Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
My lips will glorify the Lord because his faithful love is better than life.
—based on Lamentations 3 and Psalm 63
Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder
Let us love and sing and wonder
Let us praise the Savior’s name
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame
Let us love the Lord who bought us
Pitied us when enemies
Called us by his grace and taught us
Gave us ears and gave us eyes
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He presents our souls to God
Let us wonder, grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more
He who washed us with his blood
He who washed us with his blood
He who washed us with his blood
Has secured our way to God
Let us praise, and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high
Here they trusted him before us
Now their praises fill the sky
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He has washed us with his blood
He will bring us home to God
John Newton © 2001 Laura Taylor Music. CCLI 241710
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah
Pilgrim through this barren land
I am weak, but thou art mighty
Hold me with thy powerful hand
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more
Feed me till I want no more
Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer
Be thou still my Strength and Shield
Be thou still my Strength and Shield
When I tread the verge of Jordan
Bid my anxious fears subside
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction
Land me safe on Canaan’s side
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee
I will ever give to thee
William Williams, Peter Williams, John Hughes © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Your Grace Is Enough
Great is your faithfulness, O God
You wrestle with the sinner’s heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
So remember your people
Remember your children
Remember your promise, O God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Great is your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of your salvation
And all your people sing along
So remember your people
Remember your children
Remember your promise, O God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
So remember your people
Remember your children
Remember your promise, O God
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me, for me
Matt Maher © 2003 spiritandsong.com CCLI 241710
Prayer for the People, the City, and the Nations
Gifts
Responsive Reading
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
—based on Psalm 136
Open Up Our Eyes
Greater is the One who’s in us
Greater is the One who calls our name
He will never fail
Stronger is the One within us
Stronger is the One who fights for us
He will never fail, you will never fail
For your love endures forever
Oh, your love endures forever
Open up our eyes, surround us with your light
Your love endures forever
Mighty is the One who’s for us
Mighty is the One who’s strong to save
He will make a way, you will make a way
For your love endures forever
Oh, your love endures forever
Open up our eyes, surround us with your light
Your love endures forever
Our God is fighting for us always
Our God is fighting for us all
Our God is fighting for us always
We are not alone, we are not alone
We are not alone, we are not alone
For your love endures forever
Oh, your love endures forever
Open up our eyes, surround us with your light
Your love endures forever
Our God is fighting for us always
Our God is fighting for us all
Our God is fighting for us always
We are not alone, we are not alone
We are not alone, we are not alone
Chris Brown, London Gatch, Mack Brock, Stuart Garrard, Wade Joye © 2012 Be Essential Songs, Elevation Worship Publishing, So Essential Tunes, Stugio Music Publishing CCLI 241710
Sermon
“The Storyteller — The Church is…”
John 5:30-40
Prayer of Confession
Father, you are the source of all life.
We know this to be true – we hear it in your word, and we see it in your world.
But often we refuse to come to you for life.
We run to power, money, and pleasure to make us feel alive,
if only for a moment.
Today, we turn away from our attempts to find life apart from you.
We reject the false stories we believe about ourselves,
and we come to you, empty handed.
Forgive us,
and fill us,
through Jesus we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
— Ephesians 1:7
The Lord’s Supper
It Is Well With My Soul
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Though Satan should buffet
Though trials should come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And hath shed his own blood for my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
And Lord, haste the day
When my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul
It is well, (it is well)
With my soul, (with my soul)
It is well, it is well, with my soul
Horatio G. Spafford, Philip Paul Bliss © Public Domain CCLI 241710
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him, all creatures here below
Praise him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen
Thomas Ken, Tune – OLD HUNDREDTH, Genevan Psalter (1551) attr. to Louis Bourgeois
Benediction
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