Worship Service: Great is Thy Faithfulness

1. March 18, 2018 Welcome to OPC

2. Cambridge Chimes Welcome and Announcements Moment for Mission Greeting Each Other

3. Ringing of the Bell Prelude “Allegro” ~Arr. Hopson Lighting of the candles

4. *CALL TO WORSHIP AND INVOCATION L: Sisters and brothers, God is making a new covenant with us. P: With compassion and grace, Christ writes the law of love on our hearts.

5. L: God is making a way for us out of our sinfulness. P: Our very hearts are becoming filled with God’s spirit.

6. L: God is making forgiveness available for all. P: Through Christ we have the promise of abundant life.

7. L: God is making all things new; P: Let us worship our God, who is with us now and always.

8. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.1 Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

9. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.1 Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;As Thou hast been Thou forever will be.

10. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.1 Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!Morning by morning new mercies I see;

11. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.1 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

12. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

13. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.2 Join with all nature in manifold witnessTo Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

14. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.2 Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!Morning by morning new mercies I see;

15. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.2 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

16. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

17. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.3 Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

18. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.3 Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!Morning by morning new mercies I see;

19. *HYMN #276“Great is Thy Faithfulness” v.3 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

20. *PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison) God of grace and mercy, the One who seeks us out, we yearn for your presence in our lives, yet turn away from you time and again.

21. We want to serve others, but become obsessed with our own needs and desires. We need your Word to fill our emptiness, yet we let it be silenced by the noise of the world.

22. Our hearts are clogged with the foolishness of our lives, and often we struggle to beat in rhythm with your own. In this silence, and in the depths of our hidden souls, come to us and make us whole again.

23. Write grace upon our hearts, so we might be more forgiving people; write mercy on our hearts, so we might become more welcoming people; write hospitality upon our hearts,

24. that we might become more like Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who came to bring forgiveness to all people, even us. (silence is observed for reflection and prayer)

25. *ASSURANCE OF PARDON L: A new heart, a generous spirit, a fresh start: these are the gifts our God gives to us. P: Through Christ, we are cleansed; through Christ, we are healed;

26. through Christ, we become new people. Thanks be to God. Amen.

27. CHOIR ANTHEM “The Power of the Cross”

28. Time with Young Christians

29. PROCLAIMING THE WORD SCRIPTURE READING: John 12:20-33

30. Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we with to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.Jesus answeredthem,

31. ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this worldwill keep it foreternal life.

32. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – “Father, save me from this hour?” No, it is for this reason that I have come to thishour. Father, glorifyyour name.’

33. Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now isthe judgment ofthis world;

34. now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

35. SCRIPTURE READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34

36. The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt – a covenant thatthey broke,

37. though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

38. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

39. L: This is the Word of the Lord. P: Thanks be to God!

40. “Consequences & Choices” Rev. TeddPullano

41. *HYMN #316 “Breathe On Me, Breath of God” v.1 Breathe on me, Breath of God,Fill me with life anew,That I may love what Thou dost love,And do what Thou wouldst do.

42. *HYMN #316 “Breathe On Me, Breath of God” v.2 Breathe on me, Breath of God,Until my heart is pure,Until with Thee I will one will,To do and to endure.

43. *HYMN #316 “Breathe On Me, Breath of God” v.3 Breathe on me, Breath of God,Till I am wholly Thine,Until this earthly part of meGlows with Thy fire divine.

44. *HYMN #316 “Breathe On Me, Breath of God” v.4 Breathe on me, Breath of God,So shall I never die,But live with Thee the perfect lifeOf Thine eternity.

45. OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD Offertory Invitation Offertory “Were You There?” ~Spiritual

46. *DOXOLOGY #542 v.4 Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

47. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION (unison) As you write upon our hearts, Holy One, soften them with your compassion. As you soften them, open us to the needs of those close to us,

48. as well as those in every corner of your world. As you open us to the hurts and heartaches of your children, give us the grace to be as generous with our gifts as you are in blessing us.

49. Take these gifts and use them to share peace, love, grace, and joy with all of your people. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

50. RESPONDING TO THE WORD JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE