14.08.24 Ordinary Time 21A English

Hymn:  Wake now my senses (Thomas Mikelson / SLANE, Irish traditional)*
Call to Worship
Song:  Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 3:13-16 / Jaime Cortez)

Prayer of Confession
Song of Praise:  Ain’t-a that good news (African-American)*

Prayer of the Day

Gospel Acclamation (Collective creation, Matanzas, Cuba / World Council of Churches)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon:  (Rev. Elizabeth Gibbs Zehnder)
Song:  God has chosen me (Bernadette Farrell) 

Affirmation of Faith

Prayer Song:  The Kingdom of God (Taizé)*
Silent Meditation
Prayers of the People
Announcements

Offerings (regular and food)

Song:  Peter’s Rock was not himself (Carl P. Daw / KINGSFOLD, English traditional)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Song:  In the midst of every blessing (unknown / NETTLETON, Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music)

*Seasonal for Ordinary Time/August

Forces:
Soprano

Tenor/Guitar

Tenor/Bass guitar

Drums

August 24, 2014

21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Please stand, all who are able.

Hymn

Wake now, my senses, and hear the earth call;
feel the deep power of being in all;
keep, with the web of creation your vow,
giving, receiving as love shows us how.

Wake now, my reason, reach out to the new,
join with each pilgrim who quests for the true;
honor the beauty and wisdom of time;
suffer your limit, and praise the sublime.

Wake now, compassion, give heed to the cry;
voices of suffering fill the wide sky;
take as your neighbor both stranger and friend,
praying and striving their hardship to end.

Wake now, my conscience, with justice your guide;
join with all people whose rights are denied;
take not for granted a privileged place;
God's love embraces the whole human race.

Wake now, my vision of ministry clear;
brighten my pathway with radiance here;
mingle my calling with all who will share;
work toward a planet transformed by our care.

Call to Worship

One:  The God of our ancestors calls to us today;
All:  May we have the faith of our ancestors to go where God leads us.
One:  The God of our children calls to us today;
All:  May we work for justice and peace to build up the reign of God on earth.
One:  Jesus, the son of the Living God, calls to us now;
All:  May we worship God, follow Jesus, and be moved by the Spirit
    To do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God, now and forever. Amen.

Please be seated

Song

//Who do you say that I am?//

“Some say that you are John the Baptizer.

Others say they know that you are Elijah.”

//Who do you say that I am?//

 “Others have been hearing some who swear

that they surely know that

you are a prophet from of old

and you’ve come back to life.”

//Who do you say that I am?//

 “You are the Messiah!” “You are the Messiah!”

//Who do you say that I am?//

Prayer of Confession

NOT ON PPT

During a few moments silence, let us place ourselves within the light of Christ, examine our hearts and minds, and recognize where we have lost our way and neglected our calling.

One:  If we have been so busy that we don’t notice the needs of others,

or have resented those who do take time to be kind and generous,

or have disgraced our faith by becoming self absorbed:

All:  Forgive us, loving God, and save us from ourselves.

One:  If we have been too proud to undertake humble tasks,

or too impatient to do tasks that have no immediate reward,

or too stubborn to seek the help of others.

All:  Forgive us, loving God, and save us from ourselves.

One:  If we have magnified small wrongs done to us,

or have allowed tiny difficulties to frustrate us,

or have been thick-skinned, inflexible or unteachable.

All:  Forgive us, loving God, and save us from ourselves.

One:  God does not have to be persuaded to forgive us; it is more likely our pride that holds us back from accepting forgiveness.  Please, for Christ’s sake, let down your guard, open you mind and heart, repent and accept the Gospel of free grace.

All:  In Christ there is grace.

In Christ there is peace.

In Christ there is love and joy.

Thanks be to God!

Please stand, all who are able.

Song of Praise

//I ‘ve got a crown up in-a the Kingdom
Ain’t-a that good news.//
I’m going to lay down this world
Going to shoulder up my cross
Goin’ to take it home to Jesus
Ain’t-a that good news

//I ‘ve got a harp up in-a the Kingdom
Ain’t-a that good news.//

I’m going to lay down this world
Going to shoulder up my cross
Goin’ to take it home to Jesus
Ain’t-a that good news

//I ‘ve got a Savior in-a the Kingdom
Ain’t-a that good news.//

I’m going to lay down this world
Going to shoulder up my cross
Goin’ to take it home to Jesus
Ain’t-a that good news

Prayer

NOT ON PPT

God our holy Parent, the magnitude and mystery of the universe is a simple thing to you;

             help us to come to you with both awe and trust.

Christ Jesus our holy Brother, the wonder of the Gospel of love is a free gift from you;

            help us to come to you with open hearts.

Spirit-Truth, our holy Friend, the power that sustains all things is contained in your intimacy;

            help us to come to you with high expectations.

Please bless us, most loving God, for in your blessing is our health and our happiness.

For your love’s sake.

Amen!

Please be seated

Gospel Acclamation

Gospel Reading

Matthew 16:13-20

NOT ON PPT

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Chosen One is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, born of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father-Mother God in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Reader:  The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

All:  Thanks be to God!

Please be seated

Sermon

Please stand, all who are able.

Song

1.  God has chosen me, God has chosen me

to bring good news to the poor.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me

to bring new sight to those searching for light:

God has chosen me, chosen me:

And to tell the world that God’s kingdom is near,

to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God’s time is near, God’s time is near,

God’s time is near, God’s time is near.

2.  God has chosen me, God has chosen me

to set alight a new fire.

God has chosen me, God has chosen me,

to bring to birth a new kingdom on earth:

God has chosen me, chosen me:

And to tell the world that God’s kingdom is near,

to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God’s time is near, God’s time is near,

God’s time is near, God’s time is near.

3. God is calling me, God is calling me

in all whose cry is unheard.

God is calling me, God is calling me

to raise up the voice with no power or choice:

God is calling me, calling me:

And to tell the world that God’s kingdom is near,

to remove oppression and break down fear,

yes, God’s time is near, God’s time is near,

God’s time is near, God’s time is near.

Affirmation of Faith

From all corners of the world:
All God has called a pilgrim people.

From all walks and ways of life:
All God has called a pilgrim people.

Black and white, male and female
All We are signs of God's division.
Black and white, male and female
All We are signs of God's new creation
joined together by love.

So let us not journey alone with God.
All So let us not journey only with our friends.

Let us be a place and a people of welcome
All signs of God's all embracing love.

Please be seated

Prayer Song

//The kingdom of God is justice and peace

and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Come, Lord, and open in us

the gates of your Kingdom.//

Silent Meditation

Prayers

News of the People

Not on ppt:

Welcome cards

Service concludes with bilingual celebration

8/24 Annual meeting and ice cream social

8/25 Taste of Larchmont

8/30 Men’s gathering

Offerings

(regular and food)

Song

Oh, Peter's Rock was not himself

      but that rejected Stone

whose love upholds the house of faith

   and binds its parts in one:

the living Stone who outfaced death

   and, rising past that test,

now dares from human rubble raise

   a people called and blessed.

Our worldly wisdom would refuse

  to build with such constraints;

yet weakness here converts to strength,

  and sinners turn to saints.

Though flawed and worn, our lives gain worth

   in unexpected ways

as varied gifts combine to form

   a temple for God's praise.

Yes, lodged among the lives so joined

   gleam some of special grace

that help to hold the others up

   or guide them into place.

Give thanks for all who serve yet claim

   no merit of their own,

for they by word and deed recall

   our true Foundation-Stone.

Oh Servant-Savior, ground your Church

   in your self-giving love;

so deeply shape our lives by yours

   that we may faithful prove.

Lead us, like Peter, to your truth;

   use us, and give us still

the faith to ask, the hope to seek,

   the love to do your will.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Please stand, all who are able.

Song

1.  In the midst of every blessing

may my heart be filled with grace.

Streams of goodness, ever flowing

call for songs of highest praise.

May my words be filled with gratitude;

may my glad heart humble be.

As a holder of a blessing

May I share it gratefully.

2.  In the midst of every trial

may my heart be filled with grace.

Streams of comfort, ever flowing

call for songs of highest praise.

May I find the strength within me;

may I sense it everywhere.

As I face what must be handled

may I find truth I can share.

3.  In the midst of all our living

may our hearts be filled with grace.

Streams of goodness ever flowing

call for songs of highest praise.

May we seek and find encouragement;

may our choices worthy be.

As we journey on together,

may we know integrity.

Song

Sent out in Jesus' name, our hands are ready now

to make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes.

Sent out in Jesus' name, our hands are ready now

to make the earth the place in which the kingdom comes.

The angels cannot change a world of hurt and pain

into a world of love, of justice and of peace.

The task is ours to do, to set it really free.

O help us to obey and carry out your will.