FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
ORDER OF WORSHIP
12th Sunday of Pentecost
August 31, 2025
PRELUDE Guide Me, Thou Great Jehovah - arr. Gilbert Martin
WELCOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-MISSION/OUTREACH COMMITTEE meets today August 31 following worship service
-TUESDAY MORNING COFFEE GROUP at 9:30ish AM at First Lutheran Mission Coffee House.
-THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY at 9:30 AM in the FPC Center Meeting Room
-THANK YOU to Andrew L’Amour for staffing the office while Rozanne works from home.
-PANCAKE BRUNCH is September 7th following worship, with a presentation by Harlan Moss, Chaplain at the Prison in Sioux Falls.
-WORSHIP AT PEACEFUL PINES will be September 7th at 2:00. Join us for a brief worship service and music.
-SPECIAL OFFERING Peace and Global Witness Offering will begin Sept. 7-Oct. 5. Please use envelopes provided by the offering plates or write Peace Offering in check memo for your donations.
-JACK’S CUPBOARD’S Fall 2025 hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 3:00-6:00 PM
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CALL TO WORSHIP
Happy are those who fear the Lord,
who delight in God’s commandments.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright.
Those who love God are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
They are generous, sharing freely what they have received.
It is well with those who live in justice.
Their hearts are steady; they will not be afraid.
Let us praise the Lord!
*OPENING HYMN #350 (red) “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning”
Keep your lamps trimmed and burning;
keep your lamps trimmed and burning;
keep your lamps trimmed and burning,
for the time is drawing nigh.
Sisters, don’t grow weary; brothers, don’t grow weary,
children, don’t grow weary, for the time is drawing nigh.
It’s our faith makes us happy;
it’s our faith makes us happy;
it’s our faith makes us happy,
for the time is drawing nigh.
Sisters, don’t grow weary; brothers, don’t grow weary,
children, don’t grow weary, for the time is drawing nigh.
We are climbing Jacob’s ladder;
we are climbing Jacob’s ladder;
we are climbing Jacob’s ladder,
for the time is drawing nigh.
Sisters, don’t grow weary; brothers, don’t grow weary,
children, don’t grow weary, for the time is drawing nigh.
Every round goes higher, higher;
every round goes higher, higher;
every round goes higher, higher,
for the time is drawing nigh.
Sisters, don’t grow weary; brothers, don’t grow weary,
children, don’t grow weary, for the time is drawing nigh.
*CALL TO CONFESSION
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, in Jesus you show us a way that is humble and that seeks the good of others. We confess that we go our own way; we elevate ourselves and ignore the needs of others. Free us from the temptation to pursue our own pleasure only. Help us to live in harmony with all your people, sharing one world and eating around one table, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*GLORIA PATRI (on screen)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, Amen.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE READING
Jeremiah 2:4-13
4 Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel. 5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. 8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders
rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. 12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.
13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Luke 14:1, 7-14
1One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
SERMON Rituals Elizabeth Fox, CRE
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
I believe in God who is my parent - my father and my mother; my protector; my comforter; my strength.
I believe in the Son, Jesus Christ who is my Lord and Savior. For me and the forgiveness of my sins, Jesus was born by the will of the Father and the agency of the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary. He taught us and provided an example for us to live by before suffering and dying to provide us the opportunity to be saved and live an eternal life with God.
I believe that Jesus is with us now guiding us and protecting us.
I believe that Jesus will come again and will judge us for all our deeds.
I believe in the Holy Spirit that lives in my heart and helps me understand the scripture, live a Holy life, and to know Jesus.
I believe in the universal church - that God speaks to us in different ways and does not choose one denomination over another.
I believe that all believers are one in spirit - those that I agree with and those that I do not. I believe that we must treat all others as though they are God’s disciples and worthy of respect. I believe that respectful discussions are good but vindictive statements are not.
I believe that through Jesus, God has forgiven my sins and continues to do so but that I must try to be a better person.
I believe that Jesus has been resurrected in body and soul and that I too will be resurrected even if I don’t know how that happens.
I believe that I will live forever in God through Jesus. I don’t know what that will look like but I put my trust in God and simply have faith.
*HYMN OF RESPONSE #260 (red) “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph, his the victory alone!
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion thunder like a mighty flood:
"Jesus out of every nation has redeemed us by his blood."
Alleluia! Not as orphans are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! he is near us; faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received him when the forty days were o'er,
shall our hearts forget his promise, "I am with you evermore"?
Alleluia! Bread of angels, here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! here the sinful flee to you from day to day.
Intercessor, friend of sinners, earth's redeemer, hear our plea
where the songs of all the sinless sweep across the crystal sea.
Alleluia! King eternal, Lord omnipotent we own;
Alleluia! Born of Mary, earth your footstool, heaven your throne.
As within the veil you entered, robed in flesh, our great high priest;
Here on earth both priest and victim in the eucharistic feast.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Those Who Mourn: prayers for Carrie VB and family at the passing of her sister Michelle on August 26
Concerns: JoAnn G, Dean H, Jan J, Rozanne M, Lee P, Judy Se
Our homebound or in care members: Richard & Dolores C, Bob F (Pat caregiver), Jan J, Darwin L (Jeanne caregiver), Marlys M, Bob O (Nancy caregiver), Rose P, Joyce R, Steve VB, Dee W (Please reach out and call)
This Week’s Prayer Families: Jon & Linda G & family Grace & Lottie, Scott & Jennifer H & family Skylar, Saige, Ramsie
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.
OFFERING OF OURSELVES AND OUR RESOURCES
*DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*CLOSING HYMN #275 (red) “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.
Our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he.
Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him.
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure.
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth.
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also.
The body they may kill; God’s truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing - arr. Jason Payne
