WELCOME
PRELUDE For All the Saints – Vaughan Williams / Berry
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We gather here to worship God, not from duty but from delight.
People: We gather here to worship God, not through fear but through faith.
Leader: We gather here to be inspired by God’s vision and for God’s ventures.
People: We gather here to follow God’s way and to share God’s word.
Leader: This is the Lord’s Day, and we worship God in awe and adoration.
People: This is the Lord’s Day, and let us live in God’s light, for great is God’s faithfulness.
*HYMN OF PRAISE Great Is Thy Faithfulness Glory to God, #39
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Merciful God, even though You bless us with gifts and talents, we do not always use them for
Your glory. We have often preferred to increase our personal prosperity instead of
serving our fellow human beings; we have followed the ways of the masses rather than
living by Your word; and we have failed to see how our actions affect others instead of
living responsibly and faithfully among all creation.
Forgive us of our sin, and open our eyes to Your kingdom in our midst, so that we would
discover that Your day of hope and grace has already come in Jesus Christ our Lord, in
whose name we pray. (Silent)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)
Leader: God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ, who died for us.
People: Therefore let us live for Christ as we encourage and edify one another.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE Spirit, Open My Heart Glory to God, #692
[During the interlude, you are invited to turn to this hymn and consider the lyrics that
are inspired by the passages of prophetic material recorded in Ezekiel and Jeremiah.]
SCRIPTURE Psalm 10:1-12
1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor — let them be caught in the schemes they
have devised.
3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart, those greedy for gain curse and
renounce the Lord.
4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”; all their
thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5 Their ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of their sight; as for
their foes, they scoff at them.
6 They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved; throughout all generations we shall
not meet adversity.”
7 Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under their tongues are
mischief and iniquity.
8 They sit in ambush in the villages; in hiding places they murder the innocent. Their eyes
stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert; they lurk that they may seize the poor; they
seize the poor and drag them off in their net.
10 They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might.
11 They think in their heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12 Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door Glory to God, #728
[During the interlude, you are invited to turn to this African-American spiritual and
read the textual notes at the bottom of the page associated with this piece of music.]
SCRIPTURE Matthew 25:14-30
14 “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to
them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his
ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and
traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two
talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug
a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves
came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came
forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see,
I have made five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy
slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter
into the joy of your master.’ 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying,
‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 23 His master
said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things,
I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who
had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh
man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was
afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his
master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not
sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with
the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take
the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have,
more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even
what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer
darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
MEDITATION Risky Discipleship
ANTHEM ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus – Kirkpatrick/Berry
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from The Confession of 1967, 9.37-38
The church disperses to serve God wherever its members are, at work or play, in private or
in the life of society.
Their prayer and Bible study are part of the church’s worship and theological reflection.
Their witness is the church’s evangelism.
Their daily action in the world is the church in mission to the world.
The quality of their relation with other persons is the measure of the church’s
fidelity.
Each member is the church in the world,
endowed by the Spirit with some gift of ministry,
and is responsible for the integrity of his or her witness in each
particular situation.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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
us 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.
INVITATION TO GIVE
MUSICAL INTERLUDE Goodness Is Stronger Than Evil Glory to God, #750
[During the interlude, you are encouraged to read the helpful textual notes about this
hymn whose lyrics are attributed to Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa.]
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
God of joy and generosity, from the abundance You have provided us, we offer our gifts, and
we recognize that what we give from the depths of our hearts is more important to You than
what we carry in our wallets and purses. As we contribute to Your kingdom, use the
financial and human resources we share to strengthen the ministry of Your church, to meet
the needs in our community, and to fashion the kind of world that You desire, for the glory
of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
*HYMN As Those of Old Their Firstfruits Brought Glory to God, #712
*BENEDICTION
*CHORAL RESPONSE Surely, the Presence of the Lord – see screens
POSTLUDE Soon and Very Soon – Crouch / Austin
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
You are invited to share the information about the “Summit County Gun Buyback and Safety
Initiative” on Saturday, December 3, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at the Arlington Church of
God, 539 S. Arlington St., Akron
Next Sunday, on November 13, we will celebrate the sacrament of communion. We hope that you will join us as we gather at the Lord’s Table.
The Fellowship Committee will meet at the end of this month on Wednesday, November 30, at 10:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. You are invited to come and help in the planning of activities for Christmas and for early 2023 activities. Everyone is welcome. Please contact Nancy Williams if you have any questions.
Please don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, November 8.