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Pastor: Rev. Kendra Balliet
Organist: Jim Ross
Offertory: Meditation on "How Great Thou Art" -Setting by John Carter

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
ORDER OF SERVICE

Prelude - Cavatina-Peter Mathews

Welcome & Announcements

 *Call to Worship 
Beloved disciples, welcome! We gather as people reconciled to one another and God through grace, a gift freely and lovingly given that we do not earn or deserve. We receive the marvelous work of grace in our lives, and we wonder, “Is it fair?”
No! God’s grace is not fair, but a gift of God’s mercy.
We gather as neighbors who have experienced difficulties of every kind. We feel uncertain, fearful, and overwhelmed, and we wonder, “Is it fair?”
No! Our difficulties are not fair, and God’s grace meets our uncertainty with mercy and love.
We gather as a community that knows the suffering of our neighbors. We look at the effects of poverty, food insecurity, and trauma in our neighborhoods, and we wonder, “Is it fair?”
No! The suffering of our neighbors is not fair, and God’s grace calls us to respond to suffering with mercy and justice.
We gather as people who question how to live into God’s abundance and flourishing in a world built on scarcity and greed, and we wonder, “Is it fair?”
Yes! God’s life of abundance and flourishing is fair, because it is merciful. May God’s grace form us into people of mercy, justice, compassion, and truth-telling as we gather today. Amen.


*Opening Hymn " Lord, I Want to Be a Christian" #402
 
*Unison Prayer
Precious Lord, strip away the mask I wear during the week to “get by.” Lay my soul bare before you today. Let me see genuine love. Show me the loves that hates evil and holds onto what is good. Strip away the mask that holds my emotions in check when I should share your love with someone. Let me see the joy of giving to others. Show me the power of blessing those who persecute me. Strip away the mask that grins and lies and lets the world think otherwise about a child of God. Amen.

 Affirmation of Faith – Apostles’ Creed #881

Gloria Patri #70
 
Children's Chat

Offertory "Reflection" Ralph Vaugh Williams

Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude
 
 Scripture Matthew 15:10-20, 21-28
 
 Sermon "That's Not Fair!"
 
 Joys/Concerns 

Hymn "My Faith Looks Up to Thee" #452

Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer

Closing Hymn "Victory in Jesus" #370

Action Steps & Benediction

Postlude - A Trumpet Postlude - Denis Elliot


The flowers on the altar today are given by Dr. Armendia Dixon to the glory of God and in loving memory of her parents the Rev. Lou Edward Pierce and Denothras Pierce and her siblings Dr. Evelyn Omar, Lou Edward Pierce Jr., and Mary Louise Goldenbroit.

Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website and/or by following us on Facebook. If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card on our website, call the church office and leave a message at 814-724-6736, or email churchoffice@stoneumc.org.