Welcome & Opening Prayer – Rev. Russell Clark
Good morning church!
I am Russell Clark and I am the senior pastor at Azle Christian Church. For those here in worship and those with us online, may the life-giving love of God bring new life to you this morning!
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 open up our time of worship with a prayer:
God, The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and The End,
May we see our place in your story this morning. Even amidst our broken lives and our imperfect knowledge of you, God, may The Holy Spirit show us how beautiful a life with you truly is today – here and now – during this time of worship. Amen.
May we take a moment before we get started to greet one another with a hug or a high five.
Opening Songs:
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
Than here in Your love, here in Your love
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
Than here in Your love, here in Your love
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more, I want more, I want more
I want more, I want more, I want more
Won't You pour it out?
I want more, I want more, I want more
I want more, I want more, I want more
Won't You pour it out?
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
Than here in Your love, here in Your love
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
No place I would rather be
Than here in Your love, here in Your love
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more
I want more, I want more, I want more
I want more, I want more, I want more
Won't You pour it out?
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
Set a fire down in my soul
That I can't contain and I can't control
I want more of You, God
I want more of You, God
Oh, we want more of You, yeah, yeah
Oh, so much more
So much more of You, God, yeah, yeah
Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won
Stony the road we trod
Bitter the chastening rod
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died
Yet with a steady beat
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered
Out from the gloomy past
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast
God of our weary years
God of our silent tears
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light
Keep us forever in the path, we pray
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee
Shadowed beneath Thy hand
May we forever stand
True to our God
True to our native land
Our native land
Litany of Faith – Becky Stults
One: May we say together the mission statement of Azle Christian Church.
All: There is a place for you at Azle Christian Church.
A place for REFUGEES - We are a church full of people from a variety of traditions & backgrounds. Find your home here where healing from past hurt is possible.
A place for QUESTIONS - We are a church that encourages the messy, challenging theological questions. We don’t pretend to be perfect or to have all the answers.
A place for EVERYONE - We are an open and affirming church who believes everyone is welcome at the table of Jesus Christ. We care deeply about empowering the marginalized in our society.
A place for YOU - We want you to be a part of our story and our family. You are not just welcome here; you are invited to BE WHO YOU ARE WITH US! Amen.
Scripture Meditation – Romans 6:12-14
“That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time – remember, you’ve been raised from the dead! – into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.”
One: This is the word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
During this Mosaic Faith series so far we’ve talked about how the bible is more than a collection of stories; it points us towards a Savior in Jesus who by the Holy Spirit still breathes new life into us today,
We’ve talked about how salvation is more than a one-time event to give us a “ticket to heaven”, but it’s a life-long journey of continually becoming more aware of God’s grace and love at work in our lives every day, bringing heaven to earth,
And last week we talked about how the church is more than this building, but it’s you and me and all the people who seek to be a part of the body of Christ, to love one another everywhere we go.
And this week we’ll be talking about how there is so much more to our story than the sins and imperfections and mistakes in our lives. There is so much more to you and me that God wants for us so we have a life worth living.
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 –
We confess more than our sins – more than the mistakes we’ve made or how we’ve missed the mark.
We confess how we have not loved one another. We have not shown your grace and love, but have acted like we’re in and they’re out.
May we lay down our sins of pride and exclusiveness to welcome the marginalized and yes, the enemy in our lives. May we show more grace than we feel comfortable with. May we show more love than we understand. May we seek to show the same character and integrity that Jesus taught his disciples.
We are your imperfect and messy disciples. We thank you for defining us by your grace and not by what we do or don’t do. Thank you for telling your story through us, even when we mess up the narrative.
Thank you for telling a deeper, more loving story than the one we knew how to tell. May we dive deeper into this story and discover the true meaning of who you are and how we are called to live today.
You are the Good Good Father. Your peace and love and grace surpass our understanding. That’s why we worship you and follow you every moment of every day – and when we don’t you pick us up and dust us off and set our paths straight. Thank you for your everlasting grace!
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 –
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
You're rich in love
And You're slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Yes I'll worship Your Holy name
I'll worship Your Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name
Worship Your Holy name
Children’s Moment – Emily Harden
Sharing Our Resources
At this time may we give all of ourselves to God –
We give our time to love one another and show mercy to those who need it.
We give our talents by creating something new to make the world a little brighter.
We give financially to help the ministries of our church serving our community.
We give by laying down our bodies to serve the body of Christ – to love and serve one another in the way God has called each of us to live. Amen.
Anthem –
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 – Becky Stults
Sermon Series: Mosaic Faith: Deconstructing What We Think About God to See Something More Beautiful
Sermon: Deconstructing Sin
Holy Communion Meditation & Prayer – Becky Stults
Communion Song –
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away
Change and decay in all around I see
O Thou who changest not, abide with me
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness
Where is death's sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death, o Lord, abide with me
Abide with me, abide with me
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 – Becky Stults
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 next Sunday on June 2, please let Beverly know ASAP.
After worship next Sunday, we will have a reception to celebrate our graduates.
Will you please rise in body and spirit to receive the benediction?
_____
Amen.
*Benediction Response –
God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives
How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and the joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives, lives