†Stand as you are able
Organ Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Introit “Come, We That Love the Lord” UMH 732
Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.
†Call to Worship
Come, people of God, to worship the One who calls us into growing with patience.
We come with open hearts, ready to receive grace.
Christ meets us in Word, prayer, song, and service.
The Spirit gathers us and sends us in love.
Let us worship God with joy and expectation. Amen
†Opening Hymn “This Is My Father’s World” UMH 144
Prayer of Illumination
Holy Spirit, open the Scriptures to us. Let the words read and proclaimed become a living word, so that we may hear Christ, trust your promise, and practice growing with patience in the life of the church. Amen.
A Reading from the Old Testament Genesis 28:10-19a NRSV
Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a stairway set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the LORD stood beside him and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring, and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place–and I did not know it!” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. The word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
Congregational Prayer
Merciful God, we pray for the church, for our neighbors, and for all who carry heavy burdens. Where there is weariness, give strength; where there is division, give peace; where there is grief, give comfort; where there is injustice, give courage. Form us as a people who embody growing with patience, and make Lovely Lane a witness of beloved community for Baltimore and beyond. Amen.
Passing of the Peace “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” UMH 334
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
Response “Sanctuary” TFSW 2164
A Reading from the Epistles Romans 8:12-25 NRSV
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– for if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. The word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
Sermon Reverend Levon D. Sutton, Pastor
†Responsive Hymn “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” UMH 420
Invitation to Offering
Offertory “God, You Are My God” Mullins/Beaker
God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You. I will seek You in the morning and learn to walk in Your ways. Step by step, You lead me, and I will follow you all of my days.
Offering Prayer
Generous God, receive these gifts as signs of gratitude and trust. Use them to strengthen worship, deepen discipleship, serve our neighbors, and bear witness to set the mind in Jesus’ name. Amen.
†Closing Hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth” UMH 92
†Benediction
Go in peace. Practice hospitality, do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Amen.
†Benediction Response “In the Lord I’ll be Ever Thankful” TFWS 2195
In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful
In the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid;
Lift up your voices: the Lord is near.
Ringing the Bicentennial Bell
Organ Postlude