Sunday October 16, 2022

​Payette United Methodist Church Liturgy
Updated for Sunday, October 16th, 2022 (Proper 24)
 
Welcome/Announcements - Mary Beth
 
Gathering Hymn: Family of God - Music Team
I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God
I’ve been washed in the fountain,
cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus
as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family,
the family of God.

Calling Song: God, Whose Love is Reigning O’er Us (UMH #100 v. 1, 2, & 5) - Music Team
 
Responsive Reading: Psalm 121 (CEB) - Lyna Wilkins
One: I raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from?
Many: My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
One: God won’t let your foot slip. Your protector won’t fall asleep on the job.
Many: No! Our protector never sleeps or rests!
One: The Lord is your protector; the Lord is your shade right beside you.
Many: The sun won’t strike you during the day; neither will the moon at night.
One: The Lord will protect you from all evil; God will protect your very life.
Many: The Lord will protect you on your journeys—whether going or coming—from now until forever from now.
One: This is our prayer.
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.
 
Opening Prayer - Lyna Wilkins
God of love, to whom our hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; cleanse our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord, amen.
 
Sing together: Gloria Patri (UMH #70) - Music Team
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.

Scripture Readings - Lyna Wilkins
Before reading, the reader prays the following words:
One: God, open our hearts and minds by the power of the Holy Spirit, that as the scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today.
 
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. And all the people said:
Many: Amen.
 
Old Testament Reading: Genesis 32:22-31 (CEB)
Jacob got up during the night, took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed the Jabbok River’s shallow water. He took them and everything that belonged to him, and he helped them cross the river. But Jacob stayed apart by himself, and a man wrestled with him until dawn broke. When the man saw that he couldn’t defeat Jacob, he grabbed Jacob’s thigh and tore a muscle in Jacob’s thigh as he wrestled with him. The man said, “Let me go because the dawn is breaking.”
 
But Jacob said, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.”
 
He said to Jacob, “What’s your name?” and he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name won’t be Jacob any longer, but Israel, because you struggled with God and with men and won.”
 
Jacob also asked and said, “Tell me your name.”
 
But he said, “Why do you ask for my name?” and he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel, or “face of God,” “because I’ve seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved.” The sun rose as Jacob passed Penuel, limping because of his thigh.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God!
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Gospel Reading: Luke 18:1-8 (CEB)
One: This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Many: Glory to you, Lord Christ!
 
Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him, asking, ‘Give me justice in this case against my adversary.’ For a while he refused but finally said to himself, I don’t fear God or respect people, but I will give this widow justice because she keeps bothering me. Otherwise, there will be no end to her coming here and embarrassing me.” The Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Won’t God provide justice to God’s people who cry out to God day and night? Will God be slow to help them? I tell you, God will give them justice quickly. But when the Human One comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?”
 
One: This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!
 
Children’s Time - Glenora Wright
 
Praise song: Messiah/You’re Beautiful- Music Team
 
Prayers of the People - Mary Beth
One: Holy One, we lift our eyes to you in hope and awe. Grant that we may reject all apathy of spirit, all impatience and anxiety, so that, with the persistence of the widow, we may lift our voice again and again to seek your justice.
 
As you heard the prayer of Isaac and Rebekah, O God, and guided them in the way of your love, so listen now to those who call upon you.
 
Are there any requests?
(The congregation is invited to speak their requests. After each request is spoken, we all respond in unison, “Lord, hear us.”)
 
One: We pray for all people in their daily life and work; For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.
 
For this community, the nation, and the world; For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.
 
For the just and proper use of your creation; For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
 
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble; For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
 
For the peace and unity of the Church; For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.
 
For our Bishop, Rev. Elaine Stanovsky, for our District Superintendent Rev. Karen Hernandez, and for all bishops, ministers, theologians, and educational leaders. For all who serve God in the Church.
 
And for all the prayers we cannot voice because our language is insufficient or our ignorance is too great.
 
Move us to praise your gracious will, for in Christ Jesus you have saved us from the deeds of death and opened for us the hidden ways of your love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
And now, because we often fail to love, because we acknowledge that we are sinners living in sinful systems, and because we acknowledge that we are all in need of God’s mercy and grace, let us confess our sins.
 
Many: God of the living and the dead,
We confess that we have sinned against you by what we have done and by what we have not done,
We remember our broken promises and missed opportunities;
The gifts we have taken for granted;
The love we have not shown or returned;
Forgive us, comfort and heal us, lift our guilt from us,
That we may walk in freedom and grace to the glory of your name.
Amen.
 
One: May God who is both power and love forgive us and free us from our sins; heal and strength us by the power of the Holy Spirit; and bring us to new life through Christ our Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are a forgiven people!
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Offering Prayer - Mary Beth
 
Sing together: Doxology (UMH #94) - Music Team
 
Prayer song: More Love to Thee O Christ (UMH #453 v. 1 & 2) - Music Team
 
Sermon Text: Revelation 21:1-7 (NRSV) - Danny Crego
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
 
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
God will dwell with them;
they will be God’s peoples,
and God will be with them and be their God;
God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
 
And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
 
Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
 
The story of God for the people of God.
Many: Thanks be to God!
 
Sing together: Beautiful Things - Music Team
 
Communion
One: Let us pray:
 
O God, Spirit of righteousness, you temper judgment with mercy. Help us to live the covenant written upon our hearts so that when Christ returns we may be found worthy to be received by grace into your presence.
 
For it is Christ who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.
 
(Lift the bread, break it) We remember that on the night that our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and he gave it to his disciples and said, “This is my body, given for you. Take and eat - all of you - in remembrance of me.”
 
(Lift the cup) Likewise, after the supper, he took the cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me.”
 
And so, Lord God, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in our Lord Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with the sacrifice of Christ for us, as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Many: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
 
One: Because we all partake of the one bread and the one cup, we, though we are many, are one. So let us join in together in praying the prayer that the Lord taught all of the disciples to pray. Let us be so bold as to say:
Many: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors,
Save us from the time of trial,
And deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
 
One: God of salvation, pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to 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 in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And all God’s people said:
Many: Amen.
 
One: (Give instructions for coming forward to receive) The Table is prepared. All who are hungry and thirsty are invited to come forward to receive these gifts of grace. May Christ be fully formed in you. Come forward as you’re ready.
 
Closing Hymn: For All the Saints (UMH #711 v. 1, 4, & 5) - Music Team
 
Sending Forth/Benediction - Danny Crego
One: God of love, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of our savior Jesus the Messiah; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Christ.
 
May God bless you and keep you; may God’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; may God’s countenance be lifted upon you and give you peace, from this day forth and forevermore.
Many: May the peace of the Lord go with us, wherever God may send us. May we embody the love, grace, and mercy of Christ to those we meet along the way. Amen.