We encourage you to read and reflect on these scriptures, songs, notes, and prayers as we look forward to our time of worship together this coming Sunday.

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Please print this guide or have it handy in digital format for use during the service.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Please join in on the bolded lines.

What does the Lord require of us?
To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.
What does God command of us?
To love God with all our heart, and all our soul, and all our mind, and all our strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Let us worship the God who:
believes in us,
and trusts in us,
and abides with us.

MUSIC: GREAT IS OUR GOD

CCLI #6291530 | Eric J. Marshall © 2011
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

CONFESSIONAL PRAYER

Please join in on the bolded lines.

Holy God, open our eyes to the presence of your Spirit upon us, within us, among us.
Forgive us for our apathy in the presence of oppression.
Forgive us for the times we have hurt others with our thoughts, words or deeds.
Forgive us for our participation in systems that oppress or enslave.
When we are deaf to your guidance and direction,
Have mercy and open our ears.
When our mouths remain too tightly sealed,
Loosen our lips with songs of praise.
Hear our prayer, O God, and forgive our sins.
Hold us in your mercy, now and forever. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

You are invited to hold your hands out, palm-up as we receive His grace.

On mountaintops and in valleys, in our
homes and in our hearts, God knows us
better than we know ourselves, and God
forgives us when we cannot forgive ourselves.
By God’s mercy, we are forgiven;
by God’s mercy, we are made whole;
by God’s mercy, we are equipped to serve others.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

All: Thanks be to God

MUSIC: THE NEARNESS OF YOU

Asher Seevinck, Dave Wilton © 2014
Performed by Emmaus Road Worship Team

WORD

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Faith Promise

Various Scriptures

INTRO
The word “missions” brings up all kinds of feelings. For many, the feelings are positive. You remember hearing amazing stories of God’s work around the world and you maintain a passion for that work today.

For others, missions may bring up memories of missionary speakers who brought items from around the world. While casually interesting, it all seemed so far from removed from your everyday world that you have little interest.

No matter what feeling it may bring up for you, I invite you into a time of discovery this morning. As a Nazarene Church, we have the opportunity and privilege of supporting the work of Nazarene missions through Faith Promise giving.

Nazarene Missions Centers around compassion, evangelism, and education.

COMPASSION
All Gospel work must begin with a heart of compassion.

Jesus announced the purpose of his ministry in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed, free to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

We could spiritualize this passage and talk about our enslavement to sin, blindness to the Gospel, and spiritual oppression of the Enemy. These things are real, and it is appropriate to talk about Jesus’ work in these ways. But, let’s not forget that these are also very real and tangible things. The ministry of Jesus and the announcement of the kingdom of God must be received as good news for the imprisoned, poor, oppressed, and infirmed or it is not good news at all!

Missions in the Church of the Nazarene begins with compassion. Around the world we have disaster response, hospitals and clinics, work and witness teams, and compassionate ministry dedicated to showing compassion around the world. May we not only support that work of compassion, but participate in it in our own community.

EVANGELISM
Evangelism is a scary word. Many feel obligated by the word. Others feel guilty. Others may feel “woke” and are past such “archaic” ideas.

And yet, since the first disciples met Jesus on a shoreline, people outside the movement of Christianity have been drawn in.

Evangelism acknowledges that the Jesus movement exists for everyone and invites people into this movement.

Evangelism programs and methods meant to convince are a fairly new phenomenon in the church and only were necessary when the witness of our lives was no longing compelling to people outside the movement.

Evangelism is built first on the transformed life of the believer.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
-2 Corinthians 3:18

Evangelism is built on a willingness to honor the culture of the people. Our evangelistic efforts fail when we try to erase or overcome culture. Christ is Lord over ALL the nations and just because others worship is ways that are different or foreign to us does not mean that they are any less valid.

EDUCATION
Education and discipleship is about giving people tools to work out what it means to be the unique people of God in their place and time. Of course, there will be many similarities between the lives of Christians around the world, but theology and Christianity must always be worked out within a context.

Fill out a Faith Promise Pledge card

TABLE

Prepare the elements of “bread” and “wine” for use as we gather around The Lord’s Table. These can be any items convenient around the home that symbolize these for you. 

CONFESSION OF THE MYSTERY OF FAITH

Christ has died.
Christ is risen. 
Christ will come again.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

As we pray together, we invite you to share your own requests and testimonies with us this week. If you have a request you can share it live in our video stream chat, or you may email us at emmausroadfc@gmail.com

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven,
        hallowed be your Name,
        your kingdom come,
        your will be done,
        on earth as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins
        as we forgive those
        who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, 
        and deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, 
        and the power,
        and the glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

BENEDICTION

You are invited to hold your hands out, palm-up as we receive this benediction.

As people of faith we have gathered in worship.
As people of faith we now go out into our world.
To share the love of Jesus, the story of life, with the world around us.
Sharing our faith in word and in deed, in speech and in action.
We go to be a living witness of God’s love and peace.
We go to be a living witness of God’s redemption and healing.
And remember this, the Holy Spirit goes with us every step of the way. Thanks be to God!