Sunday, June 4 2023
LOVELY LANE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
TRINITY SUNDAY
JUNE 4, 2023
10:15 A.M.
Organ Prelude
Welcome and Announcements John Strawbridge
Choral Introit Holy, Holy, Holy” TFWS 2007
Holy, holy, holy. My heart, my heart adores you!
My heart knows how to say to you: You are holy, Lord! 2x
Call to Worship
Let us speak of God’s faithfulness
Come let us proclaim God’s salvation
Here is the glad news of God’s deliverance
God’s love is steadfast and God is faithful!
Let us praise God today!
Come, let us praise God forever!
Opening Hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” UMH 64 Vs. 1, 3 & 4
1. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, love, and purity. 4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Psalter Lesson Psalm 8 Good News Translation 8 O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world!
Your praise reaches up to the heavens; 2 it is sung by children and babies.
You are safe and secure from all your enemies; you stop anyone who opposes you.3 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places—
4 what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them?5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You appointed them rulers over everything you made; you placed them over all creation:
7 sheep and cattle, and the wild animals too; 8 the birds and the fish and the creatures in the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world!
The Word of God…..THANKS BE TO GOD
Call to Confession
We know too well our foolishness, our brokenness, our human ways of doing things. But God knows our hearts, our hopes, our desire to be made new. As we offer our prayers of confession, let us open ourselves to God, who will forgive us and give us new life.
Prayer of Confession
We have been created for goodness by you, Artist of all things, but we continue to be filled with bitterness. Your Word would enable us to speak of joy to others, but we offer only judgment. The Spirit which breathes hope into us could be shared with everyone we meet, but we are tempted to hold our breath until we turn blue, rather than giving peace to those around us.
But you have said that everything created is good, even we foolish children of yours, God of wonder and grace. With the Spirit as our sister, we know we can bring healing and hope to those who need it most. With your Word, Jesus Christ, as our brother, we know we can tell others of your mercy and of our love for them in every moment.
Assurance of Pardon
By God’s grace, our chaotic choices become creative grace for others; our foolishness can be transformed by God’s goodness; our lives can become new by the Spirit of our God.
The good news is as true as it was on creation’s first morning: Creator God is the redeeming Word who is the Breath of life for all people, even us. Thanks be to God for forgiveness and grace in our lives. 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.
Gospel Lesson Matthew 28:16-20 New International Version The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Word of God for the people of God….Thanks be to God
Sermon “Our Comission” Rev. Debbie Scott
Invitation to Offering
Offertory “What does the Lord Require” (Erik Routley)
Offering Prayer
Like the gifts of creation, we are but steward of all we possess. And like the gifts of creation, they are not to be hoarded, but shared with the hungry, the lonely, the lost, the struggling. As we offer our gifts, receive our thanks and praise in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Closing Hymn “Go Make of All Disciple” UMH 571 Vs. 1, 2 & 4
1. Go make of all disciples We hear the call O Lord
That comes from Thee our Father In Thy eternal Word
Inspire our ways of learning Through earnest fervent prayer
And let our daily living Reveal Thee everywhere
2.Go make of all disciples Baptizing in the name
Of Father Son and Spirit From age to age the same
We call each new disciple To follow Thee O Lord
Redeeming soul and body By water and the Word
4.Go make of all disciples We welcome Thy command
Lo I am with you always We take Thy guiding hand
The task looms large before us We follow without fear
In heaven and earth Thy power Shall bring God’s kingdom here
Benediction Jesus we worship you,
And sometimes we doubt. Yet we know all authority is yours.
So you call us to go:
to all nations, to make disciples, to continue your mission.
You call us to announce your Kingdom:
to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cast out demons.
We will follow and teach all you have commanded,
For you are with us always, day after day, year after year, to the very end of the age. Amen.
Choral Benediction “May You Run and Not Be Weary” “
Ringing the Bicentennial Bell
Organ Postlude
Great Thanksgiving (for insert only)
The Lord be with you!
And also with you!
May the Holy Three who are One be in your hearts.
May we be filled with imagination, with words, with life itself.
Let us sing our praises to God who makes us one with all people.
We join all creation in singing glad songs to our God.
You poured your imagination into chaos,
stirring all your dreams and hopes and,
placing them on that palette called your heart,
began to paint on the blank canvas of creation,
azure for clear morning skies,
bright yellows for marigolds,
deep green for grass in the meadows,
red and orange tickling lazy sunsets.
Simply, faithfully, graciously, all
was offered to those created in your image,
but we preferred the absence of color in sin,
and would paint our lives in death’s greyness.
You sent prophets and artists,
singers and poets, to point us
back to your beauty and art,
but we preferred the bleak mirages
offered by temptation and foolishness.
Finally, you appealed to your Word
to bring us the good news
of your salvific heart.
With those who see and worship,
as well as those who doubt and despair,
we offer our songs of praise to you:
Holy, holy, holy are you, Majestic Name.
All creation joins in praising your goodness and wonder.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who is with us to the end.
Hosanna in the highest!
Word of justice and love,
you pointed to the Holy One
in every word and deed, even
as God blessed your every step and breath.
A baby, you showed us God’s vulnerability;
a young child, you taught us to draw closer to God;
a storyteller, you reminded us of the One who would run to scoop us up
in arms of love and welcome;
a lover, you enter into sin’s embrace, taking the kiss death intends for us,
so that, as resurrection’s hope, you offer us life with you forever.
As we struggle to understand such a gift,
as we seek to live such faithfulness,
we live in that mystery called faith:
Christ died, your Word silenced by the world;
Christ was raised, your Word singing of resurrection joy;
Christ will come, the Word which will call us home to you.
Like a storm, you blew over creation’s oceans;
with a gust, you blow open our shuttered souls;
with a light breath, you give us life, so now,
Breath of God, Spirit of all that exists,
touch the simple gifts of the bread and the cup
with the sacredness of your peace,
and stir us all from our fear and apathy.
The bread which is broken is filled with your strength,
so that we can go and offer freedom to the prisoner,
so that we can breathe hope into our dying neighborhoods,
so that we can be peace for an angry world.
The cup is never drained of your grace,
so that we may silence all hatred,
so that we might put evil in the past,
so that we might renew your fragile creation.
And when we are gathered in that place
to which you will direct us at the end of time,
we will join with our sisters and brothers
in forever praising your glory, your love,
God in Community, Holy in One. Amen.
Sharing Bread and Cup
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