The Order of Worship – May 3rd, 2026

This is the 123rd Day of 2026.
There are 233 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 the Cross of the Flatlands
Bible Study is all new at afaithtalk.com on Tuesday!

Call to Worship: I’ll Fly Away (G)

Responsive Reading: Responsive Reading: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
I commend my spirit

¹ In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
In your righteousness deliver me.

² Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.

³ You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.
⁴ Take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.

⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

¹⁵ My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
¹⁶ Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
 Praise the LORD!

Opening Hymn:“The Church’s One Foundation” #545 (Eb)
Verse 1

The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation by water and the Word;
from heaven he came and sought her to be His holy bride;
with His own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.

Verse 2

Elect from every nation, yet one o’er all the earth;
her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth.
one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.

Verse 3

Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

Verse 4

Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.

Verse 5

Yet she on earth has union with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
Oh, happy ones, and holy! Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee.

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: In Christ Alone (D)
Verse 1

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

Verse 2

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

Verse 3

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

Verse 4

No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

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: His Eye is On the Sparrow (C)

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 (Jesus Loves Me Alleluia)
Verse 1:

Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so. 
Little ones to him belong.
They are weak but he is strong.

Chorus:

Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, alleluia
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
All: Alleluia.

Verse 2:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now I’m found,
was blind but now I see.

Chorus:

Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, alleluia
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
All: Alleluia.

Verse 3:

Jesus loves me, he who died,
heaven’s gates to open wide.
He will wash away my sin.
let his little child come in.

Chorus:

Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, alleluia
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
Boys: Alleluia. Girls: Alleluia, allelu.
All: Alleluia.

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.

Acts of the Apostles: Acts 7:55-60
Martyrdom of Stephen

⁵⁵ But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

⁵⁷ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸ Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

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

New Testament  Reading:  1 Peter 2:2-10
God’s chosen people

² Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation- ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. ⁴ Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and ⁵ like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

⁶ For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷ To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” ⁸ and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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

Sermon Text:  John 14:1-14
Christ the way, truth, life

¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going.”

⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.

¹² Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

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

Sermon:  “I Am The Way” 

Closing Hymn: My Jesus, I Love Thee (F) No. 172
Verse 1

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Verse 3

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. 

Filled Up and Poured Out

If you liked this, want more, or would like to request something additional, you’re welcome to comment here.