Marshall Presbyterian Church
Carol Ann West, Pianist Carol and Alex Brown, Liturgists
Rev. Melissa Upchurch, Pastor
ASSEMBLING IN GOD’S NAME
One: In the
wilderness, water brings life.
All: Seek us out, O God, and take us to the water.
One: In the
Word of God, the good news gives light.
All: Seek us out, O God, and fill us with
understanding.
One: In the
bread and the wine, the body of our savior
nourishes
everyone.
All: Here is the water of life, the word that
feeds,
and the food of eternity. Come and praise the
Vine that gives all goodness!
* Opening Prayer
UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, in Jesus our risen Lord, we have seen
your glory. Yet our sinfulness often
blocks out the light of Christ. We are
quick to accuse and slow to confess. We find faults easily in others, while
ignoring our own shortcomings. We have
squandered your gifts; we have turned from your ways, and we have ignored your
Word. …Silent prayers
of confession…Have mercy on us, God of Compassion. Pour out your Holy Spirit on our sinful lives. Wash us with your love and cleanse us with
your grace, that day by day we move closer to the people you made us be. Amen.
*
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
One: The resurrection
of Jesus shows us the grace of God is stronger than death and the love of God
has no boundary. This is good news! In
Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
All: Thanks be to God!
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.
THE SCRIPTURES
New
Testament: Acts 8:26-40 See Bulletin
Epistle 1 John 4:7-21 “
Gospel: John 15:1-8 “
One: The Word of God for the People of God!
All: Thanks be to God!
MESSAGE Rev.
Melissa Upchurch
This is the good news which
we received, in which we stand, and by which we are saved: that Christ died for our sins according to
the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day, and
that he appeared to Peter, then to the twelve, and to many faithful
witnesses. We believe he is the Christ,
the Son of the living God. He is the
first and the last, the beginning and the end.
He is our Lord and our God. Amen.
SHARING JOYS AND CONCERNS (See bulletin
insert)
Prayers of the People
Sharing the Gifts of
God
Offertory
*Doxology (ca. 1500s)
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.
* Prayer of dedication And thanksgiving
O God, with faith
and hope, we offer these gifts. Use
them, even as you use us, to accomplish your purposes in Jesus Christ, the Head
of the church and the Lord of our lives. Amen
One: May
our Shepherd be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Come
to the Table prepared for all of God’s
children.
All: We bring our hearts to be anointed with grace
and hope.
One: Join
in singing praise to the One who leads us
through
the kingdom.
All: We
hold hands with goodness and mercy in
giving
thanks to God.
All: Holy,
holy, holy are you, God of eunuchs and evangelists.
All creation bears fruit in glorifying you.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes to abide in us.
Hosanna in the highest!
The
minister continues…Holy are you, God of wisdom and
thanksgiving…we speak of that faith which is a mystery:
All: Christ died, that we
might live through him;
Christ was raised, that he might live
through you;
Christ will come, that all might live
through eternity
with you.
The
minister continues…Gracious God, you have prepared this Table
for us…As our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:
All: 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.
BREAKING THE BREAD
COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE (with special music)
One: Go
now, in the love of our God.
All: We will live for others through our God.
One: Go
now, in the grace of Jesus.
All: We will forgive others, just as we have been
forgiven.
One: Go
now, in the community of the Spirit.
All: We will serve others in every need, in every
place, in
every
heart.
* HYMN Purple
Hymnal #136 Go, Tell It on the Mountain
* INVITATION
* CHARGE
* BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE