Sunday September 25, 2022

Payette United Methodist Church
September 25, 2022 – 11:00 AM

Welcome and Announcements

Gathering Hymn: “Family of God”
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: “Shout to the Lord”   TFWS#2074 1x
My Jesus, my Savior
Lord there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love
My Comfort, my Shelter
Tower of Refuge and Strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord All the earth let us sing
Power and majesty Praise to the King
Mountains bow down And the sea will roar
At the sound of Your Name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I’ll love You, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to The promise I have in You.

“Majesty, Worship His Majesty”  UMH#176 1x
Majesty, worship his majesty;
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.
Majesty, kingdom authority,
Flow from his throne
Unto his own;
His anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high
The name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify
Christ Jesus, the King.
Majesty, worship his majesty,
Jesus who died,
Now glorified, 
King of all kings.
           
Responsive Reading: Psalm 146 (MSG) - Dianne Kinney
One: Hallelujah! Let our whole being praise God!
Many: All our lives, we’ll praise God, singing songs to our God as long as we live.
One: Don’t put your life in the hands of experts who know nothing of salvation life.
Many: Mere humans don’t have what it takes; when they die, their projects die with them.
One: Instead, get help from God-put your hope in God and know real happiness!
Many: God made sky and soil, sea and all the fish in it.
One: God always does what God says—God defends the wronged, God feeds the hungry.
Many: God frees prisoners—God gives sight to the blind, God lifts up the fallen.
One: God loves all people, protects strangers, takes the side of orphans and widows, but makes short work of the wicked.
Many: God’s in charge—always. Zion’s God is God for good! Hallelujah!
One: This is our prayer.
Many: Lord, hear our prayer.

Unison Invocation - Dianne Kinney
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.

Hymn: “Gloria Patri” UMH#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.

Scripture Readings - Diane Kinney
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.
 
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; 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 - p. 854, Amos 6:1, 4-7 (NRSV)
​Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David improvise on instruments of music, who drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
 
One: The story of God for the people of God!
Many: Thanks be to God!

Gospel Reading - p.79, Luke 16:19-31 (CEB)
One: This is the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Many: Glory to you, Lord Christ!
 
“There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores.
 
“The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’
 
“The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
 
One: This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Many: Praise to you, Lord Christ!

Children’s Time - Cris Warzyn

Praise Hymn “Sing to the King” 
Sing to the King who is coming to reign
Glory to Jesus the Lamb that was slain
Life and salvation, His empire shall bring
Joy to the nations when Jesus is King

Come let us sing a song
A song declaring we belong to Jesus
He is all we need
Lift up a heart of praise
Sing now with voices raised to Jesus
Sing to the King

For his returning we watch and we pray
We will be ready the dawn of that day
We'll join in singing with all the redeemed
Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King!

Prayers of the People     
One: Holy God, you reach out in love through Jesus Christ to save us so that we may live as faithful servants of you alone. Unchain us from our desire for wealth and power so that we may, in turn, release others from the prisons of poverty, hunger, and oppression.
 
One God, in Three Persons, creator of one human species, in wondrous variety: Forgive us, in our vanity, as we magnify and judge those things we regard as different from ourselves in others - in areas such as culture, ability, gender, and race. Teach us to notice and celebrate our distinctions, even as we acknowledge that we, your children, are far more alike than we are different. Help us to put aside the prejudices embedded within us, and to perceive within every person the Child of God you created, our sibling, beloved, and destined for Glory. In the name of One, Christ, who died and rose for all persons, in all our magnificent variety.
 
Creator God, you call us to love and serve you with body, mind, and spirit through loving your creation
and our sisters and brothers. Open our hearts in compassion and receive these petitions on behalf of the needs of the church and the world.
 
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.
 
Holy One, hear our prayers and make us faithful stewards of the fragile bounty of this earth so that we may be entrusted with the riches of heaven. 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

Doxology UMH#94
Praise God, from whom all blessing flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Alleluia, Alleluia
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! 
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit, 
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Prayer Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision” UMH#451 vs. 1,3
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
​
Message: Pastor Mary Beth Boesch - Revelation 13-14:1 (CEB)  
and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. Each of its horns was decorated with a royal crown, and on its heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave it his power, throne, and great authority. One of its heads appeared to have been slain and killed, but its deadly wound was healed. So the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshipped the dragon because it had given the beast its authority. They worshipped the beast and said, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

The beast was given a mouth that spoke boastful and blasphemous things, and it was given authority to act for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God. It blasphemed God’s name and his dwelling place (that is, those who dwell in heaven).

It was also allowed to make war on the saints and to gain victory over them. It was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All who live on earth worshipped it, all whose names hadn’t been written—from the time the earth was made—in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slain. Whoever has ears must listen: If any are to be taken captive, then into captivity they will go. If any are to be killed by the sword, then by the sword they will be killed. This calls for endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it was speaking like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence. It also makes the earth and those who live in it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. It does great signs so that it even makes fire come down from heaven to earth in the presence of the people. It deceives those who live on earth by the signs that it was allowed to do in the presence of the beast. It told those who live on earth to make an image for the beast who had been wounded by the sword and yet came to life again. It was allowed to give breath to the beast’s image so that the beast’s image would even speak and cause anyone who didn’t worship the beast’s image to be put to death. It forces everyone—the small and great, the rich and poor, the free and slaves—to have a mark put on their right hand or on their forehead. It will not allow anyone to make a purchase or sell anything unless the person has the mark with the beast’s name or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom. Let the one who understands calculate the beast’s number, for it’s a human being’s number. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.

Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion. With him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

The story of God for the people of God.
Many: Thanks be to God!
                
Response Song “God, Help Me to Be”
God, help me to be closer to You, Lord, so I am farther from me
And may Your kingdom be the only one that I seek, oh God
And God, help me to see that everything was good when You created all things
Now let me see with those same eyes that created me, oh God
God, help me believe when everything around me points to uncertainty
Remind me of the hope of You that's living in me, oh God
And God, help me to shine like stars up in the universe that's Yours and not mine
And fill me with Your light so that the darkness will hide, oh God
Hallelujah, Amen

God, help me to give everything to You that I'm unable to give
And make my life the life I've been created to live, oh God
And God, help me to go, and follow where You lead me
so all nations will know the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of this world, oh God, my God

Commitment Hymn: “Joy in the Morning”  TFWS#2284 all vs.                   
There'll be joy in the morning on that day,
there'll be joy in the morning on that day,
for the daylight will dawn when the darkness is gone,
there'll be joy in the morning on that day. 

There'll be peace and contentment evermore,
there'll be peace and contentment evermore,
every heart, every voice on that day will rejoice,
there'll be peace and contentment evermore.

There'll be love and forgiveness everywhere,
there'll be love and forgiveness everywhere,
and the way of the Lord will that day be restored,
there'll be love and forgiveness everywhere.

Sending Forth/Unison Benediction
One:  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. Amen.
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.

Prelude
Thank you for worshiping with us today!

*Read Rev 15:5-19:10 for next week  

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