Bulletin

Welcome to United Christian Parish! Use the bulletin as guidance as you worship.
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AUGUST 31 ORDER OF WORSHIP

PRELUDE

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP *                                                      
One: O God, you called us by name to come, and we respond with delight and gladness.
All: In joyful obedience, we come to worship our God.
One: Rising out of the depths of despair, we gratefully gather for worship.
All: In joyful hope, we come to worship our loving God.
One: Our God had given us a new song of praise to sing to our Awesome God!
All: In joyful trust, we come to worship our God. Amen.  

OPENING SONG (#57, verses 1-3, 5, 7) *
“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life, and health, and peace.

He speaks, and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.

 In Christ, your head, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven;
anticipate your heaven below,
and own that love is heaven.

CALL TO CONFESSION *

PRAYER OF CONFESSION *
One: Faithful God, you call us to be saints,
All: but we are more comfortable with the role of sinner;
One: you call us to be your servants,
All: but we worry that we lack the skills to do your work;
One: you put a new song of praise in our mouths,
All: but we stumble on unfamiliar words;
One: you show us the work to be tackled,
All: but we turn away defiant, insisting we have more important things to do.
One: Put your song on our lips and in our hearts, and remind us of the joy that awaits us when we put our trust in you.
All: Guide us into the light of your unwavering, never-ending, and grace-filled love.  
One: Amen.

WORDS OF FORGIVENESS *
One: We know that we have been born anew through the living and enduring word of God. In this we recognize God’s great love for the world revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus... who came into the world not to condemn it but to save it. In the love of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven, you are loved forever.
All: Alleluia, Amen.

GLORIA *
Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me,
and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me,
and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE

OFFERING

DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise Christ, all people here below;
praise Holy Spirit evermore;
praise Triune God, whom we adore.
Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

SONG

SCRIPTURE (Psalm 40)

SERMON

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
One: We pray for the church…Let our life together be a song of praise and an offering of great thanksgiving, bearing witness to Jesus Christ our Lord.  God our Savior, 
All: hear our prayer.
One: We pray for the world…Show your faithfulness and love for nations and leaders that deal generously and conduct their affairs with justice. God our Savior, 
All: hear our prayer.
One: We pray for this community…Help us to love one another, show hospitality to strangers. God our Savior, 
All: hear our prayer.
One: We pray for loved ones …Strengthen those who are weak, deliver those who are in trouble, and fill the hungry with good things. God our Savior, 
All: hear our prayer.
One: This Labor Day weekend, pray for: For the dignity of all human work, and for all who are unemployed, underemployed, or seeking a new vocation, that they may find meaningful and life-giving employment.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For fair wages, just working conditions, and the health and safety of all workers, especially those in dangerous or difficult jobs.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For those who do the vital but often unseen work of our society, including farm workers, sanitation crews, delivery drivers, and retail employees.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For all who perform unpaid labor, including parents, caregivers, and volunteers, that their work may be honored and sustained.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For our leaders and elected officials, that they may uphold justice, and serve with integrity for the benefit of all.
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
One: For peace and justice in all nations, that societies may not succumb to division and that people can find ways to coexist and work together for the common good.
All: Lord, hear our prayer. O God, our Creator and Sustainer, you have blessed us with the gift of work and the promise of rest. Grant us a renewed sense of purpose and compassion to live as Easter people and guide us to use our hands, minds, and hearts for your glory.
One: We ask this in the name of the resurrected Christ, who taught us to pray saying…

LORD’S PRAYER
All: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

CLOSING SONG *
“Sing with All the Saints in Glory” (#702)
Sing with all the saints in glory,
sing the resurrection song!
Death and sorrow, earth's dark story,
to the former days belong.
All around the clouds are breaking,
soon the storms of time shall cease;
in God's likeness we, awaking,
know the everlasting peace.

O what glory, far exceeding
all that eye has yet perceived!
Holiest hearts, for ages pleading,
never that full joy conceived.
God has promised, Christ prepares it,
there on high our welcome waits.
Every humble spirit shares it;
Christ has passed th'eternal gates.

Life eternal! heaven rejoices:
Jesus lives, who once was dead.
Join we now the deathless voices;
child of God, lift up your head!
Patriarchs from the distant ages,
saints all longing for their heaven,
prophets, psalmists, seers, and sages,
all await the glory given.

Life eternal! O what wonders
crowd on faith; what joy unknown,
when, amidst earth's closing thunders,
saints shall stand before the throne!
O to enter that bright portal,
see that glowing firmament;
know, with thee, O God Immortal,
"Jesus Christ whom thou has sent!"

CLOSING MESSAGE
One: Go forth imagining a world with more resurrection  trusting in the promises of God.
All: We have waited patiently for God, and he has heard our cry.
One: He has set our feet on solid ground, and kept us steady as we journey together.
All: We are the people of God, shaped and molded by the story of God, freed from our sins by the work of Jesus Christ.
One: God calls us to be his servants, and he will guide us and keep us as we go into the world to serve him.
All: God, you have put a new song into our mouths, a song of praise to you. May the world know that you have sent us by the song of your love in our lives.
One: Go into the world, imagining a world with more - more compassion and community,  justice and hope, beauty and resurrection, holiness and love.

POSTLUDE

*Rise in body or spirit