Call to Worship
Come, children of God.
Let us worship the Lord with gladness!
Open your eyes to see the life-giving presence of Christ.
For God is already here, among and within us.
Indeed Jesus the Christ is with us, bringing new life for all.
Let us praise God together!
Gathering Hymn No. 452
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Call to Confession
God's love is persistent and lavish. God feeds us with mercy and cloaks us in grace, forgiving all our sins. Confident in God's abundant love, let us unload the weight of our sin by naming it to God.
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, in Jesus you have taught us the way that we should go, you have shown us how to be in communion with you and one other. But so often we wander. Consumed with our own concerns, we let divisions grow among us, we fail to forgive, and we struggle to reconcile our differences. Remind us of the power of your reconciling love. Give us courage and faith to repair our relationships. Deliver us from our self-sufficiency and make us one, with you and one another. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Hear the good news! Our sins are forgiven! In Christ we are a new creation, restored in relationship to our Creator and each other. Thanks be to God!
Sharing the Peace of Christ -
Our Common Life
Scripture Reading - Matthew 18:15-22 (Common English Bible translation)
Sermon Nancy Dolan
Hymn of Invitation No. 507
Come to the Table of Grace
Prayer of Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks & praise.
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 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.
Blessing of the Bread and Cup
Communion of the People
Prayer After Communion
God, in deep gratitude for this moment, this meal, these sisters and brothers, we give ourselves to you. Take us out as changed people because we have shared the living bread and cannot remain the same. Ask much of us, expect much from us, enable much by us, encourage many through us. Keep us on your paths of life this week, so that we might remember we are loved and never alone. Amen.
Call to Offering
On this day, we are invited to participate in the kingdom emerging all around us - to embody the grace of Jesus, the love of God and community of the Holy Spirit. May we respond this morning with glad and generous hearts, freely giving our tithes and offerings to the ministry of this congregation. In lieu of passing the plate, we invite you to give through our church website, our
smartphone app, by texting the word "Wilmette" to the number 77977, or by sending a check to the church office. As we gather our gifts together and offer them to God, may we do so in gratitude and praise.
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
God of abundance, we offer these gifts and ourselves to you, reminded of your generosity to us. May these offerings be used for the healing of the world and all your good purposes. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
Sending Hymn No. 383 , verses 1 & 2
Dream On, Dream On
Charge and Benediction
Postlude
Psalm XIX. Benedetto Marcello