First Presbyterian Church of Niles
Sunday Morning Worship
10:00 A.M. April 26, 2026
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRELUDE
REFLECTION TEXT Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Lord, I Lift Your Name on High Founds
Congregation
Lord, I lift your name on high, Lord I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life, I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way,
From the earth to the cross, my dept to pay;
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift your name on high.
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold! The Savior of the world is risen!
Fling wide the portals of your hearts:
Let us feel the presence of the God’s grace and love!
O Holy spirit, lead us on in worship;
Call us each by name, that we may give God glory!
OPENING PRAYER
*HYMN 321 (1, 2, 4, 5) The Church’s One Foundation AURELIA
The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord. She is his new creation by water and the word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride. With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth, her charter of salvation: one Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace forevermore:
Till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
Yet she on earth has union with God, the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, may live eternally.
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)
Gracious God, from before the foundation of the world, you called us by name and pledged your steadfast love. But like ornery sheep, we stray from the fold. You offer to lead us, but we prefer to lead ourselves. Christ laid down his life, yet we refuse to lay down our phones, our plans, our pride.
Forgive us, O God. Call us back to the open gate of Christ’s redeeming love that we may enter your Beloved Community and find restoration for our souls, reconciliation with our enemies and the glory of abiding with you forevermore. Amen.
MOMENT OF SILENT AND PERSONAL CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Responsive)
The proof God’s amazing love is this: while we were yet sinners, Christ came to us; Christ died for us; and Christ rose from the dead so that the gates of hell and heaven may be thrown open wide and all of creation renewed. So believe the good news: in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and restored to new, abundant life.
Thanks be to God!
PASSING THE PEACE
As God has forgiven us in Christ let us also forgive one another.
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Please share the sign of peace with one another.
The sharing of Christ’s peace.
RESPONSE Peace is Flowing Like a River TRADITIONAL
Peace is flowing like a river, flowing out to you and me.
Flowing out into the desert, setting all the captives free.
His love is flowing like a river, flowing out to you and me.
Flowing out into the desert, setting all the captives free.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING Acts 2: 42-47
SPECIAL MUSIC Shepherd of My Soul Dengler
Chancel Choir
Shepherd of my soul, keeper of my heart, guardian of each step I take, lead me, in your way. Shepherd of my soul, keeper of my heart, author of each plan I make, lead me in your way. The Lord will always be my shepherd. The Lord will always be my guide; He leads me into pleasant places, and keeps me safe by his side. When I am lost, my shepherd finds me and brings me back into the fold; He speaks to me with words of comfort, and shelters me from the cold.
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING John 10: 1-10
MESSAGE Following the Gatekeeper Rev. Christopher Mergener
*HYMN 187 (1, 3, 4) Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us BRADBURY
Savior, like a shepherd lead us; much we need your tender care.
In your pleasant pastures feed us; for our use your fold prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, you have bought us: we are yours.
Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, you have bought us: we are yours.
You have promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
You have mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse, and power to free.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, early let us turn to you.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, early let us turn to you.
Early let us seek your favor; early let us do your will.
Blessed Lord and only Savior, with your love our spirits fill.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, you have loved us, love us still.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, you have loved us; love us still.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Second Helvetic Confession)
In all crises and trials of our life we call upon God alone, and do so by the mediation of our only mediator and intercessor, Jesus Christ. For we have been explicitly commanded: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me”. Moreover, we have a most generous promise from the Lord who said: “If you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you”, and: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”. And since it is written: “How are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed?”, and since we do believe in God alone, we assuredly call upon God alone, and we do so through Christ alone. Amen.
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
Offertory The King of Love My Shepherd Is Arr. Angeran
*DOXOLOGY 240 (Vs. 1) Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks ALLELUIA No. 1
(refrain) Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord,
Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to his name!
Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
He is the King of creation. (refrain)
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PREPARATION FOR PRAYERS (794) (Vs. 1, 2)
O Savior, in This Quiet Place AMAZING GRACE
O Savior, in this quiet place, where anyone may kneel,
I also come to ask for grace, believing you can heal.
If pain of body, stress of mind, destroys my inward peace,
In prayer for others may I find the secret of release.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Responsive) Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Unison)
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; 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.
*HYMN Let There Be Peace on Earth LET THERE BE PEACE
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me;
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator, children all are we.
Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now.
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
All music is reproduced under permission from ccli.com License #11146543.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~