October 24 @ St. Paul's UMC: Worship

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Today’s Meditation Verse: “Jesus said, ‘Go, your faith has healed you.’” —Mark 10:52a

Welcome...Pastor Charles

Prelude...Lorie Courier / “For the Beauty of the Earth”

*Call to Worship (Psalm 24:1-3)...Amy Abshire

I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise will always be in my mouth. I praise the Lord. Let the suffering listen and rejoice. Magnify the Lord with me! Together let us lift His name up high!

*Hymn...“Wonderful Words of Life” (UMH #600)

Prayer of Confession...Amy Abshire

Merciful God, We confess that we have not loved You with our whole heart. We have made idols of our desires, our perceived righteousness, and even our fears. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have failed to embrace one another as equally valued members of one body, of which Christ alone is the head. We have not done Your will; we have broken Your law... We have been lured into legalism and the confines of church polity, favoring human security over divine, radical grace....we have rebelled against Your love, believing that Your favor is earned by faithfulness, rather than freely given to us and every sibling in Christ. ...we have not loved our neighbors, when we valued certain voices, perspectives, and bodies above others. ...and we have not heard the cry of the needy, when we overlooked the hungry, the poor, and the outcast; when we turned our back on the one who was lost; when we chose for ourselves who was welcome at Your feast. Even when we fail to seek forgiveness, and have not yet forgiven one another, forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Christ our redeemer. Amen.

Silence for personal prayers of confession.

Words of Assurance: Hear the good news: Through the expansive, mysterious, divine gift of grace, made known in the person of Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled and restored to our Creator, and entrusted to bear this unimaginable love to the world. Through Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Amen.

—Rev. Darin Arntson, Cal-Pac Conference, 2019

*Offering/Doxology (UMH #95) 

Community prayer requests, concerns, and celebrations

Pastoral Prayer / Lord’s Prayer...Pastor Charles

First Lesson: Job 42:1-6, 10-17...Amy Abshire

Special Music...Chancel Choir / “In the Garden”

Gospel Lesson: Mark 10:46-52...Pastor Charles

Pastor: This is the Word of God for the people of God. People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon...Pastor Charles / “Was it worth it?"

*Hymn...“My Hope is Built” (UMH #368)

*Words for the Journey...Pastor Charles

*Postlude...Lorie Courier / “The Solid Rock”