Sunday Worship Bulletin - Fourth Church

Bulletins are posted on the day prior.

Sunday, June 20
10:00 a.m. Worship Service

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PRELUDE
Prelude on “St. Elizabeth”
Gerre Hancock
Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit
Spiritual/arr. Harry Burleigh

INTROIT
It Is a Good Thing to Give Thanks
Paul Bouman
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.

DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye heavenly host; Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: This is the day that God has made.
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
One: God’s love and light is more powerful than our imperfect world.
All: In gratitude and joy we will worship God together!

HYMN

“Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”

Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God. God, whose word cannot be broken, formed thee for a blest abode. On the rock of ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose? With salvation’s walls surrounded, thou may’st smile at all thy foes.

Round each habitation hovering, see the cloud and fire appear for a glory and a covering, showing that the Lord in near. Thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day, safe they feed upon the manna which God gives them when they pray.

See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love, well supply thy sons and daughters and all fear of want remove. Who can faint while such a river ever flows, their thirst to assuage? Grace, so like the Lord the giver, never fails from age to age.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Holy God, we are worried and distracted by many things. With so many tasks to complete, it’s often easy to give in to constant busyness—and difficult to discern the work that is uniquely ours to do. And with so much information coming at us, it’s simple to distract ourselves with endless news cycles and always-present devices— and complicated to engage in the reality of relationships. Forgive us, Lord. Remind us to breathe and to be. Help us to sense your presence, see your face, and experience the richness of a relationship with you and the vulnerability of relationships with others. For we ask this in your name. Amen.

DECLARATION OF PARDON
One: Friends, believe the good news.
All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Leader: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
People: And also with you.

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WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANTHEM
“Fairest Lord Jesus”
Peter P. Stearns
Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature, O thou of God to earth come down, thee will I cherish, thee will I honor, thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.

FIRST LESSON
Genesis 18:1–10a

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’

One: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

GLORIA PATRI
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.

SECOND LESSON
Luke 10:38–42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing.* Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

One: Lord, your Word is a lamp unto my feet,
All: and a light unto our path.

SERMON
Amy Pagliarella

HYMN

“For All the Faithful Women”

For all the faithful women who served in days of old, to you shall thanks be given; to all, their story told. They served with strength and gladness in tasks your wisdom gave. To you their lives bore witness, proclaimed your power to save.

We praise your name for Miriam, who sang triumphantly while Pharaoh’s vaunted army lay drowned beneath the sea; for Ruth, who left her homeland and ventured forth in faith, who pledged to serve and worship Naomi’s God till death.

We sing of busy Martha, who toiled with pot and pan while Mary sat in silence to hear the word again. We praise the other Mary, who hastened to the tomb and found her Lord arisen, dispelling doubt and gloom.

Lord, hear our praise of Dorcas, who served the sick and poor. Her hands were cups of kindness, her heart an open door. O God, for saints and servants, our fervent prayer we raise, that, faithful in your service, our lives may sing your praise.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
from A Brief Statement of Faith (PCUSA)

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel. Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal. Amen.

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.

OFFERING

Gifts supporting the ministry and mission of Fourth Church can be made online

OFFERTORY ANTHEM

O Come, Every One That Thirsteth” from Elijah
Felix Mendelssohn

O come everyone that thirsteth, O come to the waters: O come unto him.
O hear, and your souls shall live forever.

OFFERTORY RESPONSE
Abundant God, we give thanks for your presence in our lives and for the invitation to be part of your work in the world. May these gifts be a tangible expression of our love for our neighbors as well as a witness to your love for us all. Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Gracious and strengthening God, in you, we find the power to endure with patience and the grace to give thanks with joy. As we offer these gifts, may they bear fruit in your kingdom, strengthening the church, uplifting the weary, and sharing the hope we have in Jesus Christ. In Christ’s name, we give and rejoice. Amen.

HYMN
“Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”

Lord, dismiss us with your blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace; let us each, your love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace. O refresh us, O refresh us, traveling through this wilderness.

Thanks we give and adoration for your gospel’s joyful sound; may the fruits of your salvation in our hearts and lives abound. Ever faithful, ever faithful to your truth may we be found.

Savior, when your love shall call us, from our struggling pilgrim way, let no fear of death appall us, glad your summons to obey. May we ever, may we ever reign with you in endless day.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE
Festival Toccata
Percy Fletcher

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