June 14, 2020
/Thanks for joining us for this week’s Home Worship! As you gather, we invite you to take a moment to set up your space differently. Sit at your dining room table or arrange chairs in your living room. Set out a candle, a bowl, and a small pitcher of water before you. If you’ve gathered with a group, you can take turns reading and praying so that everyone has a chance to help lead us in worship. The sections in bold can be read aloud together.
“Half the harm that is done in this world
Is due to people who want to feel important.
They don’t mean to do harm—but the harm does not interest them.
Or they do not see it, or they justify it
Because they are absorbed in the endless struggle
To think well of themselves.”
“Bombarded with poll results about declining levels of church attendance and belief in God, we assume that more and more people are abandoning faith and making their own meaning. But what these polls actually tell us is more straightforward. They tell us that confidence in the religious narratives we’ve inherited has collapsed. What they fail to report is that the marketplace in replacement religion is booming. We may be sleeping in on Sunday mornings in greater numbers, but we’ve never been more pious. Religious observance hasn’t faded apace ‘secularization’ so much as migrated—and we’ve got the anxiety to prove it. We’re seldom not in church.”
GATHERED BY GOD
WELCOME
Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, Amen.
-Psalm 124:8
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
LIGHTING THE CANDLE
Action: Light a candle
One: Jesus Christ
All: is the Light of the World.
One: The Light shines in the darkness
All: and the darkness did not overcome it.
INVITATION TO WORSHIP
“The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”
-Psalm 33:18, 20-22
SONG OF PRAISE
“My Hope is Built”
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
Refrain
His oath His covenant and His blood
Support me in the 'whelming flood:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
Refrain
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless we stand before His throne.
Refrain
PRAYER FOR RENEWAL
God of hope, we long for rest and rejoicing in these troubled days. We are weak and heavy laden and our trust is easily fractured. In our sin, you are not always our chosen portion; we do not always seek your counsel; we do not keep you always before us. Forgive us, in your mercy. Spirit, come work in us, to turn again to you, to trust you without exception, and serve you wholeheartedly.
PROMISE OF GRACE
Action: Pour water into the bowl and remember your baptism!
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
You show me the path of life.”
-Psalm 16:9-11a
OFFERING
We respond to the love and grace of Jesus by giving back our whole lives to God in worship. In this offering, we give our financial gifts as a symbol that all we have comes from God and is to be used for God’s glory. Even though we aren’t worshiping together, our ministry still continues! Please continue to support us!
DOXOLOGY
May be spoken or sung
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him, above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
LISTENING TO GOD
Scripture: Psalm 16
Sermon: Psalms for the Journey
Pastor Andy Kadzban
DISCUSSION
What did you hear?
What are you going to do about it this week?
RESPONDING TO GOD
SONG OF RESPONSE
“I Want to Be Close”
In Your presence is fullness of joy
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore
In Your presence I'm longing to be
Where Holy Spirit You are changing me
Refrain:
I want to be close to You
I want to be found in You oh Lord in You
I want to be found in You
I want to be close to You
Oh Lord close to You
In Your presence is fullness of joy
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore
In Your presence I'm longing to be
Where Holy Spirit You are changing me
Refrain
You have bought me with Your blood
And I am completely Yours
Oh Lord You know I'm Yours
Refrain
APOSTLES’ CREED
We join our voices together with Christians throughout the ages and across the world to proclaim these words:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
“Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.’” (from Psalm 16:1-2)
Lord, our community, our nation, our world stand in desperate need of your refuge and healing, your mercy and grace, your justice and peace. Here us as we pray:
When we’re down and helpless, when lies are reigning, when fear and indifference are growing,
may your kingdom come.
When joy is missing, when love is missing, and unbelief is growing,
may your kingdom come.
To those who are sick and lonely, to those who are imprisoned and tortured,
may your kingdom come.
Into the churches, into our praying, into our singing,
may your kingdom come.
Into our hearts, into our hands, into our eyes,
may your kingdom come.
Lord, we want to be close to you. Until the day you make your home among us again and your kingdom is fully established, we lift up the words you taught us saying,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
SENDING SONG
“Open Our Eyes”
Refrain:
Come and bring light to a people in darkness
Come set us free from the chains we have made
We are Your people the flock that You tend
Lord open our eyes once again
To the ones broken hearted
To the plight of the poor
To the innocent children
Open our eyes
Teach us compassion and love
Refrain
To the victims of violence
To the ones who seek justice
To those sitting in prison
Open our eyes
Teach us compassion and love
Refrain
When a color divides us
When the darkness surrounds us
When we choose to look elsewhere
Open our eyes
Teach us compassion and love
Refrain
SENT WITH GOD’S BLESSING
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his presence to you and give you his peace,
Now and always, Amen.
-Numbers 6:24-26
To stay connected with what’s going on at WRC, check out the following video of announcements
Our congregation is able to do what it does because of your contributions! Even though we aren’t meeting in person during this season, you can continue to give your gifts to God. Visit www.wyckoffreformed.org/give to set up your one-time or recurring gift online. You’re also welcome to mail a check or set us up as an automatic payment through your bank!
Check out these playlists to guide your prayer and worship this week:
Music to guide your prayer and reflection for this week
A YouTube playlist of kid’s music for this week!
“My Hope Is Built”, Words: Edward Mote, 1834; Music: William Bradbury, 1863; Public Domain. Arrangement by Norton Hall Band.
“I Want to be Close”, Words and Music: Brad Kilman, ©2002 Brad Kilman Publishing, Used by Permission, CCLI #2588005
“Open Our Eyes”, Words and Music: Kevin Keil, © 1998 Lorenz Publishing Company, Used by Permission, #2588005