Sunday September 7, 2025 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m.

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude — God of Grace and God of Glory — arr. Paul Manz 
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation
Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it’s like to live inside somebody else’s skin.  It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too.
~Frederick Buechner, originally published in Wishful Thinking and later in Beyond Words

Choral Call to Worship — Brethen, We Have Met to Worship arr. Mark Hayes

Praise and Adoration

*Hymn #37 — Let All Things Now Living — ASH GROVE – arr. Jeremy J. Bankson
(*Please stand, if you are able)

Confession and Pardon

Call to Confession 

Prayer of Confession
Creator God, you know us completely. You formed us in your own image. And yet, we sometimes stray from the gift you’ve given us. We keep people at a distance, allowing barriers to get in the way of relationships. Forgive us, Lord. Let us hear your call to change and do better. Empower us to ask for forgiveness from those whom we have wronged.  Help us to think of you and those around us, not always putting ourselves first.

Silent Prayers of Confession

Kyrie Eleison — Lord, Have Mercy — Schubert

Assurance of Pardon

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

Welcome                              

Time for Young Disciples

New Testament Lesson — Luke 14: 25-35 — page 850 of the pew Bible

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.

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Psalm 139: 1-4, 23,24 — page 503 of the pew Bible                                                         

Sermon — “A Courageous Request” — Dr. Richard Meyer                                      

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith — The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

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

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less — arr. Ferguson

*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 to you, O God, because you have first given so much to us.  Living Lord, take these gifts and use them to faithfully transform others in your world. Allow your work to be continued in the world where it is most needed. Amen.

Commissioning of Adult Mission Trips (11:10)
to Serbia and Bosnia (Karen Morey, Anne Wattles, and Becky Zieman)
to Moldova (Josh Garry and Rock Sumner)

*Hymn #463 — How Firm a Foundation — FOUNDATION arr. Tom Trenney

1: All        2: Women       3: Men      4: All       5: All

*Charge and Benediction

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

*Postlude  — (organ)