Gathering
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Community Joys & Concerns
Prelude – acolyte lights candles on altar
*Call to Worship
One: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
All: No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through the One who loved us.
One: For all things work together for good for those who love God.
All: And nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
One: Come, let us worship.
*Opening Hymn
“There’s Within My Heart a Melody” UMH 380
Opening Prayer
Whether you bring us up to the tops of the mountains or walk alongside us through the deepest valleys, God, we belong to you. We pray that you will make all things new, even the peaks and valleys of our hearts. Be our guest this morning as we sing and pray and learn about your vision of a world where enemies eat together, where everyone lives as long as the tallest trees, and where even work becomes a source of joy and abundance. Amen.
Special Music
Children’s Moment Lions and Lambs
Proclamation of the Word
Prayer for Illumination (liturgist only)
Holy One, you lift us up from low places and help us see more than we could see on our own. May the hearing of your Word this morning, free us from hopelessness, rescue us from apathy and inspire us with your vision of a time when abundant life will spill into every part of Earth, when justice flows down like a waterfall, and where new life takes the place of the things which no longer serve. Amen.
Scripture Reading
Romans 8:28–39 NT p. 158
Message Mountain Sunday
Isaiah 65:17–25 OT p. 696
Response to the Word
*Hymn of Response
“Praise Our God Above” TFWS 2051
*The Apostle’s 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 Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. The third day he arose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at 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 Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
*Doxology & Prayer
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God, the source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Sending Forth
*Sending Hymn
“My Tribute” UMH 99
*Benediction
*Benediction Response
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
*Postlude
UMH – United Methodist Hymnal found in your pew rack
NT – New Testament, toward the back of the Bible
OT – Old Testament, toward the beginning of the Bible
*Please stand as able
Nursery available for children 3 and under.