14th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 16 (Year B)

Call to Worship

    It is the Lord who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt.                 Joshua 24
    It was God who freed us from captivity and did great signs in our sight.
    God has protected us and called us together to serve the Body of Christ.
    Therefore, we will serve the Lord for we are God’s children.
    Come, let us serve and worship the Lord.

Prayer of the Day

    God of all wonder and praise,
    a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.                                                 Ps. 84:10
    Gather us in this place to make your heart our home.
    And may our hearts beat with yours
    as we seek guidance and wisdom
    to be the disciples you’re calling us to be.  Amen.

Call to Confession

    As people of God’s promise,
    let us confess our sins to one another
    in all honesty and humility.

Confession

    Abundant God,
    you offer us the bread of life,                                                                                            
John 6:58
    a source of nourishment
    that surpasses anything that we could secure for ourselves.
    But often we trade that Living Bread
    for things that give us instant gratification
    or a false sense of security apart from your providence.
    Forgive us for our lack of trust
    and our inability to live into your steadfast love.
    Gift us with faith we need to repent and turn to you.
    This we pray in the name of your son, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

    Friends,
    I announce to you this day that our sins have been forgiven.
    Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of God’s power.                                                Eph. 6:10
    Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

    God of All Wisdom,
    bless us today in the reading of your word
    that we might be guided by its wisdom
    and serve you and you alone.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

    Let us pray to God saying:
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    You have called us your children
    and gathered us as your people
    for the purpose of serving you
    and the world you so lovingly created.
    Give us courage to do the work at hand.
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    We give thanks, Heavenly Parent,
    that there are many ways of serving your Kin-dom.
    We ask for a clear mind and a generous Spirit
    to guide us as we discern how we are called to serve.
    We live in a busy world and many things compete for our attention.
    May our focus be on your generous nature
    and the ways we can share that generosity with others.
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    Help us, God of Servant Leadership,
    to dress appropriately for the task of building up your Body.
    Fasten the belt of truth upon our waists.
    Dress us with the breastplate of righteousness.
    Mount the shields of faith upon our arms.
    Place the helmet of salvation atop our heads.
    Help us put on the whole armor of your strength
    that we may fight the good fight and run this race.
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    We ask this day that you help us serve those around us:
    for those who have been hurt by the Church,
    for those who have experienced judgement and harassment,
    for those who are waiting to serve but have never been invited,
    for those who are discerning new ways to serve in new chapters of their life,
    and for those who feel like they have nothing to offer.
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    Abundant God of every blessing,
    instill within us the heart of a servant
    that we might follow the example of your son, Jesus Christ,
    who embodied the life of the servant leader.
    Give us wisdom and courage to take up the mantle of mission
    and the sacrificial nature of your calling.
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    Healing God,
    we pray for those who are upon our hearts this day
    and ask that we may serve all who are in need…
    Gracious God, help us serve you boldly.

    Hear us, Faithful God,
    as we lift up to you the prayer you taught us to pray, saying:  Our Father…

 

Comment

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.