July 19, 2020 - Outdoor Worship
/Thanks for joining us for this week’s worship service! We’re experimenting with an outdoor service as we explore our steps forward through this pandemic. As you gather this morning, take a moment to notice God’s creation around you. Give thanks to God for what you see, hear, smell, and feel. Give thanks for the opportunity to gather together again, even in this different way. Notice God’s presence and welcome God in.
If you are joining us online, the service can be streamed on Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 9:30am at www.wrclive.org. It will also be archived for later viewing.
While we are all overjoyed to be together, please do not neglect our physical distancing guidelines. Six feet of separation should be maintained between individuals from different households and masks should be worn at all times, even while singing. There are disposable masks and hand sanitizer on the tables in the back if you need either.
If you need to use a restroom, they are available through the Nursery School entrance of the Education Building, near the playground. Please wear your mask, use the hand sanitizer inside the entrance, limit the number of people using the restroom at one time, wash your hands properly afterwards, and please do not venture into the rest of the building.
Childcare and Sunday School will not be offered this morning. All children will remain with us in worship.
Bold sections will be read aloud together
* Invites you to rise in body or in spirit
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
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
-Psalm 100
SONG OF PRAISE
“All Creatures of Our God and King”
All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voice and with us sing:
alleluia, alleluia!
O burning sun with golden beam,
and shining moon with silver gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
O rushing wind so wild and strong,
white clouds that sail in heaven along,
alleluia, alleluia!
New rising dawn in praise rejoice;
you lights of evening find a voice:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
All you who are of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part;
alleluia, alleluia!
All you who pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
alleluia, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
PRAYER FOR RENEWAL
“Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
You, O Lord, show us your majesty in the heavens and your humility in taking on flesh in Jesus. We admit that we often forget that you are God, not the circumstances of our day, not the power we scrape and claw for, not the fear and shame that displace our identity. Speak to us, show us, that you have made us, that we belong, mind, body and soul to our faithful savior Jesus Christ. Forgive us, Lord. Compel and empower us to live as your people, the sheep of your good pasture, that by our lives we might join creation in declaring your glory. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
PROMISE OF GRACE
Action: Pour water into the bowl and remember your baptism!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us.”
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 8
Sermon: Psalms for the Journey
Pastor Andy Kadzban
RESPONDING TO GOD
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
We praise you, God our creator, for your handiwork in shaping and sustaining your wondrous creation. For the glory of the universe held together in your hand, and for our small but vital place within it as your image-bearers.
We especially thank you for
the miracle of life and the wonder of living . . .
the resources of the earth . . .
gifts of creative vision and skillful craft . . .
the treasure stored in every human life. . . .
particular blessings coming to us in this day . . .
We pray for others, God our Savior, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for the whole world and committing ourselves to care for those around us in his name.
We especially pray for
those who work for the benefit of others . . .
those who serve in positions of authority . . .
those who teach and those who learn . . .
people who are poor . . .
the church in persecution. . . .
God our creator, everything that is holds together in you, and you have placed all of it at the feet of your son Jesus. May His rule become evident through the power of Your Holy Spirit, and may we come to serve His Kingdom for Your glory. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who taught us to pray, 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
“O For a Thousand Tongues”
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace
He breaks the power of canceled sin
He sets the prisoner free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me
Refrain:
O for a thousand tongues to sing
O for a thousand years to praise
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace
My great Redeemer's name
Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb
Your loosened tongues employ
Ye blind, behold your Savior come
And leap, ye lame, for joy
Refrain
Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given
By saints below and saints above
The church in earth and heaven
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
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 up an automatic payment through your bank!
Copyright Info:
“All Creatures of Our God and King” Words: Francis of Assisi, 1225; tr. William H. Draper, c. 1910. Music: Auserlesen Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesänge, Cologne, 1623. Public Domain.
“Oh For a Thousand Tongues”, Original Words: Charles Wesley. Music and Refrain: Whitney Bozarth and Zach Sprowls, © 2014 Zach Sprowls Music, Used by Permission, CCLI #2588005