The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director Introit: I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me, Eric Thiman Prelude: Lord Have Mercy, John Weaver WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship L: Welcome home, welcome in. P: Here we find a song for our souls and healing for our wounds. L: Welcome home. P: Here find children's laughter that chases dark clouds away, and quiet prayers that lead us to still waters and green pastures. L: Welcome to this holy space. P: Here there are friends with a tender embrace, and here there are words that heal brokenness and reveal God's grace. L: Welcome home. God has been expecting you. The candles are lit, and the door is open. Welcome to this festival of renewal and hope. Hymn of Praise: When Morning Gilds the Skies, Laudes Domini When morning gilds the skies, my heart, awaking, cries “May Jesus Christ be praised!” Alike at work and prayer, To Jesus I repair. “May Jesus Christ be praised!” The night becomes as day when from the heart we say, “May Jesus Christ be praised!” The pow’rs of darkness fear When this sweet chant they hear: May Jesus Christ be praised!” Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine: “May Jesus Christ be praised!” Be this th’eternal song Through all the ages long: “May Jesus Christ be praised!” Call to Confession Let us come before God with repentant and open hearts, striving to be honest in admitting our shortcomings and open to receiving forgiveness so that we might let go and move on. Prayer of Confession God of us all, we come before you with hearts that are heavy-laden. We regret that we often give lip service to what we believe, speaking of our beliefs only when it is convenient and non-threatening. We admit that though we profess tolerance, we do nothing to enhance the lives of those whom others simply do not tolerate. We profess to being open-minded and fair, yet how quickly we interrupt and take sides before we have even heard both sides of an argument or issue. We pride ourselves on church attendance and yet refuse to be the church in our daily lives. We say we are willing to try new ways of worship and yet how quickly we complain that things are not like they used to be. We quickly volunteer to help with a church project but withdraw our commitment when something better comes along. We gladly welcome those who are different to our worship and then visit with friends during fellowship hour. We come before you and confess those things that weigh heavily on our hearts and minds, gracious God; and ask for your forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen! Lord Have Mercy - Healey Willan Words of Assurance L: Hear this good news: Christ came that we might have new life in him. P: When we honestly confess our sins, they are a burden to us no longer. L: In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. P: Thanks be to God! Amen. The Law of God: Matthew 22:37-40 (LB) L: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. P: The second most important is similar: ‘Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.’ L: All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets stem from these two laws and are fulfilled if you obey them. Keep only these and you will find that you are obeying all the others.” Passing the Peace L: Peace be with you. P: And also with you. L: Extend the sign of God’s peace to each other. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon - Pastor Albert Hymn of Preparation: My Faith Looks Up to Thee, Olivet My faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine; now hear me while I pray; take all my guilt away; O let me from this day be wholly thine! May thy rich grace impart strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire; as thou hast died for me, O may my love to thee pure, warm, and changeless be a living fire! Scripture Readings: Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV) 28 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Galatians 6:2 (NRSV) 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Message: Hope for the Weary - Pastor Albert When we come together like this, we find hope. Hope is the greatest need we have. When you read Gospels, you see that Jesus was always offering hope to those around him. If Jesus is her, hope is here. Life is . Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV) Jesus acknowledges that life is heavy. Jesus offers us a solution. He invites us to remove whatever yokes we have had around our necks and to place his yoke upon us. Is your life crushing or ? Jesus wants you to look at yourself as a “human being” not a “human doing.” The church carries one another's . Galatians 6:2 (NRSV) Are you weary today? Are you burdened by life? Come to Jesus and find rest. You don’t have to do this life alone. We are in this together and that gives us hope. 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: With a Voice of Singing, Martin Shaw 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: Seeking Water, Seeking Shelter, Psalm 42 Seeking water, seeking shelter, gasps the thirsty, weary deer; So my soul, in days of trouble longs for God's refreshment here. In this stressful course of life, in its loneliness and strife, ‘When’, say I, 'will God deliver; is his mercy gone forever?' Send your light and truth to lead me; then the path shall I discern to my Father's house, where welcome waits the prodigal's return. Then new songs shall fill my days, ev’ry moment full of praise, with the faithful who surround him, with the blest ones who have found him! Blessing Postlude