Worship Guide
June 29, 2025
Third 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: “Fighting for Me” Stefanie
Centering Words:
When Elijah was about to be taken from him, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. May we too recognize our need and have the courage to ask for what we need to do our ministries.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: We will call to mind the works of the Lord,
People: and remember God’s wonders of old.
Leader: In times of trouble, we cry out to God,
People: longing for our souls to be comforted.
Leader: When our spirits are weary,
People: we reach for God’s arms.
Leader: Even when we don’t feel courageous,
People: we need to receive God’s peace.
Leader: Keeping God’s deeds in mind,
People: we carry them in our hearts.
Leader: For God’s ways are holy,
People: and God’s grace is great.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Holy One, the waters tremble and the skies open. Your voice rumbles with thunder, flashes with lightning, and crashes with waves as the earth shakes. And yet, there is peace in your voice. You trouble the waters of our spirits, even as you soothe the struggles of our souls. Your footprints guide our way– unseen by human eyes, but always visible to our hearts. Amen
Hymn: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down;
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit,
into every troubled breast!
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish, then, thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Jesus says, “Follow me.” When we stay with him, he always stays with us.
God places the Spirit upon us and within us, trusting us to watch and follow.
The Holy One calls us to reach out our hands and receive God’s mantle of leadership. Believing that we can, we will.
Amen.
Special Music: “Hold on To Me” Meagan
*Gospel Reading: Luke 9:51-62
51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they went on to another village.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Special Music: “Lord, I Need You” Charles
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Freedom”
Hymn: “Freely, Freely”
God forgave my sin in Jesus' name
I've been born again in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
To share His love as He told me to
He said freely, freely You have received
Freely, freely give Go in My name
And because you believe
Others will know that I live
All power is given in Jesus' name
In earth and heaven in Jesus' name
And in Jesus' name I come to you
I come to you to share His power
as He told me to
He said freely, freely You have received
Freely, freely give
Go in My name And because you believe
Others will know that I live
Sermon: “Called to Freedom” Galatians 5:1, 13-25
1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Two Fishermen” TFWS 2101
Two fishermen, who lived along the Sea of Galilee,
stood by the shore to cast their nets into an ageless sea.
Now Jesus watched them from afar,
then called them each by name.
It changed their lives, these simple men;
they'd never be the same.
"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."
And as he walked along the shore
'twas James and John he'd find,
and these two sons of Zebedee
would leave their boats behind.
Their work and all they held so dear
they left beside their nets.
Their names they'd heard as Jesus called;
they came without regret.
"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."
O Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John beloved one,
you heard Christ's call to speak good news
revealed to God's own Son.
Susanna, Mary, Magdalene who traveled with your Lord,
you ministered to him with joy for he is God adored.
"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."
And you, good Christians, one and all who'd follow Jesus' way,
come leave behind what keeps you bound
to trappings of our day,
and listen as he calls your name to come and follow near,
for still he speaks in varied ways to those his call will hear.
"Leave all things you have and come and follow me."
Psalter: The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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,
is seated at the right hand of the
Father, and 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.
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Special Music: “Desperate” Stefanie
Prayers of the People Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Love Lifted Me”
I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more,
but the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
from the waters lifted me, now safe am I.
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help Love lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help Love lifted me!
Souls in danger look above, Jesus completely saves;
he will lift you by his love, out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea, billows his will obey,
he your Savior wants to be, be saved today.
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help Love lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help Love lifted me!
Special Music: “The Old Rugged Cross” Meagan
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.
God now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
