10th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 12 (Year B)

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Call to Worship

Come, you people of the Lord, adopted by God’s grace.                                                        Eph. 1-2
We are gathered to share our inheritance of love and light.
Come, you people of the Lord, you who are no longer strangers and aliens.
We are gathered to tear down the dividing walls between us.
Come, you people of the Lord, citizens with the saints of God.
We are gathered to pursue the peace that has been given to us in Jesus Christ.
Come, you people of the Lord, let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,                                                               Ps. 145:10-12
and all your faithful shall bless you.
Give us the courage and wisdom
to speak of the glory of your kingdom
and to make known to all people your mighty deeds.  Amen.

Call to Confession

The Lord is faithful and gracious.                                                                                           Ps. 145:13
But we do not always reflect that faithfulness and graciousness.
Let us confess our sin.

Confession

Gracious and merciful God,
we come before you as members of your family
adopted into your realm of righteousness and justice.
But too often we shun that inheritance                                                                                       Eph. 1
and instead fill our lives with things that are destructive - 
greed, apathy, violence, and cruelty.
Forgive us for the sins we have done and continue to do.
Direct our hearts to turn to the peace that can only be found in Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Psalm 145 reminds us that God upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
Friends, look up!  For God has forgiven our sins!
Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Come to us, Holy Spirit,
that we may have the power to comprehend
what is the breadth and length and height and depth
of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

Let us pray to God saying:
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.                                                                    Eph. 3:17

Today we pray for this congregation,
that we might comprehend the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge
and that we might be equipped, through the Holy Spirit,
to spread that love all around.
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.

We pray for those within our congregation
that are recovering from surgery or undergoing health problems,
especially ..........
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.

We pray for the staff of this church,
that they may be supported, encouraged, 
and invigorated for the work they are called to do.
We pray especially for
Wayne, our music director;
Larry, our organist;
Christina, our office manager;
Jeff, our youth director;
Robin, our nursery director;
and Kate; our BLC director.
We give you thanks for their dedication
and faithfulness to the ministry of this congregation.
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.

We pray for this Presbytery and our fellow congregations:
Especially for .......... 
We pray that their leaders might be equipped for the work they are called to do
and that we might be united in the Spirit to fulfill our mutual calling.
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.

Good and merciful God, you know every prayer
before it even reaches our lips.
Hear now the concerns of our hearts
as we lift them up to you in silence…
Gracious God, dwell in our hearts through faith.

In all things and in all places,
guide our hearts
because they do not rest until they rest in you.
Hear us as we pray as your Son taught us to pray, saying:  Our Father...

 

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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.