September 27, 2020

 Morning Worship Text: September 27, 2020

Ordinary Time - A Season for Spiritual Growth
Before we begin, gather a candle or small light, your Bible, a cross,  a piece of bread and a cup of juice or water. Place them at the center of a calm area in your home and gather comfortable seating for all who will join you. Place your phone, tablet  or computer where you can see and hear it. You may want to connect a charger, rather than rely on battery.

A good visual for today is the symbol of a cross. Place one that you have or that you have made that speaks to "having the mind of Christ," the humble nature and willingness to trust God, no matter what.



 

Welcome



Musical Meditation



Focus
The "Philippian Hymn" found in our New Testament scripture text today has had a long lasting impact on our understanding of  Jesus Christ as savior, or Messiah. The apostle Paul quotes a hymn that was already in circulation by 50 A.D. That hymn would later be an inspiration for the theologians of the 4th and 5th centuries as they worked out an basic understanding of the effect of Jesus' life, death and resurrection on our human relationship with God. Even today, fragments of this ancient hymn form the base of church music which affirms our claim "He is Lord." To hear the whole hymn text from Philippians set to modern music and translated into English, check out the song "Carmen Christi" by Michael Card.
 


Lighting the Christ Candles      We light our candles or lights.

Voice One: In the beginning, God said,


Voice Two: "Let there be light," and there was light!


Voice One: We light these candles today,


Voice Two: Because God is with us in this time and in all these places!
 


Call to Worship   


Voice 1: We lift up our souls to you, Holy God.
Voice 2: We trust the Lord with our past, present, and future.
Voice 1: Teach us, Lord, that we may know your ways.
Voice 2: Guide our every move, Holy One,
Voice 1: that we may walk in your paths of love and mercy.
Voice 2: Together, let us worship the One who leads us in what is right.

 ~ written by Amy Loving, and posted on The Worship Closet: The Place for Creative Worship Ideas. http://worshipcloset.com/baptism-of-the-lord-sunday-year-b-words-for-worship/


Invocation    We pray together in unison.

Merciful God,
give us the same attitude as Jesus, who emptied himself
and was obedient to you all the way to his death on the cross.
Make us eager to put others before ourselves, and their needs before our own.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

— posted on the Lutheran Church of Australia’s LCA Worship Planning Page.




Scripture:  Philippians 2:1-13 and Psalm 25:1-9

Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
 did not regard equality with God 
as something to be exploited,
 but emptied himself,
 taking the form of a slave,
 being born in human likeness.
 And being found in human form, 
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
 so that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
 to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Psalm 25:1-9

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
    do not let me be put to shame;
    do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
    let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
 teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
 for you are the God of my salvation;
 for you I wait all day long.

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
 for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
 according to your steadfast love remember me,
 for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

Good and upright is the Lord;
 therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
 and teaches the humble his way.

-New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


Sermon



Invitation to the Table The bread and cup and placed on the table for the Lord’s Supper.


Prayer of Communion Elders this month are Kathy Sharp and Kyle Sowers.




 

Words of Institution We break the bread and lift the cup as the words are spoken.


The Lord's Supper We share in the bread and cup as we hear the music.




 

Prayer of Thanksgiving "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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.




Prayers of the People
Lord, there are trials that trouble us.  Though we are devoted to you, we still see and experience suffering and distress.  When we quiet ourselves to pray, this is what comes rushing to mind, O God. Hear these cries, for ourselves and others, from the depths of our hearts....

(pause)

Even as we cry out to you, each one of us can say with confidence:
My trust is in you. 
My hope is in you. 
My refuge is in you.

Why?  Because your mercy and love are older than the hills. We take this moment to meditate on the moments and mysteries that move us to praise you. Hear these love songs from the depths of our hearts....

(pause)

We find our voices and say aloud the truths that comfort and inspire us.
You are good.
You are upright.
You are faithful.

So, show us your ways Lord, throughout this day, and the next....and the next.
Teach me your paths and help us feel you near us as we walk them. Restore our hope and make it clear in our lives

(pause)

And we will keep on saying, in joy, in sorrow, in frustration, in hope, but most of all, with confidence:
Our trust is in you. 
Our  hope is in you. 
Our refuge is in you.

Amen.

— Adapted from a shorter prayer written by Chris Altrock, and posted on his True North blog. http://chrisaltrock.com/



Challenge for Discipleship



Blessing     We speak in unison.



The Light that was in one place and at one time, is now in all places and all times, for God has placed the light in us.   We abide in peace!