A. Prelude and Quiet Meditation

This is the time for meditation, prayer and heart preparation before the service. 

B. The Call to Worship

God invites us to worship Him through praise and adoration, for He alone deserves our worship.

C. Prayer of Invocation

The minister leads us to call upon God to grant His presence in our worship service, to accept and bless every part of our worship.

D. *Song of Praise

E. *God’s Greeting

Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ in the power and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

F. The Disciple's Prayer (also called the Lord's Prayer) in Unison

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.

G. The Reading of God's Law 

H. The General Confession

1. Public Confession

Minister: 

Dearly loved brothers and sisters, we are called to examine ourselves in the light of God's Law. Let us go to God in public confession.

Unison: 

Our Father, we are sinful, and You are holy. We recognize that we have heard in Your Law difficult words, knowing how often we have offended You in thought, word and deed, not only by obvious violations, but by failing to conform to its perfect commands, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. There is nothing in us that gives us reason for hope, for where we thought we were well, we are sick in soul.

Where we thought we were holy, we are in truth unholy and ungrateful. Our hearts are filled with the love of the world; our minds are dark and are assailed by doubts; our wills are too often given to selfishness and our bodies to laziness and unrighteousness. By sinning against our neighbors, we have also sinned against You, in whose image they were created.

2. Individual (Personal) Confession

In this time of silent confession, we bring You our particular sins.

3. Prayer of Confession

Our Father, although You are a holy God who cannot look upon sin, look upon Christ our Savior and forgive us for His sake. You have promised us that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. For if we do sin, we have an Advocate before Your throne, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins. Give us Your pardon by Your mercies, dear Father, for You have clothed us in Christ's righteousness. We ask also that You would give us an increase of the grace of Your Holy Spirit, so that we may learn the wisdom of Your ways and walk in Your holy paths, for Your glory and the good of our neighbor. Amen.

4. Song of Confession

Minister:

Brothers and sisters, you have heard the Law and have confessed your sins to Almighty God. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, by His perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, has atoned for your sins and satisfied the wrath of God toward you?

Unison:

We do.

I. Declaration and Assurance of Pardon 

Minister:

In the name of Christ and by the authority of His Word I declare to you that your sins are forgiven and you are not under the condemnation of God.

J. The Apostle's Creed

Unison:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

K. Congregational Prayer

1. Individual Prayer

2. Pastoral Prayer

L. The 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.

M. *Song of Preparation

N. Scripture Reading, Sermon, and Prayer of Application

O: *Song of Dedication

P. Communion Service 

Q. The Doxology (Sung in Unison)

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. Amen.

R. Benediction

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all evermore. Amen.

S. *Moment of Meditation

T. *Postlude

A time of reflection, accompanied by the piano. Please remain still and employ this time prayerfully.

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*Please stand if you are able.

 

Preparation for Communion 

a. Self-Examination

Minister:

For all who live in rebellion against God and unbelief, this holy food and drink will bring you only further condemnation. If you do not yet confess Jesus Christ and seek to live under His gracious reign, we ask you to abstain. Nevertheless, for those of you who have confessed your sins and affirmed your faith in Christ, the promise is sure: "Whoever eats My body and drinks My blood has eternal life and will not come into condemnation." For on the night in which our Lord was betrayed, He took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "Take eat; this is My body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." After the same manner also He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

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You are invited to this sacred meal not because you are worthy in yourself, but because you are clothed in Christ's perfect righteousness. Do not allow the weakness of your faith or your failures in the Christian life to keep you from this table. For it is given to us because of our weakness and because of our failures, in order to increase our faith by feeding us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ. As the Word has promised us God's favor, so also our Heavenly Father has added this confirmation of His unchangeable promise. So come, believing sinners, for the table is ready. "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

 

b. The Consecration

Minister:

Almighty and everlasting God, Who by the blood of Your only begotten Son has secured for us a new and living way into the Holy of Holies, cleanse our minds and hearts by Your Word and Spirit that we, Your redeemed people, drawing close to ou through these holy mysteries, may enjoy fellowship with the Holy Trinity through the body and blood of Christ our Savior. Our Ascended Savior does not live in temples made by hands, but is in heaven where he continues to intercede on our behalf. Through this mystery, by Your own Word and Spirit, these common elements are now set apart from ordinary use. While remaining bread and wine, these sacred elements nevertheless become so united to the reality they signify that we do not doubt but joyfully believe that we receive in this meal nothing less than the crucified body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us now go to our Heavenly Table and receive the gift of God for our souls.

Lift up your hearts.

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Unison:

We lift them up to the Lord.

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c. The Lord's Supper

Please come forward to the chancel (table) to receive the elements of bread and wine. The center ring on the communion tray contains grape juice. Children may accompany their parents to the chancel. After receiving the bread and wine, please wait and the minister will dismiss you to return to your seats.

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d. Eucharistic Prayer

Minister:

Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we acknowledge the great mystery of this holy feast. Although we are unworthy to share this meal with You, it is by Your invitation and dressed in Christ's righteousness that we have come boldly into the Holy of Holies. Instead of wrath, we have received Your pardon; in the place of fear, we have been given hope. Our High Priest and Mediator of the New Covenant has reconciled us to You and even now intercedes for us at Your right hand. Please strengthen us by these gifts so that, relying only on Your promise to save sinners who call on Your name, we may, by Your Spirit, honor You with our souls and bodies, to the honor and glory of Your holy name. Amen.

 

e. Song of Thanksgiving

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