Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church

Morning Worship

June 1, 2008        10:15 A.M.

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Preparation And Praise

Upon entering the sanctuary please maintain silence and turn off all electronic devices

 for the sake of the congregation’s preparation for worship.

    Prelude:  “Largo” for Organ                                                                                     Thewes

                    “Prelude in G”                                                                                          Callahan

    Welcome and Announcements 

    Silent Prayer and Preparation

*  Call to Worship:                                                                                                   Psalm 146

Praise the Lord, O my soul.  I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them—the Lord, who remains faithful forever.  Praise the Lord!

*  Hymn:  PH 118           “Give Thanks to God for All His Goodness”          Genevan 98/118

*  God’s Greeting:

Grace and peace be to you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

    Amen.

The Lord be with you.

    And also with you.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

    Who made heaven and earth.

Blessed be God,

    And blessed is his kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

*  Prayer of the Day: 

Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all that might hurt us, so that we, in mind and in body, may accomplish with joyful hearts those things which belong to your purpose, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

*  Response:            “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise”                                                       

We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. (2X)

And we offer up to you the sacrifices of thanksgiving;

And we offer up to you the sacrifices of joy!

Kirk Dearman, 1984, John T. Benson Co., CCLI 503812

Confession and Prayer

    Prayer of Confession:                                                                                                        

O great and everlasting God, who searches and knows the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, we confess that we have not loved you with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  And we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. We have loved what we ought not to have loved, and we have coveted what is not ours.  We have not been content with your providence over our lives, or with the provisions you have made for us.  We have complained in our hearts about our families, our friends, our health, our vocations, our trials, and about your church. We have sought security in those things which perish, rather than in you, the everlasting God.  Cleanse and forgive us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives to make intercession for us according to your will.

Silent Prayer and Confession

Minister: Amen.

    Assurance of Pardon:                                                                                         Psalm 103

    Response:  PH 309             “Lift Up Your Hearts unto the Lord”                   Sing Alleluia

    [Children age 3 - grade Pre-K may leave during the Response.]

      Congregational Prayer

The Service Of The Word

    Choral Anthem:  “Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name”                                Dennard

    Scripture Reading:                                                                                     I Corinthians 13

    Sermon:  The Greatest of These Is Love:  The Theme of I Corinthians

    Prayer

*  Hymn:   Bulletin p. 9             “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”                        Ebenezer

The Offering of Tribute

*  Offertory Prayer

    Offering:  Fairlawn General Fund

            Offertory:  “Andante Grazioso”                                                                      Callahan

*  Doxology:  PH 638     “Praise God, from Whom all Blessings Flow”       Old Hundredth

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.

The Service Of The Sacrament Of Communion

THE LORD’S SUPPER

* CONFESSION OF FAITH:   PH 813         The Apostles’ Creed

    THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION

    PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

              Heavenly Father, show forth among us the presence of your life-giving Word and Holy Spirit, to sanctify us and your whole church through this sacrament. Grant that all who share the body and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ may be one in him, and remain faithful in love and hope. And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf, and these grapes from many hills into one cup, grant, O Lord, that your whole church may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. Now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we pray:

                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.

   THE INVITATION TO THE TABLE

    THE DEDICATORY PRAYER

              We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your great and manifold mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord, whose nature it is to always have mercy. Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your Son Jesus Christ and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us. Amen.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD AND WINE

Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us.

Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

The gifts of God for the people of God.

(Please hold each element until all have been served.

The outer ring holds wine; the inner rings, grape juice.)

    THE THANKSGIVING

Congregation in Christ, since the Lord has fed us at his table, let us praise his holy name with thanksgiving.

          Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.

Blessing and Dismissal

*  Blessing:

May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.  May the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace.  Amen.                    

*  Response:                   “God, All Nature Sings Thy Glory”                                  Ode to Joy

God of glory, power, mercy, all creation praises thee;

we, thy creatures, would adore thee now and through eternity.

Saved to magnify thy goodness, grant us strength to do thy will;

with our acts as with our voices thy commandments to fulfill.

    Postlude:  “Ode to Joy”                                                                                                Travis

*Indicates congregation stands

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