Virtual Worship – Sunday, August 30, 2020

First Presbyterian Church

Delavan, Illinois

Service for the Lord’s Day

August 30, 2020

13th Sunday after Pentecost

Prelude “Beneath The Cross Of Jesus”    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql9kGw2PPKo&t=18s

Welcome and Announcements

Good morning everyone. We continue to do a new thing in this time of social distancing. 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 meet like this for the foreseeable future. 

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.

Please note that we have begun having LIMITED in-person worship services. Please read the guidelines below.

We offer praise and prayer to God

^Call to Worship 

Jesus said:

If any want to become my followers,

let them deny themselves

and take up their cross and follow me.

^Opening Prayer

O God, author and giver of all good things, plant in our hearts the love of your name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

^Hymn     “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”     (1-3)  # 65 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss-fpqK8Pfw

Call to Confession

The proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we were sinners Christ died for us. Because we have faith in him, we dare to approach God with confidence. In faith and penitence, let us confess our sin before God and one another.  

Confession of Sin

Almighty God, you love us, but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed. God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you come to us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

Time of Silent Confession

(Lord, have mercy on us) #300

Assurance of Pardon

The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives you all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. 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

God of mercy, you promised never to break your covenant with us. Amid all the changing words of our generation, speak your eternal Word that does not change. Then may we respond to your gracious promises with faithful and obedient lives; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

First Reading               Exodus 3:1-15

(Moses approaches the burning bush and is Called)

¹Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ³Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” ⁴When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, ⁸and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁹The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” ¹¹But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” ¹²He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

¹³But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” ¹⁵God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’:

      This is my name forever,

      and this my title for all generations.

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c (God’s faithfulness to Israel) Responsive

O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.

Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,

O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.

And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes,

whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.

He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen. Praise the LORD!

Second Reading                Romans 12:9-21

(The marks of a Christian)

⁹Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; ¹⁰love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. ¹³Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. ¹⁸If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading           Matthew 16:21-28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ofDx5eaAlQ

(Jesus reveals the cost of discipleship)

²¹From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ²²And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” ²³But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

²⁴Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

²⁷“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. ²⁸Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

The Word of The LORD.  Thanks be to God.

Sermon “What Does It Mean To Follow The Saviour?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwxqkFgHGw0

^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 “Lift High The Cross” (1-3)       #108  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C59j6p6iOZ4

Prayers of the People

As God’s people, called to love one another, let us pray for the needs of the church, the whole human family, and all the world, saying: Hear our prayer.

That churches of all traditions, may discover their unity in Christ and exercise their gifts in service of all, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That the earth may be freed from war, famine, and disease, and the air, soil, and waters cleansed of poison, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That those who govern and maintain peace in every land may exercise their powers in obedience to your commands, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That you will strengthen this nation to pursue just priorities so that the races may be reconciled; the young, educated; and the old, cared for; the hungry, filled; and the homeless, housed; and the sick, comforted and healed. We continue to remember teachers and all those who are involved in the educational process including students and their families. We pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That you will preserve all who live and work in this community in peace and safety, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That you will comfort and empower those who face any difficulty or trial: those working against the Covid pandemic to find a cure or treatment, the sick (especially __________), the disabled, the poor, the oppressed, those who grieve and those in prison, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That you will grant the miracle of growth in this congregation, the revitalization of the main street, and your blessing on this community and its schools, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

That you will accept our thanksgiving for all faithful servants of Christ now at rest, who, with us, await a new heaven and a new earth, your everlasting kingdom, we pray to you, O God:

Hear our prayer.

Merciful God, as a potter fashions a vessel from humble clay, you form us into a new creation. Shape us, day by day, through the cross of Christ your Son, until we pray as continually as we breathe and all our acts are prayer; through Jesus Christ and in the mystery of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.

Offering Invitation

It might seem a bit strange to see an invitation to offering in this time of social distancing and virtual worship. Some of you may be financially affected as well. I would like to remind you that offering of ourselves is always a three-part process – our time, our talent and our treasure. So I invite you to offer yourself in whatever way(s) are most appropriate to our heavenly Father.

Offertory “I Am Thine, O Lord”   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObG_IC-Wrpg&t=7s

^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 offer thanks and praise.

God of all mercies, we give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all people. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your boundless love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory now and forever. Amen.

^Lord’s Prayer

We depart to serve Christ in the world

^Hymn        “God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand” (1, 3, 4)  #725    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVmfwqMqRmQ

^Charge

Go forth in the name of the Lord. This is God’s charge: to give our allegiance to Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commanded.

^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: 

Marian Allen, Marge Donley, Helen Hopkins, Barb Day, Verbie Hoffman, Susan (Sinn) Funke, Glenn and Loretta Holmes (falls, broken shoulder Hopedale Nursing Home), Meryl (Pastor Jean’s cousin) and Dick Place, Diane Schlosser, Joyce Culbertson, Mardelle Neumann (Apostolic Christian Skylines), Donna Diekhoff, Dick Temple, Myrna and Don Brose, Margaret Altine, Fran (Alzheimer’s), Val (cancer diagnosis), Alex Rich and Roland Rich (due to a fall) and their family, Blake Renner (Diane Allen Renner’s son), Joy Heaton, Lyndee Lewis’ niece, Jeremy Warner, Rose Goeken, Richard Hopkins (cancer), Dick Watts, and the congregation of Sangamon Valley Presbyterian Church (Covid-19)

The families and friends of Diane Jackman (Cindy Sinn’s sister), Susan Koonce, Steve Higdon and Tom Lough

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. Please wear a mask, to protect others as it is astonishing to see the number of people who are ill but asymptomatic. (Masks will be available if you don’t have your own.) When you enter please use the provided hand sanitizer then pick up a bulletin. We will practice social distancing inside the sanctuary, asking that those who live in the same household sit together and to space yourselves out if you do not. Please keep your mask on throughout the service, especially when singing. 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 before resuming in-person worship. If you are uncomfortable in attending worship please know we are continuing the virtual services. PLEASE, IF YOU FEEL AT ALL ILL, STAY AT HOME and use the virtual option.

Calendar:

Sun., 8/30:  Worship, 10:30 a.m., 13th Sunday after Pentecost; Virtual Worship, Pastor Jean Sparks preaching 

Wed., 9/2:  Cro-Knits, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Historical Society, with social distancing & masks, bring your own snacks & beverages. Contact Mary Ruth Lowry or Pastor Jean Sparks for details.

Thurs., 9/3: Bible Study, 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. with masks & social distancing; Zoom available

Sat., 9/5:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m.; Zoom available, contact Pastor Jean.

Wed., 9/9: Cro-Knits, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Historical Society.

Thurs., 9/10:  Bible Study, 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. 

Sat., 9/12:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m.

Tues., 9/15: Threads of Love, 9:00 a.m.-noon

Wed., 9/16:  Cro-Knits, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Historical Society; Session, 7:00 p.m.; with masks & social distancing

Thurs., 9/17:  Bible Study, 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. 

Sat., 9/19:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m.

Wed., 9/23:  Cro-Knits, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Historical Society; Compass deadline

Thurs., 9/24:  Bible Study, 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. 

Sat., 9/26:  Prayer Group, 9:00 a.m.

Mon., 9/28:  4th Monday Free Meal, 5:30 p.m.; watch newspaper for instructions

Wed., 9/30:  Cro-Knits, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Historical Society

First Presbyterian Church

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