Sunday, October 17, 2021
Twenty-first Sunday
After Pentecost
October 17, 2021
10:15am
Organ Prelude
Welcome and Announcements John Strawbridge
Choral Introit “Lead Me, Lord” (S.S. Wesley)
Lead me. Lord, lead me in Thy righteousness,
Make the way plain before my face.
Call to Worship
Shhhhh! Do you hear that voice? God is calling!
Here we are, Lord.
God has seen the suffering of God’s people
Our God is a God of justice and of compassion.
God is calling you by name
We bring our full selves, our stories, and our experiences as we answer God’s call.
Come! This place in which we are standing is Holy Ground!
God is here! Thanks be to God! Amen.
Opening Hymn “Be Thou My Vision” UMH 451
1.Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light
2. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
3.Great God of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
Prayer of Confession (Unison) (from GLAD Alliance)
Holy One, you have created all things through the power of your steadfast love, proclaiming all that you have made good, indeed, very good. As human beings, we bear your Divine image, the reflection of your creativity and diversity. Sadly, we have denied the goodness of your creation, and our own goodness as persons made in your image. We have abused your good creation, wounded and rejected each other, and mistreated ourselves. Forgive us, Merciful God. Give us the courage to embrace ourselves, each other, and all that you have made. Teach us to be better stewards of your good creation following the example of Jesus Christ through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
L: Though we have sinned, there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from God. The steadfast love of God endures forever. Through Jesus Christ we are forgiven of all our sins and through the Holy Spirit we are reborn and given the courage to accept ourselves and each other. Let us live in peace as we strive to follow faithfully in the way of Jesus.
P: Thanks be to God! Amen.
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Choral Response “Cares Chorus” TFWS 2215
I cast all my cares upon You
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet
And any time I don’t know just what to do,
I will cast all my cares upon You.
Old Testament Lesson Exodus 3:1-12 (NRSV)
Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
The Word of God for the people of God…..THANKS BE TO GOD
Sermon “Coming Out as Spiritual Practice” Rev. Angela Wells
Invitation to Offering
Offertory “I Heard the Voice of Jesus” (Lloyd Larson)
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come now and follow me.
Lay down your earthly cares,” he said, “and I will set you free.”
I came to Jesus as I was; I had no gifts to bring.
He took my stubborn will, my pride,
and taught my heart to sing.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one, come now and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live for Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I’ll walk till traveling days are done.
Offering Prayer (All)
God of the burning bush, you have caught our attention! We come, bringing all of who we are and all of what we have to show up for your people. We don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we know you are with us leading the way. Bless us with bold spirits and generous hearts that we might share your love with all whom we meet. Amen.
Closing Hymn “The Summons” TFWS 2130 Vs. 1, 4 & 5
1.Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
4. Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
5. Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I’ll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Benediction
Choral Benediction “New Testament Benediction” (Christian Gregor)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
Ringing of the Bicentennial Bell
Postlude
We are grateful that you have come to be with us this morning. It is our hope that you experience the love of Christ this morning and his presence during our worship. We thank Rev. Angela Wells for preaching this morning while Rev. Deb is recovering from surgery.
Please find our contact information below if you would like to reach out to us:
Church Office Number: 410-889-1512
Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Saturday; 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Email: Lovely.Lane.BCS@gmail.com
Pastor: Rev. Deb Scott
Phone Number: 301-641-4601
Email: revdeb8@aol.com