The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
COLLECT
Suffering God, in whose name we seek glory for ourselves: cast down the idols that serve our fear and guilt, our need for blame, for punishment; direct our angry hearts to him who bears our wounds where there is no more need to fight; through Jesus Christ, the true God and servant of all. Amen.
PRELUDE
GREETING
Rev. Fred Harrell (he/him), Worship Leader
Minister: The Lord be with you.
ALL: And also with you.
PREPARATION
CALL TO WORSHIP
Psalm 63
for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you as in a dry and weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary to see your strength and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will speak your praise. I will bless you all my life, in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you. On you I meditate through the night for you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
In the morning you greet me with the light of your presence. My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast; you fill my heart with peace.
PRAYER OF ADORATION
PRAISE
SONGS
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
James Montgomery, 1821 | Sandra McCracken, 2012
Here is Love
William Rees (1802 - 1883) | Robert Lowry, 1876
RENEWAL
CALL TO CONFESSION
from I Peter 5:6-7, NRSV
Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that the Lord may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on God because God cares for you.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of grace, For our failure to love others as you have loved us,
forgive us.
For wasting your gifts and hoarding our resources,
forgive us.
For losing heart and abandoning hope,
forgive us.
For all the ways we turn from you,
forgive us . . . .
(continue in silent prayer)
We offer our prayers in the name of the one who loves and restores us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SILENT CONFESSION
SONG OF RENEWAL
Forgive Us
Brian Eichelberger, Zach Bolen, 2020
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
from Acts 13:38; Ephesians 1:7, NRSV
Through Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace. This is the good news!
Thanks be to God!
PASSING THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
SONG
We Will Find Our Peace
David Gungor, John Arndt, 2011
BLESSING OUR CHILDREN & YOUTH
Leader: People of God, what is our prayer for our children and youth?
People: May the Lord be with you.
Children: And also with you.
Leader: May the Lord bless you and keep you;
may the Lord grow you strong in Divine grace,
may the Lord fill you with the love of Christ.
All: Thanks be to God!
SONG OF RENEWAL
Prayers of the People
Ben Kilgore, David Gungor, Evan Wickham, Ian Cron, John Arndt, 2015
COMMITMENT
WORDS OF WELCOME
Rev. Fred Harrell (he/him)
SCRIPTURE
Judges 4:1-10, 12-15, NRSV
The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.
At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon. Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot,
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
SERMON
Rev Jonathan Gundlach (he/him)
Deborah: Prophet, Judge, Woman of Fire
OFFERING OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS
The offering is a way for Christians to support the mission and ministry of the church. Christians offer a sacrificial portion of their resources–time, talents, possessions–as an act of faith and gratitude in response to God’s grace. While many at City Church make their regular contributions through online giving and automated bill pay, offerings are a part of our worship service as an opportunity for the regular, proportionate and generous giving of the resources God has given us.
OFFERING PRAYER
God, you are the giver of every good gift. Accept these offerings we pray, that through them we may do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you, our Savior and our God. Amen.
MUSICAL OFFERING
Come All Ye Pining, Hungry, Poor
Anne Steele (1716-1778) | Brian T. Murphy, 2007
COMMUNION
INVITATION TO THE LORDS TABLE
CONFESSION OF FAITH: APOSTLES CREED
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.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord!
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
SONG
Sanctus
by Karl Digerness, 2017
Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD & CUP
The Gifts of God for the People of God
COMMUNION PRAYER
Siblings in Christ, since the Lord has fed us at this Table, let us praise God's holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving! Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless God's holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all God's benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases.
Who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, and will also give us all things with him.
Therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord, from this time forth forevermore. Amen.
PASTORAL PRAYER
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
SONG
Justice Will Roll Down
from Amos 5:24 | Sandra McCracken, 2010
BENEDICTION
May the love of the cross, the power of the resurrection, and the presence of the living Lord be with you always. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
DISMISSAL
Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
MUSICIANS
Lora Libby, vocals
SPELLLING, vocals
Minna Choi, piano & vocals