THE LORD’S DAY
Happy Fourth of July Weekend — Happy Patriotic Sunday
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The National Anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner,”
1 O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
2 O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that has made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, “In God is our trust.”
And the star spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
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BIBLE SENTENCE & PRAYER: Pastor Geoffrey Brown
PRELUDE: “Morning Has Broken”
arr. Martha Mier
Musicians today: Jann Moreshead, piano; Shannon Lewis, violin
PLEASE NOTE: This music provides an opportunity for us to meditate, prepare our hearts, and reverently worship God the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit.
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*CALL TO WORSHIP: Elder Susan Colts
“You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him, all you offspring of Israel!” (Ps. 22:23)
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Is.6:3)
“For God, Who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor.4:6)
“Our Lord Jesus Christ said, ‘And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent. I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do. And now,Father, glorify Me in Your Own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.’”(John 17:3-5) “Our Savior and King Jesus Christ also said, ‘I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those Whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.’” (John 17:9-10)
“‘The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me,’ says the Lord.” (Ps. 50:23a)
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SONG OF PRAISE: “God of Our Fathers,”
1 God ages, whose almighty hand
leads forth in beauty all the starry band
of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,
our grateful songs before thy throne arise.
2 Thy love divine hath led us in the past;
in this free land with thee our lot is cast;
be thou our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay,
thy Word our law, thy paths our chosen way.
3 From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
be thy strong arm our ever sure defense;
thy true religion in our hearts increase;
thy bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.
4 Refresh thy people on their toilsome way;
lead us from night to never-ending day;
fill all our lives with love and grace divine,
and glory, laud, and praise be ever thine.
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INVOCATION In Unison
Most holy and exalted God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we gather to worship and give You the praise that You so richly deserve. Make Yourself manifest in our midst. Strengthen us that we may see You with eyes of faith and hear You speaking through Your Word. Fill our hearts with Your joy that we delight in You above all else. We ask it to the glory of Your name. Amen.
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HYMN OF WORSHIP:
“America the Beautiful,”
1 O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain;
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
2 O beautiful for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved,
and mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
till all success be nobleness,
and every gain divine.
3 O beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years
thine alabaster cities gleam,
undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul in self-control,
thy liberty in law.
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CONFESSING OUR SIN TOGETHER: In Unison
Father, You are the God of all hope, yet we frequently wallow in hopelessness! Too often we focus on temporal things, rather than fixing our gaze on You and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to rest our hope on the gift of Your Son, the King of Kings, the One who came into this world, Who alone can bring us real hope. We ask this in Jesus’ Name and for His honor and glory. Amen. Use the next few moments for quiet confession of sins to God.
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WORDS OF COMFORT:
I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Through faith and confession, we are forgiven. (Adapted from Psalm 34)
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THE READING OF GOD’S WORD: Pastor Geoffrey Brown
Psalm 139: 1−18; Philippians 1:1−11
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS TO GOD FOR RPC MINISTRY & MISSION
Offertory: “Come, Holy Spirit, Dove Divine” arr. Cindy Berry
DOXOLOGY: WORDS
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HYMN OF ADORATION:
“Battle Hymn of the Republic,”
1 Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
he hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
his truth is marching on.
Refrain:
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
2 I have seen him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps,
they have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;
his day is marching on. [Refrain]
3 He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
he is sifting out the hearts of all before his judgment seat.
O be swift, my soul, to answer him; be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on. [Refrain]
4 In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
with a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
as he died to make us holy, let us die to make all free,
while God is marching on. [Refrain]
SERMON
THE WORD SPEAKS TO OUR LIVES: Rev. Dr. R. Geoffrey Brown
Philippians Summer Series―Part 1:
“Living on Cloud Nine―To The Glory of God”
CLOSING SONG:
“My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” #807 On Screen
1 My country, ’tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims’ pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!
2 My native country, thee,
land of the noble free,
thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills
like that above.
3 Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees
sweet freedom’s song:
let mortal tongues awake,
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break,
the sound prolong.
BENEDICTION
HYMN OF HOPE: “God Bless America, Land that I Love,
God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the light from above
From the mountains to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home
WE DEPART TO GLORIFY GOD WITH ALL THAT WE ARE IN ALL THAT WE DO
