WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
SCRIPTURE READING
MATTHEW 11:28–30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
ADORATION
SCRIPTURE READING
PSALM 145:8–13
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
CONFESSION
CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We confess to You, Lord, that we are not always the people we like others to think we are; at times we are afraid to admit even to ourselves what lies in the depths of our souls. But we do not want to hide our true selves from You.
We believe that You know us as we are, and yet You still love us. Help us not to shrink from self-knowledge; fill us with godly sorrow for our sin; give us the courage to put our trust in Your guiding power. Raise us out of the paralysis of guilt, fear, and shame and take us into the freedom and hope of forgiven people.
And for those who find forgiveness hard to accept, we ask that You would break their bondage and set them free.
Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
ASSURANCE
CALL AND RESPONSE FROM Psalm 145:14–21
LEADER: The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
TOGETHER: The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
LEADER: The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
TOGETHER: The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
LEADER: The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
TOGETHER: My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
THANKSGIVING
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
O My God,
You fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves you, for my vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.
When I think upon and converse with You ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.
I bless you for the soul you have created, for adorning it, for sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;
I bless thee for body you have given me, for preserving its strength and vigor, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears that do Your bidding;
I bless You for Your royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness;
I bless You for social joys of relatives and friends, for ability to serve others, for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, for a mind to care for my fellow-men, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, for my own expectation of seeing You clearly.
I love You above the powers of language to express, for what You are to your creatures. Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.
(The Valley of Vision)
WORSHIP IN GIVING
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PROCLAMATION
SCRIPTURE READING
MARK 8:1–21
In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.
Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”