Order of Worship
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
In life and in death you bless us, O God. When trouble overwhelms us, you save us. When sorrow overtakes us, you comfort us. When death overcomes us, you overcome death and raise us to new life. You promise us joy everlasting and, even now, give us glad hope and glimpses of your realm, which is to come when Christ makes all things new. For calling us your children and bestowing upon us such great love, we give you thanks, in Jesus ‘name. Amen.
Eternal God, author of our past and promise of our future, we lay
before you our private fears and our concerns for the world, knowing
that you hear our cries. Especially today we pray for those whom
Jesus called blessed:
for the poor in spirit ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for those who mourn ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for the humble and meek ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for those who thirst and hunger for righteousness ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for the pure in heart ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for those who show mercy and those who make peace ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
for those who are persecuted because of Christ ...
Pour out your blessings upon them and us that we may be your
hands to strengthen them in every hardship and together be joyful of
every blessing.
We call to mind before you all those who have finished their course in
faith and have helped to make us who we are in you:
those who taught us the faith ...
those who spoke your truth in the face of evil ...
those who cared for the weak and the suffering ... and those whom we loved and cherished the most ...
Thank you that their pain is ended and their joy made complete.
Covenanting God, in baptism you claim us and show us how to live.
Through Jesus Christ, our Brother, Redeemer, and Lord. Amen.
In your Word, O God, show us heaven. By your Spirit, show us truth; through Christ, the Living Word, in whom we see your face. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 9 You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. 11 As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, 12 urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers. Matthew 5:1-12 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge
This week’s readings describe the coming realm of God and the
realm of God is at hand if we we would reach out and bring it into
fruition. How might God be calling you to bring the Kindom of God
into the kingdoms of this world?
Discipleship Moment: Stewardship — Prince Pierson CLM
afraid of spilling red grape juice, a limited number of cups with white
grape juice are provided.
Invitation to Communion (Pastor Johan Dodge)
Here at Community Church we celebrate “Open Communion’.
Anyone who wishes to commune may come to our Lord’s Table. You
do not have to be sinless; God forgives you. You do not have to be
perfect; but God is encouraging you to grow. You need not belong to
this or any church; God Invites all people to this meal. It is enough to
love the Lord and follow Him with all your heart. This is what God
asks us to do. Come to our Lord’s Table in faith this day. Go from
this place to live, and never be the same again. Let us commune as
brothers and sisters in Christ.
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise. Pastor: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and
everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven
and earth. God of Abraham and Sarah, God of Miriam and Moses,
God of Joshua and Deborah, God of Ruth and David, God of the
priests and the prophets, God of Mary and Joseph, God of the
apostles and the martyrs, God of our parents and caregivers, God of
our children to all generations. And so, with your people on earth and
all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their
unending hymn:
People: (Sung Response)
Ho-san-ne in the high-est, I ho-san-na in the om — est.
Pastor: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the
baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to
your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made
with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave
thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in
remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave
it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my
blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the
forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance
of me.” And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living
sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the
mystery of faith
People: (Sung Response)
Repeat after Cantor:
Christ has died, Chiist is ni — sen, Christ will come a — gain.
Pastor: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these
gifts of bread and fruit of the vine. Make them be for us the body and
blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.
Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we
all partake of the one loaf.
The bread which we have eaten is a sharing in the bread of Christ.
The cup over which we give thanks is the sharing in the cup of Christ.
Renew our communion with all your saints, especially those whom
we name before you—
Thelma Kieffer
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Jim Cook
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Joanne Allison
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Carmen Rowland
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
April Roe
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Virginia Skinner
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Betty Conway
Absent from the Body present with the Lord. Cliff Willequer
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Gertrude Armijo
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Luise Podlzl
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Charllie Guggino
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Sally Springer
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Jim Clement
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Elnora Knowles
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
John Berdanis
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Clem Hendrickson
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
James Knowles
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Olive Dugas
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Connie Regener
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Denis Goble
Absent from the Body present with the Lord.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
strengthen us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith. By your Spirit
make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to
all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his
heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy
Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God,
now and for ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Virginia Olejnik
How can we withhold our gifts of gratitude in the face of such
wondrous love? With glad and generous hearts, let us bring our
pledges and our offerings to God.
We magnify your name, O God, and together exalt your name, for you are so good to us and gracious beyond measure. In this life you lead us, comfort us, guide us, and redeem us in countless ways. In death you usher us to even greater blessing, bringing us through the great ordeal, embracing us in your endless light, and welcoming us to your table of goodness and plenty. These gifts we bring are but a token of our thanks, our pledges this day are seeds to be planted for the growing of your kindom here and now in our midst. In Jesus ’name we pray. Amen.
May the God of hope empower you, the teachings of Christ guide you and the love of God flow from the Holy Spirit through you until we meet again. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.