Sunday October 31, 2021
Dedication Sunday
PRELUDE
Rebecca Nelson, Piano/ Organ
PASTORAL WELCOME
PRAYER
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: We come to worship a generous and loving God.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: We will praise the Lord as long as we have breath.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: Our hope is in our Lord, our God.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: We give thanks for the gift of all of God’s creation.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: We give thanks for God’s help in times of need.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: We give thanks for God’s mercy in times of trouble.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
One: We know that God will be with us always.
All: Praise the Lord, O my soul!
HYMN
Joy in the Morning TFWS #2284
There’ll be joy in the morning on that day, there’ll be joy in the morning on that day, for the daylight will dawn when the darkness is gone, there’ll be joy in the morning on that day.
There’ll be peace and contentment evermore, there’ll be peace and contentment evermore, every heart, every voice on that day will rejoice, there’ll be peace and contentment evermore.
There’ll be love and forgiveness everywhere, there’ll be love and forgiveness everywhere, and the way of the Lord will that day be restored, there’ll be love and forgiveness everywhere.
CHILDREN’S TIME (11:00am)
HEBREW SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
ANTHEM
The Church’s One Foundation
[arr. Emma Lou Diemer]
Chancel Choir
Congregation to sing two verses with choir
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is his new creation by water and the word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation, Yet one o’re all the earth, Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
PRAYER
“Broken Record”
by Michael Moynahan S.J.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our God 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 trepasses, 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 forever…Amen.
PRAYER RESPONSE
Lord, You Are Welcome (Stanza only) W&S #3178
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
HYMN
We Gather Together UMH #131
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known.
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning; thou, Lord, wast at our side, all glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant, and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation; thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
SERMON
Robbie Frederiksen
STEWARDSHIP MOMENT
Suzi Treganza, Chair, Stewardship Team
RECEIVING OUR OFFERING & PLEDGES
OFFERTORY
DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow UMH #94
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit!
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
DEDICATION OF OUR TIME, TALENTS, AND TREASURE
Pastor: God of new life,
Suzi: out of the abundance of our lives
People: we commit these gifts of our precious time,
Pastor: we dedicate our many wondrous talents
Suzi: and we share our treasures & blessings
Pastor: for the work of love, grace, compassion, and justice in this place and our lives.
Suzi: Through your blessing and our willingness to share, may these offerings of time, talent, and treasure become a source for hope and love in this church family, and in the community beyond us, in the name of Jesus Christ
Pastor: Let us pray
All: Gracious and holy God, accept what we offer today: our cheques and cash and treasures, our faltering steps, our brokenness, our leftovers, our talents our hope, our risking, our lives, our precious time. Bless and transform all that we offer and all that we hold back, that new life may be ours, to celebrate and share in Jesus’ name. Amen
(adapted from Jeff Shrowder 1999, The Billabong)
HYMN
Come, We that Love the Lord UMH #732
Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known; join in a song with sweet accord, and thus surround the throne.
Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God; but children of the heavenly King may speak their joys abroad.
The hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets before we reach the heavenly fields, or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound, and every tear be dry; we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground, to fairer worlds on high.
BENEDICTION & BLESSING OF THE ORGAN
POSTLUDE
Toccata in D Minor
[J.S. Bach]
Inez Pope, Piano/Organ
FLOWERS
The flowers on the altar are to celebrate Inez Pope’s birthday – “100 years loved.”
INEZ POPE CELEBRATION & BLESSING OF THE ORGAN
Inez, who is celebrating her 100th birthday this month, has given of her time and talents to Central and the Stockton Community for well over 60 years.
Today as we mark Inez’s 100th birthday we will bless the Inez Pope Organ, installed in her honor in 1997, this reminds us of her life-long devotion to church music.
“Where there is devotional music, God is always at hand with His gracious presence.”
J.S. Bach