7th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 9 (Year B)

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Call to Worship

Let us lift our eyes, for God is enthroned in the heavens!                                                          Ps. 123
We look to the Lord, for God is our source and our strength.
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!                                                                                Ps. 48
We ponder God’s steadfast love, a never-ending stream.
God’s name reaches to the ends of the earth!
God will forever be our guide.
Come, let us worship God!

Prayer of the Day

God of all Goodness and Grace,
we are gathered in your name
to bring ourselves as an offering - 
body and soul - to serve your realm.
Mold us into the creation you intend
that we might embody your truth
in a world that needs it so desperately.  Amen.

Call to Confession

The Psalmist encourages us to lift our eyes,
but the weight of our sin keeps our gaze upon the ground.
Let us confess our sins
that we may be freed of the burden that only Christ can release.

Confession

We are weary with the weight of our sin.
We carry not only the weight of our individual sins,
but the weight of the sins of all humanity.
We confess that we have participated in patterns of injustice
and have been complicit in actions of cruelty and violence.
We have been impudent and stubborn                                                                                Ezekiel 2:4
when you call us to be obedient and faithful.
Stir our hearts that we may return to you
with open and compassionate hearts.
Free us of our sin that we may be a new creation
and follow you all the days of our life.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, hear the good news of the Gospel:
our sin does not have the final word.
Death, destruction, and despair have been defeated
in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
I announce to you that our sins have been forgiven.
Alleluia!  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth!                                  Ps. 48:10
May our reading of your word be guided by your Spirit
that we may join in proclaiming that name.  Amen.

Prayers of the People

Let us pray to God saying:
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.                                                                    Ps. 48:9

We pray for the helpers among us:
for teachers, preachers, and community organizers,
for rabbis, imams, and all leaders of faith,
for police, firefighters, and emergency medical providers,
for doctors, nurses, and social workers.
May we do our part to help them in their calling.
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.

We pray for our politicians:
for our mayor, [name of mayor],
for our congressional representative, [name of representative],
for our senators, [names of senators],
for our governor, [name of governor],
and our president, Donald Trump.
May they be wise and just,
compassionate and courageous.
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.

We pray for this congregation:
that each member may feel welcomed and valued,
that its committees and groups may do their work faithfully,
that the staff may be supported and encouraged,
that the session may be guided by your wisdom,
and that we may discern our mutual calling together.
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.

As we ponder your steadfast love,
we are mindful of the vulnerable ones among us
who need faithful love and protection:
we pray for children, the elderly, and the disabled;
for those with mental illnesses and addictions;
for those who are unemployed or underemployed;
and for those who cannot seem to find their way.
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.

God of our joys and our sorrows,
we lift up to you the concerns of our hearts
either silently or out loud… [personal petitions may be made]
God of Creation, we ponder your steadfast love.

We pray this day that your steadfast love may hold us dearly.
Guide us in the coming week that we might follow you faithfully.  Amen.

 

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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.