Weekly Bulletin: 9/20/26
SEPT 20, 2026 ORDER OF WORSHIP
THE FIRST WORD Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
Pastor: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise
People: Give thanks to him and praise his name!
WELCOME Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
ANNOUNCEMENTS Liturgist
MINISTRY MOMENT Witness, Robin Black
PRELUDE Dr. Troy Banks
INVOCATION (Remain Seated) Liturgist
Gracious and faithful God, we lift up our souls to You. We place our trust in Your unfailing love and ask You to guide us in Your truth. Teach us Your ways, lead us in Your paths, and help us to walk in humility and faithfulness. As we gather in worship today, remind us of Your mercy, Your steadfast love, and Your goodness. Open our hearts to Your presence and shape us more into the likeness of Christ. In His holy name we pray. Amen.
**CALL TO WORSHIP Liturgist
Leader: Come and hear the stories of God's faithfulness.
Congregation: We will remember the mighty things the Lord has done.
Leader: Generation after generation, God has led His people with power and mercy.
Congregation: We will tell of His strength and proclaim His wonderful works.
Leader: The God who made a way in the wilderness is still leading His people today.
Congregation: Come, let us worship the Lord with thankful hearts!
**WORSHIP SONG “Way Maker” Leeland
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 Matthew 21:28-32 Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’
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29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway.
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30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
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31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.
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32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
JOYS AND CONCERNS Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
PASTORAL PRAYER
LORD’S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE READING Exodus 17:1–7 NRSV Liturgist
17 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
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2 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
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3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?”
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4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do for this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
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5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile and go.
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6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
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7 He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
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 Philippians 2:1–13 NRSV Liturgist
2 If, then, there is any comfort in Christ, any consolation from love, any partnership in the Spirit, any tender affection and sympathy,
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2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
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3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
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4 Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
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5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
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6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,
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7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human,
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8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
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9 Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name,
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10 so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
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11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling,
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13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
RESPONSE TO SCRIPTURE Pastor
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
Congregation: Thanks be to God.
SERMON “What’s Your Response?” Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
**UMH HYMN #348 “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling”
Verse 1
Softly and tenderly
Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See on the portals
He's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
Come home come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
Verse 2
Why should we tarry
when Jesus is pleading
Pleading for you and for me
Why should we linger
and heed not His mercies
Mercies for you and for me
Come home come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
Verse 3
Time is now fleeting the
moments are passing
Passing from you and from me
Shadows are gathering
death-beds are coming
Coming for you and for me
Come home come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
Verse 4
O for the wonderful love
He has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned
He has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Come home come home
You who are weary come home
Earnestly tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling O sinner come home
FELLOWSHIP BLESSING Youth Representative
Gracious God, as we share food and conversation, continue Your work within us, shaping our hearts so that when life brings pressure, our response reflects the love, humility, and grace of Christ. Bless our food and our fellowship, in Jesus' name. Amen.
**BENEDICTION Rev. Jacob T. Jackson
POSTLUDE Dr. Troy Banks
(Please be seated as the postlude closes our service)