October 19, 2025

CHIMING OF THE HOUR

WELCOME

PRAYER

God of mercy and justice,
you administer to each according to your grace
and not according to what we deserve.
Keep from us all evil,
the evil we commit
and the evil committed by others.
Preserve us by your providence,
all for the sake of your holy name. Amen. 

PRELUDE               “Prelude on ‘Christe Sanctorum’”            David Paxton

CALL TO WORSHIP
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when,
just as I have watched over them
to pluck up and break down,
to overthrow and destroy,
so I will watch over them
to build and to plant, says the Lord.
I will put my law within the people,
and I will write it on their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Your commandment makes me wiser
than my enemies, for it is always with me.
We will continue in what we have learned
and firmly believe:
Our help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth,
and God will grant justice
to his chosen ones 
who cry to him day and night.

*HYMN No. 000      “Let Every Christian Pray”
1. Let every Christian pray,
This day, and every day,
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Was not the Church we love
Commissioned from above?
Come. Holy Spirit, come!

2. The Spirit brought to birth
The Church of Christ on earth
To seek and save the lost:
God never has withdrawn
Since that tremendous dawn
Those gifts of Pentecost.

3. Always the Spirit strove
To teach her how to love;
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Age after age, anew,
She proved the gospel true;
Come, Holy Spirit, come!

4. Only the Spirit’s power
Can fit us for this hour;
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Instruct, inspire, unite;
And make us see the light;
Come, Holy Spirit, come!

*CALL TO CONFESSION

The proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were sinners
Christ died for us.
Because we have faith in him,
we dare to approach God with confidence.
In faith and penitence,
let us confess our sin before God and one another.

*PRAYER FOR CONFESSION
Before God, with the people of God, I confess to my brokenness:
To the ways I wound my life, the lives of others and the life of the world
May God forgive you, Christ renew you, 
and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

Before God, with the people of God, we confess to our brokenness:
the ways we wound our lives,
the lives of others and the life of the world.

May God forgive you, Christ renew you,
and the spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

*SILENT PRAYER FOR CONFESSION

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
May the God of love
bring us back to himself,
forgive us our sins,
and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

*RESPONSE No. 716 v. 3           “God, whose Giving Knows No Ending”
Treasure, too, you have entrusted,
gain through powers your grace conferred:
ours to use for home and kindred,
and to spread the gospel word.
Open wide our hands in sharing,
as we heed Christ’s ageless call,
healing, teaching, and reclaiming,
serving you by loving all.

*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
To this peace we were called
as members of a single body.

The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

ANTHEM                “This Is My Word”              Pepper Choplin

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Amid a world where sound teaching is hard to find, our ears are easily tickled by words that suit our own desires. Open us to hear your word, O Lord, that we might know you and your will for us today. Amen.

SCRIPTURE                     Matthew 6:16-21

16“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Pause…

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!!

SERMON                “Opportunity”

Focus on the inherent opportunity to share our time, talents and treasures: Jesus provides us with an incredible promise when he says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34). Our resources have the ability to lead the heart.  When we give generously to Christ’s mission, we embrace Jesus’ promise that our hearts will be led to him as well.

“Where your treasure is,” Jesus said, “there will your heart be also.” We’ve heard those words so many times that we miss their rather stunning reversal of our usual way of thinking about giving. What we expect him to say is that we lead with our hearts. If your heart is in the right place, you will share your treasure. If our hearts lead us to give, we will give generously. But what Jesus says is something different; he says that if we lead with our treasure, our hearts will follow. Look for where your treasure is invested, he says, and there you will find your heart.

A treasure is something we value, not so much for the thing itself, but because of the value we invest in it. Some memory gives it value. Or the way it connects us with someone. Or the time and energy we spend acquiring it.  What is it that you treasure? What is of most value to you? Home? Family? Community? Your portfolio? Particular memories? How about time? I remember a favorite fictional character who once said of his life, “Back there at the beginning, as I see it now, my life was all time and almost no memory…. And now, nearing the end, I see that my life is almost entirely memory and very little time.”  What is it that you value? What is it that you treasure?

Show me your treasure, Jesus says, and I will show you your heart. As people of the Gospel, says Tom Long,

What our hearts really desire, of course, is to count – to count for something and to count to someone. To come to the end of the day – or the end of a life – with the satisfaction of having stood for what is good, with the joy of having been loved and having loved well in return, and with the peace of having walked with God – these are the true treasures, the treasures of the kingdom, a fortune no thief can plunder.

The decision whether to store up treasures on earth or treasures in heaven is not one of mere financial planning; it is one of basic orientation. The call to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” is not a question of prudence. It is more radical than that; it is a question of vision and freedom – what a person sees and what holds a person captive. If a person sees life as a gift from God, a bountiful outpouring of God’s providence, then that person is free to hold possessions with a light grasp and to be generous toward others. On the other hand, if life is seen as a competitive struggle between winners and losers over limited resources, then one is slave to the struggle, and the only viable creed is, “Where’s Mine?”

Long’s words made me think of a blog post a few years ago by the Quaker educational theorist Parker Palmer, who always seems to make good sense to me.

Palmer was sharing thoughts about the importance of engaging the big questions in life. He spoke of a question that became important as he entered into his 70s. He said,

I began pondering a question I thought of as a good one: “What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to hang onto?”

But the more I “lived into” that question, the more uneasy I felt about it. So, I asked a few friends to help me explore my uneasiness. By the end of that session, my question had morphed into something better: “What do I want to let go of, and what do I want to give myself to?”

“What do I want to hang onto?” is a clingy question, with a whiff of desperation about it. But “What do I want to give myself to?” is an open and generous question. That question has taken me into places where I have found new life, and I’m grateful.

What do I want to give myself to? That seems to be another way of asking where I want to invest my treasure, knowing, as I do from Jesus’ words, that my heart will follow.

Today, I invite and encourage you to think about your treasure: that which you value and cherish, and what you will do to invest that treasure beyond yourself, knowing that if you do so, it will not leave your heart unaffected. More particularly this day, I invite you to invest your treasure here – in the life, worship, and ministries of this community. Invest enough of your treasure that your heart may follow. If you do – and if enough of you do – it will help us develop a greater strength and flexibility for the ministries we care about. It will help us, perhaps, to fill a staff position, to re-ignite  our work with children and families, to broaden our outreach to the community beyond these walls. But just as importantly, such investment will enlarge your own heart. I know it will, because I’ve seen it happen.

Michael Jinkins wrote several years ago about a luncheon he attended when he was on the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Seminary in Texas. The luncheon was to honor

a wonderful man, the late Ed Vickery, an attorney and banker, whose generosity to theological education was legendary. Several members of his family spoke, including his daughter, Ann. She related something that had happened that very morning as they were driving to the luncheon.

Having forgotten to check how much gas they had in the tank before leaving Houston, they ran out on a lonely stretch of road halfway to [Austin]. A phone call later, a young man from a gas station at the next town arrived. He put enough gas in the tank to get them to his station, where he filled up the car and they were ready to resume the trip. After the bill was settled, Ed handed his daughter two fifty-dollar bills to give to the young man. She said, “Daddy, I’m sure he would be more than happy with one of those.” To which Ed responded, “I don’t want him to be happy. I want him to be ecstatic!”

Have you ever known folks who relished generosity in such a way? I have. And I’ve always wondered about what set them apart? Was it that their hearts were large, and the treasure just naturally flowed forth from them? Or did their habitual practice of generosity enlarge their hearts? Michael Jinkins argues that generosity is the consequence of gratitude. Whether we are expressing our gratitude toward someone who has helped us out of a jam, or we are helping someone in desperate need; whether we are extending care to an individual we know or developing social structures of economic support to make the world more just; whenever we act generously, in big ways and small, we are reflecting gratitude to the Giving God. We are also reflecting the character of this God who throws lavish parties for prodigals and pays ridiculously high wages for embarrassingly short hours.

Perhaps this sounds strange, [Jinkins says,] but I think the meaning of life is stewardship, which is just another way of saying that the meaning of life can only be expressed in words like gratitude and generosity.

What do you treasure about this church? What is it that stokes your gratitude? What are your best hopes for our church family? Are you willing to invest your own treasure – your time and energy and resources – to help make those hopes into a reality? Where your treasure is, Jesus said, there will your hearts be also. Ed Vickery loved being generous. He loved leading with his treasure, and because of that tendency, he developed a wise, gracious, and generous heart. But one does not have to be wealthy to lead with one’s treasure.

And my hope is that, in time, all of us will know, too. And so, as we prepare to make our stewardship commitments later this month, I offer Parker Palmer’s two questions for reflection:

“What do I want to let go of?

What do I want to give myself to?”

And I ask you to remember the importance Jesus assigned to how we handle our treasures in life; he said that if we lead with our treasure, our hearts will follow. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Liturgy and Commentary provided by The PC(USA) Book of Common Worship, The Presbyterian Outlook, Teri McDowell Ott, & Call to Worship.

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                    “The Nicene Creed”
We believe in one God the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated on the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

HYMN No. 700                  “I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”

1 I’m gonna live so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I’m gonna live so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!

2 I’m gonna work so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I’m gonna work so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!

3 I’m gonna pray so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I’m gonna pray so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!

4 I’m gonna sing so God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I’m gonna sing so God can use me

PASTORAL PRAYER & LORD’S PRAYER
O Lord our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You created the heavens and the earth and placed us in your world to glorify and enjoy you forever.

And yet we have recognized the despair, dismay, and injustice; the violence and the disasters of the world in which we live. We seek to be faithful to you and your glory and yet, our hearts and souls are unsettled and troubled. We come to you in need of the healing and peace that only you can provide.

And so, we pray for rest. We pray for rest for those weary from the demands of a culture that has turned us into consumers. Rest for those weary from unmet requests and unjust treatment. Rest and healing for those weary from illness, grief, loneliness, and loss.

We pray for attention. We pray for attention for those distracted by too many good things. We pray for attention for those who feel like a pinball instead of a plant with roots running deep. We pray for attention to your gifts of grace that we might know delight.

We pray to say no. We pray to say no to destructive forces and idols that pull us away from you, O Lord. We pray to say no to the ways we take your creation for granted and destroy what you have placed in our care. We pray to say no to all that addicts us to unhealthy behaviors and relationships.

We pray for nourishment. We pray that we might nourish our souls with your Word. We pray that we might nourish our bodies with fruits, vegetables and exercise. We pray that we might nourish our minds with the truth.

We pray for the log in our eyes. We confess that we are overly con- cerned with the behavior and belief of others. We confess that we fail to accurately see our own faults and failings. We confess that we pull back from others instead of working together for justice, freedom, and peace.

We pray that you might speak to us. We pray that your Word might dwell within us and be engraved upon our hearts. We pray for the right words to speak in troubled times. We pray that your Spirit might give us eyes to see and ears to hear the new Word you are still speaking today.

We pray for wonder and awe. We pray that beyond our hope and imagination, you might bring peace to war-torn lands. We pray that you might surprise us in the ordinary after long waits. We pray that we might see your fingerprints in our own.

Finally, we pray for all those needs unnamed that trouble and unsettle our souls, needs known to you and bigger than we can handle on our own.

Into your hands, O Lord, we place these prayers, longing for the day when you will make all things new. As we wait with anticipation and hope, we join our voices with disciples of all the ages to pray as Jesus has taught us, “Our Father …”

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. Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

PASSING OF FELLOWSHIP PADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

STEWARDSHIP MINUTE

TITHES & OFFERINGS

Out of gratitude for all that God has provided for us and with hope for a future that continues to unfold toward God’s promised end, we bring our tithes and offerings for God’s work among us in this time and place.

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

*RESPONSE N0. 609        “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures high and low.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known:
Creator, Word, and Spirit one.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
We give you thanks, Creator of heaven and earth and all that is within them, for the gift of this day, this moment of worship, and your word which is engraved upon our hearts. Receive and bless these gifts that we return to you, as a symbol of the dedication of our entire lives, that we as your church might be ever more faithful in your work of reconciliation, love and joy. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

*HYMN No. 36        “For the Fruit of All Creation”
1 For the fruit of all creation,
thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safekeeping,
thanks be to God.

2 In the just reward of labor,
God’s will be done.
In the help we give our neighbor,
God’s will be done.
In our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will be done.

3 For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.

*BENEDICTION

May the God of peace make you holy in every way
and keep your whole being
– heart, spirit, soul, and body
– sound and blameless
until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and God will do this. Alleluia. Amen.

*POSTLUDE