No matter who you are or where you are oN life’s jourNey, you’re welcome here!

June 21, 2020 | 9:00 am | Father’s Day

903 East 2nd Street, Merrill, Wisconsin 54452715.536.7322 ststephensucc.net

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FOR MEDITATION“The words the Lord spoke—‘Lest gathering the weeds you root up the

wheat along with them’—leave room for repentance. We are advised not to be quick in cutting off a fellow believer.” - Jerome

+invites you to rise in body or in spiritBOLD invites the congregation to speak in unison

RINGING OF THE BELLS

WORDS OF WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS

+HYMN “Great is Thy Faithfulness” Page 5

+CALL TO WORSHIPThe sun shines more brightly. It’s warmth stays with us for so many more hours.So we shake free of our routines.We wander about the wilderness:Hoping God will open our eyesPraying God will make us worthyWanting to grow with God.Let us grow together in the wild ways of our God. Amen.

A TRIBUTE TO FATHERS EVERYWHERE

During this pandemic, many of us are apart from our families leaving us unable to celebrate holidays, birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries with them. This Father’s

Day, we celebrate and recognize fathers and father figures in our lives.

A full list of fathers mentioned and the person or persons who sponsored their recognition will be publicized in June’s Interpreter.

+SUNG RESPONSE “Bring Many Names” vs.1 Page 6

SCRIPTURE LESSON Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all day long.

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4 Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.

6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;

listen to my cry of supplication.

7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

9 All the nations you have made shall come

and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

RESPONSE Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

SUNG RESPONSE “Bring Many Names” vs.3 Page 6

SCRIPTURE LESSON 1 Thessalonians 2: 8-13

8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us. 9 You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. 11 As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, 12 urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

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RESPONSE Word of God. Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

SUNG RESPONSE “Bring Many Names” vs.4 Page 6

FATHER’S DAY REFLECTION “Like a Father with his Children“ Rev. Lucas

+HYMN “Now Thank We All Our God” Page 7

THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNIONAt Saint Stephens UCC, we celebrate an “open table”, welcoming all to partake, inviting all to receive, believing it is Jesus who is the host, and Jesus never turned anyone away, so neither

do we.

THE LORD’S PRAYEROur 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.

CALL TO OFFERING

+PRAYER OF DEDICATIONGrow these gifts in your love, Wild God. Bless our offerings, our hearts and our hopes in your love To make us worthy of your work in this world. Fill these gifts and each of us with your goodness. Amen.

+BENEDICTION

+RECESSIONAL HYMN “Go, My Children, With My Blessing“ Page 8

POSTLUDE

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