Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

August 20, 2023

Twelfth 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:  “Hold On” Stefanie

Centering Words:

How good it is that sisters and brothers live together in human dignity. As we celebrate our common humanity this day, let us lift up a humane spirituality in song and silence, prayer and practice.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:    Every sense is bombarded daily with the sound of hurtful words and the touch of polluted air and water.

People:   God’s Spirit cleanses us with every breath we take as we breathe out our praises.

Leader:    Every sense is bombarded daily with the taste of food that does not satisfy and the whiff of corruption.

People:   God’s Spirit cleanses us with every breath we take as we breathe out our praises.

Leader:    Every sense is bombarded daily with sights that disturb and distract.

People:   God’s Spirit cleanses us with every breath we take as we breathe out our praises.

Leader:    Let us praise our maker while we have breath. Let us pray.

ALL: We cry to you, O Lord, from the back of the line, from the edge of the crowd, from the corner of the room. But you make no such distinctions, nor do you set such boundaries. Your faithfulness is great; your grace is enough. And we are covered in your love. In Christ Name we give you praise. Amen.

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

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

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

In coming forth, we take a single step, and God faithfully bridges the gap.

You are loved and your spirit is healed in the embrace of a God of love and healing.

Thanks be to God. Amen

*Old Testament Reading: Genesis 45:1-15

¹ Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. ³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷ God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹ Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰ You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ ¹² And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. ¹³ You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” ¹⁴ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵ And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Choose Forgiveness”

Hymn: “Grace Greater than Our Sin”

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,

there where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,

threaten the soul with infinite loss;

grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,

points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that is greater than all our sin.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.

What can avail to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,

brighter than snow you may be today.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that is greater than all our sin.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see his face,

will you this moment his grace receive?

Grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

grace, grace, God’s grace,

grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sermon: “Is It Fair?” Matthew 15:10-28

¹⁰ Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: ¹¹ it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” ¹² Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” ¹³ He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵ But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” ¹⁶ Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

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: “My Hope Is Built”

My hope is built on nothing less

than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean in Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand;

all other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils his lovely face,

I rest on his unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,

my anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand;

all other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, his covenant, his blood,

support me in the whelming flood.

When all around my soul gives way,

he then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand;

all other ground is sinking sand.

When he shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh may I then in him be found.

Dressed in his righteousness alone,

faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid rock I stand,

all other ground is sinking sand;

all other ground is sinking sand.

Benediction