SermonStudio

First Lesson: Genesis 32:22-31
Theme: Out Of Joint

Call To Worship (based on Psalm 145:1-4)

One: We will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

All: We will proclaim you as God and King in the midst of our community.

One: Every day we will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

All: Your name is great, Lord, and worthy of this praise.

One: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.

All: Even so, in our worship and in our weekly living we will search out this greatness that we might know you, even if from afar.

One: One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

All: We gather today to retell your story so that our children and our children's children will know that you are also close at hand.


Collect
Lord, we wait for your coming into our midst. We celebrate at your works in the world all around us. We marvel with your people at the dawn and at sunset. Give us the strength to accept your will for our lives as individuals and families, to accept your commission to take the gospel to all nations, and next door as well. Bless this time we share together today. Amen.


Prayer Of Confession
Lord God, we say that we wait for you to move in our midst, but we can't help feel a little fear - what if after we call upon your name you actually arrive? Will we be ready? Will we be ready to receive you? Will we be ready, if it is your will, to wrestle like Jacob with your plan for our lives? Now is never the right time. We pray boldly that you will speak to us now, as we confess our brokenness to you and to the community of faith, and wait with expectation for the world - and ourselves - to be transformed. Amen.


Hymns
"Spirit Of God, Descend On My Heart"
"Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown"
"Savior Of My Soul" (see page 245)


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Second Lesson: Romans 9:1-5
Theme: Surprised By God's People


Call To Worship
Sisters and brothers, let us come together as God's people confident in our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Like the Apostle Paul, we know that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope based on the love of God does not disappoint us. Therefore we gather confident that the Holy Spirit will be present with us today. Let us gather together today, bearing not only the marks of our suffering, but the badge of our salvation. In the name of Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.


Collect
As your faithful people we pray that through your Spirit we will learn your will for us today. Speak to us through your written word as it is proclaimed aloud. Speak to us in the prayers we pray together. Speak to us in the words delivered through your servants in our midst. And speak to us in the still silence between every word. We pledge to listen with the heart you have given us. Amen.


Prayer Of Confession
Heavenly Father, here on this day
We humbly stand before them all
And as your faithful people say
Though not the best at least we may
Have answered when we heard the call.
Amen.


Hymns
"We Gather Together"
"Holy Holy Holy"
"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

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Gospel Lesson: Matthew 14:13-21
Theme: Surprised By God's Bounty


Call To Worship (Psalm 145:8-9)

One: The Lord is gracious and merciful,

All: Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

One: The Lord is good to all,

All: And his compassion is over all that he has made.


Collect
Father of all, we are like sheep without a shepherd. Look upon our needs with your compassion, Lord, even as we offer up prayer for your world. As you multiplied the fish beyond the vision of the apostles to feed the multitudes, we pray you will multiply us in our discipleship so that your love might be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. These things we pray in your name. Amen.


Prayer Of Confession (based on Psalm 145:14-21)
Lord, we confess that you uphold all who are falling, raising up those who are bowed down. You give good things to all your creatures in due season. You are just in all your ways and kind in all your doings. Be near to us, Lord, as we call upon you, asking your forgiveness for what we have done and what we have left undone. Hear our cry, and save us, Father of all. Watch over us in love. Amen.


Hymns
"There's A Wideness In God's Mercy"
"Brothers And Sisters Of Mine"
"O Let All Who Thirst"