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*Call to Worship | Psalm 103:1-5 | Blake Arnoult
God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
*Song of Adoration | Oh For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does.
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life, and health, and peace.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
He breaks the power of reigning sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to His voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Glory to God, and praise and Love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
Sing your praise to the Lord all the earth!
Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley
*Confession of Faith | Psalm 103:6-12
With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
*Song of Confession | Praise To The Lord, The Almighty
Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
/Alleluia, Alleluia/
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.
/Alleluia, Alleluia/
Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
/Alleluia, Alleluia/
Music and Lyrics: Stralsund Gesangbuch, Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth
Confession of Sin
We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.
Holy Lord, we are guilty of pride and unbelief; of failure to find your mind in your Word; of neglect to see you in our daily lives. Our violations and shortcomings present our consciences with a long list of accusations, but they shall not stand! For we lay them all now on Christ, our sacrifice and advocate. Go on now, Lord, to subdue our weaknesses, granting us grace to live above them. Let us not be mastered by them, but now rule over us in liberty and power. We praise and thank you for your wisdom and love, for sometimes putting us into the furnace to refine our gold and remove our dross. Deliver us from every evil habit, everything that dims the brightness of your grace in us, everything that prevents us from taking our deepest delight in you, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon | Acts 10:42-43 | Blake Arnoult
The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.
42 God commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
*Song of Response | Center
We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.
/Oh, Christ be the center of our lives!
Be the place we fix our eyes;
Be the center of our lives./
You're the center of the universe,
Everything was made in You, Jesus.
Breath of every living thing,
Everyone was made for You.
You hold everything together;
You hold everything together.
Chorus
We lift our eyes to heaven,
We wrap our lives around Your life.
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You.
Music and Lyrics: Charlie Hall, Matt Redman
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.
Song of Thanks | Thy Word
As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way;
Still You're there right beside me.
And nothing will I fear as long as You are near;
You are with me to the end.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Chorus
I should not forget Your love for me and yet
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus You’re my guide, You hold me to Your side
You will love me to the end
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Chorus
Music and Lyrics: Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith
Prayer for Christ’s Church
We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.
*Reading of Scripture | Mark 5:21-43 | Blake Arnoult
God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.
21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Pastor: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
The Preaching of the Word | Blake Arnoult
“Miracle Stories of Jesus”
The Gospel of Mark: A Mosaic of Jesus
Pastoral Prayer
Sacrament of Communion
Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.
You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table.
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution
Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah!
Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.
Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from grape juice.
A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:
Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.
Communion Song | He Will Hold Me Fast
We celebrate our communion in faith and song.
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast.
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold, He must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast; He will hold me fast!
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast!
Those He saves are His delight; Christ will hold me fast.
Precious in His holy sight; He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost, His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.
Chorus
For my life He bled and died; Christ will hold me fast.
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast;
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, when He comes at last!
/Chorus/
He began a work in us…
He’ll complete His work in us…
He will hold us fast; He will hold us fast!
For our Savior loves us so, He will hold us fast!
Music and Lyrics: Matt Merker, Ada Habershon
Departing Song | Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
We begin to end in faith and song.
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty; hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore;
Bread of heaven, feed me now and evermore.
Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing waters flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
Strong Deliverer, be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell's destruction, land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee;
Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee.
Land me safe on Canaan's side;
bid my anxious fears, bid my anxious fears;
Land me safe on Canaan's side;
bid my anxious fears, bid my anxious fears, goodbye.
Music and Lyrics: Jeremy Casella, William Williams
*Benediction | Philippians 4:19-20 | Blake Arnoult
God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.
19 Our God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Youth Teaching
October 16, 11:30am - 1pm
5th-12th graders! Join us at the Erwin home for pizza, fellowship, and teaching by Pastor Blake!
Adult Teaching
November 6, 4-6pm
Join us at the home of Tim and Frances Arnoult on Sunday,
November 6 for the third and final session of our series!
Bible Studies
Weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Women’s Morning Study: Our morning study meets Wednesdays at 9:30am at the Wade home to study Nancy Guthrie’s 8-week series, God Does His Best Work With Empty. It’s not too late to join us!
Women’s Evening Study: Our evening study meets at 7pm on Thursdays for fellowship and study at the Najjar home! We are working through Nancy Guthrie’s 8-week series, God Does His Best Work With Empty. It’s not too late to join us!
Men’s Study:
The men’s study is meeting at 6:30am at the Buffalo Grille on the corner of Voss and Woodway. Come study the word with us!
Children and Youth Sunday School
September 18 - October 2; October 16 - 30, 9:15-9:45am
Join us each week for Sunday school for all ages (pre-k too!) before each service! 4th grade and younger will gather in the lobby to learn a song, pray, and hear a lesson from Pastor Blake. Youth will gather upstairs for prayer and a lesson from Amy Kitchel. Parents are encouraged to stay with their children under the age of 5.
Cornerstone Christmas Parties - Save the dates!
Adult Party: December 4, 6-8pm, Home of Blake and Ryan Arnoult
Children’s Party: December 11, 11:30am-1:30pm, Donovan Home