The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director WE APPROACH OUR GOD Prelude Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship L: O Lord, Open our lips. P: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. L: O Lord, Open our eyes. L: And we shall see the marvelous things you have done in and through your Son, our Savior. P: O Lord, Open our minds. L: And we shall discern your holy love and redeeming ways of entering our world. L: O Lord, Open our hands. P: And we shall reach out to bless those around us who are in need. Votum 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 God is merciful and gracious. Let us come to him in repentance and seek his forgiveness for our sins. Prayer of Confession Great and gracious God, we have run after things and others instead of coming home to You. We have lived as though we were the centers of our universe. We have avoided the harder issues in life so others will approve of us. We have let the world squeeze us into its mold, and refused to be transformed by your Spirit. We laugh at what we should weep over, and grieve over things that are passing away that are unimportant in Your Kingdom. We have thought evil of our brothers and sisters simply because they do not agree with us on things of this fleeting world. Oh Lord, have mercy upon us. Restore us to the stability of your ways and remind us of your infinite love and healing, and lead us in the way everlasting. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Lord Have Mercy - John Weaver Words of Assurance: L: The Christ who taught us how to forgive continues to forgive us – not once, but over and over again. P: The mercy of the Lord is everlasting. L: Friends, believe the Good News of the gospel. P: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! The Law of God: Matthew 22:37-40 (CEV) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments. 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 Hymn: O Word of God Incarnate, Munich O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky: We praise Thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. The church from thee, dear Master Received the gift divine, And still that light is lifted O’er all the earth to shine. It is the chart and compass that, Through life’s surging sea, ‘mid mists and rocks and quicksands, Still guides, O Christ, to thee. Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 1 All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Message: Turn to God (TTG) - Pastor Albert The Bible is God's Uncensored Library for us and access to the Word of God really matters to us. Nehemiah 8:2 (NLT) Nehemiah 8:3 (CEV) Nehemiah 8:5-6 (LB) Nehemiah 8:7-9 (NRSV) For us to “understand” the Bible means, quite literally, to “stand under” the Bible. In other words, to place ourselves under its authority, to take it personally, to allow our lives to be shaped by it and to give it our trust and our confidence. We are “standing under” Scripture’s view of God and humanity and history. To stand under God's Word means… I on it. Matthew 7:24 (NLT) I on it. I by it. I it. Psalm 119, verse 105 (NLT) There is nothing fake about the power of the Word of God to refresh our souls and guide our steps. In every time and place, the uncensored Word of God is our truth, and the joy of the Lord is our strength. 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 or you may text the word “give” to (844) 997-1849 Offertory: How Beautiful Are the Feet, George F. Handel From Messiah - Cheryl Warfield, Soprano Doxology - Old Hundredth Prayer of Dedication/Offering 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: Sing Them Over Again To Me, Wonderful Words Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life; Let me more of their beauty see, Wonderful words of life; Words of life and beaty Teach me faith and duly: Refrain: Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life, Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life. Christ, the blessed One, gives to all, Wonderful words of life; Sinner, list to the loving call, Wonderful words of life; All so freely given, Wooing us to heaven: Refrain Sweetly echo the gospel call, Wonderful words of life; Offer pardon and peace to all, Wonderful words of life; Jesus, only Savior, Sanctify forever: Refrain Benediction