Gathering Music

“Better is One Day”

How lovely is Your dwelling place
O Lord Almighty
My soul longs and even faints for You
For here my heart is satisfied
Within Your presence
I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings

Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

Call to Worship

Melissa Vander Plaats

One: Give thanks to God with your whole heart;
Many: We will recount all of God’s wonderful deeds.
One: Be glad and exult in in Lord;
Many: We will sing praise to God’s name, the Most High.

Hymn

“God of Grace and God of Glory” UMH #577

Prayer

The Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known and from you no secrets are hidden. Cleanse the thoughts our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture

Melissa Vander Plaats and Kwang-il Kim

Psalm 84 (NRSV)

One:
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!

Two:
My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

One:
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my ruler and my God.

Two:
Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. Selah

One:
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Two:
As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.

One:
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

Two:
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

One:
Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.

Two:
For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.

One:
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.

Two:
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
bestowing favor and honor.

One:
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.

Two:
O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Song

“Better is One Day” reprise

Scripture

Luke 11:1-4 (NRSV)

1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.”

Reflection

Bishop Peter Weaver

Prayer Ritual

The Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett

Invitation
Prayer of Adoration
Prayer of Thanks
Prayer of Confession
Prayer of Asking

Blessing

Bishop Peter Weaver

Sending

“May You Run and Not Be Weary”

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Worship Notes:

Prayer Ritual: http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/council-launches-prayer-initiative-praying-our-way-forward