World Communion Sunday
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.
- Hold yourself in a hug and be reminded of the embrace of God and God’s people throughout history and space
- Inhale: The earth is the Lord’s
- Exhale: And all who live within it
Call to Worship
Adapted from the Brief Statement of Faith
In life and in death, we belong to God.
Through the transforming grace of our risen Lord,
the steadfast love of God,
and the faithful presence of the Holy Spirit,
We are brought from darkness into light,
called to live and share the resurrection.
Amen.
Worship Songs
Great Are You Lord / Oh Our Lord
All the earth
will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry
these bones will sing
Great are You Lord!
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
Be Thou My Vision / Open the Eyes
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
Be thou my Vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy Presence, my Light
Riches I heed not
Nor vain empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
Be first in my heart
High King of Heaven
My treasure, Thou art
O God, be my everything
Be my delight
Be Jesus, my glory
My soul satisfied
High King of Heaven
When victory is won
May I reach Heaven’s joys
O bright Heaven’s sun
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
O Ruler of all
Prayer of Confession
God of love,
Your banquet table is open to all,
a place of love and belonging.
When our tables are too small;
When our vision of grace is too narrow;
When we do not love our neighbors;
Forgive us, O God, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
God of welcome,
We give You all our grateful praise,
together with all Your people, everywhere.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
After each phrase, let’s pray out loud: “Lord, have mercy”
For those suffering from violence, hatred, and war,
especially children…
For the emotional, spiritual, physical, and relational
healing of ourselves and our loved ones…
For our neighbors in Mira Mesa & San Diego
to know Jesus’ love through us…
For our global siblings in Christ, especially those
who suffer because of their faith in You…
For the Church worldwide to be faithful witnesses
of Your justice, mercy, and love…
Amen.
Communion
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!
- Mira Mesa Street Fair: Thank you to everyone who was able to come by and help out. We had over 400 interactions with our community — engaging kids with art, collaborating with our neighbors in visualized prayer, and sharing affirmations with everyone so they would know they’re loved!
- Women’s Bible Study: This Friday, October 10th in person!
- Community Connections: Let’s pray for and build up our connections with neighbors and our broader community! Please continue to lift up our 10:02 prayer daily until Advent, that God would give us love & courage to invite friends to be a part of what God is doing in and through Anchor & Hope!
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
Blessing of the Children
Worship Song
Promises
God from age to age
Though the earth may pass away
Your word remains the same
Your history can prove
There’s nothing You can’t do
You’re faithful and true
Though the storms may come
And the winds may blow
I’ll remain steadfast
And let my heart learn
When You speak a word
It will come to pass
Great is Your faithfulness to me
Great is Your faithfulness to me
From the rising sun to the setting same
I will praise Your name
Great is Your faithfulness to me
I put my faith in Jesus
My anchor to the ground
My hope and firm foundation
He’ll never let me down
Scripture Reading
2 Timothy 1:1-7
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Spiritual Ancestors
Pastor Jeya
Conversation Questions:
- Who are your spiritual ancestors? (they can still be alive!)
- What have they taught you?
Worship Song
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
Anchor & Hope Church 