MAY 10, 2020

An Order for Personal or Family Worship

This order of worship is designed for individuals and families who are worshipping alone or with family due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This is an adaptable worship aid; it can be rearranged and its parts can be skipped. Even though we cannot meet together, our goal is to find unity as a church by using the same texts and songs for worship.

If you are worshipping as a group, choose someone to read the included texts and prayers out loud. Texts in bold may be read by everyone in unison.

Call to Worship: Adapted from Rev 4:11

Worthy is our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for he created all things,
and by his will they existed and were created.

Psalter: Psalm 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon—
there we sat down and there we wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willows there
we hung up our harps.
3 For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How could we sing the Lord’s song
in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem’s fall,
how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down!
Down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator!
Happy shall they be who pay you back
what you have done to us!
9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!^

Prayer for Illumination: Psalm 119:169-170

Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word.
Let my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.

Hymn: Abide With Me (#442 in the Psalter Hymnal)

1 Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

3 I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

New Testament Reading: John 2:13-21

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body.

Old Testament Reading: Ezra 3:10-13

The Old Testament Reading is read by Pastor Andrew in the sermon video.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11 and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

Sermon: "But Many People Wept"

Joys/Concerns and Prayers of the People

Spend some time taking prayer requests (if you’re in a group) and praying through the needs of our congregation, community, and the world. Finish by praying the Lord’s Prayer.

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.

Hymn: "How Lovely Is Your Dwelling" (#243 in the Psalter Hymnal)

1 How lovely is your dwelling,
O Lord of hosts, to me;
my soul is longing, fainting,
the courts of God to see.
The beauty of your dwelling
will bring me joy anew.
My heart and flesh are crying,
O living God, for you.

2 Beneath your care the sparrow
finds place for peaceful rest;
to keep her young in safety
the swallow finds a nest.
So, Lord, my King Almighty,
your love will shelter me;
beneath your wings of mercy
my dwelling place will be.

3 Blest they who love and serve you,
whose joy and strength you are.
Forever they will praise you,
your ways are in their heart.
Though tried, their tears like showers
shall fill the springs of peace;
and all the way to Zion
their strength shall still increase.

Closing Prayer:

May your grace, Jesus

And your love, O God

And your fellowship, O Holy Spirit

Be with us as we go.

Amen.

^ If you recoiled when reading this, we want you to know that we did too. We think it's best to read this psalm as an expression of frustration against the enemies of God, not a literal wish for children to be killed. Feel free to reach out to one of our pastors if you would like to talk about this further.