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SUNDAY
September 20, 2020
PRELUDE “Morning Has Broken” English Folk Tune
Arr. Fred Bock
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Open our eyes, God of history, to your movement in and through the times and
events of earth and be manifest to us.
People: Open our lives, Holy Spirit within us and among us, to make visible to our town and its people the presence of God in this congregation.
One: Open our arms, Christ of God, to receive your people in need, making clear to them your encompassing grace.
All: And receive from us now our praise and thanksgiving, who are your servants in the service of your people.
*OPENING HYMN #664 “Morning Has Broken”
Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing, fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s newfall sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation; praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!
UNISON PRAYER CONFESSING OUR NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE
There is a paradox in us Christians, a contradiction to how society assigns worth. As a nation we value power, wealth, and social status. We admire those whose decisions affect many. We envy those who enjoy luxury greater than ours. We dream of how we’d live if we could trade places. We joke about what we’d do if we won the lottery! Yet while we may feel uneasy, even intimidated, in the presence of those who possess many things, we don’t kneel before them. We instead come to honor one who was born to a peasant couple, made his home with the poor, and was executed between two criminals. Is it not a wonder? How shall we see the light, heaven-sent to guide us? God, remove the scales from our eyes that we may see; wash us that we may be clean; heal us that we may be whole. And by the grace that presses upon us even as we cower
and turn away, make us such a sign of your transforming power that others, seeing us, will know and love you and your people as well!
(moment of silence)
SONG OF RENEWAL #468 “In My Life” vs. 1
In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.
In my life, Lord, be glorified today.
CELEBRATION OF GOD’S GRACE
Let words taken from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 serve as our words of assurance this day: Since we belong to the day, let us be grounded, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For whether we are awake or asleep, we live with Christ. Thanks be to God. Amen.
SPECIAL MUSIC “For the Beauty of the Earth” John Rutter
CVPC Choir
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Leader: God in your grace
People: Hear our prayer.
PASTORAL PRAYER
LORD’S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE READINGS: Genesis 15:1-6,
Matthew 20:1-16
RESPONSE
Reader: The Word 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 “Fair” Pastor Barbara Barkley
Time of Silent Reflection
*HYMN #36 “For the Fruit of All Creation”
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth’s safe-keeping, thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labor, God’s will be done.
In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will be done.
In our world-wide task of caring for the hungry and despairing,
In the harvest we are sharing, God’s will be done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us,
Most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God.
OFFERING OF OURSELVES IN PRAYER
*UNISON PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
God of all mercy, receive now your people’s thanks for gentle kindness and caring. In moments of spiritual carelessness, we blame you for things we do not understand. In moments of moral laziness, we hold you accountable for events we are unwilling or ashamed to own. Yet, by the miracle of your love, you never turn against us. As you once entered into human life in the person of Jesus, you continue now to work among us in the person of your Holy Spirit – to teach, to heal, to redeem. So, hymns and hosannas, oh God, for your love that clasps us even as we strike out. Thank you for instructing us in the meaning of thankfulness, that we might finally present to you lives as rich in gratitude as yours is rich in charity, through Christ who was, and is, the greatest gift of all.
*CLOSING HYMN #751 “From the Nets of Our Labor “ vs. 1,3,4,5
From the nets of our labors, through the noise and confusion,
from the city or seashore, Jesus summons us all.
We will rise up and follow, Christ before and beside us,
Loving pattern to guide us, as we answer the call.
In the eyes of the stranger – tearful, joyous or frightened –
In the face of each neighbor, Jesus summons us all.
We will rise up and follow, Christ before and beside us,
Loving pattern to guide us, as we answer the call.
When we hear words of hatred spreading fear or false witness,
Words the cry to be challenged, Jesus summons us all.
We will rise up and follow, Christ before and beside us,
Loving pattern to guide us, as we answer the call.
In each moment of courage, steadfast even through trembling;
In the yearning for justice, Jesus summons us all.
We will rise up and follow, Christ before and beside us,
Loving pattern to guide us, as we answer the call.
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Postlude on “FOREST GREEN” Trad. English
Arr. David Lowe