August 4, 2024

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

10:00am

 

 

WELCOME

 

OPENING PRAYER

Holy One, as we move through this new day, we pray that you will keep us in union with the faith and knowledge of Jesus.  We long to mature into the stature of Christ.  Help us to speak the truth in love today, that we may grow into him, my savior, my teacher, and my friend, Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

 

PRELUDE

 

CALL TO WORSHIP Eph. 4:2, 4-6

Come, let us worship our God, for there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Parent of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

We come with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love.

 

*HYMN No.475                    “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

1 Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

3 O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.

 

*CALL TO CONFESSION

Remember that our Lord Jesus can sympathize with us in our weaknesses,

since in every respect he was tempted as we are,
yet without sin.
Let us then with boldness approach the throne of grace,

that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help in time of need.

Let us confess our sins
against God and our neighbor.

 

*PRAYER FOR CONFESSION

Have mercy on us, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out our transgressions.  Wash away our iniquity and cleanse us from sin.  Create in us a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us.  Do not cast us from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from us.  Restore to us the joy of your salvation and grant a willing spirit to sustain us.

 

*SILENT PRAYER FOR CONFESSION

 

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Hear the good news!

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

He himself bore our sins
in his body on the cross,
that we might be dead to sin, and alive to all that is good.

I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Amen.

 

*RESPONSE No. 581                       “Gloria Patri”

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen, amen.

 

*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

 

SPECIAL MUSIC

 

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

 

UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

Please join me in the unison prayer…

Holy God, may the reading of your Word be for us the bread you send form heaven that gives life to the world.  Amen. 

 

SCRIPTURE              Romans 5:1-11

5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access[b] to this grace in which we stand, and we[c] boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we[d] also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely, therefore, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.[e] 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

Pause…

 

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God!!

 

SERMON                   “Stories of Grace”                              Rev. Nikki Passante

Rev. Passante earned dual degrees at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, graduating with a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education in 2004. She has served churches in Ashland, OR, Media PA, and now Haddonfield.  In these concurrent calls, she served as an Associate Pastor and Transitional Minister. Certified as a Transitional Minister at Princeton in 2013, Nikki has served as a bridge in each congregational context, providing connection, stability, and opportunities for spiritual growth, often in the midst of high-conflict environments and after the departure of long-term senior pastors. A natural change agent, Nikki has strengthened the Office of Deacons in each congregation by creating visitation teams, and equally pursues healthy congregational care by bringing and developing Stephen Ministry in two of these churches. Nikki has served on the presbytery-level as the Lead Educator for the Presbytery of the Cascades, on the Committee on Ministry for the Presbytery of Philadelphia managing and negotiating difficult relationships between churches and pastors, and currently on the Mission Committee of the Presbytery for Southern New Jersey.  Nikki can often be found in Philly, screaming for or at the Eagles, or visiting her husband Marco at his restaurant in Center City. Nikki and Marco are new grandparents to Giovanni, and love spending time with their beloved dog-child, Louise.

 

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH          Colossians 1:15–20

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation;
in him all things in heaven and on earth were created,

 things visible and invisible.

All things have been created through him and for him.

 He himself is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.

He is head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,
the firstborn of the dead,
so that he might come to have first place in everything.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things,

whether on earth or in heaven,
by making peace through the blood of his cross. Amen.

           

*HYMN No. 501                    “Feed Us, Lord”

Feed us, Lord.
Feed us, Lord.
In the broken bread, be revealed again.
Come and feed our hearts, O Lord.

Quench us, Lord.
Quench us, Lord.
On this thirsty ground, may your love flow down.
Come and quench our hearts, O Lord.

Fill us, Lord.
Fill us, Lord, 
with the bread and wine of the risen Christ.
Come and fill our hearts, O Lord.

Lead us, Lord.
Lead us, Lord,
nourished here by Christ, given strength for life.
Come and lead our hearts, O Lord.

 

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

 

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

 

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.

 

Communion

 

Closing Prayer

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

OFFERING OF TITHES & OFFERINGS

God’s beautiful creation overflows with water, sunlight, and the rich, dark soil to grow our food. When we share the fruits of this earth, there is more than enough for all: there is a table of plenty set by a God who loves every one of us. At this table, all are fed and still there are gifts overflowing into the world God loves. Our giving supports this ministry that God is growing stronger each day. Let us gather our gifts together and offer them to God in gratitude and praise.

 

OFFERTORY

 

*RESPONSE N0. 607                       “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise Christ, all people here below;
praise Holy Spirit evermore;
praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.

 

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Loving God, we have so many reasons to say “thank You” to You. Your generosity, grace, and mercy are astounding, and we pray that the gifts we offer in worship and throughout the week might be used in Your name. Help us to be generous with our money, but also with our talents and time. Strengthen us to recognize Your blessings, to be grateful, and to respond accordingly. Amen.

 

*HYMN No. 546                   “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”

1 Lord, dismiss us with your blessing;
fill our hearts with joy and peace;
let us each, your love possessing,
triumph in redeeming grace.
O refresh us,
O refresh us,
traveling through this wilderness.

2 Thanks we give and adoration
for your gospel’s joyful sound;
may the fruits of your salvation
in our hearts and lives abound.
Ever faithful,
ever faithful
to your truth may we be found.

3 Savior, when your love shall call us,
from our struggling pilgrim way,
let no fear of death appall us,
glad your summons to obey.
May we ever, 
may we ever
reign with you in endless day.

 

*BENEDICTION