BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH May 21, 2023

PRELUDE Debbie Harris
GATHERING WORDS Leader: This is the day the Lord has made
People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Leader: May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
People: And also, with you.

OPENING SCRIPTURE Daniel 7:13-14
As I watched in the night visions,I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him.To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one  that shall never be destroyed.

Welcome and Announcements

* Call To Worship
Leader: Let all who believe in the risen and ascended Christ give praise!
People: It is the Good News, the witness of our salvation: Christ lives!
Leader: In Christ God defeated death and the grave, once and for all.
People: In our risen Lord we are called to be the church, witness to the ages.
Leader: And this same Christ who ascended will, in God’s holy time, return.
People: Blessed be the name of the Lord!
*OPENING PRAYER
*OPENING HYMN: All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name! #132

Be Seated

CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, too often we forget that you sought us out even when we were yet sinners. So often we choose not to remember it was your love that saved us and not our deserving qualities or nature. (moment of silent confession). Forgive us, Lord, and help us to reach out to others with the same loving and accepting personal openness you so freely extended to us. In Christ we pray. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Hear and believe the good news of the gospel
People: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
PSALM READING: Psalm 47
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

Stand and wave hello to those around you as the children go back to their seats.
PASTORAL PRAYER With Lord’s Prayer
SCRIPTURE READING
New Testament Lesson: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 28:16-20

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Take a minute to think about what this scripture says to you.
SERMON The Ascension
*PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
*DOXOLOGY #544
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
For the life you have offered, for the vision you have granted, for the ministry of Jesus Christ that empowers our witness, we give thanks. May these offerings of gratitude extend the positive influence of Christ’s church into parts of the world that have not experienced good news. By the act of grace, may our own commitment be deepened. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

*THE APOSTLES CREED

*CLOSING HYMN: Crown Him With Many Crowns #213

*Charge and Benediction
Leader: Jesus lifted his hand and blessed the people.
People: We have received Christ’s blessing.
Leader: While Jesus was blessing them he was taken up into heaven.
People: With hope for the future, we return home with great joy.
Leader: For we have received power from God.
People: power to be witnesses to our world and nation.

BENEDICTION

*Choral Benediction:
The Day of Resurrection! V3 #208

BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH May 14, 2023

PRELUDE Debbie Harris
GATHERING WORDS Leader: This is the day the Lord has made People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Leader: May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. People: And also, with you.
OPENING SCRIPTURE Luke 8:1-3
The Twelve were with him (Jesus) and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Welcome and Announcements

* Call To Worship
Leader: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and all the women who have loved us.
People: Thank you God for giving us mothers.
Leader: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they demonstrated their love for us.
People: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood.
Leader: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother's love is most like God's love.
All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today
*OPENING PRAYER
*OPENING HYMN: For the Beauty of the Earth #2

Be Seated

CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, some of us are tempted by resentment and unforgiveness because of those who have let us down. Some of us are tempted to condemn ourselves for past failings, and all of us remember times when we have fallen short. (moment of silent confession) As a mother disciplines her children, Oh God, we ask you to discipline us; As a mother forgives the sons and daughters who hurt her, we ask you to forgive us; As a mother calls her children to be reconciled with their siblings, we ask you to lead us to reconciliation with one another. In Christ's Name, Amen

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: Hear and believe the good news of the gospel People: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
PSALM READING: Psalm 139:1-18
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

Stand and wave hello to those around you as the children go back to their seats.
PASTORAL PRAYER With Lord’s Prayer
SCRIPTURE READING
Old Testament Lesson: Numbers 27:1-7
New Testament Lesson: Galatians 3:26-29


Leader: This is the Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God
Take a minute to think about what this scripture says to you.
SERMON Jesus and the Women

*PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
*DOXOLOGY #544
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Holy God, in Christ you have chosen us to be your people and to know your will in the world. Therefore we pray in Jesus’ name that these tithes and offerings spread your love near and far. Amen.

*THE APOSTLES CREED

*CLOSING HYMN: Love Divine All Love Excelling #399


*Charge and Benediction
Leader: God says to us in Isaiah: “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you”
People: May the Lord who brought us to birth by his Spirit, strengthen us for the Christian life.
Leader: May the Lord who provides for all our needs
sustain us day by day.
People: May the Lord whose steadfast love is constant as a mother's care, send us out to live and work for others.

BENEDICTION

*Choral Benediction:
The Day of Resurrection! V3 #208