The Highlands at Wyomissing
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
WELCOME
GREETING AND CALL TO WORSHIP1
Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Blessed are those who walk in God's way without blame. Blessed are those who seek God with their whole heart. May we be faithful in keeping all God’s statutes. Let us praise God with an upright heart.
PRAYER OF INVOCATION2
Come, Holy God: teach us your ways, lead us in your paths, guide us on our journey. Speak to us your words of life, for you offer us direction and wholeness when we hear your voice and follow. You bless us with your love, shower us with your grace, and help us grow in faith. We seek you, O God, with all our hearts. Be near us this day. Amen.
OPENING HYMN – I Love to Tell the Story
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION3
Covenant God, you promise us eternal life and guide us with your teachings, yet we continue to mistrust and disobey you. We ignore your precepts when they do not suit us. We are quick to put each other down, slow to reconcile with one another. We allow our sinful thoughts to pervert our actions. We are hasty to give up on each other and to make vows we cannot abide by. Have mercy, O God. For the sake of our Savior, forgive us. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
HYMN OF THE DAY — The Wonder of It All
1. There’s the wonder of sunset at evening, the wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul is the wonder that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.
2. There’s the wonder of springtime and harvest, the sky, the stars, the sun;
But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul is a wonder that’s only begun.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.
O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all! Just to think that God loves me.
PRAYER OF THE DAY4
O God, the strength of all who hope in you, because we are weak mortals we accomplish nothing good without you. Help us to see and understand the things we ought to do, and give us grace and power to do them, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
Deuteronomy 30:15–20
Leader: This is the word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 3:1–9
Leader: This is the word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Matthew 5:21–37
Leader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our 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. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN — Jesus Saves!
1. We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, climb the steeps and cross the waves.
Onward! ‘tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
2. Sing above the battle strife: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By his death and endless life: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing it softly through the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves:
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
3. Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free, highest hill and deepest caves;
This our song of victory: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
BENEDICTION AND DISMISSAL 1, 2, 5
Leader: May the God of all grace who has destined you for eternal glory restore, establish and strengthen you in faith, that you may know the fullness of his blessings and the glory of being witnesses to his saving and redeeming love both now and forevermore.
People: Amen.
Leader: Choose life, loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him.
People: Amen.
Leader: Go in peace. Walk in God's ways.
People: Thanks be to God.
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Welcome to today’s vesper service. Please feel free to keep your bulletin. We invite you to join us next Sunday for Evening Song, our monthly hymn service.
Hymns are Public Domain unless otherwise noted. Copyrighted hymns are reproduced under Copyright License #2585613. Sources used in today’s service include:
1. copyright - Rev. Richard J. Fairchild - Spirit Networks, 1999, 2006
2. Cokesbury Worship Connections
3. David von Schlichten, Lectionary Homiletics
4. Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2011 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #26101.
5. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
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