Welcome

You may wish to light a Christ candle to mark Christ’s presence with you as you worship.

Call to Worship

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

All who thirst, come to the water
and drink deeply of these living streams.
All who hunger, come to the table
and be nourished by these gifts of bread and wine.

Come, all who are empty,
and all who are full;
come, all who yearn for forgiveness,
and all who long to flourish.

Our gracious God invites and blesses us.
Let us give thanks for new life in Christ.
His steadfast love endures forever.

Song

Greeting

Our help is in the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
O Lord, open our lips,
and our mouths shall declare your praise.
The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy never cease,
fresh as the morning and sure as the sunrise.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.
Amen.

Prayer of Invocation

If you have a child in your home, invite them to lead the following prayer.

Dear God,
help us to worship you today.
May we listen carefully, pray honestly, and sing joyfully.
Send your Holy Spirit
so that our words will bring you glory.
Thank you that Jesus makes our worship perfect for you.
Help us remember that when we worship you,
we are part of your family;
we join everyone who loves you
around the world and throughout history.
In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.

Confession and Assurance

Call to Confession: Romans 3:10b-12

There is no one who is righteous, not even one;
    there is no one who has understanding,
        there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned aside, together they have become worthless;
    there is no one who shows kindness,
        there is not even one.

Confession

Merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you
with our whole heart and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be,
so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Assurance of Pardon: Romans 5:1-2 and 8:1

Hear the word of the gospel:

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand;
and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

The Peace

The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

The Call to Holiness: Romans 6:3-4

Do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
Therefore we have been buried with him
by baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.

Scriptural Promises

Romans 6 gives us a picture of the purpose of baptism—that we “might walk in newness of life”—but baptism begins, always, with God: with God’s invitation, with God’s promises, with God’s work. As you read the liturgy below, remember your own baptism, and remember all that God has done to flower what he began in you in your baptism. He formed you; he knows you; he will carry his work in you to completion.

“But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.”
—Isaiah 43:1-2

Words of Institution & Teaching

Here’s what Jesus says, an invitation and a promise for all:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, 
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Baptism is the sign and seal of God’s promises to his covenant people.
In baptism God promises by grace alone:
to forgive our sins;
to adopt us into the Body of Christ, his Church;
to send the Holy Spirit daily to renew and cleanse us;
and to resurrect us to eternal life.

God does these things for us in Christ, and they are made visible to us in the water of baptism. 

If you would like, you may wish to pour a bowl of water before or during the following lines, to help remember your baptism.

Water cleanses; purifies; refreshes; sustains: Jesus Christ is living water.

In baptism Christ also calls us to a new obedience:
to love and trust God completely;
to forsake the evil of the world;
and to live a new and holy life.

And in baptism, the Spirit assures us:
when we fall into sin, we do not despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin,
for baptism is the sign and seal of God’s eternal covenant of grace with us.

Profession of Faith

We bring Ellery for baptism wrapped in the faith of the parents, our local church, and the universal church to which they belong, trusting that God will do for them what he has promised.

The Parents’ Faith

Jon & Julie, having heard God’s great love and gracious promises to us in Christ, do you desire that Ellery be baptized? We do.

I ask you, then, before God and Christ’s church, to reject evil, to profess your faith in Christ, and to confess with all of us the faith of the church.

Do you renounce sin and the power of evil in your life and in the world? We renounce them.

Who is your Lord and Savior? Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Do you promise to instruct Ellery in the truth of God’s word,
in the way of salvation through Jesus Christ;
to pray for her, to teach her to pray;
and to train her in Christ’s way by your example,
through worship, and in the nurture of the church? We do, God helping us.

The Congregation’s Commitment

14th Street Church,
since Ellery belongs to God, she belongs also to you.
Do you promise to love, encourage, and support Ellery
by teaching her the gospel of God’s love,
by being an example of Christian faith and character, and
by giving the strong support of God’s family
in fellowship, prayer, and service?
We do, God helping us.

The Church’s Faith

Together we profess our common faith, with the church around the world and through the ages, using the words of the Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come.
Amen.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Blessed are you, O God, maker and ruler of all things.
Your voice thundered over the waters at creation.
You water the mountains and send springs into the valleys
to refresh and satisfy us and all living things.
Through the waters of the flood you carried those in the ark to safety.
Through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery to freedom.
In the wilderness you nourished them with water from the rock,
and you brought them across the river Jordan to the promised land.
By the baptism of his death and resurrection, your Son, Jesus,
has carried us to safety and freedom.
The floods shall not overwhelm us, the deep shall not swallow us up,
for Christ has brought us over to the land of promise.
He sends us to make disciples,
baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Pour out your Holy Spirit,
wash away sin through the cross of Christ,
clothe the baptized with Christ,
and claim your daughters and sons,
no longer Jew or Greek, no longer slave or free, no longer male or female,
but one with all the baptized in Christ Jesus,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

Baptism

At this point in the liturgy, Ellery will be baptized and marked with the sign of the cross, sealed by the Spirit as Christ’s own forever. This video has been shared with the congregation in an email sent on Monday, August 3rd. If you did not get the email and would like to see the video, please email Sandy Polet at sandy.polet@14thstreetcrc.org.

Prayer

During the service, Ellery’s Elder and Deacon will pray the prayer below for her. Please pray it for her in your own homes.

Gracious God and heavenly Father,
we thank you that you make us new persons in Jesus Christ
through grace alone, and that Ellery has taken refuge 
under the shelter of Your wings.
May you be glorified in her.

We pray for Ellery.
Fill her with the power of your Holy Spirit.
Unfold to her the riches of your love.
Deepen her faith. 
Keep her from the power of evil.
Open the eyes of her heart.
And enable her to live a holy and blameless life until your kingdom comes.

Look with kindness on Jon & Julie.
Let them always rejoice in the gift you have given them.
Grant them the presence of your Holy Spirit,
that they may bring up Ellery to know you, love you, and serve you and their neighbor,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Welcome & Blessing

Brothers and sisters, would you welcome our new sister in Christ, saying these words: 

Joyfully we receive you into the body of Christ.
Join with us as we give witness in the world to the good news,
for we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Alleluia.

Song

Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit
cleansed by the blood of Christ our king;
heirs of salvation, trusting his promise,
faithfully now God's praise we sing.

Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit,
dead in the tomb with Christ our king;
one with his rising, freed and forgiven,
thankfully now God's praise we sing.

Baptized in water, sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign of Christ our king;
born of one Father, we are his children,
joyfully now God's praise we sing.

Text: Michael Saward, 1981, © 1982 The Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Company
Music (BUNESSAN): Gaelic; harm. Dale Grotenhuis (1931-2012), 1985, © 1987 Faith Alive Christian Resources

Prayer of Illumination

Gracious God,
we see your grace made visible today
in the water of baptism and the feast at your table.
Help us now to hear of your grace
through the reading and preaching of your Word,
for your Word is light, and life, and truth.
In the name of the Word made flesh, Amen. 

Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:1-12

5 1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

God’s Invitation & Promises

All those who would make peace—all those who would flourish—must come to this Table, and learn here that the shape of true peace is the shape of our Lord’s body and blood, the shape of the cross. It is here, and only here, that we learn from the Persecuted One what it is to make peace.

But before we can come, we must be invited. And we are. We do not so much come as we are drawn. Christ is the host, and we are his guests.

“Jesus said, ‘Come to me,
all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.”
—Matthew 11:28

“O taste and see that the Lord is good;
flourishing are those who take refuge in him.”
—Psalm 34:8

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right for us to give thanks and praise.

We lift up our hearts and give thanks
because here we see, in a focused way,
the extravagant generosity of God’s gifts in all of creation,
but most of all for the inestimable gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who reconciles us to God.

And so we say, “Holy, holy, holy.”

We lift up our hearts and give thanks
because here we meet, experience, eat and drink
an icon of the gospel, and so proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

And we lift up our hearts and give thanks
because here the Holy Spirit descends,
blesses broken bread and poured out cup,
and raises us into our head, Jesus Christ,
and gathers us, like scattered grain and crushed grapes,
into one loaf and one cup.
Here Christ binds us to each other,
makes us Christ’s body, and establishes our unity.

As we come to the Table, hearts uplifted and thanks offered,
we pray the prayer that Jesus taught us until he comes again.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation 
But deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

Spiritual Communion

For those worshiping with us online, and not able to partake of the sacrament, we invite you to pray the following prayer of Spiritual Communion and listen to the following song, knowing that God himself is with you, and that your union with Christ remains unbroken.

O Christ, we love you above all things,
and we desire, at all times and in all ways, to be fed by you.
And since we cannot now come to your Table,
we ask you to come by your Spirit into our hearts.
Unite us to you, together with all your faithful people,
and help us to embrace you with all our affections, body and soul.
Never permit us to be separated from you.
By your goodness we pray, Amen.

Song

Praise

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion.
—Psalm 103:1-4

Offering

In addition to our various funds (General, Building, Mission, Benevolence, Christian Education), online giving is also now available for today’s special offerings (Timothy Institute, World Renew & Midtown Counseling Center) through the Give button below.

Blest are they, the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are they, full of sorrow, they shall be consoled. Refrain 

Blest are they, the lowly ones, they shall inherit the earth.
Blest are they who hunger and thirst, they shall have their fill. Refrain 

Blest are they who show mercy, mercy shall be theirs.
Blest are they, the pure of heart, they shall see God. Refrain 

Blest are they who seek peace; they are the children of God.
Blest are they who suffer in faith, the glory of God is theirs. Refrain 

Blest are you who suffer hate, all because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, yours is the kingdom; shine for all to see. Refrain

Refrain
Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you; holy are you.Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God. 

Text: David Haas (b. 1957), based on Matthew 5:3-12, © 1985 GIA Publications, Inc.
Music (BLEST ARE THEY): David Haas, desc. Michael Joncas (b. 1951) © 1985 GIA Publications, Inc. 

God’s Parting Words

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious unto you;
the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you
and give you peace. Amen.

Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.