Sunday June 21, 2026 Worship Service
Livestream at 10:00 a.m.

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude — Voluntary in G Major — John Stanley
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation                                                                                                         
My dear God, I am impressed with how much I have to be thankful for in a material sense; and in a spiritual sense I have the opportunity of being even more fortunate. But it seems apparent to me that I am not translating this opportunity into fact. You say, dear God, to ask for grace and it will be given. I ask for it. I realize that there is more to it than that – that I have to behave like I want it.
— Flannery O’Connor, A Prayer Journal

Call to Worship — adapted from Psalm 146
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
       I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long!
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
       Happy are those whose hope is in the LORD our God, who made the heavens and the earth!

Praise and Adoration

*Hymn #2 — Come, Thou Almighty King — ITALIAN HYMN   
(*Please stand, if you are able)

Confession and Pardon

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession
Loving God, part of Your triune nature is being our Heavenly Father. You watch over us. You care for us. You do Your best to protect us from ourselves. You always try to help us. You make us lie down in green pastures. You lead us beside still waters. You are a faithful steward to all that is. You are the greatest example of how we are supposed to be in this world. And yet we continue to fall short of Your example. We do not look out for our brothers and sisters as You do. We do not steward over the earth as You do. Forgive us, God. Help us to do better. Help us to be more like You.

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

Minute for Mission: Young Adult Mission Trip

Commissioning of the Junior High Fellowship Mission Trip to Des Moines, Iowa

Announcements

Fellowship of Prayer

Joys and Concerns

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.

Anthem — He Leadeth Me — arr. Gilbert M. Martin

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Matthew 1:18-25 — page 783 of the pew Bible

Sermon — “A Father for the Ages” — Rev. Richard C. Meyer, HR

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith — The Scots Confession, Chapter I, God (3.01)
We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. In God who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance yet distinct in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. In God by whom we confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable providence for such end as his eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice have appointed, and to the manifestation of His own glory. Amen

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

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — Hear Me, Redeemer — Henry Mollicone

*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        
God who is there in plenty and in want, God who is with us at our best and our worse: take these tithes and offerings and give plenty to those who need it, make better those who are worse off. Amen.

*Hymn of Dedication #462 — I Love to Tell the Story — HANKEY

*Charge and Benediction

*Benediction Response — Go Now in Peace — Don Besig

Postlude — Festival Finale — Malcolm Archer