A Service for the Lord’s Day
June 7, 2020
Trinity Sunday

Prelude

“The Potter’s Hand” - performed by Courtney Umphlett

Call to Worship – Psalm 8 (The Message)

God, brilliant Lord,
    yours is a household name.
Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
    toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
    and silence atheist babble.
I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?
Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.
God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.

Opening Prayer

Holy, holy, holy God, we worship and adore you—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today in our worship we long for a glimpse of your glory, seen perfectly in Christ, our Lord. As we worship, may we gain new insight about the mystery and wonder of your love. And may we find new ways to mirror that love in our world, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Opening Song

“Holy, Holy, Holy”

Prayer of Confession

Father, you have come to meet us as we return to you.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, you died on the cross for our sins.
Christ, have mercy.
Spirit, you give us life and peace.
Lord, have mercy.
Please hear us as we confess our sins and shortcomings, confident of your grace.
(Silent confession)

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, hear the good news and rejoice: We did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but we have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”, it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In him, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Children’s Message

Scripture Reading

Philippians 1:1-2

Sermon – A Letter of Friendship

Song of Response

“Who Is Like The Lord Our God”

Affirmation of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed

I 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 Ghost, 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 sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of the People

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: we adore you for your threeness and oneness, a holy mystery. We are in awe of that same unfathomable mystery reflected in the world around us: your beautiful creation; the complexity of an atom; the birth of a child; relationships of mutuality, reciprocity, trust, and love. We praise you for who you are, and for who you have created us to be as your image-bearers and partakers of the divine nature.

We come to you today with heavy hearts, for though you have created us for love, we have turned away and created such hate instead. Our world, our nation, our community, and our hearts bear witness to this. These days are filled with the cries of the lonely, the angry, the marginalized, and the oppressed. Help us to hear them. Help us to respond with grace. Most of all, help us to trust in you as the one who promises to send justice down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Break our hearts for what breaks yours, that we might truly be the church you are calling us to be and learn to live in love.

In humility and in hope, we offer our prayers to you today for:

Creation and its care… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
The nations of the world… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Our nation, its leaders, and its people… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Our community and those in authority… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
The church universal as it works on your behalf… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Our local church in its ministry… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Friends and family with particular needs… Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.

We lift up these prayers, trusting that you hear us. And we pray now as Jesus taught us:

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.

Tithes and Offerings

With gratitude for the gospel, we share our time, talents, and resources with the Lord. (You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. Thank you!)

Online Giving

Offertory

“Let Us Break Bread Together”

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

A Prayer in the Absence of the Lord’s Supper

Lord Jesus, we believe that you are present in the Sacrament. We love you above all things and we long to receive you. Since we cannot at this time receive you sacramentally, we ask that you come spiritually into our hearts and unite yourself to us. Never let us be separated from you. We pray this in your name, amen.

Closing Song

“Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

Benediction

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you now and forever.
Amen.

Blog