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
- We invite you to open your eyes and stand together
- Lean a little left, a little right, find your center
- May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
Call to Worship
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing God’s glorious name;
Shout out glorious praise!
God has turned our mourning into dancing;
Let all the earth praise God’s holy name.
Tell of God’s awesome deeds among all people!
Amen.
Worship Songs
Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly
It all comes down to this
What You require of me
Love my neighbor as myself
And You above all things
Act justly, love mercy
Walk humbly, with You God
In all things, in all ways
Walk humbly, with You God
It all comes down to this
To be Your hands and feet
Good News to all the world
The truth will set us free
It’s beauty for ashes
It’s mourning to dancing
It’s closer and closer
The Kingdom of heaven
Years from now we’ll see
The fruit our hands have sown
Faith just like a seed
The only way it grows
Kingdom Come
God, let Your kingdom come
May Your will be done
God, let Your kingdom come
Earth is groaning and we are longing
For Your kingdom to come
All creation and all of heaven
Join their voices as one
Hope is stirring, joy arising
As we look to the day
When all injustice will bow
And every voice will cry out
Holy is Your name
Lift up your heads, all the weak and the poor
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up your hearts, all who suffer and mourn
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up your eyes, all who hunger for more
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up a shout, let the earth hear your voice
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken
Community Prayer
Gracious God,
You are reconciling the world to Yourself
through Jesus Christ.
Today, we confess the countless ways
we remain un-reconciled:
And now I invite you to a few moments of silent prayer:
- For the ways we turn away from Your voice, O God;
- When we ignore the cries of our neighbors near and far;
- For the ways we seek comfort over self-reflection or sacrifice;
- In our disconnection from one another and from Your Church
Merciful God,
Transform our hearts
and reshape our desires
to reflect Your goodness daily.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
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!
- Church Retreat: We will have our church retreat on September 20th and 21st (Saturday and Sunday). We’ll be in town at Marina Village. More details to come, but please block off those dates on your calendars!
- Women’s Bible Study: Starting up in August! Please talk to PJ if you’re interested in joining.
- Young Adult’s Bible Study: Please contact Pastor David if you’re interested — every other Thursday via Zoom at 5:30 pm.
- Youth Group: Grace will lead Youth Group Bible study today!
- Office Space: Please join us in prayer as we look to establish an ongoing presence in the Mira Mesa area — and keep an eye out!
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
Blessing of the Children
Worship Song
The Kingdom is Yours
Blessed are the ones who do not bury
All the broken pieces of their heart
Blessed are the tears of all the weary
Pouring like a sky of falling stars
Blessed are the wounded ones in mourning
Brave enough to show the Lord their scars
Blessed are the hurts that are not hidden
Open to the healing touch of God
The Kingdom is yours, the Kingdom is yours
Hold on a little more, this is not the end
Hope is in the Lord, keep your eyes on Him
And blessed are the ones who walk in kindness
Even in the face of great abuse
Blessed are the deeds that go unnoticed
Serving with unguarded gratitude
And blessed are the ones who fight for justice
Longing for the coming day of peace
Blessed is the soul that thirsts for righteousness
Welcoming the last, the lost, the least
Blessed are the ones who suffer violence
And still have strength to love their enemies
Blessed is the faith of those who persevere
Though they fall, they’ll never know defeat
Scripture Reading
Luke 4:16-21
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Proclaiming God’s Justice
Pastor Dan
PC(USA) Directory for Worship, W-5.0304
God sends the Church to work for justice in the world: exercising its power for the common good; dealing honestly in personal and public spheres; seeking dignity and freedom for all people; welcoming strangers in the
land; promoting justice and fairness in the law; overcoming disparities between rich and poor; bearing witness against systems of violence and oppression; and redressing wrongs against individuals, groups, and peoples.God also sends the Church to seek peace: in the Church universal, within denominations, and at the congregational level; in the world, where nations and religious or ethnic groups make war against one another; and in local communities, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and homes. These acts of peacemaking and justice are established upon God’s gracious act of reconciliation with us in Jesus Christ, and are a way of participating in Christ’s priestly intercession or advocacy for the world.
Conversation Questions
- Read through the post on our blog from the PC(USA) Directory of Worship on the Church’s calling
- What is one aspect of our calling that stands out to you? Why?
Worship Song
Teach Us Your Ways
Teach us Your ways… teach us Your ways
As we learn from one another
Learn to love each other
Teach us Your ways
Teach us to give… teach us to give
Give ourselves for one another
Learn to love each other
Teach us to give
Teach us to weep… teach us to weep
Let us weep with one another
Learn to love each other
Teach us to weep
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Let us learn from one another
Learn to love each other
Teach us Your ways
Anchor & Hope Church 