GATHERING
GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
The risen Christ is with us.
Praise the Lord!
PRELUDE Patty Bell
LITANY
One: There is a great wedding being planned and we are all invited.
Many: We are ready and waiting to meet our Lord face to face!
One: There will be feasting and dancing and great celebration.
Many: We are ready and waiting to meet our Lord face to face!
One: The Bridegroom is coming to take us all home.
Many:We are ready and waiting to meet our Lord face to face!
One:All that is broken will be made whole.
All that is wrong will be made right.
Many:We are ready and waiting to meet our Lord face to face!
One: We do not know when, but we must be ready!
Many: We are ready and waiting to meet our Lord face to face!
All: Lord Jesus, come quickly!
*PRAISE MUSIC: “Take Time To Be Holy” UMH 395
INVOCATION
Holy Spirit fill this place. May you be our guide as we worship, our voice
as we sing, our hearts as we pray, our ears as we listen. Please clear our
minds and hearts of the distractions of daily life, of thoughts about tomorrow’s responsibilities, of anxiety about yesterday’s mistakes and of dread over a sense of our unworthiness. Instead, fill us with only you. You are the reason we come together and we invite you to be center of all that happens in this place. Thank you for your presence among us. Amen.
PSALM 106:1-6, 19-23 PB, pg. 530
TIME WITH THE YOUTH
HYMN: “To God Be The Glory” Renew 258
PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Lord, open our hearts and minds, that by the power of your Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed we may hear what have to say to us this day. Amen
NEW TESTAMENT LESSON: Philippians 4:1-9 PB, pg. 186
GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 22:1-14 PB, pg. 22
THE MESSAGE: Pastor Vicki Lerdahl
PRAYERS AND OFFERING
CONFESSION
Gracious God, we confess our greed to you. We spend our days striving
and working toward wealth that is temporal, wealth that does not bring
eternal joy. We are more concerned with the condition of the souls who do
not know you. We confess that we forget just how good the Good News of
the gospel really is. Give us hearts for the kingdom. Let us seek only the
treasure that comes from knowing you. Thank you for your forgiveness.
We are not worthy, but you are merciful and we are so grateful. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE: Friends, we have the assurance that Jesus Christ came into the world to forgive sinners. Hear the good news and rejoice: You are forgiven! Hallelujah! Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: Joys and Concerns
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER
RECEIVING OUR OFFERING
* PRESENTATION OF OUR OFFERING Renew 266
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son. And now let the weak say “I am strong”, let the poor say “I am rich”, because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks!!
SENDING FORTH
*CLOSING HYMN: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” UMH 140
*CIRCLE SONG: “Surely The Presence” UMH 328
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place; I can feel His mighty power and His grace. I can hear the brush of angels’ wings. I see glory on each face; surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
*BLESSING