Good morning and welcome. This is Sunday, September sixth, 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.
Oh, oh, The. Oh, oh, Grace and peace and good morning to everyone on this beautiful Lord's Day. Everyone is looking really good. It's hard to believe that we are in September already. The time is flying fast.
We are grateful for all who are present here in person, and if you're listening online or listening over the radio, we are grateful for your presence as we worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I do want to draw your attention to the bulletin to highlight the announcements and the ways that we can all participate in the body of Christ. I want to highlight a few. Discipleship Sunday is almost here.
Next Sunday, September the thirteenth, as we rally back to the church from the river, from our summer vacations and travels, and all the great things that we did this summer, it will be great to see everyone back in the house of the Lord. Please join us that morning for our annual potluck discipleship Sunday breakfast. That is at nine thirty in the fellowship hall. At 10 a.m., we will have a lesson on discipleship, so you won't want to miss it. We certainly hope to see you there.
Wednesday night supper has returned, September 16th, 6 p.m. in the fellowship hall. We will have a delicious pasta meal as well as have a program. Led by two members of Step, which stands for Strategic Strategies to Elevate People, we look forward to hearing the ministry that they are doing. They're blessing those through the Jobs for Life program.
The Ladies' Morning Bible Study also resumes. It usually meets on the second Tuesdays of each month.
However, in September they will meet on September the twenty-second. That is also a Tuesday, from ten to eleven, in the social room. If you have any questions, you can please reach out to Mary Gray or Lewis Rosebro. Every first Sunday we collect loose change in any. Donations in the offering plate for Feed More, at Central Virginia's largest food bank.
It's a way that we can help support the hunger needs of our our neighbors. If you have any food donations, you can place your items in the grocery cart at the base of the stairs as you're going toward the fellowship hall. That would be such a blessing, and we're certainly grateful for all who have been supporting over the many years. Finally, we do want to pray for one another, especially those in our congregational prayer list. Prayer indeed changes things.
Let me add that we do want to lift up Kip Rollins, our member whose father passed away. Last week, and so he is in Texas right now with the family. Let us keep Kip and his family in our prayers. If you do have a prayer request, you can fill out the card that's in your bulletin and you can place it on the offering plate in the prayer request box, which is located in the narthex, or you can make a prayer request online at www.greace-covenant.org/resources. Let us now prepare our hearts and minds to worship the living God.
At this time, if you can please stand for the call to worship. Our help is in the name of the Lord. The Eternal Father who loved us and set us free from our sins. Who loves us still with that love that will not let us go, and who will love us forever, calls us to worship Him today. Is the only true lover of our souls.
He calls us to remember the depth of His love for us in 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 1627 Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. This is the 103rd year of radio ministry at Grace Covenant, and today's broadcast is number 5,261. This morning's sermon, entitled. Love for the day is near, will be delivered by the Reverend Joanna W.
Sidner. Assisting in the service today are Chris Martin, director of music and organist, Stephanie Hill Blackwood, soloist, the chancel choir, and the Reverend Calvin H. Sidner IV, co-pastor. Our opening hymn is "Christ is made the sure foundation," which is number four hundred and seventeen in the Presbyterian Hymnal. O come, all ye faithful, let us join in joyful song.
The psalmist models a transparent faith with these words. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting. We express our longing for God's leading by our own transparent confession. Let us do this by using the prayer of confession as printed in the bulletin.
Righteous Father, we who own more than we use. Proclaim more than we experience, and request more than we need. Come asking for your forgiveness. We seek your salvation, then act like we save ourselves. We beg your forgiveness, then repeat our errors.
We experience your grace, then act defeated. We rely on your power. But only in hard times, we have become confused and misguided. Forgive our every defection. Bring us to an unbroken commitment and a steady trust through Jesus Christ, who is the way of hope, the truth of God, and the life of love, now and always.
Amen. Hear the good news. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Know that you are forgiven, and be at peace. Thanks be to God.
Please be seated. At this time, children ages three to six are invited forward for children's chapel. They'll be in the fellowship hall for pickup following the worship service. And ages seven to twelve are invited for youth chapel. They will return to the worship after the sermon.
And there is childcare for ages three and under in room one hundred and one. Let us pray. Lord God, may Your Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. The psalter reading from this morning comes from Psalm 149, verses 1 through 9.
Listen for the word of the Lord. Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song. His praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in its Maker.
Let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. Let the faithful exult in glory. Let them sing for joy on their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats. And to add swords in their hands to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings and fetters and their nobles with chains of iron, to execute on them the judgment decreed. This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the Lord. The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God. All my devotion all my love, all I say, what do I say? But all, all I desire, I give all my heart. It is in keeping, I trust and follow. All my wisdom, I put my trust.
All my love, give me, and all is still good. All I desire, I find in thy feet. All in my dwelling, I find my feet. It is my need, and all. And empty dreams, though mine in hand and mine always, I know only to steep my heart.
I My vision, my treasure. My victory won. We reach heaven's door. On bright heaven's sun, I'd gladly hide. What an ordinary world!
Still, deep within, I cry. Amen and good morning. Our New Testament reading comes from Romans chapter thirteen. Verses eight through fourteen. Listen again for the word of the Lord.
O, no one anything except to love one another. For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments: you shall commit, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and any other commandment. Are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Besides this, you know what time it is.
How it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers. The night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us live honorably, as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let us pray. Gracious Lord, be present with us through the power of your Holy Spirit.
Use me, O Lord, to speak your truth.
Now that 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 "Love," for the day is near. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter of introduction to the church at Rome. He hoped to visit the church on his way to Spain, so he reached out to them in advance. Unlike letters to other churches, which he wrote for correction, his letter to the Romans served as a preventative measure, so the church would not fall prey to false teachings.
In Romans thirteen eight through fourteen. Paul challenges believers to recognize their obligation to love one another. He also emphasizes the necessity of love as the fulfillment of God's law. He urged believers to awaken from spiritual slumber in anticipation of Christ's return. The passage presents a contrast between behaviors of those in darkness.
In the righteous conduct expected of believers who are children of the light, Paul strongly encouraged the church to reject sin and embrace a lifestyle characterized by love, dignity, and Christ-like behavior, consistent with the love displayed by sacrificing God's sacrifice of His one and only Son for the world. His words focus on the transformative power of love and relationships, and community, with salvation as the goal. This is the urgent appeal Paul made to the Romans in today's passage. Paul begins this passage with the metaphor of debt to others to get his point across. Oh, no one, anything except to love one another.
For the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The context of this verse is found in the preceding verses, one through seven, where Paul points out that all societies need some regulation, some ordering, some structure of authority—an ordering that requires everyone to be on board with it, at least in principle.
Some form of civic authority was a was necessary, a necessary part of an ordered world. Paul says in verse one, "Let every person be subject to the governing of authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God." O, no one anything. Pay your taxes, pay respect to others, and honor one another. Paul draws out some of the commandments to illustrate that they equate to the obedience to love. You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not murder. You shall not steal. You shall not covet, and any other commandment. The bottom line is. You shall love your neighbor as yourself, and the reason for such love is love does no wrong to a neighbor.
Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Matthew twenty two thirty seven through thirty nine says it this way: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment, and the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two principles hang all the law and the prophets. Paul urged the Roman church to recognize that love.
As an active force, is the true fulfillment of the law. And as believers, they were called to love one another deeply. That is the essence of Christian duty: the love of Christ to love this way. This is the only debt. Paul wanted them to see love as an action that sets them as believers apart from the rest of the world.
Christ-like love transcends cultural and social boundaries. Christ-like love fosters reconciliation and unity. Paul's words to the Romans are relevant for us today. The debt of love that God had for us, manifested in Jesus Christ, can never be repaid. It is a timeless obligation that calls for the continuous action of loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Because Jesus is love, He is the fulfillment of the law. O, no one, anything except to love one another. The Gospel of Mark. Chapter three, verses one through six, illustrates this perfectly. When Jesus entered the synagogue, a man was there who had a withered hand, and the Pharisees were watching him to see whether or not Jesus would heal a man's hand on the Sabbath.
You see, they were trying to trap him. But Jesus called forward the man with the withered hand, and to those who were watching, Jesus said, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?" But no one responded, and Jesus looked around the synagogue at all the Pharisees who kept silent, and he was filled with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, and that. Is when Jesus healed the man's hand. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted to destroy Jesus. The Pharisees criticized him for being for breaking the law, but Jesus demonstrated that if love compels you to act, then the law is fulfilled.
He taught them that adhering to the law isn't about ritual compliance, but rather about showing love to their neighbor. Brothers and sisters, this reminds us that the heart behind the law is love. And if our actions aren't coming from love, we're missing the point. Love is fulfillment of the law.
Now this was a wake up call for the Roman Church—an urgent wake up call to respond with reverent readiness. Paul said, "You know what time it is. It's time to wake up." The Greek word for time here is kairos. A special moment, rather than mere chronological time, he expects them to be familiar with the idea of the old age which is passing away, and with the new age which is dawning, as is stated in Romans 12 and 2. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good.
Inacceptable, imperfect. It is time for them to wake up because salvation is near. Meaning the the final day is coming when God will renew all things in Christ and give all the justified their glorious risen bodies, and investing that event with its sense of rescue from disaster. This idea of the eschatological moment coming near echoes Jesus' original proclamation in Mark one fifteen: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news.
You know what time it is.
So wake up from your spiritual slumber." How many of us today are in a spiritual slumber? Unfortunately, some of us are. We move about in our daily routines, week after week, like half of of the women in the parable of the ten brides. The parable of the ten brides illustrates how spiritual slumber can cause one to miss out on significant moments in life. In this parable, ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were wise because not only did they take their lamps, but they had flasks of oils with their lamps. The other five were not so wise. They only brought their lamps. They were foolish because they did not plan for nor anticipate that the bridegroom would be delayed. And as all ten grew tired while waiting, they took a nap.
And the scripture tells us that at midnight there was a shout: "Look, here is the bridegroom! Come out and meet him!" Then all of the young women got up and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish one said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out." But the wise replied, "No." There will not be enough for for you and for us. You had better go down to the dealer and buy some for yourself. And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
When the other women returned, they pleaded to get in, but the Lord replied, "Truly, I tell you, I do not know you." At the end of this parable, Jesus told his disciples, "Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." Brothers and sisters, wake up! For salvation is near to us, nearer to us now than we first believed. Paul uses the metaphor of waking up from sleep because the night is far gone, and it is time to stop doing the things that are done in the darkness of night. It is time to stop doing the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. The metaphor is more vividly described in First Thessalonians five, where those who are asleep will go into labor pains because a thief is breaking into the house.
While those who are awake should not get drunk, but put on their armor. Christians must be ready and dressed for the day of salvation.
Now there are certain Ways to dress for various occasions. Generally speaking, in the court of law, the judge dressed in a black robe, and lawyers are dressed in business attire appropriate for court proceedings. Medical surgeons dress for the OR in scrubs and exam gloves and. Shoe coverings appropriate for performing surgery, and children dress in comfortable clothes appropriate for the classroom. Church members have certain attires that they wear on Sunday.
Oh, wait a minute! I may have gone too far on that one. I'll preface it by saying, when I was growing up, I had church clothes, I had school clothes, and I had play clothes. And it was in my best interest to dress appropriately, eat for each occasion, or suffer the consequences of being sent back home to get it right. Believers in Christ, you know what time it is.
Salvation is near. Wake up! Night is gone, and the new day is dawning. Put on the armor of light. In verse thirteen.
Paul highlights a few characteristics of sinful nature, active in the darkness from which believers must awake. Galatians five nineteen and following presents a good picture that is worth mentioning here.
Now, the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry.
Sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and these and other things like these, I am warning you, as I have warned you before. Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is the description of humanity in rebellion against its creator. Paul's main target here is the the abuse of the body, one's own and often that of others as well. Wild parties, drinking, sexual immorality, licentiousness—these are characteristic nighttime behaviors in the literal sense.
Yet they normally happen after dark. And metaphorically speaking, they belong to the old age, rather than the new day that is dawning with Christ. Instead of rebelling against the Creator and God's good creation made in His image, instead of remaining in spiritual slumber, instead of living in the works of darkness, Paul said, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision." For the flesh to gratify its desires, brothers and sisters, as believers who wait for the imminent return of Christ, we are called to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and radically love others, putting aside all the all that hinders us and living out our faith in community and action.
Well, how do you do that? Pastor Joanna and I am glad that you asked.
Well, you do that by guarding yourself against societal influences and getting into a rhythm of Christian living. It is like at the beginning of the school year, and you get into the rhythm of school. You prepare for school. You make your backpack. You make sure all your books and supplies are in there.
You get a good night's rest. You wake up at a certain time in preparation to arrive at school on time. At school, you pay attention and you learn so you can successfully complete your homework. Then the cycle repeats itself, and you get into the rhythm of school. Staying alert and ready for all the responsibilities of being a great student.
This rhythm of school guards against negative influences to skip school or classes and not to complete assignments because you have armed yourself and are ready and alert for all things related to school. In the same way, you must get in the rhythm. Of Christian living, by putting on the armor of Jesus Christ, begin and end each and every day with prayer and Scripture. It will give you strength to start your day. It will give you peace to rest your head at night.
Then consult God throughout the day by praying over everything. Because too often we make decisions without seeking guidance from God in prayer. Jesus always withdrew from the crowd to pray to God the Father, and we should live by His example.
Next, commit to worshiping our triune God—not just on Sunday morning, but every day, and in everything that you do. Look. For God at work in your life, stop and give God praise and thanks for every blessing. Finally, surround yourself in the community of believers, supporting one another. The Christian life is challenging, but more manageable when you live in the community of faith.
To be a Christian takes practice. It takes practice to love your neighbor as yourself, brothers and sisters. The time is now. We must wake up, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and love. For the day is near.
Salvation is nearer today than when you first believed. Amen. Amen. If God is calling you into this body of Christ. Then confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
This is all that you need to do. And Pastor Calvin and Pastor Nelson and I and the whole Grace Covenant community will walk along with you in your relationship with Christ. This is the invitation to discipleship in Christ. Amen. Now, if you are able, I ask that you please stand so that we can sing together.
Hymn number three seventy six, "Love Divine, All Love Excelling." 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 "Love," for the day is near. Which was delivered by the Reverend Joanna W. Sidnor. The congregation will now join in singing "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling," which is number 376 in the Presbyterian hymnal.
So we can be together. See stars in the night sky. I see you. I see you. Oh, let's go.
Oh, let's go. Oh, let's go. Oh, oh, Brothers and sisters, having heard God's word proclaimed and responded in song, let us now affirm what we believe together, using the Nicene Creed as printed in the bulletin. 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 the blessings of goodness we have received. 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. And as the ushers come forward to pass the plates, please place your prayer requests, your attendance cards, and your offering on the plate. And for those worshiping from 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/give-online. Please give as the Spirit leads you, and to God be the glory for the blessings of our lives.My Lord, what a night!
My Lord, what a night! O my Lord, what am I in? When the stars begin to fall. The. Oh, oh, Oh, oh, Oh, oh, O love, O Our Father in heaven, bless these gifts that they might be useful for many who are in need.
Magnify your purpose in their distribution, that you will be glorified and honored on this earth as in heaven. We ask this in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Please be seated, and let us prepare our hearts and our minds to receive the sacrament of 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, and 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. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Praise to you, O God, for all your works. You created the world and called it good, and you 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 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. Amen.
We give thanks that the Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when he was betrayed, 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." In the new covenant of 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, we ask that as you receive the bread and the cup, that you hold it so 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 the 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 closer into closer communion with God and with other Christians, not only those present in 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 Lord. That that is why the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is also referred to as communion. Thank you. The body of Christ. The body of Christ.
The body of Christ, broken for you and for me. Take. And eat. Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, oh, oh. There are three people in the balcony.
Okay. Thank you. Yeah. The blood of Christ. The blood of Christ.
Christ's blood shed for us, take and drink. Dear Lord, with this bread of life and cup of salvation, you have united us with Christ, making us one with all of your people. Thank you. For your grace through Jesus Christ, that we can come to you in prayer for our community and the world. We thank you, O Lord, for your unfailing love and compassion, in cleansing us from our sins, for teaching us wisdom through your word, and filling our hearts with the love of Christ.
Lord, we are unworthy of your grace and mercy. We are only deserving of eternal death as a result of our evil ways. We make a mess of the world with warring nations firing missiles against each other, tension within our nation and in our communities. Bless us, bless the people, O Lord. Bless the leaders of nations, dear God, that they may be reconciled to one another in pursuit of your justice and peace.
Lord, we ask that you look with compassion on all who suffer. Have mercy on the people of Nepal, Lord. As we give thanks for those who. Are continuing to be found among them, Lord. We ask that you comfort those who have experienced loss, support Lord with your love those with incurable diseases, those unjustly imprisoned, those denied dignity, those living without hope, those who are homeless or abandoned.
As you move towards us in love, lead us to be present with them in their suffering. Lord, help us to remember them each and every day in our prayers. Lord, we ask that you sustain those among us who need your healing touch. Make the sick whole again. Give them hope.
Comfort those, Lord, who mourn. Uphold all who are suffering in their bodies, mind, and spirit. Let them know, dear Lord, that you are love, and you are present with them. Lord, we ask that. You be with all of us, Lord, bringing peace and joy that comes from your support of us in every way.
Help us, Lord, to support and care for one another in the same way, so that all might find peace and joy. Lord, we ask strength. For this congregation here at Grace Covenant, strength in the work that is done, strength in worship, fill our hearts with your self-giving love, that our voices may speak your praise and our lives may conform to the image of your Son. Nourish us, O Lord, with your word and sacraments, that we may faithfully minister. In your name, and witness to your love and grace for all the world, Lord, protect our children, O Lord, in the schools and out of schools, and in their neighborhoods.
Put a protective hedge around them, O Lord. Enable them to live and grow and be nurtured. Help us to be good neighbors. Loving our neighbors as ourselves, O Lord, we ask for your safety, in particular over this weekend, this holiday weekend, where many are traveling, dear Lord, in all different modes of transportation. Lord, bless them, enable them to drive safely, give them shelter away from storms.
Clear their pathway, O Lord, that they might return home safely after their journey. Lord, we lift up all of these prayers. We ask that you hear them, O Lord. We ask in the mighty name of Jesus that you hear them, and we give thanks that He gave us this prayer to pray as His disciples. 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. If you are able, I ask that you please stand as we sing hymn number one forty-five. Rejoice, ye pure in heart, found in the blue hymnal. We are the redeemed. We are the redeemed.
We are the redeemed. We are the redeemed. I will be here for you. We rise, we Friends and guests, please join us immediately following worship for refreshments and fellowship in the social room. Brothers and sisters, don't fall asleep on your salvation.
Wake up, ready yourselves by living and loving like Christ. For the day is near. Salvation is near. Now receive the blessing. The grace of the 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 1627 Monument Avenue. Your announcer today has been Colin Barnes, and the audio technicians were John Miller and Ethan Reevley. 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 590 AM and 97.7 FM.
