CCLI license #1913561
Lakeview Presbyterian Church
Service of the Word for September 26, 2021
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Welcome
Questions for Reflection: Why do we pray? What do we expect will happen? Is there a difference between curing and healing?
Prelude: "Hallelujah" sung by Keisha Prime
Hallelujah x7
Praise the Lord!
Thank you Jesus x7
Praise the Lord!
Lord You Saved Me and You raised me x3
Lord you Saved me
Praise the Lord!
He is coming x7
Praise the Lord
Hallelujah x7
Praise the Lord!
Call to Worship
Pour out your Spirit, O Lord upon this gathering of your people.
Be near to us and speak to us and we will proclaim your glory.
In the presence of the Almighty, let us be in a spirit of worship.
Opening Prayer
God of mercy, fill your people with the strength to stand in the face of adversity and suffering; comfort us in our fears and doubt; encourage us in our unity so that together we may prevail against every evil of our time. Grant us every grace to be faithful so that we may be witnesses to your presence in the world. Amen.
Opening Hymn “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine” TPH # 341
Call to Confession
Let us confess our sins and pray for one another so that we may be healed.
Prayer of Confession
God, our strength and savior, you know our great transgressions, our hidden faults, our secret sins. With our hands we grasp at power; with our feet we stumble into evil; with our eyes we look out for ourselves.
Forgive us, gracious God, and lead us in your holy way of life and love and peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Though we wander from the truth, God brings us back, forgives our sins, and heals our souls. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer for Illumination
Lord God, by the power of your Spirit, open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts. Revive our souls so that our lips and our lives may bear witness to your Word. Amen.
Reading from the Epistle of James 5: 13—16
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They
should sing songs of praise. Are any
among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them
pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and
the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be
forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to
one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of
the righteous is powerful and effective.
Reading from the Gospel of Matthew 6:1—15
"Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Hymn (please remain seated) “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” TPH # 316
Sermon “Prayer” The Rev. Russell Lehman
Affirmation of Faith (from “A Brief Statement of Faith” pcusa)
In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community.
But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care.
God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical)
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 us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
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.
Minute for Mission: CROP Hunger Walk
Statement about Offering our Gifts
We have been made capable of being good stewards of what God has given us. Let us, with gratitude in our hearts, give from what has been given to us, by grace.
Through loving deeds and generous acts, we become a blessing to others. What greater reward could we ask than to share in God’s saving work?
Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22 nd Av S, St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org
Special Music "How Great Is Our God"-Tomlin sung by Keisha Prime
The splendor of a King, clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in Light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice
[Chorus]
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
[Verse 2]
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
[Chorus]
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
[Bridge]
Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
[Chorus]
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Then sings my soul my Savior God to thee.
How great thou art! How great thou art.
Prayer of Dedication
Take these gifts of our lives: refine and purify them, and let them be for the world a sign of your goodness and grace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Hymn “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” TPH # 403
Announcements
Charge /Benediction
Let the name of Christ
be the word you speak,
the grace you show,
and the love you share. Amen.
May the spirit of the Lord rest upon you,
the word of the Lord live within you,
and the glory of the Lord shine around you,
this day and always. Alleluia!
Postlude "Blessed Be Your Name" sung by Keisha Prime
Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
And blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name