Virtual Worship – Sunday, August 29, 2021

First Presbyterian Church

Delavan, Illinois

Service for the Lord’s Day

29 August 2021

14th Sunday after Pentecost

Prelude “Precious Name” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uBl72RTiXY

Welcome and Announcements

Good morning everyone. We continue to do a new thing. We are still a community of faith, even though we are separated for the safety of ourselves, our families, our congregation, and our communities. We will continue to offer this service THRU AUGUST 29 

In this bulletin, you will find links to the hymns which also show the lyrics (or are shown below). If you get an ad (and you likely will) you can skip it by clicking the SKIP AD usually found in the lower right corner of the video. There are also links to the Gospel reading and the sermon.

For inclusion in next week’s service, please email or phone the church or Pastor Jean (who can also receive texts) with any prayer requests.

We have resumed in-person worship. Please read the guidelines below!

We offer praise and prayer to God

^Call to Worship

Jesus said:

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.

^Opening Prayer

Almighty God, you alone can order unruly wills and affections. Help us to love what you command, and desire what you promise; that in the midst of this changing world, our hearts may be fixed where true joys are found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

^Hymn     “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” #66 (1, 2, 4)   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfu1dqKCGd8

Call to Confession

Remember that our Lord Jesus can sympathize with us in our weaknesses, since in every respect he was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with boldness approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Confession of Sin

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.

Time of Silent Confession

(Lord, have mercy on us) #300

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen.

^Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) #35

^Passing the Peace

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another. The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

And also with you.

We listen to God’s Word

Prayer for Illumination

Prepare our hearts, O God, to accept your Word. Silence in us any voice but your own, that, hearing, we may also obey your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading               Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9  

(Obey the commandments diligently and so show wisdom)

¹So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ²You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. 

 ⁶You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!” ⁷For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? ⁸And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?

⁹But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children— 

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Psalm    15 (Who will abide in God’s sanctuary?) Responsive

O LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart;

who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;

in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the LORD; who stand by their oath even to their hurt;

who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Second Reading           James 1:17-27  

(Hearing and doing the Word)

¹⁷Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

¹⁹You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

²²But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; ²⁴for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

²⁶If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading           Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnHm_3-k8ts

(Traditions of the elders)

¹Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, ²they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) ⁵So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

      ‘This people honors me with their lips,

      but their hearts are far from me;

⁷      in vain do they worship me,

      teaching human precepts as doctrines.’

⁸You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

¹⁴Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”

²¹For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, ²²adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Sermon

What’s Your Heart Condition? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfQpqU3RQQc

^Affirmation of Faith  Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.

^Hymn     “Fairest Lord Jesus” #97  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElDYW1OZfMk

Prayers of the People

Almighty and merciful God, from whom comes all that is good, we praise you for your mercies, for your goodness that has created us, your grace that has sustained us, your discipline that has corrected us, your patience that has borne with us, and your love that has redeemed us. Hear us as we lift our concerns to you.

Remember your church. . . . Unite it in the truth of your Word and empower it in ministry to the world. Unite us as members of your kingdom with all who trust in you so your glory may shine.

Remember the world of nations. . . . By your Spirit renew the face of the earth; let peace and justice prevail. Bring the end to all wars and violence. Protect those who serve in the armed forces so they may return to their loved ones.

Remember our family and friends. . . .

Bless them and watch over them; be gracious to them and give them peace.

Remember the sick and the suffering, the aged and the dying. . . . Encourage them and give them hope.

Rejoicing in the communion of saints, we remember with thanksgiving all your faithful servants, and those dear to us, whom you have called from this life. . . .

We are grateful that for them death is no more, nor is there sorrow, crying, or pain, for the former things have passed away.

We ask for the miracle of growth in this congregation, the revitalization of the main street, and your blessing on this community and its schools,

In union with your church in heaven and on earth, we pray, O God, that you will fulfill your eternal purpose in us and in all the world. Amen

Offering Invitation

Offertory  “Here I Am, Lord”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6M6gvxFyMg 

^Doxology (Praise God from Whom all blessings flow)     #46

^Prayer of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Eternal God, creator of the world and giver of all good, we thank you for the earth, our home, and for the gift of life. We praise you for your love in Jesus Christ, who came to heal this broken world, who died rejected on the cross and rose triumphant from the dead. Because he lives, we live to praise you, our God forever. Gracious God, who called us from death to life, we give ourselves to you; and with the church through all ages we thank you for your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

^Lord’s Prayer

We depart to serve Christ in the world

^Hymn “Lord,  I Want To Be A Christian” #589   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MXbG8JO1qI

^Charge

Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous and strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

^Benediction 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Alleluia! Amen.

Please remember in your prayers:

Marge Donley (Pekin Manor), Helen Hopkins, Barb Day, Verbie Hoffman (broken ankle), Susan (Sinn) Funke, Glenn Holmes, Meryl Place (Pastor Jean’s cousin), Joyce Culbertson, Mardelle Neumann (Apostolic Christian Skylines), Dick Temple (home after surgery), Myrna and Don Brose, Margaret Altine, Blake Renner (Diane Allen Renner’s son), Jeremy Warner, Rose Goeken, Richard Hopkins (gall bladder surgery), Dick Watts, Kyle Diekhoff, Rick Woodrow (Crohn’s), Father Tim Nolan (vocal chord surgery infection and death of sister), Martha Dunnam (multiple health issues and a fall), Millie Alexander (broken pelvis), and Roger Wright (broken arm)

The families and friends of Loretta Holmes, Marge Tuley, Rev. Don Crannell, and Donna Diekhoff 

All affected by the Covid-19 virus, those caring for them in any way, and those working to find a cure

WORSHIP RESUMES – I’m sure many of you are overjoyed to see these words but they come with some precautions. Based on the latest CDC guidelines, masks are optional if you are fully immunized but please feel free to continue to wear them if you so desire. (Masks are available if you wish to use them.) When you enter please use the provided hand sanitizer then pick up a bulletin. We will not move around during the Passing of the Peace, instead wave, bow, or give air hugs. The offering plates will not be passed. Instead, they will be located at the rear of the sanctuary so you may make your offering as you enter or leave. Some may feel these restrictions are too much, others may feel they are not enough. Your Session has considered all the available information in making these changes. If you are uncomfortable in attending worship, please know we are continuing the virtual services thru August 29. PLEASE, IF YOU FEEL AT ALL ILL, STAY AT HOME and use the virtual option.

Calendar:

Sun., 8/29: Worship, 10:30 a.m.; Virtual option available. Pastor Jean Sparks preaching. Congregational Meeting following worship.

Wed., 9/1:  Cro-Knits, 9:00 a.m., Historical Society

Thurs., 9/2:  Last Bible Study based on “The Chosen,” 10-11:15 a.m. or 6-7:15 p.m.

Sat., 9/4:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m.

Sun., 9/5: Worship, Holy Communion, 10:30 a.m., Pastor Jean Sparks preaching.

Wed., 9/8:  Session, 6:30 p.m.

Sat., 9/11:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m. 

Sun., 9/12: Worship, 10:30 a.m., Pastor Jean Sparks preaching.

Tues., 9/14: Threads of Love, 9:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 

Wed., 9/15:  Cro-Knits, 9:00 a.m., Historical Society

Sat., 9/18:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m. 

Sun., 9/19: Worship, 10:30 a.m., last Sunday for Pastor Jean Sparks preaching.

Sun., 9/26:  Worship, 10:30 a.m.

Mon., 9/27:  4th Monday Meal, 5:30 p.m., watch Delavan Times for directions

P.O. Box 602, 201 W. Fourth Street, Delavan, IL 61734

(309) 244-7105

E-mail: firstpresdelavan@gmail.com

www.firstpresdelavan.org

Rev. Jean Sparks, Pastor

Linda Clauser, Organist