Welcome We are so glad you are here

Welcome! We are so glad you are here!

Before the worship service begins, please turn off your God may be calling YOU, but probably not on your cell phone. Please turn off your cell phone, or put it on vibrate.

Welcome and Call to Reflection Prelude – The King of Love My Shepherd Is Albin Whitworth

The News of the Community

Visitors, to First Church! Following worship, please join us on the patio for refreshments.

Monday, September 24 th: 9 am – Noon Friday, September 28 th: 9 am – Noon

For information about First Church and our activities, please visit our website: fpcoh. org

PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION

HYMN O Worship the King, all Glorious Above! # 476 in the Blue Hymnals

O worship the King, all glorious above! O gratefully sing God's power and God's love; Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

O tell of God's might, O sing of God's grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space, His chariots of heaven the deep thunderclouds form, And bright is God's path on the wings of the storm.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail; Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend.

Prayer for Forgiveness (IN UNISON) Adapted from St. Francis of Assisi (1182 -1226)

Most high and glorious God, come and enlighten the darkness of our hearts. Give us right faith, certain hope, and perfect love that everything we do may be in fulfillment of your holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.

A Time for Silence You may use this time for silent prayer, meditation, or simply to rest in the presence of God.

Assurance of Forgiveness

*Great Is Thy Faithfulness (# 276, verse 3) Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

A TIME WITH THE

The News of the Community

Visitors, to First Church! Following worship, please join us on the patio for refreshments.

Get to know your neighbors in the pew, and share your hopes and concerns for our church and community! Attend today’s Bold Justice House meeting!! 12: 15 pm in the chapel.

October 7 th At noon, following worship, we will enjoy a time of fellowship and good food at our annual Multicultural Food Festival! See bulletin insert.

ANTHEM — Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Gordon Young Westminster Choir

Thanksgiving for the Word

O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky: We praise You for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age.

SCRIPTURE READING— Luke 6: 27 -38 (New Testament, Page 64 in pew Bible)

But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also;

and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.

Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?

For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. ”

* This We Believe (in unison) 1 John 4: 16 b-20, NRSV

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.

*HYMN OF COMMITMENT – Help Us Accept Each Other # 358 in the Blue Hymnal

Help us accept each other As Christ accepted us; Teach us as sister, brother, Each person to embrace. Be present, Lord, among us And bring us to believe We are ourselves accepted And meant to love and live.

Teach us, O Lord, Your lessons, As in our daily life We struggle to be human And search for hope and faith Teach us to care for people, For all, not just for some, To love them as we find them Or as they may become.

Let Your acceptance change us, So that we may be moved In living situations To do the truth in love; To practice Your acceptance Until we know by heart The table of forgiveness And laughter's healing art.

Lord, for today's encounters With all who are in need, Who hunger for acceptance, For righteousness and bread, We need new eyes for seeing, New hands for holding on: Renew us with Your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!

The Prayers of the People

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace.

Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer (Debtors version)

The Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread Forgive us our debts As we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. Amen.

OFFERING OUR TITHES AND GIFTS ( If you completed a visitor card, please place it in the offering plate. )

Anthem – Simple Gifts Alice Jordan

THE RESPONSE OF PRAISE Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Offering of Prayer (in unison) Adapted from Julie M. Hulme British Writer

O Christ our Beloved, each day you embrace us, each hour you honor us, each moment you cherish us. We do not deserve it, but through your grace, we accept that we are, in your eyes, lovely and beloved;

so, fill us with your Holy Spirit, that we may take each present moment, hour and day to embrace, honor and cherish others. In your name we pray. Amen.

HYMN This Is My Father’s World # 293, in the Blue Hymnals

This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world. Oh, let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done: Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heaven be one.

CHARGE AND BLESSING Congregational Response: God be with you till we meet again; Loving counsels guide, uphold you, With a Shepherd’s care enfold you; God be with you till we meet again.

Postlude – Trumpet Tune Wayne L. Wold

For information about First Church and our activities, please visit our website: fpcoh. org

Get to know your neighbors in the pew, and share your hopes and concerns for our church and community! Attend today’s Bold Justice House meeting!! 12: 15 pm in the chapel.

Monday, September 24 th: 9 am – Noon Friday, September 28 th: 9 am – Noon

October 7 th At noon, following worship, we will enjoy a time of fellowship and good food at our annual Multicultural Food Festival! See bulletin insert.