Gathering Music “Si Tu Vieras Fe” traditional Spanish

Call to Worship Felistas Mahachi

Leader: Come, let us delight in the law of the Lord.

All: Our joy is found in the love of God and neighbor.

Leader: Come, let us be nourished by the Living Water.

All: Together, we will worship the One who enables us to thrive.

Hymn of Praise “In the Midst of New Dimensions” words &music, Julian Rush

Opening Prayer Felistas Mahachi

Leader: Please join me in the opening prayer: 

All: We draw near to you, O God,

Source of all understanding,

and ask you to draw near to us.

Teach us your wisdom from above,

that we may bear good fruit in our lives.

Root us beside the streams of your wisdom,

that the green leaves of our goodness,

fed by your insight,

may not wither. Amen.

Scripture Reading Psalm 1 (NRSV, adapted) Sam Smith

1 Happy are those

   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

   or sit in the seat of scoffers;

2 but their delight is in the law the Lord,

   and on God’s law they meditate day and night.

3 They are like trees

   planted by streams of water,

which yield their fruit in its season,

   and their leaves do not wither.

In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,

   but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

   nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

6 for God watches over the way of the righteous,

   but the way of the wicked will perish.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God. 

All: Thanks be to God. 

Choir/Music ”What Does the Lord Require of You?”

Sermon Dean Aponte

Musical Response

Sacrament of Holy Communion Deans Aponte and Linn Bennett 

Dean Linn Bennett: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Dean Linn Bennett: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

Dean Linn Bennett: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Dean Linn Bennett: Eternal God, holy and mighty,

it is truly right and our greatest joy

to give you thanks and praise,

and to worship you in every place where your glory abides.

Therefore we praise you,

joining our voices with the heavenly choirs

and with all the faithful of every time and place,

who forever sing to the glory of your name:

All (Singing:) 

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might. 

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest. 

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest. 

Dean Aponte: You are holy, O God of majesty,

and blessed is your child Jesus Christ.

Revealing your love,

Jesus taught and healed. 

He sought us out, and lifted our burdens. 

We glorify you for your great power and love at work in Christ.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your church,

and made us a new people by water and the Spirit. 

We give you thanks that 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.

Dean Linn Bennett: In the same way he took the cup, saying:

This cup is the new covenant,

Poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it,

do this in remembrance of me

Remembering all your mighty and merciful acts,

we take this bread and this cup

from the gifts you have given us,

and celebrate with joy

the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ. 

Great is the mystery of faith. 

All (singing): 

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. 

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest. 

Dean Aponte: Gracious God,

pour out your Holy Spirit upon us

and upon these your gifts of bread and cup,

that the bread we break

and the cup we bless

may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ.

By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ

that we may be one in ministry in every place.

As this bread is Christ’s body for us,

send us out to be the body of Christ in the world.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor are yours, eternal God,

now and forever. 

All (singing): 

Amen. Amen. Amen. 

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest. 

Sharing the Bread and Cup 

“Bless the Lord, My Soul”

“Give Me a Clean Heart”

Prayer after Communion: 

Dean Linn Bennett: Eternal God,

we give you thanks for this holy mystery

in which you have given yourself to us.

Grant that we may go into the world

in the strength of your Spirit,

to give ourselves for others

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen. 

Blessing Dean Aponte

Sending Song “All My Days”

———————————————————————————————————————

Worship Notes: 

Call to Worship from Amy Loving, The Worship Closet, http://worshipcloset.com/

Opening Prayer from Rebecca Gaudino, Ministry Matters, https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/3076/worship-elements-september-23-2018

The Service of Holy Communion is adapted from The Book of Common Worship, PCUSA