The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We begin and prepare for worship by centering ourselves, remembering the waters of baptism.

In baptism, we are joined to Christ and made members of one body, a people seeking to live faithfully into God’s purpose for us and for all creation.

PRELUDE                                             [BROTHER JAMES’ AIRE]

*CALL TO WORSHIP  Lines from Psalm 66

Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
Sing the glory of God’s name;
Give to God glorious praise.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
All the earth worships you;|
They sing praises to you,
Sing praises in your name.
Come and see what God as done:
Bless our God, O peoples,
Let the sound of God’s praise be heard.

*HYMN 35 Praise Ye Lord

*INVITATION TO CONFESSION

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of Stories: We confess that we are often unappreciative
of your fingerprints, scattered across this Earth, engraving our lives with perfect individuality. We confess that it is easy to rely too heavily on preconceptions of experience, influenced by gender, race, sexuality, and culture, to tell us the stories of our peers instead of asking them. Strengthen us, O God, so that we can strive to be like Christ, seeking, affirming, and listening to diverse stories. And honoring the incredible narrative of your Creation. Amen.

Silent confession.

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE: HYMN 437
You Are the Lord

Sung once by cantor; congregation joins second time

*ASSURANCE OF GRACE^

“Tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light[…] Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at the margin. What it is to have no home in this place[…] Language alone protects us from the scariness of things with no names. Language alone is meditation.”

Believe the Good News of the Gospel.
In Jesus Christ we are loved and befriended by God.

*PASSING OF THE PEACE

Since we have been reconciled to God, let us also be reconciled to one another.

The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.

The congregation is invited to exchange signs of peace.

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE: HYMN 693, verse 3
The Gift of Love

SCRIPTURE READING 

EXODUS 1
RUTH 1:1-17

For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us, thanks be to God.                      

SERMON “Stories of Resistance and Solidarity” Sarah Jordan

*HYMN 324 For All the Faithful Women

PRAYERS OF SUPPLICATION AND INTERCESSION

O God, in your lovingkindness,
         Hear our prayer.

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

OFFERING                                                           [FLUTE DUET]

There are three ways to give:
1. Through the offering plate.
2. Through the “Give-lify” app.
3. By clicking the “donate” button on the homepage of our website, woodlandnash.org

*DOXOLOGY  [LAAST UNS ERFREUEN]

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures high and low.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known:
Creator, Word, and Spirit one.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Gracious God, we give you thanks for your abundant love. Whether we realize it or not, and whether we feel we deserve it or not – your beckoning love never fails to surround us and work within us wherever we are. May we embrace and explore what this means for us. In all things, we thank you, God.

We give thanks to you, O God, as we pray together saying:

Our Father-Mother, 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 the sins of others; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

*HYMN 440 Jesus Lover of My Soul

*DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE                                                         [TOCATTA IN G]

*Please rise in body or in spirit.

***

The Session of the Church:
Class of 2019: Mark Taylor, Brett Withers
Class of 2020: Alan Stephenson, Tom Eldridge
Class of 2021: Greg Gardner, Rachel Harley
Heidi Hall, Elder Emerita
Melinda Sanders, Moderator

We thank those who served in and prepared for worship today:

Sarah Jordan, Preacher   
Hannah Rae, Liturgist
Bill Maul, Music Director
Jeff Moles, Music Coordinator
Becky Goodman, Offering
Sara Staats, Offering