Centering Practice
We invite you to slow down, breathe, and connect with God, each other, and yourself. Begin by taking a couple of slow, deep breaths.
- Hands on knees: “I am present”
- “Theology of thumbs”, hold neighbors’ hands and remember that we hold each other up and are held up by one another): “We are present”
- Continue holding hands: “God is present”
Call to Worship
We rejoice in the Lord!
We will sing praises to our God.
God loves righteousness and justice.
The earth is filled with God’s steadfast love.
Amen.
Worship Songs
Here For You
Let our praise be Your welcome
Let our songs be a sign
We are here for You, we are here for You
Let Your breath come from heaven
Fill our hearts with Your life
We are here for You, we are here for You
To You our hearts are open
Nothing here is hidden
You are our one desire
You alone are holy
Only You are worthy
God, let Your fire fall down
Let our shout be Your anthem
Your renown fill the skies
We are here for You, we are here for You
Let Your Word move in power
Let what’s dead come to life
We are here for You, we are here for You
We welcome You with praise
We welcome You with praise
Almighty God of love
Be welcomed in this place
Let every heart adore
Let every soul awake
Almighty God of love
Be welcomed in this place
The Love of the Father
Lift up your voices and lift up your praise
Join with the heavens, declaring the wonders
Of His faithfulness forever
Sing of the victory, the hope of the world
The Saviour has risen, the Spirit has come to
Bring us into love forever
We are the people of God
With the freedom of hope in our hearts
How great is the love of the Father
Lifted from darkness and into the light
The sons and the daughters are loved at a price
Our God has made us His forever
This is the song of the redeemed
The ransomed and the free
Given life at such a price
This is love, this is love
And when the Father calls us home
And we see Him on the throne
Hear the voices sing as one
This is love, this is love
Prayer of Confession
Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) is the oldest known African-American celebration. On June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, received word of their emancipation two months after the Civil War had ended, and two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect on January 1, 1863. As a people of faith, we celebrate the freedom we have in Christ and commit ourselves to Jesus’ way of love, justice, and Shalom.
Cole Arthur Riley, author of Black Liturgies, gives us this blessing in our prayers: As we remember, may God shield us from despair, knowing that our story is more than pain. Ours is the story of dignity. Let us reclaim it.
Holy and righteous God,
You created all people in Your image.
Grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil
and to make no peace with oppression.
Help us, like those of generations before us,
to resist the evils of slavery and oppression in any form.
Make us a people of justice and love,
to the glory of Your name in all the world, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
God of love,
help us to walk in Your open paths
of love, justice, and restoration.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
As we celebrate Father’s Day, we’re thankful for all of the wonderful dads in our church community — and we acknowledge the complexity of relationships with dads, including pain, sorrow, and loss. We trust in God, who Jesus called Heavenly Father, and we want to take a moment to pray for all of the dads here and represented in our church family, along with fathers in the faith.
Please extend a hand towards a dad nearby as we pray a silent prayer of blessing, and we’ll close with a simple prayer out loud together afterward:
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
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!
- Happy Father’s Day! We’re thankful for all of the dads and fathers in faith in our church community. Thank you for modeling that true strength doesn’t come from power, but from love, kindness, and humility through Christ. May God continue to raise up men of God who are tender-hearted protectors and doers of the Word!
- Pride Month: As a reflection of Jesus’ inclusive and expansive love, we continue to remember & celebrate Pride this month. “Pride is important because someone right now believes they’re better off dead than being themselves.”
- Research Interviews: If you haven’t already, please schedule an interview with Linda as she wraps up her research with us!
- Run Club: Please talk to Jin if you’d like to register for the Balboa Park 8 Miler on Saturday, August 1st with our Run Club. This year is the 72nd annual 8 Miler!
- Save the Dates: Art & Faith Minicamp on Sunday, July 19th • Church-wide Retreat from September 18th-20th at Palomar Christian Conference Center
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
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
Have My Heart
You love with no reservations
You’re not looking for perfection
And there’s no need in me pretending
I’ll give You everything
I’ll give You everything
You deserve my full attention
Nothing less than my devotion
Oh, speak to me and I will listen
I’ll give You everything
I’ll give You everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
You can have my heart
You can have my heart
Be the Lord of my emotions
Set me free from selfish motives
And search me ’til there’s nothing hidden
And I’ll give You everything
Yes, I’ll give You everything
My heart is Yours forever
My heart is Yours forever
Scripture Reading
Mark 2:1-12
1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door, and he was speaking the word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves, and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, stand up, take your mat, and go to your home.” 12 And he stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
It’s Okay to Be Different
Pastor Jeya
Worship Song
Let Us Be Known
Let us be known by our love
In every word, in every deed
Honor the Son
Let our light shine in every eye
Let us be known by our love
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our love
Let us be known by our joy
In every home, in every heart
Sing to the Lord
Let our lives show goodness and hope
Let us be known by our joy
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our joy
Let us be known by our peace
In every town, in every tribe
Jesus is King
Let us go forth, heal and restore
Let us be known by our peace
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our peace
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our love
Anchor & Hope Church 