October 4, 2026
CHIMING OF THE HOUR
WELCOME
PRAYER
Mighty and merciful God,
lover of justice and equity,
you call us to support the weak,
to help those who suffer,
and to honor all people.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
make us advocates for your justice
and instruments of your peace,
so that all may be reconciled
in your beloved community;
through Jesus Christ Our Savior. Amen.
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP
What does the Holy One require of us?
To do justice, to love kindness
and to walk humbly with God.
Let us worship God.
*HYMN No. 511 “Come, Behold! The Feast of Heaven Alleluia!”
1 Come, behold! the feast of heaven Alleluia!
has to mortal flesh been given. Alleluia!
Hear the Word of God declared: Alleluia!
“Come! the banquet is prepared.” Alleluia!
2 All is ready, come attend Alleluia!
as the Lord’s invited friend; Alleluia!
come from north, west, south, and east; Alleluia!
celebrate the joyful feast. Alleluia!
3 All who trust in God belong Alleluia!
at this banquet with this throng. Alleluia!
Share the mystic holy food; Alleluia!
taste and see: the Lord is good. Alleluia!
4 As the Lord our God has willed, Alleluia!
here the hungry soul is filled; Alleluia!
here the weary are refreshed. Alleluia!
All who share God’s feast are blessed. Alleluia!
*CALL TO CONFESSION
God’s law is right and just,
offering us wisdom and enlightenment.
Yet we ignore the importance of God’s law in our lives
and persist in our own ways.
Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God, through Jesus Christ you taught us,
“where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Yet we continue to put our faith in earthly treasures,
hoarding up possessions that moth and rust will destroy,
clinging to power and privilege whenever we can.
Set us free from greed and fear.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Teach us to trust in you alone;
through Jesus Christ, our true redeemer. Amen.
Silence is observed
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Do not be afraid:
God loves us with an everlasting love;
God’s grace is unending.
Siblings in Christ, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God for such graciousness!
*RESPONSE NO. 4, v. 4 “Holy God, We Praise Your Name”
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit: three we name you,
while in essence only one;
undivided God we claim you,
and adoring, bend the knee
while we own the mystery.*
*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST
God has received us, pardoned us and loved us; let us forgive each other in love and share the peace of Christ.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
Worshippers are invited to briefly “pass the peace” of Christ to those directly seated around them thus keeping our worship time “decent and in order” with a focus upon being part of God’s community.
ANTHEM
THE CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Faithful God, how blessed are those Call to Worship2
who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Sanctify us by your Word and Spirit
so that we may glorify you
in the company of the faithful;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
UNISON SCRIPTURE Acts 6:1-7
6 Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.[a] 3 Therefore, brothers and sisters, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” 5 What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Pause…
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!!
SERMON Care for the Community
I was sitting in a pastoral leadership class at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2005 and Rev. Dr. Craig Barnes – professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Leadership said that the 4 previous churches that he served had only argued about the same three things:
What color the sanctuary carpet would be?
Who forgot to fill up the church van?
Why did the young group leave pizza boxes in the fancy lounge?
It was never about theology or biblical issues, but everyday concerns -or at lease items that seemed to be a major priority for a certain group of folks. Our text for today in the Acts of the Apostles is about being in community and how we care for those who are part of the Body of Christ. There is a complaint in the early church from members of the church family, but we need to remember the church’s demographics – two main groups:
The Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews who most likely migrated back to Palestine from the diaspora. The Hebrews were Hebrew/Aramaic-speaking natives of Palestine. The complaint originated from the Hellenists who saw a problem with the lack of relief distribution for their widows.
What is the “distribution”? A phrase specific to the early church. The community held things in common, some sold their possessions and had the apostles distribute the proceeds. The distribution appears to include things needed for survival (i.e., food, clothing, and money).
The murmurings of the Hellenists are like the murmurings of the Israelites who were wandering in the wilderness. The word is the same in the Greek Old Testament. Therefore, it most likely has negative connotations regarding the attitude of the complainers. Maybe they were making unfounded accusations against the apostles as to why the distribution seemed unfair. Or maybe they were filled with duplicitous motives. We do not know exactly how they complained or what they said, but it isn’t hard to imagine a sinful influence at work underneath it all.
Hellenists would have returned to Jerusalem retaining much of the cultural influence they had while living in another context. I think the some of the tension was somewhat akin to the way native cultures often treat immigrants. The cultural differences are so vast that favoritism is shown to those we relate to. And there was likely a subtle racism behind the mistreatment of those who were different. This was something the apostles had to work through as well, so they called the community together:
The “full number of the disciples” constitutes a congregational meeting. And what is their responsibility? They are tasked with choosing seven qualified candidates for the work.
How does the apostles’ solution complement what Jesus said, “I came not to be served, but to serve…”? Are the apostles elevating their role? Are they suggesting that serving tables is beneath their calling? Of course not. They demanded the candidates meet high qualifications (1. Good repute, 2. Full of the Spirit and 3. Full of wisdom). It was a matter of calling, not preference.
Notice that the apostles do not challenge the complaint. They don’t even establish a council to investigate the matter. Apparently, the complaint was valid, and the evidence was plain for all to see.
Nor do they minimize the role of the “distribution”, in fact they saw it as something that required more attention than it was currently receiving. This was a significant shift in the mindset of the apostles. Throughout the Gospels we see the apostles looking upon the afflicted with little sympathy. They simply saw their needs as a distraction from real ministry. Here, however, they recognize the need of the widows, and call a congregational meeting to ensure that the church shows proper compassion.
Just like we see here in Acts, the Presbyterian Church calls upon the congregation to elect her officers. The PCUSA has two offices: Elders and Deacons. The office of elder is one of “rule” and “teaching”. The office of Deacon is one of service. They tend to handle issues of mercy and thus they are responsible for the distribution of the Deacon’s fund, based upon this passage.
The whole church agreed that the best use of the apostle’s time was praying and preaching.
The process of praying and laying hands on these men is typical of commissioning one who already has the Spirit. They did not receive the Spirit because of the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands was symbolic of the authority the person was receiving for his new role.
These men are now filling an official role in the church. Although the language of “deacon” is not found in this passage, the components of the office fit the circumstances described. There is also a close connection between “diakonein” (to serve) and “diakonos” (servant). Both words have the same Greek root.
Each of the men have Greek names, which probably indicates an intentional selection of leaders from the portion of the church that raised the complaint. – and the ministry to the community began with these seven…
And so, the believers went forth . . . the community grew. Even temple priests heard God’s call. And the “greatest upset” in human history proceeded. Upset? A few years ago, the Atlantic magazine asked leaders from a variety of backgrounds to name the greatest upset in history. Cass Sunstein, a prominent legal scholar, wrote:
The rise of Christianity. Two thousand fifteen years ago (give or take), Jesus Christ was crucified. Whether or not you think that he was the son of God, no oddsmaker would have predicted that today the faith of billions would bear his name. Indeed. Indeed. There is no greater evidence of the truth we proclaim than the existence of Christianity two millennia after those first disciples.
The upset continues! The church of Jesus Christ continues! The ministry of Deacons continues! The call to support the ministry of service continues! Let us care for our neighbors by supporting the ministry of compassion through the Deacons with our time, talents and treasures!
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Confession of 1967 – Jesus Christ
In Jesus of Nazareth, true humanity was realized once for all. Jesus, a Palestinian Jew, lived among his own people and shared their needs, temptations, joys, and sorrows. He expressed the love of God in word and deed and became a brother to all kinds of sinful men and women. But his complete obedience led him into conflict with his people. His life and teaching judged their goodness, religious aspirations, and national hopes. Many rejected him and demanded his death. In giving himself freely for them, he took upon himself the judgment under which everyone stands convicted. God raised him from the dead, vindicating him as Messiah and Lord. The victim of sin became victor, and won the victory over sin and death for all. Amen.
*HYMN No. 697 “Take My Life”
1 Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4 Take my sliver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
THE INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
On the Lord’s Day, Christians from around the world gather at the table, one family sharing one meal. On
this day, we focus our attention on that global gathering that happens every time we share the cup and the
loaf. Christ invites us: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.”
(John 7:37–38)
GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right and our greatest joy
to give you thanks and praise,
loving God, creator and sustainer of life.
You planted the first fields —
wheat, barley, rice, and maize —
and made us in your image
to care for your creation.
You fed your people in the wilderness
with manna from heaven,
leading them to a land of milk and honey.
When human greed trampled the poor
you spoke through the prophets,
calling us to worship you with justice and peace.
Then, in the fullness of time,
you sent Jesus Christ, the living bread,
to lift up the oppressed and lowly
and fill the hungry with good things.
Therefore we praise you, joining the faithful
who hunger and thirst for righteousness
and singing the hymn of the whole creation:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We praise you, most holy God,
for Jesus Christ, your Word made flesh.
He taught us to share the abundance of your love,
feeding the multitude,
eating with sinners and strangers,
offering his own body to save us,
and pouring out his life for the world.
When the risen Christ appeared to his disciples,
he made himself known to them in the breaking of the bread.
Even now he sets the table for us,
inviting all to taste and see that you are good.
We give you thanks that the Lord Jesus,
on the night before he died, took bread,
and after giving thanks to you, he broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat. This is my body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way Jesus took the cup, saying:
This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood,
shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.
Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.
Remembering all that you have done in Jesus Christ,
we offer our lives to you with great thanksgiving
as we share this feast of love and grace.
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
strong>Christ will come again.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon these your gifts of bread and wine
that the bread we break and the cup we bless
may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
and one with all who share this meal,
a great multitude from every nation.
Keep us faithful to Christ’s teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers,
sharing our goods with one another,
and giving our possessions to those who are in need,
so that all people may have their daily bread,
this day and every day.
Just as the grain, once scattered across the hills,
was gathered together in this loaf of bread,
gather your people from the ends of the earth,
so that we may feast with you in glory
in the joy of your new creation.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor are yours, almighty God,
now and forever.
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.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
creator and ruler of the universe,
for you have satisfied our souls
with this feast of your grace.
Keep us faithful in your service
until your realm of glory comes;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
PASSING OF FELLOWSHIP PADS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
STEWARDSHIP MINUTE Joyce Mixner & ML Diehlman
TITHES & OFFERINGS
The World Communion Offering of the PC(USA)
supports racial and gender justice,
peacemaking efforts, global witness,
and nurturing ecumenical and interfaith relations.
With great thanksgiving and praise
for the work of God throughout the world,
let us offer our lives to the Lord.
OFFERTORY ANTHEM
*RESPONSE N0. 619, v. 4 “Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven”
Angels, teach us adoration;
you behold God face to face.
Sun and moon and all creation,
dwellers all in time and space:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace!
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Merciful and gracious God, Call to Worship4
you abound in steadfast love and faithfulness.
With gratitude, we bring our gifts to you.
Bless these gifts and bless our lives
that together we may share your mercy and grace
for the world you dearly love. Amen.
*HYMN No. 644 “Give Thanks O Christian People”
1 Give thanks, O Christian people,
for workers of our day
who heed the call to service
and make it their life’s way
to go to feed the hungry,
to tend to those in need,
to work for equal justice,
till all God’s folk are freed.
2 Give thanks, O Christian people,
for leaders of our years
who live to share with others
our joy when Christ appears,
to teach the ones who seek light,
to guide the faltering feet,
to lead the followers forward
our living Lord to meet.
3 Give thanks, O Christian people,
for all who love the Lord,
who live each day believing
in God’s eternal Word:
to share Christ’s love in living,
to witness with each deed,
to use the talents given
to plant the gospel seed.
4 Give thanks, O Christian people,
for life in fellowship
with all who trust our Savior
their serving to equip:
to ease another’s burdens,
to cope in joy and stress,
to magnify God’s message
and Christ’s great love confess.
*BENEDICTION Professor Carson Brisson’s Closing Blessing
“Belov’ed, oh may joy and nothing less, the peace of God, find you on the way. Oh may she find you over, over, and over again.
Belov’ed, may you be blessed, oh may you be now the blessing you are being called into becoming forever.
And, belov’ed, may Light, Love’s own Crucified-Risen Light, guide you and me and countless others, out of every darkness, all the way home.”
*POSTLUDE