Order of Worship 9-24-23
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
September 24th, 2023 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: Rev. Aaron Ochart
Lay Leader: Gwen Nolan
Please silence all cell phones.
Bold face indicates congregational participation.
Please stand, in body or spirit
THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERED IN
PRELUDE Improvisation on “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown”
PROCESSIONAL HYMN [BLUE#260] [GTG#275]
“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
1 A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.
Our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
2 Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he.
Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
WORDS OF WELCOME
MINUTE FOR MISSION Peace and Global Witness
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP Ps. 113:7
ONE: The Lord raises the poor from the dust
MANY: and lifts up the needy from the ashes.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Holy God, your servant Jacob wrestled with your angel and prevailed. In honor of his persistence you gave him a new name. Teach us to persist in the face of struggle, and call us by name. Amen.
HYMN OF THE MONTH [BLUE#458] [GTG #26]
“Earth and All Stars”
- Earth and all stars! loud rushing planets!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We too sing praise with a new song!
- Trumpet and pipes! Loud clashing cymbals!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre! Loud humming cellos!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We too sing praise with a new song!
- Engines and steel! Loud pounding hammers!
Sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams! Loud building workers,
Sing to the Lord a new song!
God has done marvelous things.
We too sing praise with a new song!
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
RESPONSE HYMN [GTG #760]
“Bring Many Names”
1 Bring many names, beautiful and good,
celebrate, in parable and story,
holiness in glory, living, loving God.
Hail and Hosanna! Bring many names!
REPENTANCE
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Eternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors, and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world, and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. In your great mercy forgive our sins and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI [BLUE#579] [GTG#581]
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end, Amen, Amen.
THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED
SCRIPTURE [Pew Bible OT 489 or 517] Psalm 46
To the leader. Of the Korahites. According to Alamoth. A Song.
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
Come, behold the works of the LORD;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
‘Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.’
The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah
SCRIPTURE [Pew Bible NT 28 or 29] Genesis 32:6-13, 22-30
Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, instructing them, ‘Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.” ’
The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, ‘We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.’ Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, thinking, ‘If Esau comes to one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape.’
And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, “Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good”, I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. Yet you have said, “I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.” ’
So he spent that night there, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau,…
The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then the man said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.’ Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’
ONE: The Word of the Lord
MANY: Thanks be to God
SERMON: “Striving with God and with Humans” Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH “Scots Confession”
We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By whom we confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and guided by [God’s] inscrutable providence for such end as [God’s] eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice have appointed, and to the manifestation of [God’s] own glory.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown Daniel L. Mennicke
Ft. Jessica Martinez
DOXOLOGY [*BLUE#592] [GTG#606]
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
RECEIVING OF NEW MEMBERS
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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.
HYMN [BLUE#119] [GTG#236] “The Strife is O’er”
Refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
1 The strife is o’er, the battle done;
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!
2 The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed:
let shouts of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!
3 The three sad days are quickly sped;
Christ rises glorious from the dead:
all glory to our risen Head!
Alleluia!
4 Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death’s dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live, and sing to thee:
Alleluia! (Refrain)
PARTING PRAYER
Lord, the gift of your Word is a light for our path. Help us to study your way and follow your teaching, until we know the true Light who has come into the world and will come again in glory: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
RESPONSE [GTG# 547] “Go, My Children, with My Blessing”
“Go, my Children, with my blessing, never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing. You are my own.”
POSTLUDE EIN’ FESTE BURG setting by Noel Rawsthorne
Flowers this Sunday were given by John and Linda LaPorte in Honor of their anniversary.
Announcements 9-24-23
Announcements:
PROGRAM OF HOPE: October is our month for the Program of Hope. We will be making sandwiches and bagging lunches at 2:00 PM every Tuesday in October except Oct. 31st. We will also be collecting and sorting clothing. The clothing drive will end with a sorting and boxing party on Thursday September 28th at 1:00 PM in the library. Needed are Men’s and Women’s: casual pants, jeans, tops, white shirts, blouses, black pants for work, plain sturdy shoes, tote bags, new socks and underwear in (ORIGINAL UNOPENED PACKAGE), rain ponchos and sunglasses.
MATTHEW 25: Tuesdays in October we will be presenting another program on the Matthew 25 initiative. Join us for this wonderful program at 12:30 PM in the Library. After the program you are welcome to join us in making sandwiches for Program of Hope. More information to come so mark your calendar now.
Books On Spiritual Practices: There is more to do with the start of the school year, sports activities, and even fellowship opportunities. The busyness of life can make it hard to make time to focus on our spiritual life. This month’s CE reading recommendations all center around engaging in spiritual practices to strengthen ourselves, our families and the community we have chosen to be with. Most books are made for families but that doesn’t have to be just you and your kids or even immediate family, it can also be friends or small groups. So grab a partner, your family or group and dive deeper into your faith and time with God. Imaginative Prayer: A Yearlong Guide for Your Child’s Spiritual Formation by Jared Patrick Boyd How do we help our kids connect with God? Most parents want their kids to learn to love God. But most of us struggle to facilitate real spiritual experiences. It’s hard enough to have a meaningful conversation with our kids about spiritual things, let alone help them experience true transformation in the presence of God. Jared Patrick Boyd discovered that children’s spiritual formation is rooted in the imagination. When we lead our children through guided times of imaginative prayer, they can experience a connection with God that transcends mere Bible knowledge or doctrinal content. This unique resource provides six units of weekly guided imaginative prayer, themed around core topics: God’s love, loving others, forgiveness, God as king, the good news of God, and the mission of God. Each unit has six sessions, providing a yearlong experience of spiritual formation for children ages five to thirteen. Through imaginative prayer, you can help your child connect with God. As you do so, you may find yourself connecting more closely with your child, and your own formation as a parent will deepen into greater awareness of God’s work in your lives.
FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Join us Sept. 28th for our next Tablecloth Dinner at Saltgrass, 4860 Veterans Blvd, Metairie, LA 70006. Cocktails at 6:00 PM and dinner at 6:30pm you will be able to order off the menu and receive separate checks.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: Mark your calendars for a brief congregational meeting after the service on Oct. 8th to elect the nominating committee.
BLOOD DRIVE: We are excited to be hosting a Blood Drive Bash for Vivian Peranio. Vivian is a 3 year old girl who was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia last year. This drive will be around the one-year anniversary of her diagnosis. She is now in the maintenance phase, meaning the worst of the chemo is over, but the blood center and her family are continuing to host blood drives to help not only Viv, but other children in similar circumstances. Even if you cannot give blood we can use your help with snacks or registration. Please speak with Sharon or Sue about volunteering. To sign up ahead of time please use the QR code on the bulletin board.
Calendar
9/24 – 10:30 AM – Worship Offering for Peace and Global Witness
Children’s Church
9/25 – 1:30 PM – Staff Meeting
9/26 – 9:15 AM – Bible Time PK 4 and TK in the Sanctuary
9/28 – 10:00 AM – Game Day in the Library
1:00 PM – Clothes Sorting Party
6:00 PM – Tablecloth Dinner – Saltgrass
10/1 – 9:15 AM – Sunday School
Adults in the Library
Fellowship Time for the Youth Fellowship Hall
10:30 AM – Worship Offering for Peace and Global Witness
Children’s Church
FLOWERS: The Flowers today were given by John and Linda LaPorte in celebration of their Anniversary.
BIRTHDAYS: Connor Boudreaux 9/26, Johnny Walker 9/29, Evelyn Tobey 10/1