Sunday October 19, 2025 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m.

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude — Prelude on “Italian Hymn” — Jeffrey Blersch
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation
Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God’s work.  Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are.  However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray.  – Oswald Chambers

Call to Worship — from Psalm 121 and 2 Timothy 4
We lift up our eyes to the hills — from where will our help come?
       Our help comes not from the hills, but from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable.
       The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
With endurance, expectation, and joy, let us worship the living God!

Praise and Adoration

*Opening Hymn #620 — Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven — LAUDA ANIMA
(*Please stand, if you are able.)

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession
God of the covenant, you promise to write your law in our hearts, that we might be faithful people who know you and your will for us. Still, we stray from your ways, we fail to tell the truth, we mirror the world around us more than the good news of the gospel, and we fail to acknowledge that you are our God. Forgive us, and by your Spirit renew us. Engrave your covenant upon us once more. Grant us courage and faith that we might begin again to live what it is we say we believe.

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 and Announcements                      

Moment for Mission — Karen Morey, Anne Wattles, Becky Zieman,
participants in the Serbia-Bosnia Mission Trip

Moment for Stewardship — Josh Murray, Moderator of the Building & Grounds Committee

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 —  I Will Lift Mine Eyes — Jake Runestad

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Luke 18: 1-8 — page 853 of the pew Bible

Sermon — Praying Persistently — Dr. Zieman

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith — Hebrews 12:1-3
“Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.”

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

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — He, Watching Over Israel from Elijah — Felix Mendelssohn

*Doxology (#607) — Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow — OLD HUNDREDTH
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
We give you thanks, Creator of heaven and earth, for the gift of this day, this moment of worship, and your word which is engraved upon our hearts. Receive and bless these gifts that we return to you as a symbol of the dedication of our entire lives, that we as your church might be ever more faithful in your work of reconciliation, love and joy.  In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

*Hymn of Dedication #714 — God of the Fertile Fields — ITALIAN HYMN

*Charge and Benediction           

*Benediction Response — Christ Be with Me — K. Lee Scott

*Postlude — In You Is Gladness — Kevin Hildebrand