Watchword for the Week

God says, “I will establish my covenant between

me and you, and your offspring after you

throughout their generations.”

(Genesis 17:7)

(Moravian Daily Texts 2018)

ORGAN PRELUDE

WELCOME and CALL to WORSHIP

Come, friends, and hear once again

what God has done for us.

God has been faithful through our days.

We come at different ages and stages,

different generations,

and we serve and worship together.

God remembers all of us,

from the baby entering the world

to the people living in their twilight years.

God keeps God’s promises, no matter how

young, no matter how old we may be.

Come and open your hearts to the God who will

love and care for you through your entire life.

We come to worship God.

Hymn 198 * Let us build a house

People’s Choice Hymns are marked with an asterisk (*)

PRAYER of APPROACH

God, you know each of us by name: the names

we were given at birth, the names we are called

by others, and the names we call ourselves.

Sometimes, we use names as a way to make

quick judgments about strangers.

We use names to validate our prejudices

before we enter into relationship with others.

Sometimes, we call each other names to

bully, to destroy, or to put others down.

Holy one, help us. Help us to believe the truth

about ourselves when we are called names.

Guide us away from snap judgments and

prejudices towards real relationships.

Give us words that heal, build up, create,

empower, and nurture one another.

God, as we worship today, open our hearts to

those around us. May we see your faithfulness

in each age and stage of our neighbours as we

remember the promises you made to all

generations – past, present, and future.

Remind us that just as you gave Sarai and

Abram new names, you give each of us a

new name – Forgiven.

May we live into that name through the

forgiveness of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymn 357 * This is my will, my new command

(Hymn of the Month, February 2018)

DECLARATION of FORGIVENESS

God knows our names; God knows us inside and

out. We follow generations of those who have

followed God and followed Christ. And we know

the truth of the ages – Christ who forgave those

who came before also offers us that grace and

forgives us. Thanks be to God! Amen.

CHILDREN’S TIME

Hymn 564 * Jesus loves me! This I know

SHARING GOD’S PEACE

(Children may join the Kids’ Church programme)

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 OT p. 16

St. Mark 8:31-38 NT p. 57

People may stand for the Gospel reading.

The word of God: Thanks be to God!

YOUTH PRESENTATION

SERMON Rev. James Brown

Hymn 162 The God of Abraham praise

(Offerings are gathered and brought forward)

DEDICATION PRAYER

God, you are the Alpha and the Omega; the

beginning and the end; and all that comes in

between. Today, we give thanks for those

who came before and gave their gifts so that

we could have mission, ministry, and a

physical place to worship today. Bless the

gifts that we offer to you so we will continue

to build on the foundation laid by previous

generations, and can serve those who

follow. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS (See Notices overleaf)

Chorus * All over the world

All over the world the Spirit is moving,

all over the world as the prophet said it would be;

all over the world there’s a mighty revelation

of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Deep down in my heart the Spirit is moving,

deep down in my heart as the prophet said it would be;

deep down in my heart there’s a mighty revelation

of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

PRAYERS for OTHERS

Response: Holy God, hear our prayer.

The LORD’S PRAYER

(Please pray in your own preferred language / version.)

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

trespasses as we forgive those who trespass

against us. And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. For thine is the

kingdom, the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn 530 * One more step along the world

BLESSING and Threefold Amen (No. 819)

ORGAN POSTLUDE