Good morning and welcome. This is Sunday, October the fourth, twenty 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 hyphen Covenant .org. Just select the radio button, then listen live.
Oh. Oh, oh, Oh, oh, Oh. Oh. A great. Grace and peace and good morning to everyone.
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it, even on this wonderful rainy day. We certainly need of the water. We are grateful for everyone who is here as we join in on this Lord's Day to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we are certainly grateful for your presence at this time. Please turn to your bulletin.
Is that I would like to highlight the many ministries that we are involved with, and the ways to to join in here at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. On Wednesday, we have our Wednesday night supper, 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. We have a wonderful barbecue meal, sides, and desserts. You won't want to miss that.
Our program starts at 6:30, where Peter Paul RVA will be giving the program. There, their mission is to empower youth, families, and neighbors in Richmond's East End through education, engagement, and enriching experiences. If you haven't already registered, please register for the Crop Hunger Walk. This is an organization that has been around over fifty years, serving the needs of those who are hungry. This event is for all ages, so no matter what your age, whether it's a cane or a crib, all are invited.
And so it begins here and it ends here at Grace Covenant. Joanna, remind me again: the the time is it one two o'clock? 115. We'll meet on the terrace out in the parking lot, in between the two buildings.
So we hope to see you there. The nominating committee is asking folks to discern those in our congregation who might want to serve as officers of the church. And so there are brochures around on resource tables throughout the building here for you to pick up and and to learn more about those particular ministries. The ladies' morning Bible study will meet on October the thirteenth from ten to eleven thirty p.m. to eleven thirty a.m.
I am sorry in the social room. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Gray or Lewis Rosegrove. I do want to mention a significant milestone, a birthday milestone. Of course, every birthday is. Precious and very important, and is indeed a milestone.
But our Will Madden turned 105 years old on October the second, and so happy birthday, Will! God's blessings, and may God continue to bless and keep you. And then finally, let us keep everyone in our congregation in our hearts, and especially those in our congregational prayer list. In our prayers, you have a way of writing prayers. You can use the card inside the bulletin, complete that, and put that in the offering plate, or you can put it in the prayer request box, which is in the narthex, or you can write a prayer online at www.grace-covenant.org/resources/prayer.
Indeed, changes things. Let us now prepare our hearts and minds to worship the living God. Good morning. Would you please stand for the call to worship if you're able? We gather to praise our gracious God.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Let us worship the eternal God, the source of light, love, and life, who creates us. Let us worship Jesus Christ, the Risen One, who lives among us. Let us worship the Spirit, the Holy Fire, who renews us. To the one true God, be praise in all times and places, through the grace of Jesus Christ.
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 and third year of radio ministry at Grace Covenant, and today's broadcast is number five thousand two hundred and sixty five. This morning's sermon, entitled "From Rubbish to Redemption," will be delivered by the Reverend Joanna W. Sidnor, co-pastor.
Assisting in the service today are Sandra Bousseau, our liturgist; Chris Martin, our director of music and organist; the chancel choir; and the Reverend Calvin H. Sidnor, the fourth co-pastor. Our opening hymn is from "All That Dwell Below the Skies," which is number two hundred and twenty-nine in the Presbyterian Hymnal. The people of the world, together in love, unite. I am the one who makes you feel this way.
I am the one who makes you feel this way. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In humility and faith. Let us now confess our sin to God, using the prayer of confession.
Almighty God, we confess that because of our sin, we are not worthy to be in your presence. We confess not only our sin, but the sin of this world. You are the gracious God who sent Emmanuel to be the peace among us. Yet we are people of conflict, evil, and worry. We are broken people in a broken world.
You have blessed us with gifts and talents that we waste selfishly on ourselves to our own benefit, neglecting those in need. Our hearts overflow with jealousy and envy. Never satisfied with your blessings, and always seeking what the world has to offer. In your grace, you gave us minds to reason and hearts to love one another, but our minds are set on destruction, and hearts fail to love our neighbors as ourselves. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
Forgive us our sins. Give us clean hearts, ready and willing to serve you alone. Grow us in your love and likeness to be the light of Christ to the world. Amen. Hear the good news!
I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sins against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion. Against me, 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 fellowship hall for pickup following the worship service.
And ages seven to twelve are invited for youth chapel. They will return after the sermon, and children ages three and under, there's child care in room 101. Let us pray, O Lord and our God.
Now, as we hear Your Word, fill us with Your Spirit.
Soften our hearts that we may delight in your presence. Sharpen our minds that we may discern your truth. Shape our wills that we may desire your ways. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. The psalter reading comes from Psalm twenty-seven, verses one through four, and then verses eleven through fourteen.
Listen for the word of the Lord. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and foes they shall stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I ask of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to acquire inquire in His temple. Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me on the level path because of my enemies.
Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen. Against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage.
Wait for the Lord. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Good morning. Our New Testament reading comes from the book of Philippians, chapter three, verse four b through fourteen.
Listen again for the word of the Lord. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more circumcision. Of the flesh, circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews, as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For His sake, I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the sharing of His sufferings by becoming like Him in death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it on my own, but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ, the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let us pray. Almighty 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 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 "From Rubbish to Redemption." An old friend of Pastor Calvin and mine was in a terrible accident. He was hit by a car while being a good citizen. Helping another person whose car had broken down on the road, when we received the news, we rushed to the hospital to visit, and to pray with him for complete healing.
And while we anticipated seeing him physically in bad shape, we could not have imagined the great spirit. That he was in, in spite of his injuries, which included fractures of his skull, his legs, and femurs. Beyond his swollen face was a smile, and his voice was happy. He was so thankful to God that things had not turned out worse, and he joked, saying, "Be careful what you ask for, because God will give it to you." Prior to the accident, he was a very busy musician for a number of different churches, and he frequently commented that he needed a break, he needed a vacation, he needed rest. He laughed and said, "God gave me what I asked for because I am here and I'm getting plenty of rest, and I'll be getting it for the weeks to come." Much like our friend, the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians was light-hearted and upbeat.
And despite his situation, Paul wrote to the Philippians from his prison cell. He wrote them during a time of suffering. Philippians one and thirteen says, "So that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard, and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ." The Philippian church was the first European church established by Paul. He established the church during his second missionary journey in Rome in a colony of retired Roman soldiers. The Philippians were a bold and loyal group of Christians who loved and supported Paul, and that love and support was reciprocated through this letter.
Paul's letter was written with thanksgiving and joy. In this letter to the Philippians, joy and rejoicing is found sixteen times, which reflects the special relationship between Paul and the Philippians. But most importantly, it reflects the joy that comes from knowing and living a life for Christ. The Philippians were a great source of encouragement for Paul. While the church at Philippi was one of many churches started by Paul, they were the only church that gave to him according to his needs.
Even when he was in Thessalonica, they gave provisions to him more than once. Paul wrote a letter of thanks to the Philippians while suffering in prison, knowing that his fate might be death by execution. He accepted the outcome of death, stating, "For me, living is Christ, and dying is gain." In today's passage, Paul contrasts the superficial religious achievements of the flesh with the surpassing value of knowing Christ. He expresses his willingness to suffer loss for the sake of Christ and emphasizes the importance of pressing on towards the heavenly call, forsaking all worldly accolades. In verse four, Paul begins with an impressive list of credentials and accomplishments, collectively describing them as reasons to be confident in the flesh.
He was circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews, a Pharisee, and he was so zealous. He was a persecutor of the church, and he lived to the letter of the law. In his words, he was blameless. Before his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul. Then known by his Hebrew name Saul, was proud of all of his credentials.
You see, God had graciously set His people apart from the unclean and heathen nations around them. It was up to them to do their part to build up their resume by keeping God's commandments, to obey God's approval, and to obey His commands and to gain His approval in the last day. For many years, Saul assumed that this was the way God worked. In his zeal for glory of the Lord God of Israel, Saul had worked to establish a record of righteousness through law keeping and by proving his zeal for God's honor by hunting down those who claimed that Jesus. A crucified criminal was the Lord's chosen Messiah.
However, here in this letter to the Philippians, and many years after his transformation in Christ, Paul spelled out his credentials and accomplishments to prove a point. The point was that he could stand head to head with the Judaizers of his time, who were proud and self-righteous. The Judaizers enforced Jewish traditions on the Gentile converts. These teachers promoted a religion centered on keeping the Jewish law, with particular emphasis on strict observance of religious calendar and circumcisions practices. They insisted the Gentile Christians must follow.
Paul had to name all of his self-righteous achievements to prove the greatest point that he had counted all of his achievements as loss for the sake of Christ. Paul understood that worldly accolades paled in comparison to the riches that are found in knowing Jesus. He wanted to assure the Gentile believers that Christ and His righteousness are infinitely more valuable than the best that conscientious law keepers could ever offer. The same spiritual self reliance that can breed a sense of superiority over others can just as easily feed feelings of insecurity. Have I done enough?
Am I good enough? Paul shares his own story to commend to us the amazing grace of God, which simultaneously shatters our pride and quiets our doubts by directing our hearts upward and outward to the rest that can be found in Jesus, our Savior alone. The recognition and achievements that people often strive for are distractions that turn our focus away from God, ultimately blocking our way to be transformed in the life of Christ. Prestigious family names and connections, and ascending the corporate ladder, and terminal degrees in education mean nothing on the scale of God's redemptive mission.
Now, that's not to say that family and work and education are meaningless. It means that these earthly and worldly things have no bearing on eternal life with Christ. It is having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ that assures life for the eternity, brothers and sisters. To wholeheartedly pursue our calling in Christ, we must let go of worldly attachments and embrace the fullness of knowing Him, who is our ultimate prize and source of true life. We must prioritize having a relationship with God and focus on Christ, so that we are able to carry His love.
In His truth, in every aspect of our lives—family, work, and school—just as Jesus calls us to do, we must reevaluate our priorities and seek fulfillment in the heavenly call rather than their earthly pursuits.
Now, the cost of being well-known and famous among humankind without Christ is limited. To what the world can offer us here on earth over the course of our lifetimes. On the other hand, to know Christ in a way that transforms your life is priceless. I regard everything as lost because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ. The value of knowing Christ as in a relationship with Him goes far beyond.
Temporal achievements and status. Before Paul came to know and have a relationship with Christ, he was in a race towards righteousness. Righteousness was his goal, and he was winning. His accolades outran everyone's by far. He was righteous in his own eyes.
However, when Paul came to know Christ. His race had only just begun. For Paul to know Christ meant to believe that God became incarnate and lived among us as Jesus. That He was crucified, died, and was buried for everyone's sins. That He rose from the dead to everlasting life.
He believed Jesus was the first fruit of the resurrection. Knowing Christ meant that Paul had entered a new race, a race towards the righteousness that can only come from Jesus' work on the cross. Paul considered everything as a loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. This is foundational to understanding how Christ redeems what we offer, what we often deem important. With credentials like Paul, we can see how earthly values lose significance in the light of Christ's gifts of righteousness.
For Christ's sake, Paul suffered the loss of all things and regarded them as rubbish in order that he might gain Christ. And be found in Him, not having self righteousness that comes from the law, but righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. The righteousness from faith in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the race Paul was running—a race based on faith in Christ. All of his accomplishments before knowing Christ were rubbish.
All the beautiful fruit that Paul thought he was producing for God's pleasure, before knowing Christ, was rancid, rotten, repugnant, rubbish. Rubbish is a term that appears only here in the New Testament. The Greek term includes both spoiled food and excrement. As forcefully as he could, Paul pronounced the resume in which he once rested his confidence to be both personally repellent and objectively defiling before the face of God. All of his accomplishments before knowing Christ were rubbish.
Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians from prison. He embraced his suffering because he wanted to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. He wanted to share in Jesus' suffering and become like Him in death. If only he could attain the resurrection from the dead, brothers and sisters. Paul was determined to know Christ fully.
He wanted the Philippians and us today to see that it is by embracing these experiences of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection from the dead that believers are drawn closer to the divine love of God through Jesus Christ. The Philippians would soon see that to be Christians is not a cakewalk. In the future, as followers of Christ, they would suffer persecution for their faith. Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians so that they would not perceive their sufferings and hardships as burdens, but as a pathway to deeper communion with God through Christ. He encouraged them to run beyond the trials towards hope in the resurrection.
They may have lost some things or some other relationships along the way that they once valued, but persistence was the key. Paul acknowledged that he had not reached the goal. He continued with all urgency to pursue Christ's call, and he encouraged the Philippians to do the same. He wanted them to leave the past behind them and focus on Christ and the prize, and the prize of eternal life. How many of us today get caught in the past, in the old way of life that is unfruitful?
In the Bible, the story of Lot's wife provides a powerful illustration. Of being caught in the past, for as she, as they were fleeing from Sodom, she looks back and turns into a pillar of salt. And this moment represents the danger of lingering in the past and resting on our laurels, like Lot's wife, when we cling to the past and yearn for what we left behind. We risk losing the eternal life that God has planned for us in Christ. Let us learn to focus forward, following and trusting, trusting in His name, trusting and hoping and believing in the resurrection.
Paul used the metaphors. Of the athletic competitions of his day, the Olympic-style competition, the Isthmian Games, and the Olympic Games, where Greek runners in the home stretch of the race would lock their eyes on the finish line and the prize that awaited them—the wreath—Paul believed that he was on the home stretch of his race, his spiritual journey, but he had not yet arrived.
However, he pressed on to lay hold of what Christ had laid hold of him. Brothers and sisters, we need to do just as Paul encouraged the Philippians to do. And that is to grab hold of Christ. Forget about the past. Fix our eyes on what lies ahead.
Press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Jesus Christ. This is the call to discipleship in Christ. Amen. Amen. Now.
Friends, if you are able, I ask that you please stand as we sing together. Hymn number five ten, "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts," 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 "From Rubbish to Redemption," which was delivered by the Reverend Joanna W. Sidnor.
The congregation will now join in singing "Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts," which is number five ten in the Presbyterian hymnal. O Christe, redecessum tuum. O Christe, redecessum tuum. O Christe, redecessum tuum. I will be here to see you through.
I will be here to see you through. Brothers and sisters, having heard God's word proclaimed. And responded in song. Let us affirm what we believe together, using the Nicene Creed as printed in our bulletins. We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through Him, all things were made. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered death and was buried. On the third day, he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Please be seated.
Friends, let us give thanks to the Lord with all our being. In the company of the upright, let us honor God for blessings and goodness we have received. Responding in 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 our ushers pass the plates, please place your prayer requests, attendance cards, and offering on the plate. And for those of you who are worshiping from home, we encourage you to continue your financial ministry by sending your offering through the mail, through your bank, or to us 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. All the world, everything around us, all the world, all that we have, all the world, some rejoice and others, some give thanks for all they have. Grace to the holy nation, be our safe harbor, we seek. All the world shall have every blessing, all the needs of thee.
All the world, we would send them, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world, all that we have, all the world,Let us gather to the Father's home. Praise to the Lord for all creation. Give us strength for what we may see. All the gifts we share at every blessing. All things come of thee.
Every good gift, all we need and cherish, comes from the hand of the Most High. We stand to all eternity. It's the end and it's the beginning of a race to the unknown horizon. We must set forth and be See all this we share and every blessing, all things come of thee. All things come of thee.
Of thee. The. Oh, oh, This is our hope. This is our hope. This is our hope.
This is our hope. Dear Lord, bless these gifts that they might be useful for many in need. Magnify your purposes in their distribution, that you will be glorified and honored on earth as it is in heaven. Through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
You may be seated now, and let us prepare our hearts to receive the Lord's Supper. This is the joyful feast of the people of God. People will come from the north and south, and from the east and west, to sit at the table in the kingdom of God. According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at the table with his disciples, he took the bread, blessed. And broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. This is the Lord's table. Our Savior invites those who trust Him to share the feast that He has prepared. The Lord be with you, and also with you. Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Praise to you, O God, for all your works. You created the world and called it good, and made us in your image to live together in love.
You made a covenant with us, and even when we turned from you, you remained ever faithful. Thank you, O God, for sending us your Son. He lived among us and told. Your story. He healed the sick and welcomed sinners.
He shared our pain and died our death, then rose to new life, that we might live, and all creation be restored. Remembering your boundless love revealed to us in Jesus Christ, we break bread and share the cup. Giving ourselves to you to live for Him in joy and praise. Great is the mystery of faith. Christ has died.
Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Gracious God, pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Your gifts of bread and wine, that they may be for us. The body and blood of Christ, and that we may be His holy body for the world. By Your Spirit, unite us with Christ and one another until we feast with Him and with all Your saints in Your eternal realm of justice and peace.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ. In the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, Almighty God, now and forever, Amen. We give thanks that the Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my body, that is for you." Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, he took the cup also after supper, saying, "This is the cup of the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Brothers and sisters, as you receive the bread and the cup, we ask that you hold it that we might eat and drink together. This is the table of God for the people of God. While the members and friends of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church are being served the communion elements of bread and wine, let us turn to reflect on the significance of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is one of two sacraments, both of which are visible signs instituted by Christ of God's invisible grace. The first sacrament is baptism.
Baptism signifies God's welcome of the individual into the household of faith. As such, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The second sacrament, the Lord's Supper, signifies and communicates God's continuing spiritual nourishment and support of believers. Thus, it is repeated frequently. Both of these sacraments are extensions of the Word of God, read and preached, signs of the gospel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, as proclaimed in the sermon.
The communion service is at once a memorial of Christ's sacrificial death, a renewal of the spiritual relationship of believers with Him and with each other in the community of faith, and an anticipation of the great heavenly banquet yet to come. By this supper, we are brought into closer communion with God and with other Christians, not only those present at this particular service, but also with those in all times and places, those spread around the world, and those who have gone on before us. The great communion of all the saints. That is why the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is also referred to as communion. The body of Christ, the body of Christ broken for you and me.
Take and eat. The. The. Oh, oh, oh. The blood of Christ shed for each of us, take and drink.
Let us go to the Lord in prayer, dear God. With this bread of life and cup of salvation, you have united us with Christ, making us one with all your people. Thank you for your grace through Jesus Christ, that we can come to you in prayer for our community and for the world. Thank you, God, for being created in your image, for surrounding us with your many creations and giving us dominion over them. Thank you, Lord, for blessing us this day.
For your unfailing love and compassion for us, thank you for being the God of provisions, protection, and gifts of creativity and skill that you have stored within each human life. Lord, we thank you. For the power of prayer and the ability to pray for others, claiming your love in Jesus Christ for the whole world, and committing ourselves to care for those around us in His name. Bless all of the nations, O Lord, all of the leaders and their peoples, that they may be reconciled to one another. Usher in peace in their lands and rebuild them.
Bless our nation, leader, in government, to call on your name, your holy name, as they do the work of the people. Give them discernment and wisdom as they work. To make this nation a great place for all under God, dear Lord, as we think of our neighbors, our friends, and families, we pray that you will comfort and heal the sick and those with recent diagnoses. Lord, strengthen and undergird them for the road ahead. Give them effective treatments and help them.
To persevere until the healing is complete, we ask that you comfort those who are in mourning. We ask that you fill them, dear Lord, and help them not to feel lonely. We ask that you provide for them loving contacts with family and friends. Give them hope. And help them to live from day to day.
Help them, O Lord, to know that you are Emmanuel, the God who is with them, the God who walks beside us all of the time. Enable them, O Lord, to constantly feel your presence. Lord, bless those who are at pivotal moments in their life and careers. Help them to turn to you for wisdom in their decision making. Guide them gently, dear Lord, down the right path that leads to your goodness and your grace and mercy.
Lord, we ask that the Holy Spirit come and indwell our communities and our homes. Bless the homeless. And provide for their needs. Watch over them, O Lord, as you watch over all your children. Lord, watch over our children, our youth, and young adults, and keep them safe in their schools, and in the colleges and universities, in their neighborhoods, and in their homes.
Bless our armed forces, O Lord, the first responders and police force. As they serve in our communities, Holy Spirit, we ask that you come and indwell us, indwell us, Lord, here at Grace Covenant, so that we may be God's humble servants. Use our hands to do God's work. Bless our hearts to love others as ourselves, and move our feet and take us. To the world that we might share the gospel, Lord, hear our prayer.
Hear the prayer and the cries of many, dear Lord, who are in need. Hear our prayer, O Lord, as we ask all of these blessings in the mighty name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, and who taught us 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.
Please stand now if you are able, as we sing hymn number 504, "Weave a Story to Tell the Nations," found in the Red Hymnal. We will be strong. We will be strong. We will be strong. We will be strong.
We will be strong. We will be strong. We will be strong. O stars, O You sing of love's sweet song, to the mountains and the ocean, and the stars above. Friends.
Guests, please join us immediately following worship for light refreshments in the fellowship, or not in the fellowship hall, in the social room. Brothers and sisters, no matter what you are going through, stay focused on God. Jesus is our Redeemer, who has prepared a place for each of us. Heaven is our goal.
Now receive the blessing. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you. Amen. The. The.
The. 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 sixteen twenty-seven Monument Avenue. Your announcers today have been Rusty Stadler and Ethan Revely, and the audio technician was John Miller. 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.
