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.
- Cross your arms and give yourself a hug
- As you breathe in, try to name what emotions you’re bringing today — without adding value judgments about them: “Right now, I feel …”
- As you breathe out, say to yourself, “It’s okay”
Call to Worship
Let us sing of God’s steadfast love.
We offer our praise in songs of joy!
God’s faithfulness is as wide as the sky.
We proclaim God’s faithfulness to all generations.
Amen.
Worship Songs
My Hallelujah
Open up the doors again
Let the King of glory in
His Kingdom will never end
Oh, I know that You are good
Break the darkness with the light
All the earth let praise arise
Every dead place come alive
Oh, I know that You are good
Oh, I know that You are good
You will have my hallelujah
You alone the highest name
All to You I surrender
Every breath I take
Make my life Your praise
Oh, Spirit of the Living God
Fire burning in my heart
I’m wide awake to who You are
Oh, I know that You are good
Oh, I know that You are good
You are my strength when I am weak
You are my sight when I can’t see
As praise goes up, I believe
The walls are coming down
Oh, when I was lost, You rescued me
When I was bound, You set me free
As praise goes up, I believe
The walls are coming down
You Hold It All Together
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
In valleys 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
And I believe that I will see
The goodness of the Lord
I’m confident as seasons change
Your faithfulness remains
Prayer of Confession
Creator, Christ, and Spirit,
From north and south and east and west,
You gather Your people.
For the renewal of our relationships
with You, each other, ourselves, and the world;
Hear us, O God, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
God of mercy,
Mend what is broken
and raise us up to new life.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
Today, as we remember the people and places God has placed on our hearts,
we join together in the prayer Jesus taught us, saying:
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 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!
- 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
Open Space w/ Make Room
I will make room for You
To do whatever You want to
To do whatever You want to
Pull me in closer
Close to your heart
May I be a pure reflection
of all You are
Love that is patient
Love that is kind
And love that keeps no offenses
or wrongs in mind
Make me like Jesus
Make me like Jesus
My heart is an open space
For You to come and have Your way
I’m open, I’m open
You’re faithful to find me
Right where I am
Though even in my wandering
You call me friend
And mercy receives me
and lifts me to my feet
And I’m caught up in
the wonder and the mystery
Of knowing Jesus
Of knowing Jesus
Scripture Reading
Mark 5:1-20
1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain, 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces, and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him, 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding, 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, stampeded down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned in the sea.
14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man possessed by demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion, and they became frightened. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the man possessed by demons and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But Jesus refused and said to him, “Go home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and what mercy he has shown you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
It’s Okay to Not Be in Control
Pastor Dan
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 