The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director Reuven Aristigueta, Tenor Prelude: Maestoso, Franciszek Walczyński - Steven Frank, organ WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 130) L: From a sea of troubles, we call out to you, Lord. Won’t you please listen as we plead for mercy? P: If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long. But you forgive us, and so we will worship you. We wait for the Lord to help us, and we trust his word. P: We trust the Lord! He is always merciful, and he has the power to save us from all our sins. Hymn of Praise: Morning Has Broken, Bunessan 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: As we call out to God, trust his word, knowing that he is always merciful and has the power to save us from our sins, let us now pray together: Prayer of Confession: O God of compassion, if you kept a record of our sins, who could stand? We come before you with our brokenness and our wounds for all to see. We bring our anger, our bitterness, our unwholesome talk, and our deceitfulness. We try to do good, but sometimes fail. We choose to do evil, and sometimes succeed. Keep your promise to forgive us when we confess to you completely. Without you, we have no hope. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen! Words of Assurance: L: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and will forgive us. P: God provides freely, in the bread of heaven, all the mercy we need for life everlasting. L: The good news is forgiveness in the name of Christ Jesus. P: Thanks be to God. Amen! The Law of God: 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 Extend the sign of God’s peace to one another. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon Pastor Albert Hymn of Preparation: Lord, I Want to Be a Christian, African American Spiritual Lord, I want to be a Christian In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be a Christian In my heart. Refrain: In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be a Christian In my heart. Lord, I want to be more loving In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be more loving In my heart. Refrain: In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be more loving In my heart. Lord, I want to be like Jesus In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be like Jesus In my heart. Refrain: In my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be like Jesus In my heart. Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:25-5:2 25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make room for the devil. 28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Message: Talk is Not Cheap - Pastor Albert How we talk reveals a lot about who we are. The way we talk can also reveal something about how committed we are to being Christ followers. For instance, do our words hurt, or do they heal? Do they work in service to truth or do they work in service to falsehood? Do our words build up, or do they tear down? Put Away Ephesians 4:25 (NRSV) Be Angry, But Do Not Ephesians 4:26 (NRSV) Mark 3:5 (NRSV) Mark 11:17 (NLT) Speak Words That Build Up Ephesians 4:29 (NRSV) Ephesians 4:31 (NRSV) Ephesians 4:32 (NRSV) WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Time of Offering and Thanksgiving Your offering may be placed in the plate near the entrance door or sent to the church via check in the mail to: CCD, 39-50 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, NY 11363, or digitally through Tithe.ly: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1332203 Offertory Music: Moderato, Luigi Bottazzo - Steven Frank, organ Prayer of Dedication/Offering The Prayers - Concluding with 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: I Would Be True, Joseph Y. Peek I would be true, for there are those who trust me; I would be pure, for there are those who care; I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; I would be brave, for there is much to dare. I would be brave, for there is much to dare. I would be friend of all—the foe, the friendless; I would be giving, and forget the gift; I would be humble, for I know my weakness; I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift. I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift. I would be prayerful through each busy moment; I would be constantly in touch with God; I would be tuned to hear His slightest whisper, I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod; I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod. Amen Blessing