November 3, 2013 All Saints Sunday CALL TO WORSHIP: Happy are those whose sins are forgiven! Happy are those whom the Lord does not punish for their guilt. When we keep silent about our sin, we die within. Our spirit dries up inside us, as if baked under a hot summer sun. But when we confess our sin to God, God forgives our guilt Let us worship this loving God together! Hymn: No Not One. PRAYER OF INVOCATION: Creator God, as we come to worship this day, we profess our need and desire to become a new creation in Christ. This we do as individuals on lifes journey who long for a new beginning, and as a corporate community of Christs church that longs for renewal in spirit and hope, in energy and faithfulness. We praise you. We honor you as the one who in forgiveness and love is able to make and remake all things, even the whole world. By the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us the blessing of re-creation. Amen. PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Holy Lord, we despise the sins that others commit. We look with scorn at those whom we read about in the newspaper; the thieves, the drunks, the murderers. We stare in contempt at liars, cheats and swindlers. We burn with anger toward those who have wronged us and those who have wronged others. We demand justice. We demand punishment. But we confess that we focus so much attention on the misdeeds of others as a way of drawing the attention away from ourselves. Gracious God, give us the courage to acknowledge our own sins. Forgive us, and help us to realize that we, as much as anyone, are in need of your mercy. We pray now, in silence, for pardon in the Name of our Savior, Jesus Christ..... Titus 1:5-9 Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good 5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Acts 14:21-28 The Return to Antioch in Syria 21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. May the Lord, mighty God, bless and keep your forever. Grant you peace, perfect peace; faith in every endeavor. Lift your eyes and see Gods face and Gods grace forever. May the Lord, mighty God, bless and keep you forever.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 22:32:44 +0000
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