Welcome & Announcements

Welcome! In the name of Christ we welcome everyone to our worship for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost. it’s always our prayer that God will meet you exactly where you are as we worship God together.

This week our worship is led by our lay leader, John Watkins, with music supplied by Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot. The scriptures in our service are read by members of Grace.

Announcements:

Stock the Food Pantry: You can drop off non-perishable food and toiletry items for the nearby food pantry we’re stocking. Just come by during office hours, Tuesday through Friday, 9-2pm and drop them in the blue bins in Ketchum Hall.

August 30th Bishop Phoebe Roaf will be “visiting” us here online. Plan a special brunch at home to celebrate and make it special. You know if we were meeting together, we’d be enjoying eating well together after church!

Capital Campaign: a committee has formed to assess and prioritize repair needs around our beautiful historic church. Since we cannot meet in the building it’s a great time to undertake these repairs. Your gifts will help. You can mail a check to the church’s mailing address at P.O. Box 447, Paris TN, 38242 or use the online giving portal here. Just select “capital campaign” when that option is presented.

This video uses drone footage by Patrick Evans, still photos from Wilma Zeigler and the beautiful arrangement of Simple Gifts by Aaron Copeland.

Children’s Resources

Opening Hymn: 542  Christ is the world’s true light

Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot
  1. Christ is the world’s true light, its captain of salvation
    The Daystar clear and bright, of every race and nation
    New life, new hope awakes for all who own his sway
    Freedom her bondage breaks, and night is turned to day
  2. In Christ all races meet, their ancient feuds forgetting
    The whole round world complete from sunrise to its setting
    When Christ is throned as Lord all shall forsake their fear
    To ploughshare beat the sword, to pruning hook the spear
  3. One Lord in one great Name, unite us all who own thee
    Cast out our pride and shame that hinder to enthrone thee
    The world has waited long; has travailed long in pain
    To heal its ancient wrong, come, Prince of Peace, and reign

Collect of the Day

John Watkins

First Reading: Genesis 45:1-15

Leigh Watkins

Psalm 133

Kyle Stanton

Second Reading: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

Missy McDonald

Gospel Hymn: There’s Just Something About That Name

Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
There’s just something about that name
Master, Savior, Jesus
Like the fragrance after the rain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms will all pass away
But there’s something about that name

Gospel Reading: Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

John Watkins

Sermon

John Watkins

Nicene Creed

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:
    by the power of the Holy Spirit
        he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
        and was made man.
    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.
    With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
    He 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.

Special Music: Nearer My God, to Thee

Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot

1 Nearer, my God, to Thee,
nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me;
Still all my song would be

Refrain:
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

2 Though like the wanderer,
The sun goes down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be [Refrain]

5 Or if on joyful wing,
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon and stars forgot,
Upwards I fly,
Still all my song shall be [Refrain]

Prayers of the People

Jim Lacey

Collect at the Prayers of the People

Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask:
Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those
good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot
ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Closing Hymn: 457  Thou art the Way, to thee alone

Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot

1 Thou art the Way, to thee alone
from sin and death we flee;
and all who would the Father seek,
must seek him, Lord, by thee.

2 Thou art the Truth: thy word alone
true wisdom can impart;
thou only canst inform the mind
and purify the heart.

3 Thou art the Life, the rending tomb
proclaims thy conquering arm;
and those who put their trust in thee
nor death nor hell shall harm.

4 Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life:
grant us that way to know,
that truth to keep, that life to win,
whose joys eternal flow.

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.