Sunday, September 5, 2021, at 11 a.m.

PRELUDE Solemn Melody Brad Slocum,

by Henry W. Davies Organist

CALL TO WORSHIP Rev. Wes Nordman

Lord, open our hearts this morning to hear your words of compassion.

Open our spirits this morning to strengthen our faith.

Make us ready to witness to your healing love.

Let us worship God.

HYMN OF PRAISE Make Me A Channel of Your Peace

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord,

and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.

Where there is darkness, only light,

and where there’s sadness, ever joy.

O, Master, grant that I may never seek

so much to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

in giving of ourselves that we receive,

and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

CALL TO CONFESSION Wes

God calls us to righteousness, to reach out to others with justice and mercy. Have

we faithfully carried our call? Let us approach God in confession saying :

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS Wes

We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God. Grace

and forgiveness are bestowed upon us and all God’s people.

PASSING CHRIST’S PEACE

As our Lord gives peace to us, let us share this peace with

each other saying, “The peace of Christ be with you.”

Let us exchange words and signs of peace.

WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Wes

CHILDREN’S TIME TO SHINE Wes

SUNG BLESSING FOR OUR CHILDREN #80 Trees of the Field (Isaiah 55:12)

You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.

The mountains and the hills will break forth before you.

There'll be shouts of joy and all the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands.

And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. *clap-clap*

The trees of the field will clap their hands. *clap-clap*

The trees of the field will clap their hands *clap-clap*

while you go out with joy!

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION Lisa PruittGod of Wisdom, prepare us now to listen to your spirit. Humble us in your presence, so nothing will stand in the way of your truth. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 Lisa

Old Testament page 604 in the pew Bible

Words of Holy Scripture.

ANTHEM Beloved

by David Lanz

William Pruitt-Herbet, piano

SCRIPTURE READING Mark 7:24-37 Rev. Rola Al Ashkar

New Testament page 43 in the pew Bible

SERMON I Am a Syrophoenician Woman Rola

PRAYERS FOR WESTMINSTER & THE WORLD Lisa

THE LORD’S PRAYER (contemporary ecumenical version)

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING Rola

OFFERTORY Song of Peace

by Jean Langlais

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

RESPONSE Lord of All Good (1st verse)

Lord of all Good, our gifts we bring to you;

Use them your holy purpose to fulfill,

Token of love and pledges brought anew,

That our whole life is offered to your will.

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

May the God of steadfast love be with you!

Lift your hearts to God.

Sing glad praises to God.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION & PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE

(All who have faith or seek faith are invited to share of this bread and cup. )

A MOMENT FOR REFLECTION

PRAYER FOLLOWING COMMUNION

HYMN Help Us Accept Each Other

Help us accept each other

as Christ accepted us;

teach us as sister, brother,

each person to embrace.

Be present, Lord, among us

and bring us to believe

we are ourselves accepted,

and meant to love and live.

Teach us, O Lord, your lessons,

as in our daily life

we struggle to be human

and search for hope and faith.

Teach us to care for people,

for all, not just for some,

to love them as we find them,

or as they may become.

Lord, for today’s encounters

with all who are in need,

who hunger for acceptance,

for justice and for bread,

we need new eyes for seeing,

new hands for holding on:

renew us with your Spirit;

Lord, free us; make us one!

BENEDICTION Rola

CHARGE Lisa

Go forth to love one another. Love the near and the far.

Be rich in faith and serve others in joy and humility.

POSTLUDE Allegro Marziale

by Frank Bridge