Sunday August 9, 2026 Worship Service
Livestream at 10:00 a.m.

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude — Arioso — Douglas Wagner
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation                                                                                                         
“We need to give Christ a chance to make use of us, to be His word and His work, to share His food and His clothing in the world today. If we do not radiate the light of Christ around us, the sense of the darkness that prevails in the world will increase.” — Mother Teresa                             

Call to Worship — based on 1 Kings 11-13
Upon Mount Horeb, Elijah heard the voice of God, not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in the sound of sheer silence.
       Holy God, quiet our minds and our hearts, rid us of distraction, so we can hear you and know you among us.

Praise and Adoration

*Hymn #182 — I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say — KINGSFORD
(*Please stand, if you are able)

Confession and Pardon

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession
God our refuge, you hear our cries for mercy. You know our exhaustion, our cynicism, our sense of defeat. You lift the lowly and offer hope to the hopeless. But we are quick to lose perspective and ex- aggerate critique. We confess the ways we are tempted to give up on the path of righteousness, and pray for your forgiveness…

Silent Prayers of Confession and Petition

Kyrie Eleison — Lord, Have Mercy — SCHUBERT

Assurance of Pardon

*Congregational Response (#581) — Glory Be to the Father — GLORIA PATRI (Greatorex)

*Welcome                       
During the Welcome, children are invited to come forward,  and if you’ve brought your own backpack, bring it up with you.

Time for Young Disciples — Blessing of the Backpacks

Adult Members Unite with the Congregation — Earlene Uhrig, Trudy Meyer
Co-Moderators of the Membership Committee

Joining today are new members:
Kim Erickson, Cheryl Hildenbrandt, John and Judy Nelson, and Evans Otoo

*Hymn #463 — How Firm a Foundation — FOUNDATION

Announcements

Fellowship of Prayer

Joys and Concerns

Anthem — The Lord Be Near Us  — Hal H. Hopson

Prayers of the People
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; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Matthew 14: 22-33 — page 796 of the pew Bible

Sermon — “Get Out of the Boat!” — Dr. Zieman

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith — from a Brief Statement of Faith, 1991          
We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace

*Sanctus (#562) — Holy, Holy, Holy — SANCTUS (Schubert)

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — The Music of the Spheres — Benjamin Harlan

*Doxology (#609) — Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow — LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise God, all creatures high and low. Alleluia, Alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known: Creator, Word, and Spirit one. Alleluia, alleluia! alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

*Prayer of Dedication        
Gracious God, the gifts we offer reflect only a portion of all that you have given us.  Take these offerings and multiply them for your use. May our offerings be a blessing to those most in need, to those most vulnerable. May our offerings, given in a spirit of generosity, abate the desire to hoard, and spread the desire to share.  Amen.

*Hymn of Dedication #834 — Precious Lord, Take My Hand  — PRECIOUS LORD

*Charge and Benediction

*Choral Benediction — The Lord Bless You and Keep You — Peter Lutkin

Postlude — A Festive Trumpet Tune — Douglas Wagner