Homecrest Presbyterian Church Worship of the Lord’s Day August 20th, 2017 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gathering Around the WORD Call To Worship (Based on Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22) Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name. and do not forget all God’s benefits. Bless the Lord, O you God’s angels, you mighty ones who do God’s bidding Bless the Lord, all God’s hosts, God’s ministers that do God’s will. Bless the Lord, all God’s work, in all places of God’s dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Let us come and worship God!

Gathering Around the WORD Gathering Hymn # 403 “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” Open now thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there, where my soul in joyful duty waits for God who answers prayer; O how blessed is this place, filled with solace, light, and grace.

Gathering Around the WORD Gathering Hymn # 403 “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” Gracious God, I come before thee; come thou also unto me; where we find thee and adore thee, there a heaven on earth must be; to my heart O enter thou; let it be thy temple now.

Gathering Around the WORD Gathering Hymn # 403 “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” Speak, O Lord, and I will hear thee; let thy will be done indeed; may I undisturbed draw near thee, while thou dost thy people feed. Here of life the fountain flows; here is balm for all our woes.

Gathering Around the WORD Call to Confession (Based on Hosea 10:12-13) From the words of the Prophet Hosea, “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength.” Let us come to God in the Spirit of repentance, petitioning for God’s mercy  

Gathering Around the WORD Prayer of Confession (in Unison) Holy God, we confess we have not been obedient to your will for us. We have sought justice for ourselves but neglected justice for others. We have insisted on our rights but have not lived rightly in our relationships. We have desired mercy for our sins, but we have not offered mercy to those who have sinned against us.

Gathering Around the WORD Prayer of Confession (in Unison) By the power of your Holy Spirit free us from the prison of our disobedience. Help us to love as you have loved us that our lives may testify to your abounding grace through Jesus Christ, Amen.

Gathering Around the WORD Declaration of Forgiveness (Based on Romans 11:29-30) Friends, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Receive the mercy of God and the gift of forgiveness and share that gift with others. This is part of God’s grace lavished towards all those who confessed and believed. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Gathering Around the WORD Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Gathering Around the WORD Passing of the Peace of Christ

Proclaiming the WORD Message to the Youth/ Prayer of Illumination

Proclaiming the WORD Scripture Reading (Matthew 15:21-28) 21Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Proclaiming the WORD Scripture Reading (Matthew 15:21-28) 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Proclaiming the WORD (Matthew 15:21-28) Feasting on the Crumbs

Responding Hymn # 504 “We Come as Guests Invited” We come as guests invited when Jesus bids us dine, his friends on earth united to share the bread and wine; the bread of life is broken; the wine is freely poured for us, in solemn token of Christ our dying Lord.

Responding Hymn # 504 “We Come as Guests Invited” We eat and drink, receiving from Christ the grace we need, and in our hearts believing on him by faith we feed; with wonder and thanksgiving for love that knows no end, we find in Jesus living our ever-present friend.

Responding Hymn # 504 “We Come as Guests Invited” One bread is ours for sharing, one single fruitful vine, our fellowship declaring renewed in bread and wine: renewed, sustained, and given by token, sign, and word, the pledge and seal of heaven, the love of Christ our Lord.

Affirmation of Faith (Excerpt from Confession of 1967) Responding to the WORD Affirmation of Faith (Excerpt from Confession of 1967) God has created the peoples of the earth to be one universal family . In his reconciling love, God over comes the barriers between sisters and brothers and breaks down every form of discrimination based on racial or ethnic difference, real or imaginary. The church is called to bring all people to receive and uphold one another as persons in all relationships of life: in employment, housing, education, leisure, marriage, family, church, and the exercise of political rights.

Affirmation of Faith (Excerpt from Confession of 1967) Responding to the WORD Affirmation of Faith (Excerpt from Confession of 1967) Therefore, the church labors for the abolition of all racial discrimination and ministers to those injured by it. Congregations, individuals, or groups of Christians who exclude, dominate, or patronize other, however subtly, resist the Spirit of God and bring contempt on the faith which they profess.

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World Announcements & Sharing of Joys and Concerns The afternoon Bible Study Group and the Women’s Group will be taking the months of July and August off. They will resume in September.   

Brian will be performing at the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall Sunday, 9/24/17 @7:30pm Tickets: $30/$40/$50 (On-line Process Fee Applies) www.carnegiehall.org

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World Prayer of the People & The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven. Halloweth be thy name. Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts; as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptations, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen.

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World Offering of our Gifts and our Lives Musical Offering

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World Doxology and Offertory Prayer

Go into all the earth. Go preach the cross Sending Hymn #295 “Go to the World!” Go to the world! Go into all the earth. Go preach the cross where Christ renews life's worth, baptizing as the sign of our rebirth. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Sending Hymn #295 “Go to the World!” Go into every place. Go live the word of God's redeeming grace. Go seek God's presence in each time and space. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Sending Hymn #295 “Go to the World!” Go struggle, bless, and pray; the nights of tears give way to joyous day. As servant church, you follow Christ's own way. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Sending Hymn #295 “Go to the World!” Go as the ones I send, for I am with you till the age shall end, when all the hosts of glory cry "Amen!" Alleluia. Alleluia.

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World The Charge and Benediction

Bearing and Following the WORD into the World Benediction Response # 541 “God Be with You Till We Meet Again” (Stanza 4) God be with you till we meet again; keep love's banner floating o'er you; smite death's threatening wave before you: God be with you till we meet again.

Homecrest Presbyterian Church Worship of the Lord’s Day August 20th, 2017 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time