The Order of Worship – February 23, 2025

This is the 54th Day of 2024.
There are 302 days remaining in 2024.

Filled with the Holy Spirit,
we are a people of prayer
committed to love one another
and equipped to share Christ’s love throughout the world.

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is the Methodist Children’s Home
Bible Study is at afaithtalk.com
Five Loaves tonight.
Call to Worship: This is the Day of New Beginnings

Responsive Reading:   Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40  (P. 772)
The lowly shall possess the land

¹ Do not fret because of the wicked; 
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
² for they will soon fade like the grass, 
and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; 
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

⁴ Take delight in the LORD, 
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; 
trust in him, and he will act.

⁶ He will make your vindication shine like the light, 
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; 
do not fret over those who prosper in their way, 
over those who carry out evil devices.

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. 
Do not fret–it leads only to evil.

⁹ For the wicked shall be cut off, 
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

¹⁰ Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; 
though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land, 
and delight themselves in abundant prosperity…

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; 
he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and rescues them; 
he rescues them from the wicked, 
and saves them, 
because they take refuge in him.
Praise the Lord

Opening Hymn: Now Thank We All Our God… No. 102 (F)
Verse 1

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

Verse 2

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us still in grace, and guide us when perplexed;
and free us from all ills, in this world and the next.

Verse 3

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
the Son, and him who reigns with them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Affirmation of Faith:
The Apostle’s Creed..No. 881

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified,
dead,
and buried;
the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Gloria Patri…Page 70

Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

Praise Song: Mighty to Save (A)

Everyone needs compassion, love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a savior
The hope of nations
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures
Fill my life again

I give my life to follow,
everything I believe in Now I surrender
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
Shine your light, and let the whole world see
We’re singing for the glory of the Risen King Jesus.
Shine your light, and let the whole world see
We’re singing for the glory of the Risen King
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
Shine your light, and let the whole world see
We’re singing for the glory of the Risen King Jesus.
Shine your light, and let the whole world see
We’re singing for the glory of the Risen King
Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave 

Pastoral Prayer
Contact us here to add your concern to our prayer list.

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.
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 kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.

Anthem: I Speak Jesus

Offertory

Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

Children’s Moment & Song
Children’s Song: This Little Light of Mine

Verse 1

This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine

Verse 2

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine

Verse 3 

Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine
Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine
Don’t let Satan blow it out.
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine 

Verse 4

Let it shine till Jesus comes
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine till Jesus comes
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine till Jesus comes
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine

Prayer for Illumination
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38
Love your enemies

²⁷ “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

²⁹ “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.”

³⁰ “Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”

³³ “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”

³⁴ “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.”

³⁵ “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.”

³⁶ “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸ 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.”

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50
The mystery of the resurrection

³⁵ But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” ³⁶ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.³⁷ And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body….

⁴² So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.

⁴⁵ Thus it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹ Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

⁵⁰ What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God

Sermon Text:  Genesis 45:3-11, 15
Joseph forgives his brothers

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. ⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”
⁶ “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷ “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. ¹⁰ You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’”

¹⁵ And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

Leader: This is The Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon:  “Forgiveness”

Closing Hymn: For the Healing of the Nations…No. 428 (G)

Verse 1

For the healing of the nations, Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing of the things that earth affords;
to a life of love in action help us rise and pledge our word,
(pledge our word) help us rise and pledge our word.

Verse 4

You, Creator God, have written
your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness
bring the life of Christ to mind,
that by our response and service
earth its destiny may find, (may find)
earth its destiny may find.

Filled Up and Poured Out

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