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.
- You are not alone! God is with us, and we are here together
- Let’s practice box breathing (4 counts) to recenter ourselves
- We are being held by God and each other with each breath
Call to Worship
The Spirit calls us from many places
and invites us together as God’s people.
God sets the lonely in families.
We are all welcomed and embraced
by Christ’s love.
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
God of hope,
Thank You for being our source of life
and the author of new dreams.
Reshape us as a people made in Your image,
in energy, intelligence, imagination, and love;
Hear us, O God, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
God of grace,
Teach us to serve joyfully
the world You love so much.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
Let us lift up this prayer based on the Prayer for Peace by St. Francis of Assisi out loud together, with one voice:
Lord, make us instruments of Your peace:
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
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!
- Mesoamerican Migration Conference: Thanks for your prayer support! Deleine gave a well-received presentation and PD learned so much about the good work our global partners are doing to support dignity and hope for migrants throughout Central America!
- Thanksgiving Sunday: Please sign up to bring something to our potluck on as we celebrate Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 22nd
- Turkey Trot 5k: On Thursday, 11/26 at 7:15 am in Balboa Park in support of Father Joe’s Villages Meal and Food Services program. Please talk to Jin for more details and to register with our team!
- Reset Sunday: Our next Reset Sunday is coming up on Sunday, November 29th, so please make note on your calendars.
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
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
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan…
14 “Now, therefore, revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed, 18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Serve Together
Pastor Jeya
Conversation questions:
- What’s good about “togetherness”?
- What can be hard about togetherness?
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
