Sunday, November 12, 2023

 

† Stand as you are able

 

Organ Prelude

 

Welcome and Announcements John Strawbridge, Lay Leader

 

Choral Introit “Blessed Jesus, At Thy Word” Ahle

Blessed Jesus, at Your word

We are gathered all to hear You.

Let our hearts and souls be sitrred

Now to seek and love and fear you.

By Your gospel pure and holy,

Teach us, Lord, to love you solely.

† Call to Worship

We have been created to be God’s children,

but we are free to accept or deny this identity.

We have come to tell the world

that we want to live as sons and daughters of God.

In Christ, we are called to participate in the life of God.

We may come or stay away.

In Christ, we are united as a community of faith.

We have come to praise the God of love and goodness.

† Opening Hymn “Lift High the Cross” UMH 159

 

Prayer for Illumination

Divine Creator, You blessed ancient writers with the grace to inscribe their encounters with your presence in their time. Grant us, too, the grace to recognize your influence in our lives as we engage with the Scriptures. Enlighten us with the radiance of your Spirit, enabling us to perceive your truth and discern your intentions for us clearly. May our hearts and minds be illuminated by the essence of Christ as we meditate upon your teachings. Amen.

A Reading from Letters to the Early Church 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NRSV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

Congregational Prayer

Eternal God, Throughout every era and corner of the world, your constancy remains unwavering. Your faithfulness transcends time, enduring across generations without fail. Bind the hearts of your covenant people to yourself so that those who have pledged allegiance to the gospel may faithfully honor their commitments. Protect your church not only from outright denial or disregard of faith but also from a lukewarm conviction that elicits disdain rather than meaningful dialogue from others. May your church shine as a beacon on a hill, so our testimony is evident, drawing others closer to you. All for the sake of Jesus Christ, whose faithfulness encompasses all things. Amen.

 

Passing of the Peace

Sharing Joys and Concerns

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

 

Choral Response “Cares Chorus”

I cast all my cares upon You.

I lay all of my burdens, down at Your feet.

And anytime that I don’t know what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon You.

† A Reading from the Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 NRSV

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for your-selves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wed-ding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ!

Sermon Are You Living a Life Prepared? Rev. Levon D. Sutton, Pastor

 

Invitation to Offering

 

Offertory “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” Rorem

Love divine, all loves excelling

Joy of heaven, to earth come down;

Fix in us thy humble dwelling;

All thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus, thou art all compassion,

Pure, unbounded love thou art;

Visit us with thy salvation;

Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit

Into every troubled breast!

Let us all in thee inherit;

Let us find that second rest.

Take away our bent to sinning;

Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith, as its beginning,

Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,

Let us all thy life receive;

Suddenly return and never,

Nevermore thy temples leave.

Thee we would be always blessing,

Serve thee as thy hosts above,

Pray and praise thee without ceasing,

Glory in thy perfect love.

Finish, then, thy new creation;

Pure and spotless let us be.

Let us see thy great salvation

Perfectly restored in thee;

Changed from glory into glory,

Till in heaven we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before thee,

Lost in wonder, love and praise.

 

Offering Prayer

Omnipotent God. In your abundance, all that we offer is already yours, for everything belongs to you. You have continually come to our aid, and in gratitude, we present these gifts as a humble expression of our appre-ciation, through the grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

† Closing Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” UMH 140

 

† Benediction Ephesians 3:20–21

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

† Choral Benediction “Unto God Be Glory Given” Moore

Unto God be glory given;

Lift your voice, forever sing.

Let all people join together,

God Almighty, King of Kings.

Ringing the Bicentennial Bell

 

Organ Postlude