Organ Prelude
Improvisation
Call to Worship
Leader: Happy are those whose help is in the God of Jacob,
Circle: The Lord God reigns forever, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 146: 5, 10)
Leader: Let us worship God!
Gathering Hymn
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
tune: Nicaea
(James Bacchus Dykes 1861)
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!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns
around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
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! Amen!
Reginald Heber, c. 1820, altered
Call to Confession
Leader: If we call out in need, the Lord will answer.
Let us confess our sins against God and our
neighbor, trusting in the Lord who sets prisoners free.
Prayer of Confession
All: We have sinned, O God,
hoarding what we have, grasping for more,
and ignoring those who hunger and thirst.
We stay with our own kind; we are complacent in the
face of systems that oppress.
Forgive us; purify us; remake us,
that we might love as you love.
Amen.
Declaration of Forgiveness
Leader:
The Lord welcomes all who return from the exile of greed
and self-interest.
Be at peace, for in Christ we find our way home again
where all are forgiven, loved and restored.
Amen.
Anthem
Hymn of Mercy
Dan Forrest, 2006
Gracious Lord, thy mercy filleth all the earth below; and from heaven’s throne it falleth when to thee I go. Mercy flowing, swift pursuing like a river strong, sympathizing with my weakness; mercy suffering long. Mercy calling with compassion: “Oh, return to me.” Wounded hands extended, loving is the plea. How can I feruse thy mercy? Whither would I flee? From my idol shrine I turn, Lord, reaching up to thee.
-Eileen Berry, basked on Hosea 14:1-4
Pastoral Prayer and Intercessions
Good and gracious God…
O God, on this day we offer special intercessions for…
The Prayer Jesus taught
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hymn
Morning Has Broken
Bunessan
Gaelic Melody
Morning has broken
like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing
fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
of the new day!
-Eleanor Farjeon, 1931
Invitation to the Offertory
We bring nothing into this world, and when we depart from this life we will take nothing out of it.
All that we have is a gift from God; therefore let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Let us pray:
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We give you thanks and praise, generous God,
for every good gift that comes from your hand:
for food and clothing, for life and health,
for family and friends, above all for the treasure of your grace.
Make us rich in good works, generous and ready to share,
taking hold of the life that really is life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Anthem
My Hope is Arisen
Peter Latona, 2006
My hope is arisen from the dead. Alleluia.
Dawn’s shining light bedecks the sky
and heaven thunders victor cry:
The glad earth shouts her triumph high
and mournful hell groans in reply.
Hell’s pains are loosed and tears are fled,
captivity is captive led:
The angel crowned with light has said:
“The Lord is risen from the dead!”
“I beheld the glory bright
of the rising Lord of Light.
Christ my hope is risen again;
now he lives and lives to reign.”
My hope is arisen from the dead.
Alleluia.
Text from
Aurora lucis rutilat, tr. J.M. Neale (1818-1866)
Victimae Paschali, tr. Jane E. Leeson (1807-1882)
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise God all creatures here below,
Praise God above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3: 20-24
Reader: Errol B. Davis, Jr.
Today’s Sermon
“Did Heaven Make A Mistake?”
Preacher, Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas
Closing Hymn
Faithfulness
William Marion Runyan, 1923
Great is thy faithfulness, O God, Creator;
there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not.
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hath provided.
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!
-Thomas O. Chisolm, 1923
Benediction/Blessing
Benediction Response
Peter Lutkin
Postlude
Toccata
John Weaver, 1968