Page Updated by Sunday Morning
Sunday, August 16, 2026 -- 10:30am Worship Service
Today’s bulletin art is, “Christ with the Canaanite Woman and Her Daughter” by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937), 1909.
Born to an African Methodist Episcopal bishop father, Tanner became the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim.
INTROIT 411 - “God Is Here Today (first time in English, second time in Spanish)
God is here today;
as certain as the air I breathe,
as certain as the morning sun that rises,
as certain when I sing you’ll hear my song.
Dios está aquí,
tan cierto como el aire que respiro,
tan cierto como la mañana se levanta,
tan cierto como que le canto y me puede oír.
PRELUDE - Agincourt Hymn, John Dunstable (c.1370-1435). This hymn was written to celebrate a British victory over the French during the Hundred Years War. The text praises God and includes the Deo Gracias refrain (Thanks be to God).
CALL TO WORSHIP
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let us worship God together!
+ HYMN 611 - Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
+ CONFESSION & PARDON
Loving God, You have shown us Your great mercy and compassion and we have responded to You with faith and worship. We are all different people and have come from different places, yet through the gift of Your Holy Spirit, we are all known as Yours. We confess that we have not been as generous with our love or grace as You call us to be. We have classed those who are Your beloved children as different, as foreign, as those not worthy to receive our love. We have placed limits on our compassion and have been jealous of our resources. Through this service today may we hear Your voice more clearly, and may our inclusive and expansive love bring a glimpse of You to those who need to see You most. Hear now our silent prayers of confession.
• Assurance of Pardon
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God.
• Response to Forgiveness: 581- Gloria Patri
PASSING OF THE PEACE
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE
PRAYER FOR OPENNESS
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING - Isaiah 56.1, 6-8 OT pg 634 (NRSVUE)
Thus says the LORD: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come and my deliverance be revealed. And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant– these I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel: I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.
Leader: For the Word of God in scripture, for the Word of God among us, for the Word of God within us
ALL: THANKS BE TO GOD.
ANTHEM - How Great Thou Art, Drew Palus, piano
SCRIPTURE READING - Matthew 15.21-28 NT pg 17 (NRSVUE)
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.
SERMON - “Make Them Joyful” - Rev. Matt Falco
+ STATEMENT OF FAITH - From The Belhar Confession
We believe… that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world; (...and) that any teaching which attempts to legitimate such forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine.
+ HYMN 435 - There's A Wideness In God's Mercy
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD'S PRAYER (Debts & Debtors)
OFFERING
• Offertory - Great is Thy Faithfulness, text in Hymnal No. 39. Lyrics written by Kentucky native, Thomas O. Chisholm in 1923 with music composed by his friend, William Runyan.
+ • Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessing flow Praise Christ the Word in flesh born low;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore; One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
+ • Prayer of Dedication
+ HYMN 761 - Call As Partner's In Christ's Service
+ CHARGE & BENEDICTION
+ BENEDICTION RESPONSE - Hymn 372, O For A World (verses 1 and 5)
O for a world where everyone O for a world preparing for
respects each other’s ways, God’s glorious reign of peace,
where love is lived and all is done where time and tears will be no more,
with justice and with praise. and all but love will cease.
POSTLUDE - Toccata in G, William Hieronymous Pachelbel (1686-1764, son of Johann)
Born to an African Methodist Episcopal bishop father, Tanner became the first African-American painter to gain international acclaim.
INTROIT 411 - “God Is Here Today (first time in English, second time in Spanish)
God is here today;
as certain as the air I breathe,
as certain as the morning sun that rises,
as certain when I sing you’ll hear my song.
Dios está aquí,
tan cierto como el aire que respiro,
tan cierto como la mañana se levanta,
tan cierto como que le canto y me puede oír.
PRELUDE - Agincourt Hymn, John Dunstable (c.1370-1435). This hymn was written to celebrate a British victory over the French during the Hundred Years War. The text praises God and includes the Deo Gracias refrain (Thanks be to God).
CALL TO WORSHIP
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
Let us worship God together!
+ HYMN 611 - Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
+ CONFESSION & PARDON
Loving God, You have shown us Your great mercy and compassion and we have responded to You with faith and worship. We are all different people and have come from different places, yet through the gift of Your Holy Spirit, we are all known as Yours. We confess that we have not been as generous with our love or grace as You call us to be. We have classed those who are Your beloved children as different, as foreign, as those not worthy to receive our love. We have placed limits on our compassion and have been jealous of our resources. Through this service today may we hear Your voice more clearly, and may our inclusive and expansive love bring a glimpse of You to those who need to see You most. Hear now our silent prayers of confession.
• Assurance of Pardon
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God.
• Response to Forgiveness: 581- Gloria Patri
PASSING OF THE PEACE
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE
PRAYER FOR OPENNESS
Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that as the Scriptures are read and your Word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING - Isaiah 56.1, 6-8 OT pg 634 (NRSVUE)
Thus says the LORD: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come and my deliverance be revealed. And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant– these I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel: I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.
Leader: For the Word of God in scripture, for the Word of God among us, for the Word of God within us
ALL: THANKS BE TO GOD.
ANTHEM - How Great Thou Art, Drew Palus, piano
SCRIPTURE READING - Matthew 15.21-28 NT pg 17 (NRSVUE)
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that moment.
SERMON - “Make Them Joyful” - Rev. Matt Falco
+ STATEMENT OF FAITH - From The Belhar Confession
We believe… that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s life-giving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world; (...and) that any teaching which attempts to legitimate such forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine.
+ HYMN 435 - There's A Wideness In God's Mercy
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD'S PRAYER (Debts & Debtors)
OFFERING
• Offertory - Great is Thy Faithfulness, text in Hymnal No. 39. Lyrics written by Kentucky native, Thomas O. Chisholm in 1923 with music composed by his friend, William Runyan.
+ • Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessing flow Praise Christ the Word in flesh born low;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore; One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
+ • Prayer of Dedication
+ HYMN 761 - Call As Partner's In Christ's Service
+ CHARGE & BENEDICTION
+ BENEDICTION RESPONSE - Hymn 372, O For A World (verses 1 and 5)
O for a world where everyone O for a world preparing for
respects each other’s ways, God’s glorious reign of peace,
where love is lived and all is done where time and tears will be no more,
with justice and with praise. and all but love will cease.
POSTLUDE - Toccata in G, William Hieronymous Pachelbel (1686-1764, son of Johann)