The Order of Worship – July 5, 2026
This is the 186th Day of 2026.
There are 179 more days remaining in 2025.
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.
Prelude:
Welcome & Announcements:
This month’s mission focus is Ballas Family Community Kitchen
Bible Study is all new at afaithtalk.com on Tuesday!
Call to Worship: God Bless America (Eb)
Responsive Reading: Psalm 145:8-14
God is full of compassion
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is
over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures
throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
Praise the Lord
Opening Hymn: America…No. 697 (1-4) (F)
Verse 1
My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
Verse 2
My native country, thee, land of the noble free, thy name I love
I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.
Verse 3
Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom’s song
let mortal tongues awake; let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.
Verse 4
Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.
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: This Land is Your Land (F)
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Verse 1
As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Verse 2
I’ve roamed and rambled and I’ve followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Verse 3
The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Verse 4
As I was walkin’ – I saw a sign there
And that sign said – no tress passin’
But on the other side …. it didn’t say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Verse 5
In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
Chorus
This land is your land, and this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf stream waters,
this land was made for you and me
This land was made for you and me
This land was made for you and me
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: This is My Song (Eb)
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
Children’s Song: Here I Am to Worship (D)
Light of the world You stepped down into darkness,
Opened my eyes, let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came to the earth You created
All for love’s sake became poor
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I’ll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that
You’re my God
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Here I am to worship
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: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
The yoke of discipleship
16 “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
25 At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
27 “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God
New Testament Reading: Romans 7:15-25a
The struggle within the self
15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that the good does not dwell within me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that, when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.
22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched person that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
25a Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God
Sermon Text: Zechariah 9:9-12
The king comes in peace
9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
All: Thanks be to God
Sermon: Triumphant & Victorious Humble King
Holy Communion
Invitation
Leader:Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
Confession and Pardon
People: Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All pray in silence
Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us.
Leader: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
All: Glory to God. Amen.
The Peace
Leader: Let us offer one another signs of reconciliation and love.
The Great Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Leader: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. On the night in which he gave himself up for us he took the bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Leader: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.
People: Amen.
Service of Communion
Closing Hymn: Let there Be Peace on Earth..No. 431 (C)
Verse 1
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me;
let there be peace on earth,
the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator, children all are we.
Let us walk with each other
in perfect harmony.
Verse 2
Let peace begin with me,
let this be the moment now.
With every step I take,
let this be my solemn vow: to take each moment
and live each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.
Filled Up and Poured Out
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