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Second Stewardship Sunday
11/16/2025 - 10:30 pm
PRELUDE Rejoice the Lord is King arranged by Dan Forrest
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
MINUTE FOR MISSION “Presbyterian Disaster Assistance” Dave Williams
(esp. Hurricane Melissa)
MOMENT OF HOPE
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: As a desert wanderer longs for springs of cool water,
People: So my thirsty soul reaches out for you, O God.
Leader: How I long for a deeper sense of your presence,
People: For a faith that will embrace you without fear or doubt!
Leader: Set your hearts on God’s goodness,
People: For they will be fully satisfied!
*OPENING HYMN #689When the Morning Stars Togethervs 1,3,4
When the morning stars together their Creator’s glory sang,
And the angel; host all shouted till with joy the heavens rang,
Then your wisdom and your greatness their exultant music told,
All the beauty and the splendor which your mighty works unfold.
Voice and instrument in union through the ages spoke your praise,
Plain-song, tuneful hymns, and anthems told your faithful, gracious ways.
Choir and orchestra and organ each a sacred offering brought,
while, inspired by your own Spirit, poet and composer wrought.
Lord, we bring our gift of music; touch our lips and fire our hearts.
Teach our minds and train our senses; fit us for these sacred arts.
Then with skill and consecration we would serve you, Lord,
and give all our powers to glorify you, and in serving fully live.
UNISON PRAYER CONFESSING OUR NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE
Here, God, we are yours. Silent now, but filled with new awareness of all our possibilities. Still now, yet full of energy for your reign of justice. Prayerfully we come to hear your Word and celebrate the Gospel which makes us the new beings we are only just discovering inside ourselves. With hope we approach you in worship that we may celebrate the community we have become.
O God of all the universe, we have permitted the happenstance of birth to divide us not only from, but against, each other. We celebrate our differences, and yet we fail to create that unity which the gospel demands. O Merciful God, help us to avoid closing ourselves to your Spirit which unites and empowers us for mission.
Amen.
MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
SONG OF RENEWAL SONG OF RENEWAL (2202 in STF)
Come Away with Me to a quiet place
Apart from the world with its frantic pace
To pray, reflect and seek God’s grace.
Come away with me, Come away.
CELEBRATION OF GOD’S GRACE
Leader: When my head is aching and my muscles are tense, you remind me of what is important and what is not.
People: I am like a child comforted at its mother’s breast.
Leader: When fatigue confuses my thinking and clouds my perspective, you refuel my energies and assure me that sleep will be coming soon.
People: You have calmed and quieted my soul.
We praise you our understanding God whose strong arms embrace and protect us. Thanks be to the God of love! Amen.
*PASSING THE PEACE
Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And with you also.
Leader: Let us pass the peace of Christ.
People: The peace of Christ be with you. (To one another)
ANTHEM “Gloria” by Antonin Dvorak
BLESSING THE CHILDREN AND SINGING TO GODLY PLAY
This little light of mine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Today’s Story “The Exile and Return”
Kathleen Krentz & Cyndi Sneeringer
Leader: And as we continue our worship…
Congregation: May God be with you there.
Children: May God be with you here.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Leader: God in your Grace,
People: Hear our prayer
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER
As we pray together the Lord's Prayer, you are invited to say this in whatever version is most comforting and meaningful to you. Here is one possible version (ecumenical version) that you can use:
Our Father, who is in heaven, holy be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Isaiah 9:1-7 John 8:12
RESPONSE
Reader: The Gospel of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION, from Psalm 19 - responsively
Pastor: May the words of my mouth
People: And the meditations of our hearts
All: Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,
Our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
SERMON What Goes Around Comes Around Rev. Dr. Barbara Barkley
MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION
*HYMN OF RESPONSE #698 Take, O Take Me As I Am
Take, O take me as I am;
Summon out what I shall be;
Set your seal upon my heart and live in me.
MOMENT OF THANKS
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS:
During this Stewardship Sunday we will also offer our pledges for the following year. Please include those in the offering plates.
OFFERTORY We Praise Thee O God, Our Redeemer, Creator Healey Willan
*THANKSGIVING SONG #708 We Give Thee But Thine Own vs. 1
We give thee but thine own, whate’er the gift may be;
All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee.
*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Leader: Accept our thanks, dear God, for your gift of life. For all that you gave us in our birth; for all that you give us in the richness of our journeys, we give you thanks; and all of this we bring to you, our God,
People: From our life to your life, O God. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN #693 Though I May Speak
Though I may speak with bravest fire,
And have the gift to all inspire,
And have not love, my words are vain,
As sounding brass, and hopeless gain.
Though I may give all I possess,
and striving so my love professes,
But not be given by love within,
the profit soon turns strangely thin.
Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control;
Our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed;
By this we worship, and are freed.
POSTLUDE This Is My Father’s World arranged by Chris Rice
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION