NOV 8, 2026 ORDER OF WORSHIP

 

THE FIRST WORD Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

Pastor: For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function. 

 

People: So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

 

WELCOME Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS Liturgist

 

PRELUDE Dr. Troy Banks

 

INVOCATION (Remain Seated) Liturgist

Faithful God, you have guided your people through every generation. Open our hearts today to hear your voice, strengthen us to choose your ways, and help us live faithfully and expectantly. Amen.

**CALL TO WORSHIP Liturgist

Leader: God has been faithful through every generation.
People: We will remember what God has done.

Leader: God calls us not only to remember, but to choose.

People: We choose to serve the Lord.

Leader: Prepare your hearts, keep your lamps burning, and remain ready to follow wherever God leads.

People: We will worship the Lord with faithful hearts.

** WORSHIP SONG     In Christ Alone

 

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song; 

this Cornerstone, this solid ground, 

firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace 

when fears are stilled, when strivings cease; 

my Comforter, my All in All; 

here in the love of Christ I stand.

 

In Christ alone who took on flesh; 

fullness of God in helpless babe. 

This gift of love and righteousness 

scorned by the ones He came to save; 

til on that cross as Jesus died 

the wrath of God was satisfied; 

for ev'ry sin on Him was laid; 

here in the death of Christ I live.

 

There in the ground His body lay;

Light of the world by darkness slain.

Then bursting forth in glorious day, 

up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory, 

sin's curse has lost its grip on me: 

for l am His and He is mine,

bought with the precious blood of Christ!

 

No guilt in life, no fear in death; 

this is the pow'r of Christ in me.

From life's first cry to final breath, 

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man 

can ever pluck me from His hand; 

til He returns or calls me home, 

here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!

 

OFFERING & OFFERTORY

 

**DOXOLOGY    

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him all creatures here below;

Praise Him above ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

 

OFFERTORY PRAYER Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

 

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

 

JOYS AND CONCERNS Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

PASTORAL PRAYER

LORD’S PRAYER

 

SCRIPTURE READING Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 NRSV Liturgist

1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. 

 

2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. 

 

3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac,

 

14 “Now, therefore, revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. 

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15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 

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16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, 

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17 for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed, 

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18 and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” 

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19 But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 

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20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 

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21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!” 

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22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 

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23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 

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24 The people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” 

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25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

 

RESPONSE TO SCRIPTURE Liturgist

Leader:  The Word of God for the people of God.

Congregation:  Thanks be to God.

 

SPECIAL MUSIC Dr. Troy Banks

 

SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 25:1-13 NRSV Pastor

1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom., 

 

2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 

 

3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 

 

4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 

 

5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 

 

6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 

 

7 Then all those young women got up and trimmed their lamps. 

 

8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 

9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 

 

10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 

 

11 Later the other young women came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 

 

12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 

 

13 Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.,

 

RESPONSE TO SCRIPTURE Pastor

Leader:  The Word of God for the people of God.

Congregation:  Thanks be to God.

 

SERMON “Practicing our Faith: Stay Close to God” Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

 

**UMH HYMN #454 “Open My Eyes, That I May See”

Verse 1

Open my eyes that I may see

Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me

Place in my hands the wonderful key

That shall unclasp and set me free

Chorus

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God Thy will to see

Open my eyes illumine me

Spirit divine

 

Verse 2

Open my ears that I may hear

Voices of truth Thou sendest clear

And while the wave notes fall on my ear

Everything false will disappear

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God Thy will to see

Open my ears illumine me

Spirit divine

Chorus

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God Thy will to see

Open my eyes illumine me

Spirit divine

 

Verse 3

Open my mouth and let me bear

Gladly the warm truth everywhere

Open my heart and let me prepare

Love with Thy children thus to share

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God Thy will to see

Open my heart illumine me

Spirit divine

Chorus

Silently now I wait for Thee

Ready my God Thy will to see

Open my eyes illumine me

Spirit divine

 

FELLOWSHIP BLESSING Youth Representative

God, you call us to do more than sing and pray.

Help us to seek justice, show kindness, and care for one another.

Bless our food and our fellowship, and let your love flow through all that we do.

Amen.

 

**BENEDICTION Rev. Jacob T. Jackson

 

POSTLUDE Dr. Troy Banks

(Please be seated as the postlude closes our service)