Sunday, February 23, 2025
A link to this week’s announcements is located at the bottom of the bulletin
Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Prayer of Adoration
Hymn #366
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion;
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish then Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee:
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, You are quick to show us Your love. Yet we soon forget. We live as if we have to earn Your love, perform in order to receive Your approval, and succeed in order to exist. Rescue us from these idols. Help us to receive the gift of Your love. Help us to love our neighbors and the world. Help us to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. And help us to find the courage to be honest with You and one another about our brokenness as individuals and as a family. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Gloria Patri
Passing the Peace
Leader: May the peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
The congregation confers peace on one another using the words:
“May the peace of Christ be with you.”
Time with Young Disciples Tifny Mathena
“Rescue Us”
Forgive us, Lord when we have gone astray
We fail to trust in the power of Your Name
Forgive us, Lord when we have gone astray
We take for granted the sacrifice You made
Come cleanse our hearts
Come heal our wounds
We lay our lives before Your cross
Come and rescue us
“Rescue Us” words and music by Jeffrey Haagenson. ©2013 by Jeffrey Haagenson. All rights reserved. CCLI #171048
Scripture Galatians 5:1-15
Sermon Pastor Matt Overton
Galatians
“Freedom from what? Freedom to what?”
Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
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; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Life of Columbia
Giving Our Tithes and Offerings
Choir Anthem “I Will Be a Child of Peace”
arr. Elaine Hagenberg
Jeffrey Haagenson, director
O Holy Father I will be a child of peace and purity
for well I know Thy hand will bless the seeker after righteousness.
“I Will Be a Child of Peace” arr. by Elaine Hagenberg. ©2013 Beckenhorst Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Hymn #738
“O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
O Master, let me walk with Thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care.
Help me the slow of heart to move
By some clear, winning word of love;
Teach me the wayward feet to stay,
And guide them in the homeward way.
Teach me Thy patience, still with Thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong.
In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future’s broadening way;
In peace that only thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.
Benediction
Postlude “Toccata in g [minor]”
(Johann Pachelbel)
Garnet Hayes