Open Our Minds

Jeff McMichael

 Call to Worship                                               

We gather as one people with hearts filled with gratitude to worship our God Almighty.

Praise be to God.

Thank you! Everything in me says “Thank you!”

Angels listen as I sing my thanks.

Praise be to God.

I kneel in worship facing your holy temple

and say it again: “Thank you!”

Praise be to God.

Thank you for your love,

thank you for your faithfulness;

Praise be to God.

Most holy is your name,

most holy is your Word.

Praise be to God.

Let us worship God.              Adapted from Psalm 138:1-3 from The Message

Call to Confession

We are called to worship and live our lives with pure hearts. We realize that we are flawed people and our hearts and souls cry out because we have failed. And so, Lord we come to confess our sins.

Prayer of Confession (unison)

Merciful God, we bow before you in humility because we know that we have not loved the way you have called us to love. We have not forgiven as you taught to forgive. We think of ourselves greater than those whom we are called to serve. Please Lord, forgive our sins and our haughty attitudes, and create in us a pure heart with pure motives. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.   Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Be assured that God has heard your prayer and God’s grace and mercy flows freely to the penitent sinner.  Praise be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Prayer for Illumination

Almighty God, open our minds that we may understand your word. Open our hearts that our souls may see how your word can change us and our world around us.  Send your Holy Spirit to encourage us to respond. Amen.

Scripture Possibilities for the Sermon

• Isaiah 6:1-9 –  Just like Isaiah we must answer the call – and OUO allows us to be faithful to that call.
• Luke 5:1-11 – The church is to be fishers of humanity and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. OUO is what allows us to do this as Cumberland Presbyterians.
• 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 – Paul reminds us it is life, death and resurrection that we are to preach.

 Prayers of the People

God of generosity and giving,

We come to you thankful for the ministries that we are able to do as one congregation—(fill in some of the ministries your church does locally). We realize that we are a single church made up of individuals and we can do great things.

We also recognize and thank you for the fact that we as Cumberland Presbyterians are a connectional Church. And because of that, we are able to do even more when we generously give part of our tithes and offerings to Our United Outreach, the unified budget of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. We know that together with other churches we can send missionaries to global communities to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and build relationships between all Cumberland Presbyterian churches throughout the world. We know that together we are able to publish Cumberland Presbyterian resources including the Encounter so that our people can learn about our unique history, tradition and theology. We know that together we can train ministers and laity through leader development denominationally and can provide funds where there is a crisis. All these things are done through Our United Outreach only because we first give. We learn to give because you, O God, have taught us how through your most precious gift of your son Jesus Christ. Help us to show our gratitude with our tithes and our offerings and to thank you that we are able to do all we do together with other Cumberland Presbyterian churches. Amen.

Invitation to the Offering

All great gifts come from God. Everything we have is God’s first. The Lord instructed us to give a tithe from our blessings as an offering, a sign of faith in the one who is the great provider.

Offertory Prayer

Gracious God, we give these tithes and offerings as an act of faith, knowing you can use the gift and the giver to bring glory to your holy name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Charge and Benediction

As a child of God,

Go from this place filled with the Holy Spirit

and be mindful of God’s perfect plan for your life.

Be all that you were created to be

and may the light of Christ shine through you

in all that you do, say and think each and every day. Amen.