Prelude: Fantasia, Franciszek Walczyński - Steven Frank, organ WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship (Psalm 130) L: Wait for the Lord, like those who hope in God’s mercy. P: God’s steadfast love endures forever. L: Watch for God, like those who eagerly await the morning. P: We watch for God; whose power redeems us. L: Hear God’s hopeful word, like those who long for pardon. P: Sing praise to God and rejoice in God’s love. Hymn of Praise: Morning Has Broken, Bunessan - KIMBERLY IANNUZZI AND IZABELA GRAJNER-PARTYKA 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 new fall Sunlit from Heaven, Like the first dewfall On the first grass. Praise for the sweetness Of the wet garden, Sprung in completeness Where his 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 re-creation Of the new day! Call to Confession In humility and with repentance, let us now acknowledge and confess our sins toward God and one another. Prayer of Confession Out of the depths of despair, we cry to you, O God. We are lost in a world of pain and suffering. When we put our trust in weapons of war, we find no peace. When we put our faith in our own resources, we feel the ache of our true needs. When we put our hope in the health of our bodies, we suffer pain and find no healing. Come to us, O God. Forgive our doubts and fears. Help us to truly trust your mercy and love. Heal and forgive our fears and sins. Heal our brokenness, that we may rejoice in your steadfast love. Open our hearts to receive your mercy and help us to become your disciples. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. Words of Assurance L: There is forgiveness and healing with God. P: God’s steadfast love has the power to redeem our brokenness and make us whole. L: Feel the touch of Christ on your heart! You are healed and forgiven! P: We rejoice! God is with us now and always! The Most Important Commandment – Matthew 22:34-40 (NCV) 34 After Jesus had made the Sadducees look foolish, the Pharisees heard about it and got together. 35 One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking, 36 “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38 This is the first and most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 40 All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments. Passing the Peace The love of Christ touches every person, transforming us with grace. Greet your sisters and brothers with this love. Share God’s peace with one another. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon Hymn of Preparation: There is a Balm in Gilead, African American Spiritual - IZABELA GRAJNER-PARTYKA AND REUVEN ARISTIGUETA There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin-sick soul Sometimes I feel discouraged And think my work's in vain But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again Don't ever feel discouraged For Jesus is your friend And if you lack of knowledge He'll ne'er refuse to lend If you cannot preach like Peter If you cannot pray like Paul You can tell the love of Jesus And say, “He died for all”. Scripture Reading – Mark 5:21-43 21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24 So he went with him. And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” 35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. Message: Touched Touch is vitally important. Jesus was someone who people wanted to touch and be touched by. Mark 5:23 (NRSV) Mark 5:25-26 (NLT) Mark 5:27-28 (NRSV) Mark 5:29 (NRSV) Mark 5:31 (NRSV) Mark 5:32-33 (GN) Mark 5:34 (NRSV) Mark 5:35 (NRSV) Mark 5:36 (NLT) Mark 5:39 (NLT) Mark 5:40-42 (NLT) Two desperate people. A father who is losing his young child. Who is willing to do whatever it takes to restore her health. And in his desperation he approaches Jesus for healing. And a desperate woman. With a chronic and debilitating health problem. She reaches out and touches Jesus. And she is instantly healed. Two ordinary people, whose faith sets them apart. 1. Jesus wants to touch (you)#1! 2. Reach out to Jesus and touch (him)#2! When you are touched by God, it is a life-changing encounter. WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Time of Offering and Thanksgiving https://tithe.ly/give?c=1332203 Offertory Music: Sostenuto, Christian Heinrich Rinck - 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: Immortal Love, Forever Full, Serenity - CHERYL WARFIELD Immortal love, forever full, Forever flowing free, Forever shared, forever whole, A never ebbing sea. We may not climb the heav’nly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down; In vain we search the lowest deeps, For him no depths can drown. The healing of his seamless dress Is by our beds of pain: We touch Him in life’s throng and press, And we are whole again. But warm, sweet, tender even yet, A present help is He; And faith has still it’s Olivet, And love it’s Galilee. Blessing