PRELUDE: Prayer, Leon Boellmann

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
* PASSING OF THE PEACE
* Gloria Patri (pew card)

* CALL TO WORSHIP, Emerson Chen
Leader:   Lord, you alone are God, we have no good apart from you.
People:   In you alone we take refuge.
Leader:   For you are our counselor and our guide.
People:   In you our hearts rejoice and our bodies rest secure.
Leader:   Lead us, Lord, in your path of life.
People:   In your presence there is fullness of joy.

* HYMN No. 199: Tell Me the Story of Jesus

* PRAYER OF CONFESSION(unison)

Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are ashamed and sorry for all we have done to displease you. Forgive our sins, and help us to live in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON

* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Leader: Herein is wisdom.
People: Glory be to God.

THE ACT OF PRAISE, Emerson Chen, baritone

SCRIPTURE READINGS

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-15, Pew Bible, page 290

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.

Luke 9:51-62, Pew Bible, page 843

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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

SERMON: The Gift of the Spirit, Stacey Duensing

* CONFESSION OF FAITH The Apostles’ Creed (pew card)

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
        Offertory
   * The Doxology(pew card)
   * Prayer of Dedication

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
* Remembering with Love and Hope (pew card)
   Invitation
   Communion Prayer
       Sanctus (pew card)
       Mystery of the Faith (unison)
           Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
   Words of Institution

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Prayer Response

* HYMN No. 648 O Jesus, I Have Promised

* BENEDICTION
* Response

POSTLUDE: Praise to the Lord Paul Manz

ANNOUNCEMENTS

APPRECIATIONS: We thank Emerson Chen for sharing his musical talents to enhance our worship service.

OUR WORSHIP HOURS will continue at the 10:00 AM hour through Labor Day Sunday, September 4. We hope you will give our worship your support through prayer and attendance.

BIBLE STUDY – Wednesdays, 7:30-9:00 PM, Folensbee Lounge

Women’s Homeless Shelter

Our church provides shelter every Friday night, year round, for up to 10 grateful women. This ministry needs your assistance to provide dinner, stay for a few hours or sleepover. The work is easy and fulfilling. Seasonal professional clothes, socks and underwear donations are appreciated as well. Please contact Maureen Saepia-Chen at 917-797-3031 or email msaepia@gmail.com

YEAR-ROUND COLLECTIONS –

Donations for the Food for Kids Ministry should be brought to the Church office. During the school year, this food will be given to families in need in Jamaica, New York.
Donations for pets brought to the church office will be given to Worthy Pause to be distributed to local animal shelters.
Christmas cards (with Forever Stamps on the envelopes) are collected in a basket at the back of the sanctuary. These cards will enable inmates at the Nassau County Correction Center to correspond with their loved ones.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Jorel Andaluz, Bermudez Family, Helga Brenner-Khan, Donald Calfa, Marilyn Cooney, Jaynie d’Agostino, Allegra DeMelo, Dombrowski Family, Jim D’Oria, Jolie Dunham, Jenny Hampton, Richard Holm, Lynne Johnson, Robert Keller, Karen Krieg, Fritz Kunisch, Marie Mark, Ann McCaffrey-Amalfitano, James McCreary, Claudia Mellett, John Molino, Denise Moran, Eva Munoz, Joan Pearson, Keith Pearson, Dorothy Rama, Dorothy Reid, Josephine Rivera, Isabelita Rueda, Peter Schumacher, Carmela Stocchia, Lynne Sullivan, Emily Testut, Joan Wagner, Joan Werbel