Worship Guide
July 20, 2025
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greeting:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “Who You Say I Am” Stefanie
Centering Words:
The righteous are like green olive trees in the house of the Lord. They will dwell in God’s steadfast love forever and ever.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: We come into God’s presence,
People: like green olive trees in the house of God.
Leader: We drink deep from the waters of life,
People: like young saplings in the courtyard of the Lord.
Leader: We ripen in the light of God,
People: like the fruit of God’s vineyard.
Leader: Come! Let us worship as we pray.
ALL: Loving God, your presence in our lives is like a green olive tree– a joy to the heart and a blessing to the spirit. Your movement in our midst is like a basket of summer fruit– a delight to the eye and a pleasure to the tongue. Speak to us your words of life, that we may sit at your feet and know that we are yours. Amen.
Hymn: “It Is Well With My Soul”
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
it is well, with my soul,
it is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
it is well, with my soul,
it is well, it is well, with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
it is well, with my soul,
it is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
it is well, with my soul,
it is well, it is well, with my soul.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
There is no condemnation in Christ.
In his mercy, we are united and reconciled with God.
Rejoice that we find abundant life in his name.
Amen
*Gospel Reading: Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
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: “Better Than Everything”
Hymn: “Victory in Jesus”
I heard an old, old story,
how a Savior came from glory,
how he gave his life on Calvary
to save a wretch like me;
I heard about his groaning,
of his precious blood's atoning,
then I repented of my sins
and won the victory.
O victory in Jesus, my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about his healing,
of his cleansing power revealing,
how he made the lame to walk again
and caused the blind to see;
and then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
came and heal my broken spirit,"
and some how Jesus came and
brought to me the victory.
O victory in Jesus, my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about a mansion
he has built for me in glory,
and I heard about the streets of gold
beyond the crystal sea;
about the angels singing
and the old redemption story,
and some sweet day
I'll sing up there
the song of victory.
O victory in Jesus, my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
Sermon: “Image of the Invisible” Colossians 1:15-28
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.
21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— 23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
THE SACRAMENTS OF
HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation, Prayer of Confession and Pardon:
Christ our Lord invites to his table
all who love him,
who earnestly repent of their sin
and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God
and one another.
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you
with our whole hearts.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will,
we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the
cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God's love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
Glory to God. Amen
The Great 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.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of
heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and
breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed,
your love remained steadfast.
You delivered us from captivity,
made covenant to be our sovereign God,
and spoke to us through your prophets.
And so, with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it
in remembrance of me."
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith
Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen
And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.
Amen
Sharing of the Cup and Loaf
Moment of Prayer and Meditation
Prayer of Thanks
Eternal God, we give you thanks
for this holy mystery
in which you have given yourself to us.
Grant that we may go into the world
in the strength of your Spirit,
to give ourselves to others,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Shine, Jesus, Shine”
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Lord, the light of your is shining
in the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, Light of the Word, shine upon us,
set us free by the truth you now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Lord, I come to your awesome presence
from the shadows into your radiance;
by the blood I may enter your brightness,
search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
As we gaze on your kingly brightness,
so our faces display your likeness;
ever changing from glory to glory,
mirrored here may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Benediction
Hymn: “Go Now In Peace”
Go now in peace, Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of ev-ry day.
Go now in faith, stead-fast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you be-lieve.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
