Does It Not Matter to You?

Here are worship materials for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost.

"The Storm on the Sea of Galilee," Rembrandt, 17th c.

Call to Worship Psalm 5 excerpted & adapted

One: Give ear to my words, O Lord; All: give heed to us when we sigh. One: Listen to the sound of our cry, our King and our God, for to you we pray. All: O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; One: In the morning we plead our case to you, and watch.

All: For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you. One: But we, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. All: We will bow down towards your holy temple in awe of you. One: Lead us, O Lord, in your righteousness because of the enemy;

make your way clear before us.

All: Let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let all ever sing for joy. One: In this it is true, what we say in greeting one another,

“The peace of God be with you.”

All: And also with you.

Prayer of Invocation (in unison)

Gracious God, open our hearts to your presence at this time. Free our minds of all anxious thoughts. Bring us to that promised place of peace.

We gather amidst a created order that often feels disordered: storms rage, viruses infiltrate, wellbeing depends upon things out of our control. We cry out, and nothing changes. We cry out for you.

Help us to perceive your response. Whether in relief from worry, or in renewal of possibility, or in the beauty of an early summer day, or in the faithfulness of this gathered body—its weekly witness, its warm welcome and loving embrace—you present yourself in our lives in ways many and varied.

There is much about this world to resist—temptation, suffering, injustice, cruel pain. There is much also intertwined in these things to receive—resilience, steadfastness, compassion, mercy. Help us to resist; help us to accept. Fill us with all Christ-like graces, which we pray in his name, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

Scripture & sermon audio.

Scripture & sermon text.