Webster United Church of Christ – May 9, 2021
Sixth Sunday of Easter
ORDER OF SERVICE
Welcome
WE INVITE GOD’S PRESENCE INTO OUR HEARTS
Prelude Prelude in G Major, J.S. Bach
Centering Music “Sanctuary”
Call to Worship
Leader: Lord, have mercy!
People: For we are sinners,
Leader: But sinners redeemed
People: By God’s own grace.
Leader: Let us rejoice
People: For God shows mercy,
Leader: Let us bring worship
People: In this holy place.
Hymn of Praise #99 “Abide With Me” vs. 1, 4 & 5
Opening Prayer
Merciful God, we cannot save ourselves through our own
actions, only through your grace, freely offered. Yet keep us
faithful to the lives we have chosen and make us examples
that others might see and come to believe in you, for the
sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
Scripture Reading Galatians 1:13-17; 2:11-21; Luke 18:9-14
Sermon
WE PRAYERFULLY ENTRUST OURSELVES TO GOD
Musical Proclamation “This is No My Ain Hoose” (Scottish
Dance)
Prayer of Confession
Leader: We confess our sins before God and one another.
Leader: Risen Lord,
People: We admit that we are slow to believe, and even
slower to follow where you lead us. We doubt your
promise, divide your people, and fail to proclaim the
power of your resurrection. We choose to live small lives
when you have given us the biggest gift of all: your eternal
life. Forgive us. Raise us up to a place where we can serve
you faithfully.
Leader: Christ is arisen, bringing gifts of life, mercy and
pardon for sin! Believe that you are forgiven and go out
and live in the joy of your Lord’s resurrection in the power
of God’s Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Prayers of the People
Prayer of Jesus
WE OFFER GRATITUDE TO GOD
Invitation to Give and Share
We bring the gifts of our wealth, our time and our lives to
your service. We offer them freely as a testimony to our
gratitude for the mercy you have shown to us. Accept them
and use us for the important work of your kingdom on
earth. Amen.
If you would like to make an offering to Webster Church or
one of our ministries, we thank you. Webster’s ministries
include local and international efforts. You may specify a
mission (homeless, international, justice, youth, music, etc.)
if you are writing a check, indicate where you would like
your donation to go to on the “Memo” line. You can mail
your donation to us directly, call us, or donate online at
websterchurch.org.
WE GO FORTH AS GOD’S PEOPLE
Hymn of Dismissal #448 “Take My Life, God, Let it Be” vs.
1, 2 & 4
Closing Prayer
Merciful God, we cannot save ourselves through our own
actions, only through your grace, freely offered. Yet keep us
faithful to the lives we have chosen and make us examples
that others might see and come to believe in you, for the
sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Sung Blessing “God Be With You” #809
God be with you, God be with you, God be with you till we
meet again. O God be with you, God be with you, God be
with you till we meet again.
Benediction
When you go out into this world to serve God’s mission,
remember that it is no longer you who live, but Christ who
lives in you. The life you now live in the flesh you live by
faith in the Son of God who loves you and gave himself for
you. May the grace of God which daily renews us,
and the love of Jesus that enables us to love all others,
and the community of the Holy Spirit that unites us into one
body enable and empower us to obey the will of God, now
and forever; Amen.
Postlude “A Mother’s Hand” (used with permission from
ShareFaith.com)
Announcements
The deacons are monitoring the daily rates of COVID 19
infections and immunizations in Washtenaw and Livingston
counties and in the state of Michigan as a whole. As
conditions improve, we will be developing a plan for a
gradual return to in-person worship, initially with a mixture
of in-person and online worship, followed by a full return.
We look forward with hope and joy to the prospect of
worshipping together in-person once again.