Crandall United Methodist Church - Worship - Worship Guide

Worship Guide

August 13, 2023

Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “Amazing Grace” Charles

Centering Words:

Jesus called to his friends as they were rocked by fear: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Find shalom and rest in the midst of daily anxiety.

*Call to Worship:

Leader: O give thanks to the Lord!

People: Holy One, we come with thanks on our lips.

Leader: Sing to God, sing praises!

People: Raise up your song in our souls.

Leader: Tell of God’s wonderful works!

People: Our hearts find joy in seeking you.

Leader: Seek the Lord and claim God’s strength!

People: We grow strong in your power and might.

Leader: Remember all that God has done!

People: You shape our lives through every challenge.

Leader: Praise the Lord!

People: We praise you, Lord!

Leader: Let us pray.

ALL: Eternal God, in visions and dreams, you offer us hope for a new tomorrow. Amidst life’s storms and raging waters, be with us in our time of need. Reveal to us the great works we are capable of, that we may rise above our narrow purposes, and be of service to the world. Bless our journeys, that it may be said of us: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Amen.

Hymn: “Here I Am Lord”

I, the Lord of sea and sky

I have heard my people cry

All who dwell in dark and sin

My hand will save

I who made the stars of night

I will make their darkness bright

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them.

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

I, the Lord of wind and flame

I will tend the poor and lame

I will set a feast for them

My hand will save

Finest bread I will provide

'Til their hearts be satisfied

I will give my life to them

Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord

Is it I, Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night

I will go, Lord

If You lead me

I will hold Your people in my heart

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Everyone who risks the uncertain walk of faith receives aid from the one who calms the waters.

Praises be to our God. Amen

*Old Testament Reading: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

¹Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. ²This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. ³Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. ⁴But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

¹²Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. ¹³And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” ¹⁴So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem, ¹⁵and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” ¹⁶“I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” ¹⁷The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. ¹⁸They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. ¹⁹They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. ²⁰Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” ²¹But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” ²²Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. ²³So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; ²⁴and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. ²⁸When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Leader: This is the Word of God, for the People of God

People: Thanks be to God!

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Water”

Hymn: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”

Precious Lord, take my hand,

lead me on, let me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

through the storm, through the night,

lead me on to the light:

take my hand, precious Lord,

lead me home.

When my way grows drear,

precious Lord, linger near,

when my life is almost gone,

hear my cry, hear my call,

hold my hand lest I fall:

take my hand, precious Lord,

lead me home.

When the darkness appears

and the night draws near,

and the day is past and gone,

at the river I stand,

guide my feet, hold my hand:

take my hand, precious Lord,

lead me home.

Sermon: “What Are You Seeking?” Matthew 14:22-33

²²Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. ²⁵And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. ²⁶But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. ²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

²⁸Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” ³¹Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³²When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

RESPONSE TO THE WORD

Hymn: “Stand By Me”

When the storms of life are raging,

stand by me (stand by me)

when the storms of life are raging,

stand by me (stand by me)

when the world is tossing me,

like a ship upon the sea,

thou who rulest wind and water,

stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of tribulation,

stand by me (stand by me)

in the midst of tribulation,

stand by me (stand by me)

when the hosts of hell assail,

and my strength begins to fail,

thou who never lost a battle,

stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of faults and failures,

stand by me (stand by me)

in the midst of faults and failures,

stand by me (stand by me)

when I've done the best I can,

and my friends misunderstand,

thou who knowest all about me,

stand by me (stand by me).

In the midst of persecution,

stand by me (stand by me)

in the midst of persecution,

stand by me (stand by me)

when my foes in war array

undertake to stop my way,

thou who savèd Paul and Silas,

stand by me (stand by me).

When I’m growing old and feeble,

stand by me (stand by me)

when I’m growing old and feeble,

stand by me (stand by me)

when my life becomes a burden,

and I’m nearing chilly Jordan,

O thou “Lily of the Valley,"

stand by me (stand by me).

Psalter: Affirmation From Romans

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword?

No!

In all things we are more than conquerors through the One who loved us.

We are sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gloria Patri

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.

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns:

Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Leave it There”

If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold,

and you have to get along with meager fare,

just remember in his Word how he feeds the little bird,