Good morning and welcome. This is Sunday, October eighteenth, two thousand twenty-six. You are tuned to the live broadcast of a service for the worship of God, which is coming to you from the sanctuary of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia. A live audio stream is available at the Grace Covenant website, which can be found at grace-covenant.org. Just select the radio button, then listen live.
The. Oh, oh, Oh, oh, This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Good morning on this beautiful cold Sunday morning. This was a surprise to me, although the weather said it.
It was 39 degrees when I went running this morning, and I am grateful. To be able to feel God's presence in the world today. Again, it is good to see everybody here. We're grateful for those who are present, as well as those who are listening virtually. We greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
At this time, I'd like to have you to turn to your bulletins, so that we can learn more about the ministries that we do here at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. I would like to say that we want you to join us at Wednesday night supper, 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We start promptly, 6:30. We have our program.
It will be Acts. They're an organization that fights homelessness and hunger in the Richmond area, and they have some really good information that they will disseminate that evening. We will have a wonderful Mexican meal, so we hope to see you there. Also, we're at a three-week countdown for the Crop Hunger Walk, and so it is not too late to join a team, to start a team, or just to come out and enjoy a three-mile walk. If you want to learn more about it, please reach out to Nelson Revely at Revely at gcpcrva.
dot org. Also, the nominating committee continues to do its great work, and if the Holy Spirit is nudging you to serve as a church officer, that would certainly be a blessing. You can reach out to Charlie Appic or to a Cheryl Jacobs. There are nomination brochures available in the Narthex on the resource table, as well as the table in front of the social room. Just a reminder: we are two weeks away from having to use the new backdoor code, so you can use it now.
It's active. You can still use the old one, but you might want to just get into a good habit of using the new code. Let me also add that we still have. Volunteer opportunities with the Joy Circle, the Stewart Circle Parish Council is involved with Stewart Joy Circles, which helps people who are in early to mid-stage memory loss. This is so important to give them places to be during the day.
So you can volunteer, whether it's an hour a week, an hour a month—it really doesn't matter. You're not overqualified. You're not underqualified. Your presence would certainly be helpful. If you have any questions, particularly specific questions, you can reach out to Pastor Joanna at jw.sidnor@gcpcrva.org.
Lastly, let us again keep everyone on our in our congregation in prayer. Prayer indeed changes things, and so we would like for you to look at those names and lift those names up, as well as the names on your hearts. If you do have a prayer request, you can use the card that's in the bulletin. You can fill that out and put it in the prayer request box in the narthex. Or you could submit a prayer request online at www.grace-covenant.org/resources.
Let us now prepare our hearts to worship the living God. Please stand if you are able for the call to worship. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God; it is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and praise His name. For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever.
His faithfulness continues through all generations. Once again, welcome to the live broadcast of a service for the worship of God. Which is coming to you from the sanctuary of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, at sixteen twenty-seven Monument Avenue, in Richmond, Virginia. This is the one hundred third year of radio ministry at Grace Covenant, and today's broadcast is number five thousand two hundred sixty-seven. This morning's sermon, entitled "Rendering to God," will be delivered by the Reverend Joanna W.
Sidnor. Assisting in the service today are Margaret Harvey, liturgist; Rusty Stadler, moment for stewardship; Chris Martin, director of music and organist; the Chancel Choir; the Handbell Choir; Colby Tomacello. Trumpeter, and the Reverend Calvin H. Sidnor, the fourth co-pastor. Our opening hymn is "O Worship the King, All Glorious Above," which is number four hundred seventy-six in the Presbyterian Hymnal.
O love, O O sweetest dreams, O sweetest dreams, O sweetest dreams, O sweetest dreams, O sweetest dreams, O sweetest dreams. Please join in the prayer of confession. O gracious, gentle, and merciful God, mercy, God of all comfort, we confess before you the evil of our hearts. We acknowledge that we are too inclined toward anger, jealousy, and revenge, to ambition and pride, which often give rise to discord and bitter feelings between others and us. Too often have we both offended and grieved you, O long-suffering Father.
Forgive us this sin. And permit us to partake of the blessing you have promised to the peacemakers, who shall be called the children of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Hear the good news. The Lord is faithful in all His words and gracious in all His deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. Thanks be to God. Please be seated. At this time, children ages three to six are invited forward for children's chapel. They will be in the back of the fellowship hall for pickup following the worship service.
In ages seven to twelve are also invited for youth chapel. They will return to the worship service following the sermon, and there is child care in room one hundred and one. Let us pray. O gracious God, our heavenly Father, you have given us your holy Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. By your Spirit, write its truth upon our hearts, that we may be renewed in faith, conformed to the image of Christ, and strengthened to serve you in holiness and love, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. The psalter reading this morning comes from Psalm 99, verses one through nine. Listen for the word of the Lord. The Lord is King. Let the peoples tremble.
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim. Let the earth quake. The Lord is great in Zion. He is exalted over all peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Holy is He. Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity. You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at His footstool.
Holy is He. Moses and Aaron were among His priests. Samuel also was among those who called on His name. They cried to the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud.
They kept His decree and the statutes that He gave them. O Lord our God, You answered them. You are a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. The bells are ringing. Oh, oh, Oh, oh, Praise God for that beautiful, beautiful selection from the bell choir, and we are so thankful to have Colby Thomasello with us. Playing trumpet this morning, we are really praising the Lord with our music. Good morning, and welcome again.
Our New Testament reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses fifteen through twenty-two. Listen again for the word of the Lord. Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said.
So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth, and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality." Tell us then what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" They answered, "The emperor's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's." When they heard this, they were amazed, and they left him and went away.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let us pray. Dear God, be present with us through the power of your Holy Spirit. And use me as your vessel to speak the truth, that we might grow in your word and wisdom through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now let the meditation, the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Today's sermon title is "Rendering to God." Now, many of you know the game of chess and how you think you've got your opponent trapped, but then they make a brilliant move that turns the game in their favor. You know, like the great Bobby Fischer, who at age fourteen played in his first U.S. Championship, was pitted against the country's best and convincingly won that tournament.
With a plus eight score and became both the youngest U.S. champion and an international master.
Well, the Pharisees believed that they had checked Jesus with their trick question, but instead, checkmate! Jesus turned the tables on them in a master move of divine wisdom. They couldn't fathom that in the game of eternal truths. His moves were always far ahead of theirs. Here in Matthew chapter 22 is not the first attempt to trap Jesus.
Throughout the Gospel of Matthew, the Pharisees challenged Jesus. In Chapter Twelve, when the disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath, as well as in the synagogue when Jesus healed a man's withered hand, the Pharisees questioned whether such things were lawful. From that point on, the Pharisees conspired against Jesus to destroy him. The Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem questioned why his disciples broke the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. On another occasion, they tested Jesus by asking him how to show them a sign from heaven.
And still other Pharisees tested him by asking whether it was lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause. And while Jesus was teaching in the temple, the chief priests and elders questioned him, asking, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave this authority to you?" All who questioned Jesus were like eager dogs digging for bones, perfectly excited about the treat, but winding up with muddy coats instead. They dug their own holes, trying to trap Jesus, only to find themselves muddy faced and confused. Their expectations were misplaced, and just like the dogs, they learned that their digging did not lead to a delicious reward.
In this passage, Jesus addresses a politically charged scenario, demonstrating the distinction and overlap between civil responsibilities and spiritual devotion. His wisdom reveals the necessity of prioritizing one's heart posture towards God in all aspects of life. Including our approach to governance and societal duties. As the passage begins in verse 15, we find the Pharisees plotted to trap Jesus. This was very intentional because the Greek translation says, "Then, having gone, the Pharisees took counsel how they might trap him in his words." It is important to note that between the last time the religious leaders challenged Jesus' authority in chapter twenty-one and today's passage in chapter twenty-two, Jesus told a few parables, including the parable of the two sons, the parable of the wicked tenants, and the parable of the wedding feast.
In the second parable, the wicked tenants. Pointed to the chief priests and the Pharisees, for the Scripture tells us when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds because the crowds regarded him as a prophet. I imagine, since these religious leaders recognized that Jesus' parables were about them, that they had heard enough after the parable of the wedding feast, because then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in his words. They went and they counseled, and after they devised the perfect trap, they sent their disciples to Jesus.
They did not go, but they sent their students, their Pharisees in training, who undoubtedly studied well, listened to, and followed their teachers intently, and thus were eager to execute all they had learned. And wouldn't it look great on their resumes to trap Jesus, the well-known prophet among the crowds?
Well, the Pharisees did not send their disciples alone. They sent their disciples along with the Herodians to confront Jesus. How ironic that these two opposing groups came together to question Jesus. Teacher, they said, we know that you are sincere and teach the word of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one. For you do not regard people with partiality.
Tell us then, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? The Herodians were representatives of the overt supporters of the Roman regime and would support paying the tax. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were popular with the people because they, in principle, resented and resisted the tax, but did not go as far as the radical nationalists who publicly resisted the payment. This tax was the census.
The head tax, which could be paid only in Roman coin, and this coin contained the image of Tiberius Caesar and the inscription "August, son of the divine Augustus, High Priest." This Roman coin was considered blasphemous by many Jews. A trick question was introduced with a title of respect, which lacked all sincerity. Before popping the question, they praised Jesus for basically being a man of truth and integrity in his teachings about God. Then, when they asked the question, they presented it as if they really desired to know the truth, when in fact. The only purpose of the question was to entrapment.
Teacher, is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor? Is it lawful? Meaning, is it lawful under God's law? If Jesus answered yes, he would be wrong, according to some Jews who believed such payment of taxes was forbidden under the law of God.
However, if he responded no, then the Herodians would have reason to arrest Jesus for denying payment of the emperor's tax. The questioners were wolves in sheep's clothing. If Jesus answered the wrong way, it would equate to a revolt. Friends. Have you ever faced such a challenge where your response could land you in hot water?
No matter what your response, such was the case with Jesus. But Jesus, being aware of their malicious attempts to trap him, responded in a way that would unravel their plot, leaving them so utterly amazed that all they could do was walk away. Jesus responded with questions of his own. Why are you trying to test me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.
And when they brought him the denarius, he asked, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" In these verses, we witness Jesus' profound understanding and insight. Recognizing the intentions behind the question and turning the situation around, he was calm and relaxed in his response. Even though he knew they were trying to trap him, Jesus saw in God's redemptive mission, in the big scheme of things, that their question was irrelevant. They brought him. A denarius, a coin bearing a human image.
Now, the denarius was a silver coin, the amount of a day's wages for the laborer. It was the same coin used to pay census tax, which for the Jews added insult to injury. They did not care to use a coin that carried a human likeness, and would have avoided anything to do with it if they could. Therefore, when Jesus asked them to produce the coin, they evidently had to send away for it. They brought him a denarius because a Jew would not be likely to carry a coin, this coin, into the temple.
When they brought Jesus the denarius, he wanted to know whose head was on the coin and what was its title. Why did Jesus ask? This question or these questions? Surely, he was familiar with the currency of the day, right? Jesus' purpose in asking these questions was threefold.
First, asking whose image and inscription appeared on the coin required a response that would ultimately implicate Jesus. Questioners. While Jesus was not carrying the despised coin, his questioners were. Thus, by this seemingly innocent request, Jesus exposed their hypocrisy. Second, the questioner's the the question's significance was what the coin represented.
As mentioned previously, the denarius bore the image of the head of Tiberius Caesar on one side, with the words printed around the circumference: "Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus." By asking them to identify the image, Jesus highlighted the idolatrous nature of what they were handling. Finally. The opponents replied, "The emperors." This was revealing because it indicated Caesar's ownership and their possession. In this coin was the possession of another. Jesus asked, "Whose head was on the coin, and what title appeared on the coin?" And they answered, "The emperors." Jesus' response was, "Give." Therefore, to the emperor, the things that are the emperor's, and to God, the things that are God's.
Brothers and sisters, our ultimate allegiance is to God. Thus, compelling us to act justly and wisely in our earthly citizenship, integrating faith into our everyday responsibilities. Notice that the New Revised Standard Version says "give to the emperor and to God," and the English Standard Version says "render to the emperor and God." Now, both convey the same meaning in this context, and that is to pay what is owed to the emperor. In his response, Jesus adds to give or render to God the things that are God's, because God is the Creator of all things and carries all authority. Jesus' response was a pivotal moment in the exchange with the Pharisees' disciples and the Herodians.
With clarity, Jesus stated the delineation of their responsibility both to earthly rulers and to God, teaching on the dual aspect of their identity. This teaching aligns with Jesus' mission to both law and grace fulfilled. Thus, showing them their obligation to earthly systems while maintaining allegiance to God. Render to the emperor what is what is the emperor's, and render to God what is God. Was the truth spoken by Jesus?
It was the truth that freed him from any accusation from the Herodians and placed God over all. The trap set by the Pharisees and the Herodians failed. This incident is like being in a courtroom where the judge is known for unparalleled wisdom and discernment. The prosecuting attorneys present their case against Jesus, hoping to trap him with their clever arguments, much like lawyers who believe they have crafted the perfect case.
However, they fail to recognize that their judge is not only wise but also the embodiment of truth, just as in the courtroom where justice prevails. The trap set by the Pharisees crumbled under the righteous authority of Christ. When the Pharisees' disciples and the Herodians heard Jesus' response, they were amazed, and they left him and went away. Surely, their astonishment of Jesus' response prompted them to wonder about his wisdom. The response illustrates the power of divine wisdom to silence human cunning and inspire all.
Such wisdom is available to believers today through the Holy Spirit. God's authority, demonstrated by Christ, evokes a response of reverence and obedient commitment in our hearts and actions as believers. We are encouraged to live out our dual citizenship with integrity, inspired by the presence and teachings of Christ. Jesus said, "Give therefore." To the emperor, the things that are the emperor's, and to God, the things that are God's brothers and sisters. We should be clear that Jesus is not saying that we can divide life into separate compartments, so that God has nothing to do with the section that belongs to the emperor.
The obligation to God covers all life.
So, what does that mean for us today? It means that we must serve civically in a way that honors God. It means that we must get rid of the attitude that the Pharisees and the Herodians had with Jesus. We must get rid of anger and wrath, malice and slander, and abusive language. We must not lie to one another.
We must strip off the old self and its old practices, and clothe ourselves with the new selves. We, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of our Creator, render to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and render to God the things that are God's. Romans thirteen and eight and following says, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Pay taxes, for the authorities are God's agents, busy with this very thing." Pay to all what is due them.
Pay taxes to whom taxes are due. Revenue to whom revenue is due. Respect to whom respect is due. Honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything except to love one another.
For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. This is what rendering to God looks like for those who believe in Jesus Christ. Amen, amen. Friends, God is calling you to the family of believers to love one another. Rendering to God today means giving yourself to Him.
For you were made in God's image, a good creation made by the Creator. If God is calling you by the power of the Holy Spirit on this day, then confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This. Is the invitation to discipleship in Christ, Amen.
Now, if you would please stand, if you are able, we will sing together hymn number four twenty-two, "God Whose Giving Knows No End," found in the blue hymnal. You are listening to the live broadcast of a worship service at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. You have just heard this morning's sermon entitled "Rendering to God," which was delivered by the Reverend Joanna W. Sidnor. The congregation will now join in singing.
God whose giving knows no ending, which is number four hundred twenty-two in the Presbyterian Hymnal. It is my fault. My fault. It is my fault. It is my fault.
It is my fault. O my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus. Having received the word of God and lifted our voices in praise, let us now unite in proclaiming what we believe, using the Apostles' Creed printed in your bulletin. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost. Born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried.
He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Glory to God. And to the Father. And to the Holy.
Please be seated, and let us go to the Lord in prayer. Dear God, we thank you for your grace and mercy in our lives through Jesus Christ. Thank you, God, for creating us in your image, giving us the breath of life, and for all of creation. Hear our prayer, O Lord. Come to our assistance and hasten to help us.
As we pray for the world and for ourselves, bless this world full of war and injustice. Heal the nations that war, Lord. We ask that you will cease all warring and that you will renew your people. Bless the world, Lord, and all the governments therein. We ask for a calming of international crises and civil unrest in the streets of Paris and other cities around the world.
Calm them, Lord. Lord, we pray that in these streets, O Lord, where there are hungry and there are homeless. There are orphans and there are widows, O Lord, that you will come to their aid. That you will nourish and strengthen them, O Lord. That you will shelter them, O Lord, and that you will allow them not to feel lonely, but to always feel your presence.
Lord, you are a God who provides, so provide for us in each individual who is in need. Lord, we ask blessings upon our nation and leaders and military personnel as they serve our country. Lord, lead them in this call. Help them, Lord, to discern what you would have them to do. Make all that they do acceptable in your sight, and give them strength.
O Lord, encourage to implement Your will and not their own. Lord, protect our servicemen and women around the world as they serve our country. We ask that You bless and protect their families, O Lord, in their absence. Bless our local communities, our government officials. As they do the work that you have set before them in our cities and communities, Lord, we pray that you will just bless them in every way.
Bless them, O Lord, that we might work together to create great places to live and work and to raise our families. Have mercy, O Lord, on the homeless. Stamp out poverty. Protect students and teachers. O Lord, on all levels of education, help us, Lord, to love our neighbors as ourselves, so that our communities might reflect the love and gift of Jesus Christ.
Bless believers, O Lord, around the world. Embody us to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, that all might come to know and love you. As Lord and Savior, bless every missionary and in their missions. Bless Christian education and schools and colleges and seminaries, that discipleship in Christ grows across all generations, for generations to come. Lord, we ask special blessings for tragic loss.
Of life and possessions, in recent storms, in fires, O Lord, in acts of violence, Lord, particularly the mass shooting at an elementary school, dear Lord, in Oregon, comfort, O Lord, for the family who lost a child in a car accident, O Lord, at a soccer game, comfort, O Lord. Have mercy, dear God. Comfort these families. Lord, bless your church, your church here at Grace Covenant, and those who visit with us. Bless our elders, our deacons, our trustees, our choirs.
The director, our musicians, and teachers and students, our ushers, our liturgists, volunteers, and members of the congregation, and all who give their time and talent and gifts to glorify you, help us to be the light of Christ in this community. Help us to shine Your light to the rest of the world.
Now come, Lord Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit, and dwell us, that we might grow in knowledge and love of God, and that it might be evident in the fruit that we bear. Lord, we ask all of these things in the precious and mighty name of Jesus, who taught His disciples to pray. 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.
At this time, we will have a moment of stewardship from Rusty Stadler. Good morning, church family and friends and visitors. Thank you, Dana and Calvin and Joanna, for asking me to spend just a few brief minutes. Talking about stewardship, Sunday that's fast approaching, and one of our missions here at the church, the safety and security committee. I think that many of you are aware of some of the things that have been done around the church.
I'm very grateful for this small committee and the opportunity that I have to serve. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge Catherine Baird. Without her inspiration and leadership, we would not have a safety and security committee. Brian Baird, so many contributions to this committee, and for any of you here in the congregation who've ever worked with Brian on any committee in terms of taking notes and drafting minutes, there's nobody any better than Brian Baird. And last but not least, Kent Cardwell.
So many contributions to this Safety and Security Committee, but one of his primary functions, as many of you know, we wouldn't have ushers, we wouldn't have fellowship, we wouldn't have social if it weren't for Kit Cardwell and all that he does to make it happen.
So, I'd like to kind of give you a brief kind of statement of what we're all about, and I really have to give credit to Catherine Baird when we started this committee about three years ago. Pretty simple. Safety should work quietly in the background, always in the background, while Christian hospitality remains clearly visible in the foreground. That is what we want to be about each and every Sunday. You know, we believe that safety and security—they work hand in glove together.
We never, ever, ever want our church to feel cold. Or impersonal. We want every single member and visitor to be greeted warmly with a smile. That is what we strive to to happen each and every Sunday. We know that this committee considers many safety and security needs, medical needs, congregation, and children.
We have trained and look at weather events, fire events, other events. We try to put all this together in planning. And right now, we're working on comprehensive safety and security manuals that show where fire alarms are and extinguishers are, exit strategies, and those types of things. You may have noticed some of the steps we've taken. We're in cooperation, collaboration with the Richmond Police Department, with our officer who's here every Sunday.
You may have noticed the exterior cameras we have installed eight around the church, so that we can have a visible eye on what goes on, not just during Sundays but during the week. You may see, have seen some of us with the radios or walkie-talkies in the church. We're pleased to say that we have now introduced those not just to the ushers. Richmond police officer has one. Most importantly, Miss Gabby and Miss Lainey have one in the nursery, and our children's worship leader has one in case they need it—medical emergency or something were to happen.
So, at the end of the day, I just like to say that we're a small committee. We would love to have more volunteers. Maybe your gift is prior law enforcement. Maybe your gift is medical training. Maybe your gift is EMT.
Maybe you have expertise in cybersecurity. Maybe your gift is just in the classroom as a classroom teacher or a school administrator. We would love to welcome you. Warmly to participate in this committee.
So, thank you for your time. I'd like to close with a brief prayer. Heavenly Father, we just thank you for this church family and everyone who enters our doors. Help us to welcome one another warmly, watch over one another compassionately, and use our gifts in faithful service. In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen. Thank you so much, Rusty, for that moment of stewardship. We do know and appreciate all that you do in the committee. Does to that end.
Now, friends, let us give thanks to the Lord with all our being. In the company of the upright, let us honor God for the blessings of goodness that we have received. In responding to God's invitation, I invite each of us to offer our gifts today for the work of the ministries of worship and Christian education, ministries of fellowship and congregational care, ministries of service to our neighbors near and far. As the ushers pass the plate, please place your prayer request, your attendance card, and your offering on the plate. And for those worshiping at home, we encourage you to continue your financial ministry by sending your offering either through the mail, through your bank, or online at www.
grace-covenant. org forward slash give hyphen online. Please give as the Spirit leads you, and to God be the glory for the blessings of our lives.And so, Lord, take thy goodness with them, and. And when I sleep, my dreams with thee are never free; with thee my arms are never. Ave, Ave, Ave, Ave.
O heaven, O heaven. The. We are the brave. This is the richest in the world. This is the one everyone wants.
This is the song that all of us. Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to render to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you, not with only our lips, but with our whole lives, turning the duties, the sorrows, the joys of all our days into living sacrifice to you. We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Please remain standing if able, as we sing hymn number five twenty-four.
We plow the fields found in the red hymnal. We stand on the brink of a new beginning. A new beginning, a new beginning, a new beginning. We make the world a better place. We make the world a better place.
This is the hour. This is the hour. The Lord is at hand. And the night is past. The Lord is at hand.
Friends and guests, please join us immediately following worship. For fellowship and refreshments in the social room, brothers and sisters, when we render to God the things that are God's, the rest of life falls into place. Carry the love of God with you everywhere you go, and experience the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ.
Now receive the blessing, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. The love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. Amen. Oh, oh, Oh, oh, Oh, oh, For the past hour, you have been listening to the worship service at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia. Please join us again next Sunday through our radio ministry or in our sanctuary at 1627 Monument Avenue.
Your announcer today has been Gary Flake. And the audio technician was Steve Kemp. This service streams live and can be accessed through the Grace Covenant website, which is grace-covenant.org. We now return you to the Truth Network on WLES five ninety AM and ninety seven point seven FM.
