Praise the Source of Faith and Learning 1987

“Praise the Source of Faith and Learning” 1987, Oxford University Press

Praise the source of faith and learning that has sparked and stoked the mind

with a passion for discerning how the world has been designed.

Let the sense of wonder flowing from the wonders we survey keep our faith forever growing and renew our need to pray.

“We Will Follow Jesus” “Somlandela” Traditional Zulu song Public Domain

Somlandela, somlandel’u Jesu. Somlandela, yonke indawo.

Somlandela, somlandel’u Jesu. Lapho eyakhona somlandela.

We will follow, we will follow Jesus. We will follow, we will follow him.

We will follow, we will follow Jesus. Wherever he leads us we will follow.

Worship Call

Leader: Let us start this service well, by reminding ourselves: That it is not we who choose Christ, All: but Christ who chooses us.

That we are not here because of our goodness, but because of Christ’s grace, That we are not here to enlighten ourselves,

but to allow Christ to enlighten us, That we have not come to be entertained, but to worship God with heart, soul, mind and strength.

“Bidden, Unbidden” Music by Rusty Edwards Lyrics by Jenni Lee Boyden and Rusty Edwards CCLI #5951754

Bidden, unbidden, I know you are there. You are present always, again and again.

If I forget you, or join you in prayer, you are present always forever. Amen.

Unison Prayer God, you call us, and sometimes we duck under the table, hoping you didn’t notice us when you walked into the room. You call us, and sometimes we grab a stapler and a stack of papers, trying to look too busy to be bothered at the moment.

You call us, and sometimes we just say, “No!” We know that we aren’t expected to do everything, but we often forget that you call us to be our selves in the places where our very self is what is most needed.

So give us the grace to say “Yes” to your call, even now, as we offer our silent confessions. We lift up the prayers of our hearts and those prayers gathered these last days as we join our voices saying … ”Our Father. . . ”

Bidden, unbidden, I know you are there. You are present always, again and again.

If I forget you, or join you in prayer, you are present always forever. Amen.

“Stepping Forward with Hope” Presented by Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr.

Mark 1: 14 -20 The Message

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message. ”

Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass. ” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.

A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.

“Stepping Forward with Hope” Presented by Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr.

Holy Communion

“Table of Plenty” Music and Lyrics by Dan Schutte Used courtesy Daniel L. Schutte

Come to the feast of heaven and earth! Come to the table of plenty! God will provide for all that we need here at the table of plenty.

“We Are Called” Music and Lyrics by David Haas CCLI #1938898

Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called

to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God!

We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God!

Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called

to be hope for the hopeless so all hatred and blindness will be no more!

We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God!

Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign,

and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love!

We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God!

Sending Forth Bishop: Jesus comes alongside us and calls us by name: All: [Say your name] follow me.

A simple call. A hard call. Because following requires leaving. And we look around to see who else Jesus could be talking to.

And we look around to see the trappings of the life we know. It’s hard to leave our nets and walk away from the lake.

But we have come this far, to this place, where we have listened and been transformed.