18th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 20

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Call to Worship

Praise be to God the Creator, who breathes life into being.
Praise be to God the Redeemer, who saves us from ourselves.
Praise be to God the Sustainer, who binds us together as one body.
Come, children of the Triune God, come worship our wild and wonderful Maker.

Prayer of the Day

Author of our Lives,
we praise you for writing us into your narrative of salvation.
As characters in this chapter of your story of creation,
help us tell the truth of your steadfast love and mercy
to all who have ears to hear.  Amen.

Call to Confession

With humility and honesty, let us confess our sins to our God
who is slow to anger and quick to forgive.

Confession

Abundant God, so much of our harmful behavior is rooted in our envy. Jas. 3
You have given us our manna - our daily bread - but we want more.
We have allowed ourselves to be seduced by commercialism,
telling ourselves that we are not complete until we have the nicest things.
Forgive us when our actions convey that you are not enough for us.
Help us to live our lives simply and faithfully,
trusting in your steadfast love to provide all that we need.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, our salvation is not something that can be purchased with money or fame.
Our salvation comes from Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
I announce to you this day, our sins are forgiven.
Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

As children welcomed to your presence,   Mark 9:36-37
instill within us a sense of curiosity and wonder
as we gather to listen to your Word.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

Let us pray to God saying:
God of Welcome and Wonder, help us draw the welcome circle wider.

Triune God,
you are the Creator, who has brought all life into being.
With nothing but a word, you stirred the whirling planets.
You brought life to the fish of the sea and the birds of the air.
You called to your family people of different colors, races, and creeds.
Help us to value the perspective of people different than us.
God of Welcome and Wonder, help us draw the welcome circle wider.

Triune God,
you are the Redeemer, who has renewed all of creation.
With nothing but a body, you walked this earth and changed our lives.
You brought freedom to the enslaved and salvation to the oppressed.
You called to your family people of different colors, races, and creeds.
Help us to welcome the truth that ALL people are worthy of love.
God of Welcome and Wonder, help us draw the welcome circle wider.

Triune God,
you are the Sustainer, who brings all of us together.
With nothing but a wind, you brought us all together.
You brought unity to those who were divided by society
You called to your family people of different passions, gifts, and voices.
Help us spread the news of your gospel that all might be invited to its abundance.
God of Welcome and Wonder, help us draw the welcome circle wider.

Triune God,
help us care for those who are in need:
for those who are alone this day,
for those who lack the resources to care for their family,
for those who see no way out of the graves that surround them,
for those who want nothing more than a word of welcome,
and for those who need the gospel to sustain them for the coming week.
Help us care for those who we lift up to you now aloud or in silence…
God of Welcome and Wonder, help us draw the welcome circle wider.

Triune God,
hear our prayer this day
and provide for us our daily manna
that we might continue to serve you faithfully.
This we pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray, saying:  Our Father…

Prayer of Great Thanksgiving

Let us pray to God saying:
God of Wisdom, draw near to us. Jas. 4:8

Ever-present God,
we look around the world and we see places where people cry out to you:
in places torn by the ravages of war,
in countries demolished by natural disasters,
in areas of rural Kentucky where there are no jobs,
in families across our state who have been devastated by opioid addiction.
Help us bear your light into the places in the world that need illumination and healing.
God of Wisdom, draw near to us.

Gracious God,
give us a gentleness born of wisdom           Jas. 3:13
that we might go out into the world and serve as your ambassadors.
In order to do that, bless us with the wisdom needed to do so - 
a wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,
full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
God of Wisdom, draw near to us.

God of all mercy and grace,
give us the courage to seek you out,
to search our hearts for your truth,
and to be guided by the stories of scripture.
Since our hearts do not rest until they rest in you,
lead us to the pastures of your protection,
that we might be faithful members of your flock.
God of Wisdom, draw near to us.

God of the Refugee,
we pray this day for refugees around the world.
And we lament the fact that the White House announced this week
that it will decrease the amount of refugees allowed into the United States next year
from 45,000 to 30,000 - the lowest level since 1980.
We are reminded that you call us to treat the refugee with gentleness.
Help us do better.
God of Wisdom, draw near to us.

Healing God,
we pray for those among us this day who need your love:
for those who struggle with depression’s grip,
for those who journey with physical disabilities,
for those who are lonely,
for those who are hopeless,
for those who are addicted,
for those who are angry and bitter,
for those who are broken and battered,
and for those we lift up to you in silence this day…
God of Wisdom, draw near to us.

Giver of Hope and Truth,
hear us today as we pray the prayer you 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.