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Worship for Sunday, August 23, 2020 12th Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Elizabeth Lyman Elder Steven Eidt
Bette Kahler Kathy Fanella
Nancy Stewart Stuart Hayes
Mary Elizabeth Haas
Prelude My Life Goes On Call to Worship Kathy Fanella From Matthew 16:13-20; Romans 12:1-8 Who do you say I am? Some say Moses, some say Elijah, Prophet who comes with a word from the Holy.
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Who do you say I am?
Some say Messiah, some say “Human One” Healer who shares the life of the Holy. Who do you say I am? Some say Emmanuel, God-with-us, Some say Wisdom, teacher of truth Some say Ruler of Peace, Bringer of Justice. And you, Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, Who do you say I am? You are the Body to which we belong; We are your members, each needed, treasured. In you we are transformed into your Hope, your Love, your Vision, You are the One we long for, the One we seek here today, The One who empowers our lives. Come, Let us worship! Opening Prayer Kathy Fanella Let us pray: Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of your brightness. Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of your wisdom. All our desire is known unto you; therefore perfect what you have begun, and what your Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek your face, turn your face unto us and show us your glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect. Amen Saint Augustine, 354-430. Hymn GTG #334 With Grateful Heart, My Thanks I Bring St Petersburg (see next page)
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Prayer of Confession and Reconciliation Kathy Fanella Let us come to our God with our prayers of confession and reconciliation. We confess to each other and to you, our Creator, that we fall short of being what we have been created to be, what we have committed ourselves to be, disciples of the kingdom. Hear us, forgive us, renew our resolve to build the kingdom of peace. We often seek out the easiest paths; paths of least involvement in places where we might be uncomfortable, or paths of self-centeredness. Hear us, forgive us, renew our resolve to build the kingdom of peace. Forgive us for getting so caught up in the world’s trappings and its false messages of hope that we lose sight of the hope of the kingdom, which brings healing and peace to a world in turmoil. Hear us, forgive us, renew our resolve to build the kingdom of peace. In this time of worship may we resolve to become more kingdom-minded to be your peacemakers here and now. Amen. In these moments of quiet reflection confess to God all that separates you from God and one another.
(a time of silent prayer) Assurance of Pardon Kathy Fanella The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-12) *Response of Praise GTG#205
Ubi Caritas et amor. Ubi Caritas Deus ibi est (sing 3 times)
Prayer for Illumination Rev. Elizabeth Lyman Holy Spirit, prepare us to hear from the Scriptures. Sometimes it can be easy to dismiss a passage that seems familiar. We’ve heard it before and so we disengage. Yet we know that your word is powerful and that it is calling us to live like Jesus. Do not let us turn off our ears so quickly. Help us to listen well and respond with
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obedience. Let us see what it is you are doing through the Scriptures we hear today. You are working and we want to join you. Amen. Scriptures Romans 12:1-8 Rev. Elizabeth Lyman I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. Matthew 16:13-23 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Then Jesus sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 21 From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
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killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to
rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” 23 But
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block
to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Meditation Elder Steven Eidt Hymn GTG# 792 There is a Balm in Gilead Balm in Gilead
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Offertory Invitation You have been saved. You have believed. You are sent. Offer yourselves then to the work of invitation, community and purpose in our homes, neighborhood, online, and around the world. Loving God, we believe that you have saved us, you are saving us, and you will save us. We offer to you our whole lives as a living sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Use us; multiply us and the gifts we offer, in person, by mail, or online, to extend the invitation of life, community to everyone we meet. Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer This week is the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. With voter disenfranchisement, it is still not guaranteed in 2020. Let us use this Litany written by Margaret Widdemer, a well-known suffragist. The Women's Litany Margaret Widdemer Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for our pain’s sake! Lips set smiling and face made fair Still for you through the pain we bare, We have hid till our hearts were sore Blacker things than you ever bore: Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for our pain’s sake! Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for our strength’s sake! Light held high in a strife ne’er through We have fought for our sons and you,
We have conquered a million years’
Pain and evil and doubt and tears— Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for our strength’s sake!
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Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for your own sake! We have held you within our hand, Marred or made as we broke or planned, We have given you life or killed
King or brute as we taught or willed— Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for your own sake! Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for the world’s sake! We are blind who must guide your eyes, We are weak who must help you rise, All untaught who must teach and mold
Souls of men till the world is old— Let us in through the guarded gate, Let us in for the world’s sake!
Hymn GTG# 766 The Church of Christ Cannot be Bound McKee (see next page)
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Charge and Benediction We go into the world as parents of your love. We will be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We will not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We will go to remember we can’t do it alone. We stretch out our hands. Our Mothering God delivers. Postlude
