We gather for worship this week to wonder about what it means to hear God’s call. What is God saying? How do I know if it’s God speaking? What if I don’t want to say what God told me to speak? All the words that we’ll be using in worship are below. Or, you can download a copy to print here.

PRELUDE                                         Here I Am To Worship/O Worship the King

CALL TO WORSHIP – from Luke 1

Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

*HYMN #869                                                                              Here I Am, Lord

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Most High and holy God, our souls magnify you not only in our praise but also in our pleas. In a world of grief, sadness, and pain we know that we need your help. We hurt when we are hurt. We point the finger rather than accept blame. We resist your attempts to rescue us because the solutions can seem so severe. Bless us with your Holy Spirit so that we can hear your call and find the courage to answer it. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

HYMN #621                                                                    Give Me a Clean Heart

ASSURANCE OF PARDON – from I Thessalonians 5

Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 

For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

ANTHEM                                                                      You Are My Hiding Place

SCRIPTURE                                                                                  I Samuel 3:1-21

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ and he said, ‘Here I am!’ and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” ’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’

Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.’

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

SERMON                                 Did God Say That?                                               

*HYMN #521                                           Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION & 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.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

(over)

OFFERTORY                                                                 I Will Call Upon the Lord

*DOXOLOGY #964

Inclusive lyrics:                              Praise God, from whom all blessings flow

                                                                  Praise God, all creatures here below

                                                                   Praise God, above ye heavenly host

                                                                           Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost

*BENEDICTION