Grace Presbyterian Church
Serving people, through Christ, to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us.
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude “Change My Heart, O God” Eddie Espinosa arr. Mark Hayes
Responsive Call to Worship
One: In this sacred hour of worship when we name things for what they really are,
All: we give to God what is God’s.
One: Between the demands of this last week and the demands of the one ahead
All: we give to God what is God’s.
One: With open hearts and hands and minds, every innate gift from our loving Creator,
All: we give to God what is God’s.
Opening Prayer
Hymn 473* “For the Beauty of the Earth”
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Lesson Psalm 96:1-9
Time with Children
Hymn 304 v. 1* “Jesus Loves Me!”
Unison Prayer of Confession followed by Silent Personal Confession
Creator God, we are commanded to give to you what is branded as yours. But since we cannot see your face, we confess to a miserable confusion. Where is your image printed?
Not on our coinage or our calendars. Not on any of the things we buy in the store or in the ad-laden videos that stream by us. No, the only place we can see your face, is in our neighbor and in the mirror. We’re the ones created in your image. Honestly, we’d rather pay you taxes, God, than give up our whole selves. But if we are what you want, heart, mind, soul, and strength — we’ll do our best, God. We’ll give our all to you. Amen.
Responsive Assurance of Pardon
One: Hear the good news! Our God, lover of justice, glories not in punishment but in redemption.
All: Christ has broken the power of sin and rescued us from our shame.
One: Be at peace: you are forgiven, and you are free.
All: To God be the glory! Alleluia! Amen.
Gloria Patri
Passing of the Peace
Scripture Reading Matthew 22:15-22
Message: In [God] We Trust The Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Hymn 428* “We Give Thee but Thine Own”
Affirmation of Faith (in unison) Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”