WORSHIP WHERE YOU ARE JULY 26, 10AM | EIGTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

CHRISTMAS IN JULY | SERVICE OF WORD

GATHER

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship

Come, all you who are struggling. Come, all you who are crippled by pain and suffering. Come to worship a God who heals your pain. Come to worship a God who gives forgiveness. Let us worship God, who sets us free and gives us new life!

Opening Prayer

Eternal One, whose thoughts and ways are not ours, you alone are God, awesome, holy, and most high. Form us in the ways of faith and wisdom, that we, like Job, may learn to truly see and hear, and in humility find blessing. Amen.

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Opening Hymn It Came Upon the Midnight Clear CAROL

Call to Confession

If we say we are completely put together, the truth is not in us.   But if we confess our distractions, our errors, and our anxieties, God will meet us and renew us.

Let’s boldly confess our brokenness to God:

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Prayer of Confession

O Lord, listen to our prayer of confession, for we would speak honestly before You.

We confess that we haven’t always done what is right; that some of our attitudes and actions have hurt others and ourselves, and have grieved You.

Forgive us.

In Your mercy, look deeply into our hearts. Examine our thoughts and our actions. Test our motivations. Bring to light all the things in our lives that dishonor You.

We want to follow You with integrity, to obey the commandments You have given us, and to walk in ways that bring honor to Your name. Amen.

Assurance of God’s Love

Our God never fails to hear us when we call. Trust in God’s forgiveness and unfailing love, and be at peace, for God rescues all who take refuge in Him. Thanks be to God! Amen

Sung Response I Go to the Rock

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HEAR Hebrew Bible Lesson Job 42

From the New Revised Standard Version:

T hen Job answered the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

“Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?” Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. “Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.” I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’

After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.’ So Eliphaz the Temanite and

Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of money and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this Job lived for one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. And Job died, old and full of days.

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From The Message:

Job answered God:

“I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.

Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand— from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.”

After God had finished addressing Job, he turned to Eliphaz the Temanite and said, “I’ve had it with you and your two friends. I’m fed up! You haven’t been honest either with me or about me—not the way my friend Job has. So here’s what you must do. Take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf. My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. He will ask me

not to treat you as you deserve for talking nonsense about me, and for not being honest with me, as he has.”

They did it. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what God commanded. And God accepted Job’s prayer. After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts.

God blessed Job’s later life even more than his earlier life. He ended up with fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand teams of oxen, and one thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first daughter Dove, the second, Cinnamon, and the third, Darkeyes. There was not a woman in that country as beautiful as Job’s daughters. Their father treated them as equals with their brothers, providing the same inheritance.

Job lived on another 140 years, living to see his children and grandchildren—four generations of them! Then he died—an old man, a full life.

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Hymn God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Homily The Reverend Dr. Jonathan Chapman

RESPOND Sharing Our Concerns

For all these persons, and all who are in need. Hold your people near, O God.

Sharing Our Joys

We give thanks to God for these blessings. Thanks be to God!

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Call to Prayer Shepherd Me, O God

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, which art in Heaven, hallowed by 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.

Call to Give

Offertory

Westfield Church’s life and ministry is dependent on your generosity. You can donate online by going to westfielducc.org/giving or you can mail your donation (made out to

Westfield Church) to 210 Main Street, Killingly, CT 06239. Thank you for your consideration.

Prayer of Dedication

Bountiful God, we come with our offerings in response to your love. With the new life in Christ, we give ourselves in service to others. With the energy bestowed by the Spirit,

we seek to inflame all your people with a zeal for your way. Receive the work we do, and the gifts we bring, that they may become a blessing in your sight. Amen.

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GO Closing Song Joy to the World ANTIOCH

Benediction

_______________________________________________ WORSHIP NOTES: • Call to Worship is from Waiting for Water: Liturgy for the Easter Journey 2013 • Opening Prayer is adapted from Revised Common Lectionary Prayers © Augsburg Fortress, 2002 • The Prayer of Confession and Assurance of God’s Love are based on Psalm 17. • I Go to the Rock has music and lyrics by Dottie Rambo • Shepherd Me, O God has music and lyrics by Marty Haugen.

Reproduced with Permission. CCLI Copyright License: 20184402 CCLI Streaming License: 20184392 OneLicense, License  A-726080

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