Prelude: Festiva, David Hegarty - Steven Frank,organ WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship L: God, today we raise our voices in response to your goodness. P: We praise you, O Lord, for all the blessings you have given us. L: We lift our hearts in sweet surrender to your mercy. P: We thank you, O Lord, for hearing the prayers of our hearts. L: God we praise you for you are good! P: Your love and mercy never fails. Amen! Hymn of Praise: There's A Wideness In God's Mercy -KIMBERLY IANNUZZI AND IZABELA GRAJNER-PARTYKA There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea; There's a kindness in his justice which is more than liberty. There is plentiful redemption in the blood that has been shed; There is joy for all the members in the sorrow of the Head. For the love of God is broader than the measure of man’s mind And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind. If our love were but more simple, we should take him at his word; And our lives would be sunshine in the sweetness of our Lord. Call to Confession L: We do not stop enough to listen to the still-speaking God. P: And like the people of Jerusalem long ago, we often misunderstand the Spirit’s movement among us. L: In the silence and stillness of this moment, let us draw near to God and listen. And let us together confess our sins. Prayer of Confession (Proverbs 8, Psalm 8, Romans 5, John 16) God of infinite mercy, when we neglect the humbleness of knowing our place in this world, forgive us; when we trade your peace and calls for unity for conflict and violence, forgive us; when we forsake our good character, to join those who scoff at your ways, forgive us; when we ignore your truth, and turn away from your wisdom, forgive us. When we have hearts of stone instead of hearts filled with compassion, forgive us. Forgive us and heal us, Lord, that we may abide in your grace and your love forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Words of Assurance (Romans 5) L: Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God fills our souls with grace and wisdom. P: It is from this grace that we have hope. L: It is from this wisdom that we know God’s love. P: It is from the living God that we find life and forgiveness. The Christian Way (God’s will for our lives) Our Lord Jesus said: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV) Passing the Peace “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NRSV) Extend the sign of peace to each other. Children’s Sermon WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Hymn of Preparation: Jesus, Thy Mercies Are Untold, St Agnes - REUVEN ARISTIGUETA Jesus, thy mercies are untold through each returning day; thy love exceeds a thousandfold whatever we can say. O hope of ev’ry contrite heart, O joy, of all the meek, to those who ask, how kind thou art, how good, to those who seek! Jesus, our only joy be thou, as thou our prize wilt be; in thee be all our glory now and through eternity. Scripture Reading - Matthew 9:35-38 (NRSV) 35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Message: Compassion When was the last time you cried, for someone, or something? "We cry because we are not numb on the inside.” - Dr. Cornel West Matthew 9:36 (NRSV) What is compassion? 1.The ability to Matthew 9:35 (GN) Matthew 9:36 (GN) The ability to The ability to Matthew 9:35 (NLT) Mark 1:41 (NLT) Matthew 20:34 (NRSV) Luke 7:13 (NRSV) What can I do to help with the healing of those who are suffering? How can I be present, instead of absent? How can I be involved, instead of being uninvolved? Informed, instead of ignorant. How will compassion move you to see, feel and heal. Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT) WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Time of Offering and Thanksgiving https://tithe.ly/give?c=1332203 Offertory Music: Andante, Oreste Ravanello - Steven Frank, organ Prayer of Dedication/Offering The Lord’s Prayer in unison: 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 power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Closing Hymn: Come, Labor On, Ora Labora - CHERYL WARFIELD Come, labor on. Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain while all around him waves the golden grain? And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today”. Come, labor on. Claim the high calling angels cannot share— to young and old the gospel gladness bear; redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly. The night draws nigh. Come, labor on. No time for rest, till glows the western sky, till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie, and a glad sound comes with the setting sun, “Well done, well done!” Blessing