This is part of the worship series,
"Rooted and Established in Love”
Introduction
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4—World Communion Sunday
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8—All Saints /Reformation Sunday
Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12—Christ the King Sunday
Week 3: The Calling Tree
Scripture: Exodus 3
Faith Practice: Obedience and Discipleship
Call to Worship
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
—Exodus 3:1–5 NIV
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, so often we, like Moses, fear what it means to be called by you. So many times we look at the risks, we look at our own inadequacies for the task, we look around and see so many other people who are better equipped to serve you, and we shy away or close our ears to hear your call. We ask, “Who am I to be used by you?” But God, you say to us again and again, “I will be with you.” You, God, will be with us because you are almighty, you are everlasting, and you are always faithful. Your grace is enough. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
“Your Grace Is Enough” Maher
Guide to Grateful Living
Joining the mission of God,
the church is sent
with the gospel of the kingdom
to call everyone to know and follow Christ
and to proclaim to all
the assurance that in the name of Jesus
there is forgiveness of sin
and new life for all who repent and believe.
The Spirit calls all members
to embrace God’s mission
in their neighborhoods
and in the world:
To feed the hungry,
bring water to the thirsty,
welcome the stranger,
clothe the naked,
care for the sick,
and free the prisoner.
We repent of leaving this work to a few,
for this mission is central to our being.
—Our World Belongs to God, para. 41, © 2008, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Grand Rapids MI. www.crcna.org. Used by permission.
Parting Blessing
Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, as he works among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.
—Hebrews 13:20–21 NRSVUE
Song
“Thuma mina / Send Me, Lord” South African
Revised Common Lectionary
Year A: Season after Pentecost—Proper 17 (22)
