MOMENTS OF MEDITATION
“Do not repeat anything to which you will not sign your name.” -Author Unknown
“Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you.” -Spanish proverb
“There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it hardly becomes any of us
To talk about the rest of us.” -Edward Wallis Hoch
PRELUDE – Deborah Guillory, Organ
“Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart”
NOTES ON THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
Dr. Darrell Coats
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Let us lift our voices in praise and song before the Lord of Hosts!
People: In our hearts we praise Almighty God for every blessing we have received.
Leader: And we open our hearts to the Lord’s leading in all we do in life.
People: And we ask God’s help that we should use our words for good and not evil.
Leader: For we have been blessed with an awesome gift in the power of words.
All: Blessed be the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Lord, it’s the tongue that gets us into trouble – yet we need to use our tongues to raise our voices in praise and song. There’s no getting around it – we need you at the helm of our brains, guiding and directing us against the fire of our tongues, that we might bless and not curse our sisters and brothers. Wise God, fill our sails with your Spirit and send us to speak words of Christ’s peace and grace to others! Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
Leader: God is slow to anger and full of compassion. God forgives all who humbly repent and trust in God’s Son as Savior and Lord. There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
*HYMN OF PRAISE
“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” – verses 1-4
Hymnal, No. 57
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We trust in God, Spirit of life,
Creator of all that is and all that is to come;
who surrounds us and fills us;
who speaks the Word of life in us; and so we listen.
We listen to Jesus, Revealer of God,
our brother and teacher;
who lived in prayer and in love.
Listening to God’s voice and doing God’s will,
he gave his life in love;
but God raised him to life that is eternal;
and so we follow him.
We follow in the power of the Holy Spirit,
God alive in us, for the sake of the healing of the world.
We trust in the power of forgiveness,
the reality of resurrection,
the gift of the universal Church as the body of Christ,
and the mystery of eternal life. Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.
WE WORSHIP THROUGH OUR PRAYERS AND OUR OFFERINGS
PASTORAL PRAYER – Dr. Darrell Coats
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
PRAYER RESPONSE
“Open My Eyes, That I May See” – verse 3
Hymnal, No. 454
OFFERTORY MOMENT – Dr. Darrell Coats
OFFERTORY – Chancel Quartet
“Lord, Speak to Me”
*DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power up-lifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Dr. Darrell Coats
*HYMN OF THE GOSPEL
“Wonderful Words of Life”
Hymnal, No. 600
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
*SCRIPTURE James 3:1-12 (NRSV)
SERMON Dr. Darrell Coats
“Taming the Tongue”
WE GO FORTH IN FAITH AND SERVICE
*HYMN OF COMMITMENT
“I Love to Tell the Story” – verses 1,3,4
Hymnal, No. 156
*BENEDICTION Dr. Darrell Coats
*POSTLUDE – Deborah Guillory, Organ
“Rise Up, O Saints of God”
*All who are able, please stand.