Sunday Worship Bulletin - Fourth Church

Bulletins are posted on the day prior.

Sunday, March 23
9:30 a.m. Worship Service

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PRELUDE

Symphonie V (Allegro Cantabile)
Charles-Marie Widor
How Sweet the Sound
Jason King

INTROIT
“This Is the Day”
Anonymous (sixteenth-century England)

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: God is our refuge and strength,
All: a very present help in trouble.
One: Therefore, we will not fear,
All: though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
One: though its water roar and foam,
All: though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

HYMN
“Come, Worship God”

Come, worship God, who is worthy of honor; enter God’s presence with thanks and a song! You are the rock of your people’s salvation to whom our jubilant praises belong.

Ruled by your might are the heights of the mountains; held in your hands are the depths of the earth. Yours is the sea, yours the land, for you made them, God above all gods, who gave us our birth.

We are your people, the sheep of your pasture; you are our Maker, and to you we pray. Gladly we kneel in obedience before you; great is the one whom we worship this day!

Now let us listen, for you speak among us; open our hearts to receive what you say. Peace be to all who remember your goodness, trust in your word, and rejoice in your way!

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of mercy, faith is a journey, and we struggle to keep up. The winds are often in our faces. Waves of worry and fear can beat against us. Remind us once again how to stand tall in the midst of the storm. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen.

EXTINGUISHING THE THIRD LENTEN CANDLE

KYRIE

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

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
“How Can I Keep from Singing?”
John Scott

FIRST LESSON
Matthew 4:18–22

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

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
Matthew 14:22–33

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

One: The grass withers, and the flower fades,
All: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

SERMON
Tom Are Jr.
"You Can't Avoid the Chaos"

HYMN
“O Christ, the Great Foundation”

O Christ, the great foundation on which your people stand to preach your true salvation in every age and land: pour out your Holy Spirit to make us strong and pure, to keep the faith unbroken as long as worlds endure.

Baptized in one confession, one church in all the earth, we bear our Lord’s impression, the sign of second birth: one holy people gathered in love beyond our own, by grace we were invited; by grace we make you known.

Where tyrants’ hold is tightened, where strong devour the weak, where innocents are frightened, the righteous fear to speak, there let your church awaking attack the powers of sin and, all their ramparts breaking, with you the victory win.

This is the moment glorious when he who once was dead shall lead his church victorious, their champion and their head. The Lord of all creation his heavenly kingdom brings: the final consummation, the glory of all things.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We are a people of belief and unbelief. On our best days, we trust that the light shines in the darkness, that hope is stronger than fear, that grace is extended to us even in our worst moments, that not even death can keep us from you. But there are other days, when fear washes over us like waves, and uncertainty is our constant companion, and the good that we can do seems powerless. But we trust, gracious Christ, that even as we sink in shame and fear you stretch out your hand of salvation to hold us fast. You continue to call us to walk as you walk, even if the world says we cannot walk in your way and survive. If you keep calling, we will keep following.

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

“Wade in the Water”
Spiritual/arr. Moses Hogan

OFFERTORY RESPONSE
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God of grace, there is no end to your generosity toward us. Please receive these expressions of our generosity toward you. In Christ’s name. Amen.

HYMN
“You Walk along Our Shoreline”

We hear your voice of power, “Now come and follow me. And if you still will follow through storm and wave and shoal, then I will make you fishers but of the human soul.”

You call us, Christ, to gather the people of the earth. We cannot fish for only those lives we think have worth. We spread your net of gospel across the water’s face, our boat a common shelter for all found by your grace.

We cast our net, O Jesus; we cry the kingdom’s name; we work for love and justice; we learn to hope through pain.
You call us, Lord, to gather God’s daughters and God’s sons, to let your judgment heal us so that all may be one.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

CHORAL BENEDICTION
“God Be in My Head”
John Rutter

POSTLUDE
Fugue in G Major
Johann Sebastian Bach

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