Words for Reflection

October 29, 2017 order of worship

WORDS FOR REFLECTION

Mother Teresa, 20th century
"I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' rather he will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?"

LITURGIST: Kristina Furman

PRELUDE Siciliano D. Scarlati

WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Leader: Peace be with you!

People: And also with you!

INTROIT

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: You, Loving God, know our hearts.

People: Guide our hearts, O God.

Leader: You, Knowing God, see our ways.

People: Shape our ways, O God.

Leader: You, Gentle God, call our spirits.

People: Call us now, O God, as we call on you.

*HYMN Spirit, Come Dispel Our Sadness #253

*OPENING PRAYER

Happy are we, O God, when our hearts are full, our ways are yours, our spirits enlivened by your call. Happy are we, O God, when our lives are guided by delight. We gather here today for just that, holy God. We gather to draw on all you would give us to be more fully yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

Hallelujah

STEWARDSHIP MOMENT Henry Finman

SCRIPTURE 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (The Voice)
Brothers and sisters, you yourselves know that our coming to you was not a waste of time.You remember how we had just suffered through brutal and insulting attacks in Philippi; but because of God, we boldlystepped into the open totell you His good news, even though it would likely mean more conflict for us.For we haven’t approached you—or anyone else for that matter—with some error or impure motives or deceitful agenda;but as we have been approved by God and entrusted with the good news, that’s how we are telling the world. We aren’t trying to please everybody, but God, the only One who can truly examine our motives.As you know, we didn’t sandwich the truth between cunning compliments—we told it straight—and before the eye of God, we never conspired to make a single centoff of you.We didn’t come seeking respect from people—not from you or anyone else—although we could have leveraged our position as emissariesof the Anointed One,the Liberating King.Instead, we proved to be gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her own children.We were so taken by you that we not only eagerly shared with you God’s good news, but we also shared with you our own lives. That’s how much you’ve come to mean to us.

ANTHEM

SCRIPTURE Matthew 22:34-46 (The Voice)

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,a group ofPharisees metto consider new questions that might trip up Jesus.A legal expert thought of one that would certainly stump Him.

Pharisees:Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?

Jesus(quoting Scripture):“Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.”This is the first and greatest commandment.And the second is nearly as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.

Since the Pharisees were gathered together there, Jesustook the opportunity to pose a question of His own.

Jesus:What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose Son is He?

Pharisees:But, of course,He is the Son of David.

Jesus:Then how is it that David—whose words were surely shapedby the Spirit—calls Him “Lord”?For in his psalmsDavid writes,

The Master said to my master
“Sit here at My right hand, in the place of honor and power,
And I will gather Your enemies together, lead them in on hands and knees,
and You will rest Your feet on their backs.”

How can David call his own Son “Lord”?

No one had an answer to Jesus’ question. And from that day forward, no one asked Him anything.

SERMON

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE

The Lord’s Prayer

OFFERING

OFFERTORY Faith of Our Fathers L. Smith

*SONG OF THANKSGIVING Come, Ye Thankful People, Come (v.3) #718

These to thee, our God, we owe, source whence all our blessings flow;

And for these our souls shall raise grateful vows and solemn praise.

Come, then, thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;

Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

*BLESSING OF OFFERING

*HYMN Rise Up, O Saints of God #611

*BENEDICTION

*POSTLUDE Raise Now Your Song on High C. Saint-Saens