21 Sep Worship Bulletin: 9/24/23
Welcome to Worship at the McPherson Church of the Brethren
We invite your active participation in the life of this congregation, as together we continue to grow in grace and seek justice for God’s creation.
Sunday, September 24, 2023 @ 10:15 a.m.
Gathering Music
Video Welcome
Sharing Time: Joys & Concerns | Ann Stover
Centering Music | “Loving and Forgiving” | Scott Soper
Worship Band
CHORUS: Loving and forgiving are you, O Lord; slow to anger, rich in kindness, loving and forgiving are you.
All my being, bless the Lord, bless the holy name of God.
All my being, bless the Lord, rememb’ring the goodness of God. CHORUS
God forgives us all our sins, healing those who live in pain,
saving us from final death. God fills us with goodness and love. CHORUS
Good and gracious is the Lord, slow to anger, rich in love.
God remembers not our sins; forgiving and loving is God. CHORUS
As heaven soars above the earth, so great the love of God for us.
As far as east is from the west, the Lord takes our sins from us. CHORUS
Open Responsive Words | from ‘Prayer for Peace’ | adapted from 2009 WCC International Day of Peace
God sets before us – life and death and calls for us to choose life.
We accept life, how shall we live?
God sets before us – the challenge to seek peace and to pursue it.
We accept the challenge of peace, how shall we pursue it?
God sets before us – the call to be peacemakers; to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to a suffering world.
We gather to embody God’s love and desire for peace for all people;
to hear and give voice to creation’s cry for justice and peace.
We gather to name and confront the influence of evil within and among us;
to repent of our silence and complicity with the powers of chaos and death.
We gather to join with the oppressed and troubled people of the world in the struggle for
liberation and peace; to work for justice, healing and wholeness of life.
We gather to embrace the unity of God’s people and God’s church;
to make peace a reality.
God sets before us – this work of a lifetime.
May we accept this call; gathering to learn and departing to engage.
Opening Song | “For We are Strangers No More” | #322
Story for the Children | Dawn Hoffman
Video Invitation to Give
Give online or send a check made payable to “McPherson Church of the Brethren,” 200 N. Carrie, McPherson, KS 67460
Musical Offering | “Rain Down” | Jaime Cortez
Worship Band
CHORUS:
Rain down, rain down, rain down your love on your people.
Rain down, rain down, rain down your love, God of life.
Faithful and true is the word of our God. All of God’s works are so worthy of trust.
God’s mercy falls on the just and the right; full of God’s love is the earth. CHORUS
We who revere and find hope in our God live in the kindness and joy of God’s wing.
God will protect us from darkness and death; God will not leave us to starve. CHORUS
God of creation, we long for your truth; you are the water of life that we thirst.
Grant that your love and your peace touch our hearts, All of our hope lies in you. CHORUS
Scripture Focus | Matthew 18:21-35 | The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins
against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he
began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was
not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay
the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay
back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver
coins.[i] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the
debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master
everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I
canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow
servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he
should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your
brother or sister from your heart.”
Scripture Song | “This is my Song” (Hymn of Peace) | Hymnal Supplement #1092
Message | “Forgive” | Kathryn Whitacre
Sending Song | “When Peace Like a River” (It is well with my Soul) | #336
Sending Words
Sung Sending Blessing | “The Lord Lift You Up” | Patricia J. Shelly
First time – Worship Band
Second time – Congregation join
Videography and Editing: Eric Goering
Music Coordinator: Ellen Gilbert
Choir Director: Becky Snell
Technical Crew: Eric Goering, Ryan Goering, Shane Kirchner, Steve Lolling & Chris Whitacre
Chancel Decoration Team: Jill Brax, Colleen Gustafson, Michele Johnson, Shane Kirchner & Lara Schoming