July 6, 2025

CALL TO WORSHIP
L: All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord;
P: All the families of the nations shall worship before him.
L: For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
P: To him, shall all the proud of the earth bow down.
L: Posterity shall serve him.
ALL: People shall tell of the Lord to the coming generation and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn.

HYMN-#331 “God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand”

CALL TO CONFESSION
The Psalmist prays, “Turn not your servant away in anger. Cast me not away, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.” Let us trust in the Lord that in Jesus Christ, he hears our prayers, and that we may confess our sins before him first as his church, and then individually before him, assured of his mercy to us in his dear Son.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)
Let us pray: Be merciful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love. Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions thereafter. For your name’s sake, Lord, pardon my guilt for it is great. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for in my sin which separates me from you, I am lonely. Relieve the troubles of heart and deliver me from the distress of my soul. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, consider me in my trouble, and according to your promises in my Savior, forgive me of all my sins. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of our supplications. The Lord is our strength and our shield. In him our heart trusts: we are helped, and our heart exalts, because in, and as, and through Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and he is our saving refuge. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH-Apostles’ Creed

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION Eternal God who calls and claims us as your church: As you taught the hearts of your faithful people in generations past, send the light of your Holy Spirit to us today. Grant
us hearing and give us a right understanding of your freeing and saving truth in Jesus Christ, as borne witness by your Scriptures. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING- I Kings 19: 1-18

SERMON- “The Chicago Way”

HYMN-#436 “God of Compassion, in Mercy Befriend Us” (Before Communion)

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God!
People will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.
According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took the bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast which he has prepared for us all.

GREAT 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.
It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, eternal God, our creator.

Once we were no people, but now we are your people. You raised up the church as a witness to the resurrection, breathing into it your life and power, and freeing us from bondage to idols and their death bringing ways. Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with the choirs of heaven and with all the faithful of every time and place who forever sing to the glory of your name:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Entrusting his life to you, he went freely to his death, setting free your Creation from sin and death. You raised him from death and raise us also to live a new life with him. Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts, we take this bread and this cup and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ.

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.

Unite us now at your table, and in one loaf and a common cup, make us one in Christ Jesus. Let your Spirit empower the life we share and make strong our witness in the world, and to the world. Great is the mystery of faith. Christ has died,

Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Give us strength to continue our journey and serve you until the promised Day of Resurrection, when with the redeemed of all the ages we will feast with you at your table in glory. And hear us as we call upon you as: “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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

BREAKING OF THE BREAD AND SHARING OF THE CUP

COMMUNION (Please wait until all are served, and then the church will commune together)

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Gracious God, may we who have received this sacrament live in the unity of your Holy Spirit, that we may proclaim your Gospel to all the world. As we have shared this meal, may we be courageous and strong in testifying to the lordship of your dear Son before all powers and principalities. In our bodily needs, may we be given help and healing. In our present distress, may we be given your comfort. May we live without fear, ever trusting that all our times are in your hands. We ask this in the name of our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRESENTATION OF TITHES & OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY

*RESPONSE No. 609 “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN No. 269 “Lead On, O King Eternal”

*BENEDICTION