Worship Resources for October 25th
The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
Gathering
Call to Worship
Psalm 22:22-26
I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; ?
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
May your hearts live forever!
Song
God’s Greeting
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Our help is in the Lord,
The maker of heaven and earth.
To God’s elect, foreigners and exiles in the world,
who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through the sanctifying work of the Spirit,
to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance!
Amen!
Confession and Assurance
Call to Confession
Let us confess our need for God’s mercy in a prayer of lament.
Prayer of Lament
Holy God, we cry out to you.
From the depths of our hearts, we cry, “Lord, hear our prayer!”
We are consumed by grief.
We are feeling overwhelmed by news of the pandemic,
by the actions and rhetoric of our politicians,
by school being done in a strange and different way,
and by so many things in our lives—
it’s hard to sleep, it’s even hard to pray.
Where are you, God?
Deep down, we know you love us—
we’ve experienced your mercy and your faithfulness in the past,
and it has sustained us through many difficult times.
We refuse to believe that you have deserted us,
or that you are unaware of the pain and anxiety we’re feeling.
And so we turn to you again, longing for your presence,
looking for your comfort and peace.
Surround us with your unfailing love.
Remind us that you alone are God, and that you hold us in the palm of your hand.
Give us courage and strength to face the days ahead,
and strengthen us in the knowledge that we do not face them alone.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray.
Amen
Assurance of Pardon from Isaiah 55
Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Friends, our sins are forgiven; be at peace.
The Peace
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Song
Word
Prayer of Illumination
Holy Spirit,
pour out upon us wisdom and understanding,
that, being taught by you in Holy Scripture,
our hearts and minds may be opened
to receive all that leads to life and holiness.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Scripture Reading
Psalm 120
1 I call on the Lord in my distress,
and he answers me.
2 Save me, Lord,
from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.
3 What will he do to you,
and what more besides,
you deceitful tongue?
4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,
with burning coals of the broom bush.
5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
6 Too long have I lived
among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Reflection
Hope for Homeless Disciples
If you are worshiping at home today, our guest preacher Rev. Ken Baker has provided the following notes and questions for your reflection on the text.
Originally composed as an individual prayer of thanksgiving and lament, Psalm 120 came to be selected as the first in Israel’s collection of Pilgrim Songs, or Psalms of Ascent (120-134). These were sung by the Jews as they “ascended” Mount Zion to celebrate the annual holy festivals.
When you read the psalm, try to imagine the situation the psalmist was in when he wrote these words? What was he going through? What kind of trouble was he having? How does he describe those who were making his life miserable? Think of a time when you ever been bullied by someone who is saying things about you that are not true? Things that are hurtful? Things that are intended to make you look bad? (Maybe at school? at work? in your family?…) How did that make you feel?
Note: In verse 5 the psalmist mentions Meshek and Kedar. These were 2 nomadic tribal people. Meshek was to the north of Israel and Kedar was to the south and east. Obviously the psalmist could not live in both places at the same time. It seems he uses them as a metaphor for being an alien – living among foreigners. In other words, being homeless.
2. When you think about your life in America today, is there anything about the psalmist’s experience that you can relate to? Do you ever feel like you are surrounded by people who are lying to you, or lying about you, or saying things about you that are hurtful? Do you ever find yourself thinking, “I don’t feel at home here! I don’t feel at home in a culture rampant with lies, deception, suspicion, and threats! I am trying to be a peacemaker, but it seems all around me people are itching for battle.”
3. What does the Psalmist do (verse 1) when he feels distressed by his situation? What do you think God is calling us to do when we feel distressed and homeless in our situation?
4. The Psalmist is very clear about where his hope and help come from (verses 1-2). How does God answer our cries for help in a world where we are surrounded by “lying lips and deceitful tongues”? When you think of how God sent Jesus into the mess of our world to save us, try to recall situations in his life when he was surrounded by “lying lips and deceitful tongues”?
5. One of the great gifts of salvation is the church, the new community gathered by God from the ends of the earth. By baptism we are joined to the body of Christ. The psalmist lamented that he was forced to be an alien among people who hated peace and who assaulted him. Read what the apostle Paul says about the church and to the church in Colossians 3:1-17. How does your experience of church feel like home to you, a place where you can flourish in peace and love and unity?
Response
Song
Prayers of the People
Today’s prayer was written by 14th Street member Dan Day.
“Summer and winter, spring time and harvest, sun, moon and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to your great faithfulness, mercy and love.” From the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.
That’s our song today and always, Lord.
You are faithful, merciful and abundant in love for us and for your creation.
Each day is a gift from you and ours to use for your glory and honor.
While we proclaim our adoration of you for all you’ve done,
we come as people from a variety circumstances.
Some today are deeply concerned about how life has changed and is changing with the pandemic.
Some are experiencing depression,
others are concerned about the political climate and the prospect of voting for leadership, at all levels.
Others come from a week of blessings and hope for a bright future.
We all come here, however, to proclaim our dependence on you—your faithfulness, mercy and love.
We realize that your mercy can extend to us
and those around us through effective local, national and international agencies.
We pray for the agencies dedicated to helping those in need of support—
emotional, physical and spiritual support.
Thank you for dedicated professionals who love you and want to assist many experiencing needs.
We are thankful for medical and civic professionals
who are dedicated to the health and safety of us, especially in light of the pandemic.
We pray that the recent surge in Covid cases may subside
and that residents may observe the guidelines provided.
We pray for our Fourteenth St. family members—young and old—we pray for health and safety.
We pray for a vaccine that will be safe and effective for the world’s population.
May it come soon.
In these days of election,
we are thankful to live in a country where we can feely choose from the candidates running for service.
We pray for local officials, judges, school board members, county officials, state and national leaders and candidates.
We pray for wisdom and your guidance throughout the process.
Your faithfulness, mercy and love is evident here at 14th St.
We pray with thanksgiving for our church—
our pastor, staff members, infants, youth, young adults, parents, grandparents—all.
You have blessed us with a diverse but unified family here and we don’t take that for granted.
It is a blessing to at times disagree and do so respectfully.
Send your spirit over us to retain the unity and collectively promote your kingdom.
We pray for families who mourn and at the same time celebrate the home-going of loved ones.
Comfort and bless the families of Gene Westra and Bonnie Jellema.
We are thankful for lives well-lived for you and in service of many others.
We pray for Mardi Weerstra as she waits for surgery to be re-scheduled. Give her a calm spirit at this time.
We pray for our students, their teachers, administrators and support staff
as they engage in teaching and learning under unique circumstances.
Bless all the efforts to have some measure of normalcy and safety.
In all of this we conclude by saying with the hymn-writer, “Great is your faithfulness!”
We pray this in the name of our faithful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Amen
Offering
In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (Church Support Services & Holland Rescue Mission Thanksgiving Hygiene Boxes) through the Give button below.
Sending
Closing Psalm
Psalm 37:1-6
Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
God’s Parting Words
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
People: Amen!
Doxology
We invite you to sing the Doxology with just the voices in your home. “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” (Psalm 100:1).
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.
Text Words: Thomas Ken, 1709, P.D. Tune: (OLD HUNDREDTH): Louis Bourgeois, 1551, P.D.