The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director Prelude WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Introit: I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me - Eric Thiman Call to Worship L: Sometimes we wonder how we have gotten through some difficult situations. P: God has been with us, lifting and comforting our spirits. L: We struggle and worry. P: God’s loving presence sustains and strengthens us. L: Listen for God’s call to you. P: Lord, we are listening and seeking your guidance. Amen! Hymn of Praise: We Praise Thee, O God, Our Redeemer - Kremser We praise thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator; in grateful devotion our tribute we bring. We lay it before thee, we kneel and adore thee, we bless thy holy name, glad praises we sing. We worship thee, God of our ages, we bless thee; through life’s storm and tempest our guide hast thou been. When perils o’er take us, escape thou wilt make us, and with thy help, O Lord, life’s battles we win. With voices united, our praises we offer, and gladly our song of true worship we raise; our sins now confessing, we pray for thy blessing; to thee, our great Redeemer, ever be praise. Call to Confession Let us bow before our holy and loving God, confessing our sins with honesty and faith. Prayer of Confession Creating and rescuing God, your power amazes us. Yet even in our amazement, we take too long to turn to you, forgetting that you are the power that makes and saves and sustains us. Even when we claim your power, we often do so for our own success and comfort, ignoring your command to use your power on behalf of the weak, the small, and the vulnerable. In Jesus Christ, you show us that you are on the side of all people, but never at the expense of the weakest among us. Forgive us when we try to hoard you for ourselves and try to control who has access to your love. Forgive us when our greed, our control, and our scandals keep others from knowing you. Redeem us and transform us, O God when we are feeling broken and ashamed. Open our hearts our lives to receive your forgiveness, and to extend that same forgiveness to others. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen! Lord Have Mercy - John Weaver Words of Assurance L: There is nothing we can do that Jesus cannot forgive. P: Because we have been forgiven, we should extend forgiveness to others. L: Jesus loves us just as he finds us. P: But he loves us too much to leave us there. L: Offer the brokenness of your life to Christ and choose obedience. Forgive others and welcome them into the family of faith. The Law of God: Mark 12:28-31 (MSG) One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: “Which is most important of all the commandments?” Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.” 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 Solo: Sure on this Shining Night, Barber James Agee - REUVEN ARISTIGUETA, TENOR Sure on this shining night Of star made shadows round, Kindness must watch for me This side the ground. All is healed, all is health. High summer holds the earth. Hearts are whole. Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder Wandering far alone Of shadows on the stars. Scripture Reading: John 8:2-11 (NRSV) 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” Message: Hope for the Broken - Pastor Albert The woman in our scripture reading for today knew exactly what it felt like to be broken and in need of restoration. John 8:3 (NCV) 1. We all have experienced brokenness. John 8:5 (CEV) John 8:6 (NRSV) John 8:8 (MSG) 2. The church is a place of hope. John 8:10-11 (LB) Steven Furtick says it this way, “God exposes sin, not to shame us, but to change us.” 3. God puts the broken pieces back together. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEV) 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: I Waited for the Lord - Felix Mendelssohn KIMBERLY IANNUZZI - SOPRANO, IZABELA GRAJNER-PARTYKA - ALTO, REUVEN ARISTIGUETA - TENOR, ALEX SCHIRLING - BASS I waited for the Lord, He inclined unto me, he heard my complaint. O blessed are they that hope and trust in Him. 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: My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less - Solid Rock My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus'name. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. Blessing Postlude