"Prophets"

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD
MISSION STATEMENT

Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul. Adopted by Session 7/31/17

PRAYER FOR PEACE
Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I offer words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. ~ Henri Nouwen

PRELUDE

*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
God has welcomed us without reservation, so let us welcome all in God’s name!
Peace be with you. God’s peace be among us, around us, and within us.
 
*HYMN 301 ||| Let Us Build a House ||| Two Oaks ||| (All Are Welcome)

CALL TO CONFESSION
As we try to grow toward righteousness, we present ourselves to God in a spirit of honesty, naming where we still obey sin and death instead of goodness and life.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God who provides our every need,
you have given us countless gifts.
You have welcomed us for all of who we are.
You have showered us with steadfast love.
You have freely given us eternal life in Christ Jesus.

We do not deserve these gifts.
We take them and squander them.
We continue to trust ourselves more than we trust you.
We fail to embrace others as you have embraced us.

Accept our confession.
Be our glory and our strength for the days to come,
our strength, shield, and deliverer.
(silent prayer)
Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Part of God’s provision for all of us
is a well of forgiveness that never runs dry.
Thanks be to God! Amen.

*THE GLORIA 581

MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN ||| Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston

WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| Genesis 22:1-14
1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” 6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. 9When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

SPECIAL MUSIC
 
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Matthew 10:40-42
40“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple — truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

SERMON ||| "Prophets" Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston 

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 697 ||| Take My Life ||| Hendon

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY 606 ||| Old Hundredth
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.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
For the blessings of this and all our days, we thank you, gracious God. Accept, we pray, not just this money but also our lives freely offered in gratitude for all you have done for us. Use them both, in this place and wherever you might take us. Amen.

SEALING OF THE WORD

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

THE LORD'S PRAYER
…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.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION  ||| SHARING OF THE MEAL
All who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord, regardless of age or denomination, are invited to partake in the Sacrament of Communion. Please come forward down the side aisle. Take a piece of the bread and a cup and eat. Please dispose of the cups in the waste baskets by the table. We have gluten free bread available. Return to your seat by the center aisle.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Holy Spirit, you have filled us with your life. Christ our Savior, you have embraced us in your love. God our Mother, you have fed us with your grace. Now send us out into your beloved world to share your life, your love, your grace with all. Blessing and honor and glory to you, holy, holy, holy Lord. Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 817 ||| We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight ||| Dunlap’s Creek

BLESSING & CHARGE
May the blessing of the Trinity—holy, holy, holy Lord—be with you now and always.
Alleluia!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me!”
Amen.

POSTLUDE

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor
Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

Worship Liturgist: Kim Hamilton
Usher: Laura Dillman
 
Web Techs: Shirley Armistead, Nancy Beaudoin, Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazlett, Scott Senffner

Today, we welcome back Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston to the pulpit. Rev. Johnston is a retired UCC pastor. Ordained in 1978, Jeanne has served parishes in northwest Illinois, South Dakota, and Indiana. She has spent the last 18 years as an adjunct math teacher and tutor at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, Indiana and now resides in Park Forest.
 
WELCOME – “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:2). We greet you in the words and spirit of the apostle Paul. We look forward to meeting you after the service, during the coffee hour.

SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday we will be reading Genesis 25:19-34 and Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.

PRAYER CHAIN – If you want prayer requests included on the prayer chain, contact Shirley Armistead at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..