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Blacknall Worship from Home
February 7, 2021
Invocation
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (Psalm 145:3) We are in wonder, God, as we ponder that we were made to worship you. We come before you this morning offering ourselves, knowing that you delight when we gather together to worship you. By your Holy Spirit, empower us to serve and love you to the glory of your name. Amen.
Song | Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
2 Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
3 Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee
perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.
4 Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Words by Reginald Heber (1826), music by John Bacchus Dykes (1861). Public Domain.
Scripture Reading | Isaiah 59:12-21
12 For our transgressions before you are many,
and our sins testify against us.
Our transgressions indeed are with us,
and we know our iniquities:
13 transgressing, and denying the Lord,
and turning away from following our God,
talking oppression and revolt,
conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.
14 Justice is turned back,
and righteousness stands at a distance;
for truth stumbles in the public square,
and uprightness cannot enter.
15 Truth is lacking,
and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.
The Lord saw it, and it displeased him
that there was no justice.
16 He saw that there was no one,
and was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm brought him victory,
and his righteousness upheld him.
17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle.
18 According to their deeds, so will he repay;
wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies;
to the coastlands he will render requital.
19 So those in the west shall fear the name of the Lord,
and those in the east, his glory;
for he will come like a pent-up stream
that the wind of the Lord drives on.
20 And he will come to Zion as Redeemer,
to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the Lord.
21 And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from now on and forever.
Song | Lord Have Mercy
Jesus, we've forgotten the words that You have spoken
Promises that burned within our hearts have now grown dim
With a doubting heart we follow the paths of earthly wisdom
Forgive us for our unbelief
Renew the fire again
Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy
Lord have mercy on us
We have built our altars where we worship things of men
We have taken journeys that have drawn us far from You
Now we are returning to Your mercies ever flowing
Pardon our transgressions
Help us love You again
We have longed to know You & Your tender mercies
Like a river of forgiveness ever flowing without end
So we bow our hearts before You in the goodness of Your presence
Your grace forever shining
Like a beacon in the night
By Steve Merkel. © 2000 Integrity's Hosanna! Music. CCLI #2989578.
Call to Confession
What foolishness it is that we try to hide from you. We are reminded by the prophet Isaiah that our sins are laid bare before you and that they testify against us. Where shall we turn? We marvel at the mystery that despite our stubborn insistence to go our own way, you call us sons and daughters and welcome us into your presence. Come, let us kneel and confess our sins before the God who calls us his children.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, we come before you aware of our divided hearts. We much prefer to live according to our own desires rather than submitting to your ways. We choose not to believe that you are in control, and instead place our hope in our abilities, our relationships, and our political leaders. Yet, you do not leave us in our ways, but invite us into new life through your Son who loves us enough to go to the grave on our behalf. By your Spirit, renew our hearts so that we may follow you more faithfully. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Beloved, this is true: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Passing the Peace
May the peace of the Lord be with you.
Response: And also with you
Affirmation of Faith | Apostles Creed
We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And 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, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. We 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.
Children’s Blessing
With Leslie Petree.
Children’s Worship
If you would like to receive the Children’s Worship video email, please contact Beth Solie.
Proclamation of the Word | Pastor Allan Poole
Ephesians 6.11-24
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
23 Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love
Song of Response | Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art--
thou my best thought by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tow'r:
raise thou me heav'n-ward, O Pow'r of my pow'r.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Mary Elizabeth Byrne (translator), Eleanor Henrietta Hull (versifier). Arrangement by Wen Reagan. © 2016 Sursum Corda Music. CCLI #7139688
Presenting Our Gifts | Online Giving
You are invited to respond to God’s Word by giving to the mission God has called us to at Blacknall.
Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession | SHARE PRAYER REQUESTs HERE
(As you pray the following petitions, you are encouraged to pause and lift to the Lord particular concerns or people or events. Read prayer requests from Blacknall members and ministry partners here.)
Almighty God,
We thank you that you are in control over our world and that we can trust in your goodness. We join the Psalmist in wondrously proclaiming “What are human beings that you are mindful of us, mortals that you care for us?” (Psalm 8:4) We are especially mindful in this time of pandemic that things are not as they should be and we lift up those who are afflicted by the virus and who have lost loved ones this past year. We pray for your healing hand to rid this world of the pandemic.
In a world that is so desperately hurting, empower us with the Holy Spirit that we might be light and salt to the people that we encounter around us. In your Son, Jesus Christ, we come to know you as the God who meets us in the darkness and disharmony, so teach us be a people who respond to your love by being a peacemaking people on earth.
We are mindful of this time of transition here in our chruch. We pray for our pastors and our session as they dream together Blacknall’s future. We are keenly aware that we will need to be clothed daily in your armor of truth, righteousness, and peace as we bear with one another in this time. Unify us and give us wisdom and patience as we joyfully and prayerfully plan for these next years. May we be a people who are known by our love.
We pray this all in your Son’s name,
who taught us to pray…
Our Father...
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Benediction
Song | Salvation Belongs to Our God
Salvation belongs to our God,
Who sits upon the throne,
And unto the Lamb....
Praise and Glory, Wisdom and Thanks,
Honor and Power and Strength
Be to our God forever and ever! (3x)
Amen!
And we the redeemed shall be strong
In purpose and unity,
Declaring aloud....
Praise and Glory, Wisdom and Thanks,
Honor and Power and Strength
Be to our God forever and ever! (3x)
Amen!
Words & Music by Adrian Howard and Pat Turner. © 1985 Restoration Music, Ltd. CCLI# 43066
St Patrick’s Breastplate
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.
I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.
I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.
I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.