PROVIDENCE CHURCH

July 18, 2021

 

Welcome

 

Passing of the Peace: Though we are separated by distance our hearts are one in Christ. The peace of Christ be with you!  And also with you!

 

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Call to Worship:   Isaiah 40:1-5

Leader:  Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

People:    Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her

that her warfare[a] is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

Leader:   A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

People:  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

ALL:  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken

 

Songs of Praise:

Come, Christians, Join to Sing (Christian Bateman, 1843; tune traditional Spanish melody) Come, Christians, join to sing Alleluia! Amen!

Loud praise to Christ our King; Alleluia! Amen!

Let all, with heart and voice, before his throne rejoice;

Praise is his gracious choice. Alleluia! Amen!

 

Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia! Amen!

Let praises fill the sky; Alleluia! Amen!

He is our Guide and Friend; to us he’ll condescend;

His love shall never end. Alleluia! Amen!

 

Praise yet our Christ again, Alleluia! Amen!

Life shall not end the strain; Alleluia! Amen!

On heaven’s blissful shore, his goodness we’ll adore,

Singing forevermore, “Alleluia! Amen!”

 

How Great is Your Love (Mark Altrogge   CCLI #1360011)

No eye has seen, and no ear has heard,

And no mind has ever conceived

The glorious things that you have prepared

For everyone who has believed;

You brought us near and you called us your own,

And made us joint heirs with your Son!

 

Chorus:

How high and how wide,

How deep and how long,

How sweet and how strong is your love.

How lavish your grace, how faithful your ways,

How great is your love, O Lord.

 

Objects of mercy who should have known wrath,

We’re filled with unspeakable joy.

Riches of wisdom, unsearchable wealth,

And the wonder of knowing your voice:

You are our treasure, and our great reward,

Our hope and our glorious King! (Chorus)

 

No Longer Slaves (Bethel Music)

You unravel me with a melody, You surround me with a song

of deliverance from my enemies ‘til all my fears are gone.

 

I’m no longer a slave to fear; I am a child of God.

I’m no longer a slave to fear; I am a child of God.

From my mother’s womb, You have chosen me; Love has called my name.

I’ve been born again into a family; your blood flows through my veins. (Chorus)

 

Oh–oh, oh, oh.  Oh—oh oh oh (2X)

 

You split the sea so I could walk right through it;

My fears are drowned in perfect love.

You rescued me so I could stand and sing: “I am a child of God!” (2X)

 

I am a child of God,

Yes I am a child of God!

 

Confession/Assurance    

 

Respond in Praise:

 

Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Charles Wesly, 1740; tune Joseph Parry, 1879)

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high:

Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;

Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!

 

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee;

Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me!

All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring;

Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.

 

Thou, O Christ, art all I want; more than all in thee I find:

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.

Just and holy is thy name; I am all unrighteousness;

False and full of sin I am, thou art full of truth and grace.

 

Plenteous grace with thee if found, grace to cover all my sin;

Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within:

Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of thee;

Spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

 

Musical Offering from Roberta Edwards & Jennifer Dale:

No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus (Steffany Gretzinger)

If my heart could tell a story

If my life would sing a song

If I have a testimony

If I have anything at all

 

No one ever cared for me like Jesus

His faithful hand has held me all this way

And when I’m old and grey, and all my days

Are numbered on the earth

Let it be known in You alone my joy was found

 

Let my children tell their children

Let this be their memory

That all my treasure was in heaven

And You were everything to me

 

No one ever cared for me like Jesus

His faithful hand has held me all this way

And when I’m old and grey, and all my days

Are numbered on the earth

Let it be known in You alone my joy was found

 

I found my joy…

 

I’m still in love

You’re still enough for me

Still all I want

You’re still my everything

 

No one ever cared for me like Jesus

His faithful hand has held me all this way

And when I’m old and grey, and all my days

Are numbered on the earth

Let it be known in You alone my joy was found

 

Scripture Reading:    Matthew 9:27-38

 

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

 

Jesus Heals a Man Unable to Speak

32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

 

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

 

This is the Word of the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

Sermon:  “The Fields are Ripe”       

[Sermon available on Website after service under “SERMONS”           

 

Hymn of Dedication

 

He Rose (Jonathan Stockstill)

When Jesus bled it was for redemption

Paying the price for our sins

His precious blood was for communion

God wanted closeness again

All of our chains were broken on the day…

 

He rose! Celebrate the day He rose;

There’s power in the way He rose;

Bless His holy name, He rose…yes, He rose.

 

When Jesus died it was for our freedom,

Breaking the bondage of sin.

Now the redeemed will live forever,

Shout to the Savior of men.

All of our shame was washed away the day…

 

He rose! Celebrate the day He rose;

There’s power in the way He rose;

Bless His holy name, He rose…yes, He rose.

 

All of our chains were broken on the day,

All of our shame was washed away the day…

 

He rose! Celebrate the day He rose;

There’s power in the way He rose;

Bless His holy name, He rose…yes, He rose.

 

He hung on the cross forsaken

The glorious King has taken all our sins

Upon his head;

Death and the grave are broken;

The Light of the world has spoken,

We are free; we’ve been redeemed…

 

He rose! Celebrate the day He rose;

There’s power in the way He rose;

Bless His holy name, He rose…yes, He rose.

 

And He rose! Celebrate the day He rose;

There’s power in the way He rose;

Bless His holy name, He rose…yes, He rose, He rose.

 

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.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil:

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.  Amen

 

Hymn of Thanksgiving

 

Be Still, My Soul (Katharina von Schlegel, 1752; tune, Jean Sibelius, 1899)

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side;

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to your God to order and provide;

In ev’ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: your best, your heav’nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

 

Be still, my soul: your God will undertake

to guide the future as he has the past.

Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds sill know

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

 

Be still my soul: the hour is hast’ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord,

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

 

Benediction 

 

 

 

KNOW

Welcome to Providence Church! We are glad that you are here, joining us in person or via Zoom! We invite you to stop by our Welcome Center where you can receive more information about our church.

Sunday School:   Adult and Youth Sunday School is at 11:15.

Children of all ages are invited to participate in the entire service of worship.  We will have

childcare for children up to 6 years of age, upstairs in our new room.

Tithes and Gifts: An offering plate is not passed during the service.  Plates for your tithes and

offerings are located at the back of the sanctuary. If you are joining us via Zoom, your tithes and gifts can be mailed to P.O. Box 65, Clyde.  We thank you for your prayerful financial support for

our church.

 

 

GROW

Pastor Bible Study – meets each Tuesday at noon in the fellowship hall to discuss the previous week’s sermon as well as the upcoming sermon. Bring your Bible and a bagged lunch if you would like.

 

Would you like to grow in the joy and work of prayer? Join our women on Tuesday mornings at 10:15am or our men on Thursday mornings at 6:45am. These seasons of weekly prayer are rich in fellowship and in prayers. Want to know more about Women’s Prayer? Contact Linda Roberts. Want to know more about Men’s Prayer?  Contact Sam Mitchell.

 

Are you longing to grow in your connection with God through Scripture reading? Pastor Edward recommends Bible In One Year (by Alpha International), a 20 minute reading of Scripture and commentary written by Nicky Gumble leader of Alpha (an international evangelism ministry).  Just look it up under your apps on your phone/computer.

 

 

GO

Open Door Soup Kitchen: This is an ongoing commitment of Providence Church to the least, the last, the lost and the lonely of our community.  While Open Door is no longer able to serve meals, we are still volunteering to cook the meals on the first Friday of each month.  If you can serve in this way, please let Linda Wilson know at 901-230-7178.  Thanks for your faithfulness.

 

.

 

Prayer Requests: Surgery: Jill Lear (26th) Mike and Rhonda’s daughter-in-law, Melanie (30th) Mike and Rhonda’s daughter  Healing: Lisa Rhodarmer; Malcolm Spink; Aiyla Altman, Chuck & Carole Torpy; Glenn & Laura Glad; Thom Morgan’s mother; Lisa Rhodarmer’s brother Michael – cancer