HELPFUL LINKS

Blacknall Worship from Home
October 4, 2020

Prelude

“Fantasy on ‘Waly Waly’” (composed by Andy Sauerwein)

Invocation

Lord, we were outsiders, but you drew us in; you brought us near through the life and death of Your Son. As we come to worship, we rejoice in Your kindness to us and we count on You to be who You are: a God who seeks us out to give us life. By Your Holy Spirit, seek us and find us today, as we are seeking You. Humble us with the incomparable riches of Your grace. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Song | “Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here”

There’s nothing worth more that could ever come close.
No thing can compare; You’re our living hope.
Your presence, Lord…

I’ve tasted and seen of the sweetest of loves,
Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone.
Your presence, Lord…

Holy Spirit, You are welcome here.
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for,
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord.
Your presence, Lord…

Let us become aware of Your presence.
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness. (repeat both lines)

Words and Music by Katie and Bryan Torwalt
© 2011 Jesus Culture Music. CCLI #43066

Scripture Reading | Psalm 133

How good and pleasant it is

when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,

running down on the beard,

running down on Aaron’s beard,

down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon

were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessing,

even life forevermore.

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 doubting hearts we followed 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.
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy on us.

We have built our altars where we’ve worshipped things of man;
We have taken journeys that have drawn us far from You;
Now we are returning to Your mercies ever flowing:
Pardon our transgression, help us love You again.

We have longed to know You and all 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.

Words and Music by Steve Merkel © 2000 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music.
CCLI #43066

Prayer of Confession

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph. 2:4-5). Therefore, let us come now before the Lord and freely confess our sins.

Lord, You tell your people to remember, but we forget. You tell your people to remember, but we are deceived. We do not know ourselves or our own story: We are outsiders brought in through the mercy of Christ. Forgive us when we think you are not merciful. Forgive us when we think that we do not need mercy. Forgive us when we go about as “insiders” in Your Kingdom. Forgive us for the ways we obscure Your peace and further hostility in Your body, the church. By the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead, make us alive with Him: Help us to remember your kindness. Teach us the story of grace. Make us a sign of Your mercy in the world. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, it is true: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven! We are made alive again!

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 & 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 2.11-18

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Song of Response | “One Bread, One Body”

One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
One cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth,
We are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
Woman or man, no more.

Many the gifts, many the works,
One in the Lord of all.

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 Dick & Nancy Bagge, World Relief Durham, and Steve Edwards. Read prayer needs for mission partners and others here.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession | Prayer Requests

Lord, we are awed by the incomparable riches of Your grace.

We thank you, Father, that through Jesus we have access to you by the one Holy Spirit. We thank you that you have made us one, that in Christ there is no East or West, in him no North or South. We pray that your Church might reflect the truth of our being “one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.”

We thank you, Sovereign Lord, that in these days of turmoil and anger you are our Rock and our Redeemer. We thank you that you will accomplish your purposes and we pray that we might participate with you in your Kingdom coming.

Lord, we thank you for brothers and sisters that you have given to us and we mention those who have been gifts to us of your grace by name now… (mention those by name)

Lord, we do pray for your Church. We pray for this congregation of Blacknall that we might be a people who are a powerful testimony to your grace. May we be transparent in our need for a Savior. May we be radical in our generosity and hospitality. May we be slow to anger and quick to forgive and quick to ask for forgiveness.

Lord, help us to be those who demonstrate that you have destroyed the barriers, the dividing walls of hostility that are pulling our world apart. Might our life together be a demonstration of the peace you have made for us.

We pray not only for Blacknall but for your Church in Durham, in our nation and around the world. May the nature of our life together cause our neighbors to wonder what brings these people together.

Lord, as one people, we bring to you in prayer those who are precious to you:

We pray for our children, especially those who are most vulnerable… (mention those by name)
We pray for those who are sick and in pain…(mention those by name)
We pray for those who are grieving… (mention those by name)
We pray for those who are being persecuted for righteousness sake… (mention those by name)
We pray for the poor and the poor in spirit… (mention those by name)
We pray for those who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness and may that be us. Give us hearts, minds, and bodies that long after you.

We pray this as your People whom you taught 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....