Night & Day

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship! Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact with this growing community of faith. And so, if you are joining us for the first time, I say to you what is said every Sunday: You are welcome here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of God for God’s Very Good Creation.

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Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye Heav'nly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; Thy kindom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kindom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Living God, you have placed a desire for truth and kindness in the hearts of all people. Uplift those who seek to live faithfully and lovingly by the promptings of your Spirit, even those who do not know your love; save them from despair, and lead them to the fullness of salvation.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

God, you call the followers of Jesus to take the good news of your way of love to all of creation. Help us who claim to follow you to love according to your Way of Love and demonstrate your love to those in need.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

Ever-present God, you have formed us into community to serve one another and those in need around us. May our actions testify to your abounding love.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

Creative God, you have placed into human hearts a hunger to understand the structures and rhythms of your very good creation. Grant wisdom to those who seek to comprehend the inner workings of the world, save them from arrogance, and enable them to work for the flourishing of all creation.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

Eternal God, you fill the world with forms that delight the heart and eye. Give artists and musicians a vision of your transcendent beauty, and grant them skill to render their vision in tangible works that manifest the sublime glory of your creation.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

Loving God, you have established us for community, to be in relationship with one another. Kindle love for peace among the nationsand in our leaders, save them frompride ofwealth orpower, andenable themto servethe common good.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

Ever-listening God, you hear the cry of all who are in distress. Abide with those who are sick in body, mind, or spirit. Comfort them in their need and empower those who care for them. Teach us to bear the burdens of our siblings with humility.

Through God’s steadfast compassion for us, God has filled us with concern for our world.

These prayers we offer in the power and presence of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Ever-present God, fill us with your Spirit and humble our hearts so that we can hear your word. Amen.

¹ When God began to create the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ⁶ And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. ⁸ God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. ⁹ And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. ¹² The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. ¹⁴ And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, ¹⁵ and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. ¹⁷ God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸ to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned ²³ When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ²⁴ Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. The Parable of the Two Sons ²⁸ “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ He answered, ‘I will not,’ but later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ The father went to the second and said the same, and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him, and even after you saw it you did not change your minds and believe him.

What does it take for us to change our minds? What does it take for us to see the world differently? How can we see the world from the perspective of someone else?

With grateful hearts, let us offer our gifts, trusting in God’s goodness.

Ever-present God, we give you thanks and praise for your love shown to us in the life and teachings of Jesus. Accept the offering of our lives as we dedicate our hearts to following The Way of Jesus and keep us humble as we work for your good pleasure. Amen.

The blessing of God be with you, the love of Jesus fill you, and the power of the Holy Spirit sustain you, now and forevermore. Amen.

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