Geneva Methodist Church Worship

July 21^st, 2024

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Please silence your cell phones

Welcome

Announcements

Call To Worship

Opening Hymn

1.	Come, we that love the Lord, 
	and let our joys be known; 
	join in a song with sweet accord, 
	and thus surround the throne.

2.	Let those refuse to sing 
	who never knew our God; 
	but children of the heavenly King 
	may speak their joys abroad.

3.	The hill of Zion yields 
	a thousand sacred sweets 
	before we reach the heavenly fields, 
	or walk the golden streets.

4.	Then let our songs abound, 
	and every tear be dry; 
	we're marching through Emmanuel's ground, 
	to fairer worlds on high.

Scripture Reading

Affirmation of Faith

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.

Hymn of Preparation

1.     In Christ there is no east or west,
       in him no south or north;
       but one great fellowship of love
       throughout the whole wide earth.

2.     In Christ shall true hearts everywhere
       their high communion find;
       his service is the golden cord
       close binding humankind.

3.     In Christ is neither Jew or Greek,
       And neither slave nor free.
       Both male and female heirs are made,
       and all are kin to me.

4.     In Christ now meet both east and west,
       in him meet south and north;
       all Christly souls are one in him
       throughout the whole wide earth.

Intercessory Prayer

Now is the time to pray for ourselves and our world. Please respond when I say "Lord, in your mercy..." with the words "...Hear our prayer." Ready? "Lord, in your mercy..."

...Hear our prayer

Good, let us go to God in prayer.

Lord, we come here today in fellowship with one another setting aside this time solely for you. To offer you praise and worship, to hear you speak to us, and to leave here shaped a little bit more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. So we come humbly and quietly before you, praying, Lord, in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

O God, we thank you for those times this week where we smiled and laughed, those times of friendship enjoyed, of meals shared, those times when we appreciated the beauty of nature, when we felt a peace in our hearts, when we paused to be grateful for the life you have given us. For all of these, and so much more, we know that we are blessed. And in gratitude and joy, we pray, Lord in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

For our days of difficulty and struggle, for the times when we have been less than our best, we give you thanks that you do not turn away from us and that we are never alone. The Bible tells us that when we confess our sins, you are gracious and just to forgive us, and help us start anew. And so, we pause in silence to personally confess our sins to you now. Lord, in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

Lord, we lift to you our church. We want John Wesley to be a strong and vital church in our community. We want to be used by you to make a difference in the lives of others. The need for hope, acceptance, love and compassion is great, and you are the answer to those needs. Help us to show others the way to you through our programs, through our ministries, and most of all through our lives and example. Lord, in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

We lift to you our country and its leaders. We thank you that government employees can go back to work and be paid. And we pray now for change. We pray that egos and power plays will be set aside, and that wisdom, vision and collaboration will prevail. You are sorely needed, and so Lord, in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

Lord, for those who are sick, suffering, lonely, misguided, or just in need of your presence, we ask that you would touch them with your healing, with your guidance, with your peace. You have those on our prayer list, but hear us now as people in this congregation lift out loud the names of those for whom we ask your blessing. Lord, in your mercy...

...Hear our prayer

Now is the time we raise specific prayers for those who need you. Please call out the name of anyone who needs to feel God's comforting touch.

Call out the names of those in need to God.

Lord, for the confidence and joy and hope we have because we walk daily with you, we give you thanks and praise in the name of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. And all the people of God said:

Amen

Anthem

Presentation of our Tithes and Offerings

Now it is the time in the service where we give back a portion of what God has blessed us with. If you are watching this online, please go to our website, genevamethodistchurch.org and click on the link titled "Tithes and Offerings".

Please join me in prayer as we prepare for our time of offering.

Lord Jesus, Our Savior and Redeemer, we come to you with hearts filled with gratitude for the abundant blessings you give us each day. We acknowledge that cheerful giving is not an obligation but a joyful act of worship. Help us understand that our giving is an expression of our deep love for you and our want to further your kingdom here on earth.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)

Doxology

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.

God, we give thanks for your presence in our lives. Bless these offerings, that they may be used to advance your kingdom and glorify your name. And may our faith continue to grow stronger each day, bringing us closer to you. Amen.

Holy Communion

Now comes the time for Holy Communion. I am not an ordained minister able to bless and provide the elements to you. We do have small communion sets with a wafer and grape juice you may use if you choose to at this time. I will be reading the last supper scripture from Matthew and will indicate where you may choose to participate. Does anyone need one of the communion sets? Let us pray.

Dear Lord, as we approach this table, we come humbly before You, recognizing the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Sanctify this bread and wine, and let them be for us the body and blood of Christ. May this communion strengthen our faith, deepen our love for You and for one another, and renew our spirits. Help us to remember the great cost of our salvation and to live in gratitude for Your grace. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
Matthew 26:26 (NIV)

You may take the bread at this time.

²⁷Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:27-28 (NIV)

You may drink the cup at this time.

Let us pray.

We thank You, Lord, Almighty Father, Everlasting god, for having been pleased, through no merit of our own, but of Your great mercy alone, to feed us, mere sinners, and Your unworthy servants, with the precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray that this Holy Communion may not be for our judgment and condemnation, but for our pardon and salvation. Let this Holy Communion be to us an armor of faith and a shield of good will, a cleansing of all vices, and a rooting out of all evil desires. May it increase love and patience, humility and obedience, and all virtues. May it be a firm defense against the evil designs of all our visible and invisible enemies, a perfect quieting of all the desires of soul and body. May this Holy Communion bring about a perfect union with You, the one true God, and at last enable me to reach eternal bliss when You will call me.

I pray that You bring me, a sinner, to the indescribable Feast where You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, are to Your saints true light, full blessedness, everlasting joy, and perfect happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Sermon

Benediction and Sending Forth

Let us rise for the benediction.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace, this day and forever more. Amen.

Closing Hymn

1.	Take my life, and let it be 
	consecrated, Lord, to thee. 
	Take my moments and my days; 
	let them flow in ceaseless praise. 
	Take my hands, and let them move 
	at the impulse of thy love. 
	Take my feet, and let them be 
	swift and beautiful for thee.

2.	Take my voice, and let me sing 
	always, only, for my King. 
	Take my lips, and let them be 
	filled with messages from thee. 
	Take my silver and my gold; 
	not a mite would I withhold. 
	Take my intellect, and use 
	every power as thou shalt choose.

3.	Take my will, and make it thine; 
	it shall be no longer mine. 
	Take my heart, it is thine own; 
	it shall be thy royal throne. 
	Take my love, my Lord, I pour 
	at thy feet its treasure-store. 
	Take myself, and I will be 
	ever, only, all for thee.