Bulletin – Sunday, July 11, 2021

WPUC Summer Worship – Pop Music Ministry

Sunday, July 11, 2021

The Sound of Silence – Disturbed Cover

Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle today as a symbol, a symbol of God with us. This candle also reminds us that God is with us always, today, tomorrow, every day. We gather in the light of this candle, that challenges us to shine light ourselves into a world of darkness. To be light in a world that can be dark. We are called in a world full of darkness be a light.

Response
Be A Light

Call to Worship
One: We are called
All: God calls us to be God’s people
One: We are called
All: God calls us to follow
One: We are called
All: God calls us to listen
One: We are called
All: God calls us to worship

Opening song – “We are Called”
Come! Live in the light!
Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom,
To live in the freedom of the city of God.

We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God.

Come! Open your heart!
Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless
So hatred and blindness will be no more.

We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God.

Sing! Sing a new song!
Sing of that great day when all will be one!
God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other
As sisters and brothers united in love.

We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God.

Prayer of Approach and Confession
Patient and Loving God, you call us, and we come, learning what it means to be your people in the world. You ask us to open our hearts to your gifts, to open our hearts to your presence, to open our hearts to you. You call us to be your people and to speak of your love in the world. You call us to speak words of justice, mercy, forgiveness, and grace.  You call us to speak transformation in a world that clings to the status quo. We desperately want to be your people in the world, but we know that it is difficult. We live in a world that can be so dark, so unfriendly, sometimes, so unfamiliar. We struggle to truly follow you. We struggle to speak the words that you desire for us to speak. We are afraid, afraid of being marginalized, afraid of being ostracized, and so we don’t speak. Sometimes we find it easier to remain silent then to make waves, to remain silent rather than put ourselves out there. So, we remain silent and in the silence is the echo of your call. Help us to find the courage to speak words of transformation to the world, as Jesus spoke words of transformation. Give us the courage to speak words of challenge to a world that has told itself that everything is fine. Give us the courage to be your people today. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Hymn VU #371 – “Open my Eyes”
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hand the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit Divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wave-notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit Divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Scripture

Daniel 5: 1 – 12
¹King Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

²Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³So they brought in the vessels of gold and silver that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

⁵Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. ⁶Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. ⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.” ⁸Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. ⁹Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

¹⁰The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall. The queen said, “O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. ¹¹There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners, ¹²because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4

Meditation – Neon gods!

Anthem – “One Voice”

Prayer

God, we come into Your presence

with praise and thanksgiving for Your faithful love.

Your love never fails—not even we turn away from You:

when we ignore Your invitation,

or desert You for gods of our own making.

Even then You do not abandon us,

but reach out—again and again—

inviting us back into relationship once more.

As You welcome us, so You welcome our prayers.

We bring them to You with confidence,

knowing that You will hear and answer.

We pray for the world You created, and the people who share it with us:

– for countries caught up in war or violent conflict,

– for regions of the world struggling with increased cases (or the aftermath) of COVID-19,

– for those whose homes and lives are threatened by natural disaster;

For these and all the other areas in our world

where there is need and despair,

We lift up our prayer to you.

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our country and for its people:

– for our government leaders, federal and local,

– for our judicial system, police forces and military,

– for our cities, towns, and rural communities,

– for employers and employees, for young and old,

We ask them all to discern the wisest course of action

May they see that the decisions that they make impact all of us and those who are marginalized even more.

We lift up our prayer to you

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for our local community—the people of this city/town,

– for those who are unemployed,

– for those in prison,

– for those who are hungry,

– for those who are alone and afraid,

For all our neighbours, both known and unknown to us,

We lift up our prayer to you

Lord, hear our prayer.

We pray for this congregation—our brothers and sisters in Christ,

– for those who are ill. or whose loved ones are ill,

– we especially pray for those whom we now lift up to you….prayer list

– for those who are anxious about the future,

– for those struggling with their faith,

– for those who minister among us,

For all Your people in this place,

We lift up our prayer to you

Lord, hear our prayer.

Pour out Your Spirit on us!

Fix our hearts and minds on what is true and honourable and right.

Give us the joy and peace that comes from knowing and doing Your will.

Keep us faithful to the call we have received in Christ Jesus, our Lord,

extending Your loving invitation to the world around us, as we continue to pray in the words that Jesus taught us;

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.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

Closing song – “Lead Us Out”
Lead us up. We want to know You better.
Lead us up. Fill our hearts and make us more like You.
Lead us up. Ever growing closer.
Oh lead us up into You, Lord.

Lead us up, lead us in, lead us out into Your world.
Lead us now, and we’ll follow you today.
Lead us onward by Your grace, until we see Your face.
Lead us out into Your world.

Lead us in. We want to love like You do.
Lead us in. Make of us one body in Your love.
Lead us in. Loving one another.
Oh lead us in Your love, O Lord.

Lead us up, lead us in, lead us out into Your world.
Lead us now, and we’ll follow you today.
Lead us onward by Your grace, until we see Your face.
Lead us out into Your world.

Lead us out. We want to be a blessing.
Lead us out into the world You gave Your life to save.
Lead us out to tell them all about You.
Oh lead us out into Your world.

Lead us up, lead us in, lead us out into Your world.
Lead us now, and we’ll follow you today.
Lead us onward by Your grace, until we see Your face.
Lead us out into Your world.

Benediction
As we leave this time together today,
go out into the world, forgiving deeply as God has forgiven us.
Loving radically, as God has loved us.
Living mercifully, as God has poured mercy on us.
Let us go out in the world living God’s forgiveness, love, and mercy knowing that we never go alone, for God goes with us. Amen.

Sung response:  “Step by Step”
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.