What a wonderful chapel service we had today! We began with our traditional greeting of “The peace of Christ be with you!” and the congregational response, “And also with you!” It always does my heart good to hear this blessing.
After this I gave a welcome to all our gathered elders and delivered the invocation.
Almighty God,
Jesus, our risen Lord, was made known to the disciples
in the breaking of the bread.
Open the eyes of our hearts
that we may recognize his presence,
and with his disciples cry, “The Lord has risen, indeed!”
Through Christ, who lives and reigns with you
in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our very talented accompanist and worship leader, David Hunt, played an arrangement of “Blessed Assurance” that our elders could just not keep from singing along with. This was followed by our call to worship.
CALL TO WORSHIP (Based on Psalm 116)
Leader: I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
People: Because he inclined his ear to me,
Therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Leader: The snares of death encompassed me;
The pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
People: Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, save my life!”
Leader: What shall I return to the LORD for all his bounty to me?
People: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
Leader: I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
People: In the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Our first hymn in a service full of great music was “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” Not knowing what the future holds brings a certain uneasiness to our lives. And yet, in a strange kind of way, there is comfort in the fact as well. This song is a great picture of this uncertainty and also faith. We followed this song with a reading from 1 Peter 1:17-23.
Our time of prayer was full of prayers for ourselves and our neighbors and even the world. Many shared concerned about their own health and the health of their families, friends and loved ones.
Next we sang “Where He Leads Me” as our hymn of fellowship and also “Open My Eyes, That I May See.” Both of these songs are terrific texts for our story today about the travelers on the road to Emmaus. My sermon was titled: “Once I Walked but Now I Run” and was based on Luke 24:13-35.
At the end of chapel today we sang the great invitational hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” This was followed with the benediction/blessing I gave:
“May we walk the Emmaus road until we invite Jesus in and realize the resurrected Christ is with us. Then may we run throughout the nighttime of our lives toward the holy city of God.”
After praying The Lord’s Prayer together we were dismissed.
Thank you everyone for coming to chapel today our worship was very sweet!
Blessings,
Chaplain Derek