1. September 17, 2017
Welcome to OPC

2. “Put Your Hand in the Hand” Welcome and Announcements
Chimes
“Put Your Hand in the Hand”
~MacLellan
Welcome and Announcements
Greeting Each Other
Ringing of the Bell

3. Lighting of the candles
Prelude
“Festival” ~Price
Lighting of the candles

4. *CALL TO WORSHIP (unison)
In this moment, gracious God, you have called us away from the world to a place and a time where we can intentionally be with you and with one another.

5. Holy One, we come here seeking you
Holy One, we come here seeking you. Bless and fill this holy time, we pray. Calm our anxious spirits, so that we may be open to hear your word of truth,

6. through which we receive instruction, inspiration and hope
through which we receive instruction, inspiration and hope. May this hour increase our faith and trust in your love and mercy.

7. Open us to the reality of your all- embracing love, both in this place and in the wider world. May we, filled by your Holy Spirit, then go out from here,

8. and by our words and actions, be bearers of your love and mercy
and by our words and actions, be bearers of your love and mercy. In the name and Spirit of the Christ we pray. Amen.

9. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.1
Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God!

10. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.1
We are called to act with justice, We are called to love tenderly, We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with our God

11. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.2
Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called to be hope for the hopeless so all hatred and blindness will be no more!

12. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.2
We are called to act with justice, We are called to love tenderly, We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with our God

13. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.3
Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love!

14. *Hymn #2172 “We Are Called” v.3
We are called to act with justice, We are called to love tenderly, We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with our God

15. *PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Lord, your grace and mercy are ever-present in our lives, and your forgiveness is so healing when we fail to live in Christ-like ways.

16. And yet we are so quick to carry a grudge—so quick to find fault with our sisters and brothers, too arrogant to assign blame.

17. We are confused by forgiveness, so we harden our hearts toward others
We are confused by forgiveness, so we harden our hearts toward others. Forgive our confusion and heal our hearts, Loving God. Bring compassion and love to the very depths of who we are.

18. Help us to extend the mercy you have shown to us by offering that mercy to others. (Silence is observed for individual reflection and prayer)

19. P: Thanks be to God for mercy, love, and forgiveness.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
L: As Christ has forgiven us, we are to forgive others. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
P: Thanks be to God for mercy, love, and forgiveness.

20. L: Peace be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: Now is the time to share Christ’s love with one another. Greet one another with signs of peace and reconciliation.

21. “The Joyful Spirit in My Song” ~Price/Besig
CHOIR ANTHEM
“The Joyful Spirit in My Song” ~Price/Besig

22. Time With Young Christians
“Boomwacker Bunch”

23. PROCLAIMING THE WORD
SCRIPTURE
READING:
Romans 14:1-12

24. Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain,

25. and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall.

26. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand
And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.

27. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord
Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.

28. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves
We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

29. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister?

30. For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

31. SCRIPTURE
READING:
Matthew 18:21-35

32. Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

33. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wised to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay,

34. his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.”

35. And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat,

36. he said, “Pay what you owe
he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt.

37. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave!

38. I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me
I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt.

39. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’ L: This is the Word of the Lord. P: Thanks be to God!

40. “Forgiveness”
Rev. Tedd Pullano

41. 1 John 4:21: We love because…

42. 1 John 4:21: God loved us first

43. I am loved

44. I am loved by God

45. 1 John 4:21: We forgive because…

46. 1 John 4:21: …because God forgave us first

47. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring your love. Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,

48. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

49. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Make me a channel of your peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light,

50. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.

51. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console.

52. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.

53. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Make me a channel of your peace. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving of ourselves that we receive,

54. *HYMN #2171 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

55. OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD “An Appalachian Air” ~Martin
OFFERTORY INVITATION
Offertory
“An Appalachian Air” ~Martin

56. *DOXOLOGY #592
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

57. *Prayer of Dedication
(unison)
Giving God, all we are and all we have comes from you. We offer back to you this day a portion of what has been gifted to us.

58. As you have entrusted your gifts to us, so we return these gifts to you, trusting that you will multiply them to the great glory of your kingdom. We pray this through Jesus Christ. Amen.

59. RESPONDING TO THE WORD JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
PASTORAL PRAYER

60. The Lord’s Prayer (unison)
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come; thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

61. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

62. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

63. BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD

64. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.1
Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us; Teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.

65. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.1
Be present, Lord, among us and bring us to believe we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.

66. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.2
Teach us, O Lord, Your lessons, as in our daily life We struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.

67. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.2
Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some, To love them as we find them or as they may become.

68. *BENEDICTION

69. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.3
Let Your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved In living situations to do the truth in love;

70. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.3
To practice Your acceptance until we know by heart The table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art.

71. *Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.4
Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need, Who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,

72. We need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on:
*Hymn #358 “Help Us Accept Each Other” v.4
We need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on:
Renew us with Your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!

73. Postlude
“Bandinerie” ~J.S. Bach