Welcome & Opening Prayer – Rev. Russell Clark
Good morning church!
I am Russell Clark and I am the senior pastor at Azle Christian Church. Today is Pentecost Sunday, a day we remember when Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to be present with the disciples.
If you are new to our church, there is information in your bulletin about filling out the attendance registration and getting connected with us, about how we love our kids here and we have space in the back for them to move around or our nursery if needed, and how to find our liturgy on our website.
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May we pray for the Holy Spirit to be present with us during this time of worship.
Creator and creating God,
May our fears and worries be erased during this time of worship and may our fragmented souls find shalom (wholeness) in your amazing grace.
May our scars bear witness to the healing that’s taken place in our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls.
Only you make prophets out of prodigals.
Only you turn graves into gardens.
Only you turn mistakes into miracles.
Only you turn what’s been broken into something beautiful.
May you create something new out of our mosaic faith today. Amen.
May we take a moment before we get started to greet one another with a hug or a high five.
Opening Songs: Come, Dispel Our Sadness #253
1 Spirit, come, dispel our sadness;
pierce the clouds of nature’s night;
come, O Source of joy and gladness,
breathe your life, and spread your light.
From the height that knows no measure,
as a gracious shower descend,
bringing down the richest treasure
we can wish, or God can send.
2 Let your fire heal our dissensions,
let your flame refine our goals,
let your peace resolve our tensions,
send your dove to soothe our souls.
Let your wind flow fresh within us,
sweeping clean all hate and strife
from our hearts; O come and win us
for a more abundant life.
3 Author of the new creation,
come, anoint us with your power.
Make our hearts your habitation;
with your grace our spirits shower.
Hear, O hear our supplication,
blessed Spirit, God of peace!
Rest upon this congregation
with the fullness of your grace.
Holy is the Lord – Chris Tomlin
We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He
And together we sing
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He
And together we sing
And everyone sing
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
Yeah, it's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown
It's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown
Together we sing
And everyone sing
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord, God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty
Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty
Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty
Holy Holy
Litany of Faith – Valerie Piercy
One: Holy Spirit, remind us on this day of Pentecost how you hear our diverse, native tongues and understand us.
All: What makes us children of God is not our commonality but our uniqueness.
One: We belong in this space because we are all different. We seek to include people of all tongues, cultures, and backgrounds.
All: What makes us The Body of Christ is our willingness to embrace and empower all the parts of this body. Amen.
Scripture Meditation – 2 Timothy 1:7
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
One: This is the word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
On this day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and they were filled with courageous confidence to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This authority and boldness and power is a good thing, right?
Have you ever experienced this authority given to Christians or leaders been abused or used in the wrong way?
Unfortunately, many of us have.
This courageous confidence is what transforms our lives. It’s the best thing to ever happen to us. But if we don’t use this authority and boldness and power to love one another, we’ve missed the point.
We’ll be talking about this more when we get to the sermon. Let us think about this as we enter our time of prayer…
Time of Prayer & Reflection –
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Let us pray.
God of grace –
Help us to listen to the cries of the broken people in our lives,
Help us to use our gifts to be the church for the world,
May our mouths speaks words that give life,
May our arms hold the hands of those who need someone,
May our legs run to those who need comfort,
May our ears be ready to listen to new stories shared with us daily,
May our eyes be focused on what you have to show us,
May our hearts beat more and more for the people you send our way.
May we be the body of Christ for the world today.
May we give our hearts and souls to you, O Lord, and may your Spirit be with us and inspire and lift us up on our journey.
May we be transformed on this journey to be more like you and more aware of your grace and love at work in our lives.
May we listen to understand and love unconditionally as you call us to live.
Thank you for this church and these people who love us and give us space to be our unique, diverse, crazy selves. May we create this same space wherever we go.
And Lord, will you hear us as we pray the prayer Jesus taught us…
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
Forgive us our debts
As we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But Deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Responsive Hymn – Be Thou My Vision #595
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art
High King of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all
Children’s Moment – Joey Garcia
Skit – “One Body, Many Parts” by Russell Clark
Cast:
Legs – Meredith Salsman
Arms – Richard Salsman
Mouth – Jessie Button
Nose – Anne Cummings
Eyes – Russell Clark
Ears – Kennedy Clark
Sharing Our Resources
Anthem – Holy Spirit
Doxology - Praise God from whom all blessing flow; praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer – Valerie Piercy
Sermon Series: Mosaic Faith: Deconstructing What We Think About God to See Something More Beautiful
Sermon: Deconstructing Church & Authority
Holy Communion Meditation & Prayer – Valerie Piercy
Communion Song – Surely the Presence of the Lord #263
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place,
I can feel His mighty power and His grace.
I can hear the brush of angel's wings
I see glory on each face;
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
In the midst of His children, the Lord said He would be.
It doesn't take very many, it can be just two or three.
And I feel the same sweet Spirit that I've felt oft times before.
Oh, surely I can say I have been with the Lord.
There's a holy hush around us as God's glory fills this place.
I've touched the hem of his garment and I can almost see His face.
And my heart is overflowing with the fullness of His joy.
I know without a doubt that I have been with the Lord.
We believe Jesus Christ is the gracious host at this table.
Everyone is welcome to participate in communion. Please pass tray to your neighbor after receiving your communion cups. Please help those who need assistance. Hold cups until instructed by Elder to take in unison.
Holy Communion Words of Institution – Chris Piercy
Invitation – If you would like to make your statement of faith or become a member of ACC, you may come forward after the benediction or talk to our minister after worship.
*Announcements & Benediction –
Please check your bulletin for our weekly activities and calendar of upcoming events.
If you know of any graduates we should be celebrating on Graduation Sunday on June 2, please let Beverly know ASAP.
This Wednesday after our church dinner at 5:30pm, we will have a VBS planning meeting at 6:30pm for anyone who would like to volunteer for VBS coming up August 2-4.
This Saturday is Food Hub. We gather at 8am to prepare food bags to hand out to the community.
Tonight is Bible & Beer at 5pm where we get together at someone’s home for bible study, fellowship, meaningful discussion, and you can bring a snack & your beverage of choice. Bible & Beer will be at the Robinson’s home. Their address is printed in the bulletin. We really have a great time and would love to see many more of you there this evening!
Directly after worship is the DWM meeting. All ladies are encouraged to attend.
Will you please rise in body and spirit to receive the benediction?
Take this authority and boldness and power and fire of the Holy Spirit with you wherever you go to love more deeply and to hear your neighbor’s story with the compassion and kindness of Christ Jesus!
Amen.
*Benediction Response – Spirit #249