Centering Practice
We invite you to slow down, breathe, and connect with God, each other, and yourself:
- Begin by closing our eyes and taking several slow, deep breaths
- Get your feet rooted: Picture all of the places your feet will take you this week
- How will God be with you there? Who needs to be blessed? Where do you need strength?
Call to Worship
Jesus is the vine; we are the branches.
We root ourselves in the rich soil of God’s grace,
refreshed by the Living Waters.
May the Spirit of God nurture within us
a spirit of hopefulness, insight, and creativity
as we abide in the love of Jesus.
Amen.
Worship Songs
Oh Our Lord / Center
Oh Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives
We behold the breaking dawn
The light that shines over everyone
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
We behold the rising sun
The earth awaits, Your hope has come
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
How majestic is Your name in all the earth
We behold the falling rain
Like waters rise, flood this place
We reach for You, we cling to You, oh Lord
Oh, Your name is a light in the darkness
Oh, Your name is the word of truth
Oh Your name, oh Your name
Send the Rain
Lord, we come to You
Now with open hands
Broken lives and dreams
Washed up on the sand
We’ve been beaten down
But still we choose to stand
We choose to stand
Lord, we long for You
For Your hand to move
Heal this barren land
Come and make it new
Jesus, You’re the life
That is breaking through
You’re breaking through
The saints of old in ancient days
They worked the ground
that we reap from today
So use our hands to cultivate
The harvest that
our children’s children taste
We’re ready God, so send the rain
Lord, we’ll follow You
To unbroken earth
On the path not used
Where new hope is birthed
We will work as one
Holding to Your truth
To Your truth
Heal the ruined cities
We destroyed with our own hands
Bring us back together
Let us see the promised land
Pour out Your Spirit
On this dry and thirsty ground
O God of the harvest
Could it be right here and now
Could it be right here and now
Open up the heavens,
let Your rain fall down
We are thirsty, we are thirsty
Prayer of Confession
Creator God,
in raising Christ from the dead,
You have ushered in Your new creation.
Turn our hearts back to You,
reshape the way we see the world,
and fill us with Your creative Spirit.
Hear us, O God, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
Loving God,
Open our eyes to see You all around us;
open our hearts to receive and extend mercy;
and open our hands to share Your abundance.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
After each phrase, the congregation will reply with one voice:
Lord, have mercy.
For all in San Diego and beyond who are starting a new school year…
For those longing for hope in our world…
For those suffering from violence, hatred, and war…
For Your creation, groaning under the weight of waste & sin…
For our mission partners & collaborators around the world…
For renewed creativity, joy & love in our Anchor & Hope community…
Amen.
Offering Prayer
Announcements
- Thanks for worshiping with us today! We hope you experience meaningful connection with God and others in our community. If you’re visiting for the first time today, we’d love to get to know you better. Please take home a visitor’s card with QR code so that we can stay in touch & build a relationship!
- Monthly Prayer Walk: We will gather on the first Saturday of month (Sept. 7th) at 9:00 am at the Sandburg parking lot for our prayer walk
- Reset Sunday: On months with five Sundays, we do not gather as a community on the 5th Sunday. Instead, we encourage you to experience rest, renewal, and reconnection with God and others out in God’s world. Our next Reset Sunday is coming up on Sept. 29th
- Justice Ventures International: Deleine interned with JVI this summer and will share a brief report!
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
Family Praise
Shine (From the Inside Out)
Blessing of the Children
Go in peace and go in joy;
Filled with wonder for this day.
Go in faith and go in love;
God will guide you on your way!
Worship Song
You Hold It All Together / Send the Rain
Open up the heavens
Let Your rain fall down
We are thirsty, we are thirsty
You come at the right time
When I least expect it
Never behind
So why would I be surprised
When You deliver every time?
On mountaintops, You stay the same
On valley low, You never change
And I believe that I will see
The goodness of the Lord
I’m confident as seasons change
Your faithfulness remains
You go, You go before me
To prepare a blessing
You madе a way
It’s more than I could imagine
More than I can fathom
Or comprehend
God of my present
God of my future
You write my story
You hold it all together
Scripture Reading
Jeremiah 29:4-11
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to your dreams that you dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord.
10 For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Being a Blessing Where We Are
Pastor Jeya
Reflection Questions
- What makes something feel like home for you?
- How do you wish San Diego (city & county) could be better? How do you wish the city/county could be blessed?
- Partners: “No” vs “Yes And”
Worship Song
Open Up (reprise)
May Your love
Cause us to open up
Cause us to open up our hearts
May Your light
Cause us to shine so bright
That we bring hope into the dark
All that we do without love
It means nothing
Grant us the courage to give
As You’re calling
Make me an instrument
Of Your peace
Where there is hatred
Let me sow love
Where there is darkness
Let me shine light and…
Hope for the hopeless
Your love is
Strength in our weakness
Your love is
Anchor & Hope Church 