Beacon Online Worship Outline 11/8/20 Ordinary Time

Image by Ivan Aleksic via Unsplash

We hope you join us for worship, either live-streaming on our Youtube Channel or via zoom. Email info@thewordatbeacon.org for zoom info.

Gathering Time (unmuted)

Feel free to say hi and check in with others before the service begins!

Welcome/Announcements

Antiracism Discussion Group - Mondays at 8pm

Lunch & Lectio - Tuesdays at 12:30pm

Mid-Week Prayer - Wednesdays at 6pm

Kids Sunday School - 4:30pm

Facing God (from Psalm 78)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

Leader: The Lord established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel,

All: Which God commanded our ancestors to teach to their children;

Leader: That the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn,

All: Rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God,

Leader: And not forget the works of God, but keep God’s commandments. 

Let us worship God.

Come, Holy Ghost

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,

And in our hearts take up Your rest;

Come with Your grace and heavenly aid

to fill our hearts, which You have made,

To fill our hearts, which You have made.

Chorus:

Be not afraid, where you go there I am with you.

Be not afraid, where you go there I am with you.

O Comforter, to You we cry,

You, heav'nly gift of God most high;

You, fount of life, and fire of love,

And sweet anointing from above,

And sweet anointing from above.

Chorus

Praise we the Lord, Father and Son,

And Holy Spirit with them one;

And may the Son on us bestow

all gifts that from the Spirit flow,

All gifts that from the Spirit flow.

Chorus

Laying Down Our Burdens & Assurance

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

Leader: The Good News is that Christ has come and Christ will come again. 

All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

In The Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful

In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful,

In the Lord, I will rejoice!

Look to God, do not be afraid,

Lift up your voices, the Lord is near!

Lift up your voices, the Lord is near

Children's Bible Story

Lectio Conversation (Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25)

(Hold onto these questions while we read our scripture.)

What stands out to you about this text?

When were you invited to make a deeper commitment to your faith?

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. 

“Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

Discussion

What stands out to you about this text?

When were you invited to make a deeper commitment to your faith?

Homily

We Will Make No Peace With Oppression

Chorus (2x)

We will make no peace, no peace, no peace with oppression,

We will make no peace, no peace.

Those who live by the sword will die by the sword

We will stand against violence of every form

We will march in the street, “No justice, no peace

arm in arm with our neighbor till we all stand free.

Almighty God, help us not to be afraid

Almighty God, give us your strength.

Chorus (2x)

We won’t turn away from the pain of our brothers,

cries of our sisters, grieving of our mothers

We won’t turn away from destructive politicians,

our overflowing prisons, corruption in our systems.

Almighty God, help us not to be afraid

almighty God, give us your strength

Prayers of the People

Now is the time when we share the prayers on our hearts and minds. If you have a private prayer, you can email them to us throughout the week and the pastoral team will pray over them. 

If you have a prayer, please unmute your mic to share. 

After each prayer, I will lead our response on mute:

Lord in your mercy // hear our prayers

Now I will offer a prayer for the greater community and world. We will end by saying the Lord’s Prayer together in whatever language you prefer. Let us pray.

(muted)

Leader: Just as God/Christ taught us to pray... 

All: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.

Offering

To give online, click here: https://www.thewordatbeacon.org/donate

To give your prayers, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

Speak O Lord

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You

To receive the food of Your Holy Word.

Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;

Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,

That the light of Christ might be seen today

In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us 

All Your purposes for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience,

Holy reverence, true humility;

Test our thoughts and our attitudes

In the radiance of Your purity.

Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see

Your majestic love and authority.

Words of pow'r that can never fail—

Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;

Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time

That will echo down through eternity.

And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,

And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.

Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built

And the earth is filled with Your glory.

Sending/Blessing (from 1 Peter 5)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

As we close this time together, let us read this word from the apostle Peter:

All: Let us cast all our anxiety on the Lord, who cares for us. The God of all grace, who has called you to eternal glory in Christ, will restore, strengthen, and support us. 

Leader: The steadfast love of God goes with you, the deep and abiding peace of Christ goes with you, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit goes with you, now and always. Amen.

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Feel free to hang out a little longer and catch up with others! Please also leave us feedback in the chat so we know what's working well and what to tweak for the future.