ORDER OF WORSHIP FOR
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
Abbreviated Liturgy for Online Worship
Sunday, May 3; Fourth Sunday of Easter
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 23 - NKJV)
Leader: The Lord is my shepherd;
People: I shall not want.
Leader: He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
People: He leads me beside still waters,
Leader: He restores my soul;
People: He leads me in the paths of righteous for his name’s sake.
Leader: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
People: I will fear no evil.
Leader: For you are with me.
People: Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Leader: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,
People: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Leader: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
All: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Healing and renewing God, you are with us at all times and in all places. Make us aware of the work of your Spirit here this morning. Bless us as we gather, each in our own homes, but together in love and faith. Fill our hearts with your worship. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
**********
HYMN OF PRAISE – “O Worship the King” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All: God of justice and mercy, hear our prayer. We cannot escape the sin of the world by ourselves. Instead, through our actions and inactions, we widen the divide that separates us from you. For all of the ways in which we fall short of your calling, we are sorry. We pray for renewal in our hearts by your Holy Spirit. We pray for grace in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray to be welcomed into the loving arms of our creating Father once more. We pray this in your most holy name. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Ephesians 1:7-8a)
All: In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood – the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW (Matthew 7:12)
“In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
**********
SERMON HYMN – “Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS – Acts 2:42-47
John 10:1-10
THE MORNING MESSAGE – “Life in Abundance”
**********
HYMN OF RESPONSE – “There Is a Balm in Gilead” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God the Father, almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
The third day he rose from the dead
He ascended into heaven
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy and right it is, and our joyful duty
to give thanks to you at all times and in all places,
O Lord our Creator,
almighty and everlasting God!
You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty.
You have given us life and being,
and preserve us by your providence.
But you have shown us the fullness of your love
in sending into the world your Son, Jesus Christ,
the eternal Word, made flesh for us and for our salvation.
For the precious gift of this mighty Savior who has reconciled us to you
we praise and bless you, O God.
With your whole Church on earth and with all the company of heaven
we worship and adore your glorious name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Most righteous God,
we remember in this Supper
the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ
for the sin of the whole world.
In the joy of his resurrection and in expectation of his coming again,
we offer ourselves to you as holy and living sacrifices.
Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died!
Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!
Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
that the bread which we break
and the cup which we bless
may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
Grant that, being joined together in him,
we may attain to the unity of the faith
and grow up in all things into Christ our Lord.
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.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Brothers and sisters,
since the Lord has now fed us at his Table,
let us praise God’s holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits--
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him,
who did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up for us all,
and will also give us all things with him.
Therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord,
from this time forth forevermore. Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER, LORD’s PRAYER, & BENEDICTION
Almighty God,
Hear us in our time of distress.
We pray for the sick and the dying, that your healing and your comfort may be with them.
We pray for the caregivers, that you may shield and strengthen them against all harm.
We pray for the lonely, that they may know your love and the love of their neighbors.
We pray for ourselves, that you may preserve us by your providence,
and make us blessings to our neighbors, and beacons of your radiant light in the darkest night.
Make your love burn brightly in all your people, as we look forward to the day when we may once again gather together in joy under your holy name.
We pray these things in the name of our Holy Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
Who taught us to pray with the words,
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 sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
THE FAITH REFORMED CHURCH
215 MIDDLE ROAD, HAZLET, NJ 07730
Abbreviated Liturgy for Online Worship
Sunday, May 3; Fourth Sunday of Easter
VOTUM AND SALUTATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 23 - NKJV)
Leader: The Lord is my shepherd;
People: I shall not want.
Leader: He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
People: He leads me beside still waters,
Leader: He restores my soul;
People: He leads me in the paths of righteous for his name’s sake.
Leader: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
People: I will fear no evil.
Leader: For you are with me.
People: Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Leader: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,
People: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Leader: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
All: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
PRAYER OF PRESENCE
All: Healing and renewing God, you are with us at all times and in all places. Make us aware of the work of your Spirit here this morning. Bless us as we gather, each in our own homes, but together in love and faith. Fill our hearts with your worship. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
**********
HYMN OF PRAISE – “O Worship the King” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All: God of justice and mercy, hear our prayer. We cannot escape the sin of the world by ourselves. Instead, through our actions and inactions, we widen the divide that separates us from you. For all of the ways in which we fall short of your calling, we are sorry. We pray for renewal in our hearts by your Holy Spirit. We pray for grace in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray to be welcomed into the loving arms of our creating Father once more. We pray this in your most holy name. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE (Ephesians 1:7-8a)
All: In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood – the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.
SUMMARY OF THE LAW (Matthew 7:12)
“In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
**********
SERMON HYMN – “Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS – Acts 2:42-47
John 10:1-10
THE MORNING MESSAGE – “Life in Abundance”
**********
HYMN OF RESPONSE – “There Is a Balm in Gilead” - Organist Ben Benfer
**********
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God the Father, almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried.
The third day he rose from the dead
He ascended into heaven
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
- INVITATION
- COMMUNION PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy and right it is, and our joyful duty
to give thanks to you at all times and in all places,
O Lord our Creator,
almighty and everlasting God!
You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty.
You have given us life and being,
and preserve us by your providence.
But you have shown us the fullness of your love
in sending into the world your Son, Jesus Christ,
the eternal Word, made flesh for us and for our salvation.
For the precious gift of this mighty Savior who has reconciled us to you
we praise and bless you, O God.
With your whole Church on earth and with all the company of heaven
we worship and adore your glorious name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Most righteous God,
we remember in this Supper
the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ
for the sin of the whole world.
In the joy of his resurrection and in expectation of his coming again,
we offer ourselves to you as holy and living sacrifices.
Together we proclaim the mystery of the faith:
Christ has died!
Christ is risen!
Christ will come again!
Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
that the bread which we break
and the cup which we bless
may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
Grant that, being joined together in him,
we may attain to the unity of the faith
and grow up in all things into Christ our Lord.
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.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
- WORDS OF INSTITUTION
- CELEBRATION OF COMMUNION
- PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Brothers and sisters,
since the Lord has now fed us at his Table,
let us praise God’s holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits--
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him,
who did not spare his own Son,
but gave him up for us all,
and will also give us all things with him.
Therefore shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord,
from this time forth forevermore. Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER, LORD’s PRAYER, & BENEDICTION
Almighty God,
Hear us in our time of distress.
We pray for the sick and the dying, that your healing and your comfort may be with them.
We pray for the caregivers, that you may shield and strengthen them against all harm.
We pray for the lonely, that they may know your love and the love of their neighbors.
We pray for ourselves, that you may preserve us by your providence,
and make us blessings to our neighbors, and beacons of your radiant light in the darkest night.
Make your love burn brightly in all your people, as we look forward to the day when we may once again gather together in joy under your holy name.
We pray these things in the name of our Holy Shepherd, Jesus Christ,
Who taught us to pray with the words,
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 sins,
As we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.