Sunday Worship Service
July 3, 2022 – 10:30am
We are RECEIVED as the Beloved of God
The actual worship service begins 15 minutes into the recordings.
WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Pastor: Freedom is coming!
People: We can hear it in the voices of the oppressed.
Pastor: Hope is coming!
People: We can see it in the eyes of all those who despair.
Pastor: God is here!
People: We count on God’s presence with us, to guide, heal and uplift our spirits. Let our lives be a blessing to others as we serve God in this world. Amen.
OPENING SONG – Open My Eyes, Lord
OPENING PRAYER
SONG – America (My Country, ’Tis of Thee) – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 697
CHILDREN’S TIME WITH A MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES
ANTHEM – Sonata No. 1
We are TRANSFORMED by the Word of God
SCRIPTURE READING
Exodus 22:21-24
21 Don’t mistreat or oppress an immigrant, because you were once immigrants in the land of Egypt. 22 Don’t treat any widow or orphan badly. 23 If you do treat them badly and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I’ll hear their cry. 24 I’ll be furious, and I’ll kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows, and your children will be orphans.
1 Kings 9:15
15 This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s Temple, the royal palace, the supporting terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and the cities of Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
1 Kings 10:26-29
26 Solomon built up a huge force of chariots and horses. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses. He stationed some of them in the chariot cities and some near him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stone. And valuable cedar timber was as common as the sycamore-fig trees that grow in the foothills of Judah. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Cilicia; the king’s traders acquired them from Cilicia at the standard price. 29 At that time chariots from Egypt could be purchased for 600 pieces of silver, and horses for 150 pieces of silver. They were then exported to the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.
GOOD NEWS – As I Heard Your Cry, I Will Hear Their Cry Too!
SONG –This is My Song – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 437
THE HOLY COMMUNION
RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE (OFFERING)
Pastor: Because of our faith in You, O Lord…
People: … we acknowledge You as the Source of all that we have and all that we are.
Pastor: Help us to place You, our loving Creator, first in our lives…
People: by becoming more prayerful and more focused on loving and caring for our families and our neighbors in need, and by becoming less preoccupied with material things.
Pastor: God, help us to hear Your call to be good stewards of all Your gifts…
People: …by sharing them for Your purposes.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
THE LORD’S PRAYER – UM Hymnal (blue book) # 895
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
We are SENT by the power of God
LIFE OF ST. MATTHEW’S COMMUNITY
BLESSING AND SENDING
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you, my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
CLOSING SONG – English Suite