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Life Together - The online bulletin
Blacknall Worship from Home
October 25, 2020
Prelude | “Dwelling Place”
Youtube recording, just listen as if the singer is praying for you.
I fall on my knees to the Father of Jesus,
The Lord who has shown us the glory of God.
May He in His love give us strength for our living,
The strength of His Spirit, the glory of God.
May Christ find a dwelling place of faith in our hearts.
May our lives be rooted in love, rooted in love.
May grace and peace be yours in God our Father,
And in His Son. (chorus)
I fall on my knees to the Father of Jesus,
The Lord who has shown us the glory of God. (chorus)
©1976 John B. Foley, S.J., and North American Liturgy Resources.
Used by permission
Invocation
Lord, we do pray that you would find a dwelling place of faith in our hearts. Make your home in us and may our lives be rooted in love. May our life together be rooted in love to the glory of your holy name, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Song | “All Creatures of Our God and King”
All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice with us and sing
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam,
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
All ye who are of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
Sing His praises, Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care,
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him, Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One,
O praise Him, O praise Him,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
Words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, c. 1225; translated William Draper, 1916.
German tune from 1600s, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906.
Scripture Reading | Psalm 63
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
But those who seek to destroy my life
shall go down into the depths of the earth;
they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
they shall be a portion for jackals.
But the king shall rejoice in God;
all who swear by him shall exult,
for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Song | “Spirit of Heaven”
Spirit of Heaven, flood over me, forming Christ in all that I do.
Turn every sinful desire in me into holy passion for You.
O, Spirit of God, come down;
Let mercy and grace abound.
My Passionate prayer shall be:
Christ in me.
Spirit of beauty and holiness, come refine with fire from above,
‘Til I am cast in Your righteousness and I love the things that You love.
Breathe Your forgiveness when darkness falls and my heart is heavy with sin.
Fill me with faith for the higher cause of the ceaseless praise of the King.
Words and Music by Keith & Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend
© 2007 Thankyou Music. CCLI #43066
Call to Confession
Our passionate prayer is that the Lord Jesus Christ might dwell in us, in our hearts. When he comes, he comes to transform us, to make us holy, to set us free. Let us invite his Holy Spirit to shine in our hearts now to convict us of how we need to repent and be changed into his likeness. Let us kneel in confession to our God… [time of silent confession]
Prayer of Confession
Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done and there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent according to your promises declared to humankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a holy, just, and humble life, to the glory of your Holy Name. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Beloved, our God’s steadfast love is better than life! 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
Ephesians 3:18,19
Children’s Worship
If you would like to receive the Children’s Worship video email, please contact Beth Solie.
Proclamation of the Word | Pastor Goodie Bell
The sermon is provided above in video and audio format.
Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Song of Response | “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss!
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon his shoulders.
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life.
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything:
No gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ:
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Words and Music by Stuart Townend.
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music. CCLI #43066
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. Your financial giving includes support of Durham Rescue Mission, Dan Kronstad of International Students, Inc., and John and Karen Friesen with the Mennonite Central Committee in Egypt. Read their prayer requests here.
Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession | Prayer Requests
Lord, we thank you that you have made known to us your love which is beyond understanding. We thank you that you have made known to us your grace and mercy. We thank you that you have revealed to us your purpose for us and the nature of your Kingdom.
Lord, you are able to do far more abundantly than all that we can ask or imagine, and yet our prayers to you are so impoverished. We live such small lives where we idolize our comfort and security. You invite us to walk with you on the water and we prefer to stay in the boat. [Matthew 14:22ff.] Help us to pray according to your power that is at work within us.
We pray that you would enable us to live lives that depend on you. We pray that you would help us to fulfill your purpose for us. We pray that you would fill us with your courage to risk doing those things that we can only do if your power is at work in us.
Particularly, Lord, we pray that we might risk loving one another. We pray that we would risk the hurt and the injury of loving one another and when we are hurt that we would risk forgiveness and being hurt again.
Lord, we pray that we might risk loving our neighbors, those who live next door to us… (mention those by name)
those who share in the work you have called us to do… (mention those by name)
those who are wounded, beaten, dying, frightened, and alone both literally and metaphorically… (mention those by name or ask the Lord to place them on your heart)
Lord, we cannot do this without you and your Spirit. Fill us “to the measure of all of your fullness” so that we reflect your glory to the world around us. We pray this as your people whom you taught to pray...
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