, wisdom and faith, for many with rich long years lived as a gift from you.

All: Thank you, gracious God. They are a gift to us and to you.

Leader: And while there are so many people in between, we pray today particularly for our confirmands. May their faith in you be alive and full, may they know you, Lord Jesus, and love you with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

All: Thank you, gracious God. They are a gift to us and to you.

Leader: We pray too on behalf of those who hurt in this body: for Elaine Montgomery, Don Johnson, Mary Hackman, Nancy Wharton, Nancy King and Harley Jordan.

All: Grant them patience, healing, comfort and a clear sense of your presence with them.

Leader: We remember too those affected by COVID-19; for those who suffer from this virus and for those who care for them in the hospitals; for those who struggle through lack of employment or need of basic necessities.

All: And for those who are lonely and isolated from loved ones.

Leader: And in the midst of this horrific virus that in many ways has united us, we are in the midst of a battle that seeks to divide us; and so Jesus, we come before you with heavy hearts, in lament. We lament that racial injustice, while well beyond the experience of most of us, is so tragically common in our society. 

All: We lament that over the centuries of our country, lives have been lost because of hate and ignorance. 

Leader: We lament the prejudice, violence, and racism that mock your teachings. 

All: We lament that the Church has too often stayed silent.

Leader: We lament that the COVID 19 virus, related unemployment and climate change disproportionally affect people of color.

All: We lament that racial justice is so polarizing in our society.

Leader: As we ask you to open our ears to listen and our hearts to be softened, we also pray for those communities, businesses and families most negatively affected by this racial unrest.

All: Forgive us, oh Lord, for our fear and complicity. Lord Jesus, we need you in this time of racial anxiety. 

Leader: Many of us just long for peace, we cry out for tranquility, but may we not settle for peace at the expense of the humanity and justice for others. Your prophet Jeremiah lamented:  

All: “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”

Leader: We want peace for our nation that comes from sacrifice, mercy, and compassion, and delivers freedom and justice for all.

All: We want peace in our hearts that can only come from the Prince of Peace.

Leader: And we pray now in the name of Jesus, that very Prince of Peace, who taught us to pray saying,

All: 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.

Keep Moving | Chris Griggs, Senior Pastor

Scripture Reading | Acts 8:1-8

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

piano music, Isaiah Shim

How Firm A Foundation