First Presbyterian Church of Niles
Morning Worship
10:00 A.M. October 11, 2026
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(*Stand if you are able.)
PRELUDE
REFLECTION TEXT Psalm 106:1
Praise the LORD! O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Celebration Keller
Celebration Ringers
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)
Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord,
for God is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all his praise?
Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.
Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say,
Amen. Praise the Lord!
OPENING PRAYER
*HYMN O God, Our Help in Ages Past ST. ANNE
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.
Under the shadow of your throne your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone, and our defense is sure.
Before the hills in order stood or earth received its frame,
From everlasting you are God, to endless years the same.
A thousand ages in your sight are like an evening gone,
short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun.
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
Still be our God while troubles last, and our eternal home!
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)
Almighty God, you call us again and again to seek your kingdom first, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Still, we make our excuses and justify in our own hearts why we go our own way. Lord, forgive our sin. Turn us from our preoccupation with our own lives and turn us to your ways of grace, mercy, love and service. May we heed your invitation to be part of your kingdom and strive, through the power of your Holy Spirit, to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
MOMENT OF SILENT AND PERSONAL CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Responsive)
Hear the good news! The night is far gone, the day is near. Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
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 Psalm 23
SPECIAL MUSIC O Christ the Same Arr. Moklebust
Celebration Ringers
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING Philippians 4:1-9
MESSAGE Stand Firm in the Lord Rev. Christopher Mergener
*HYMN 415 Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy RESTORATION
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, love, and power.
Refrain: I will arise and go to Jesus; he will embrace me in his arms.
In the arms of my dear Savior, O there are ten thousand charms.
Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome; God’s free bounty glorify,
true belief and true repentance, every grace that brings you nigh. Refrain.
Come, ye weary, heavy laden, lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better, you will never come at all. Refrain
Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him. Refrain
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We are certain that Jesus lives. He lives as God with us, touching all of human life with the presence of God. He lives as one of us with God. Because he shares our humanity and has bound us to himself in love, we have an advocate in the innermost life of God. We declare that Jesus is Lord. His resurrection is a decisive victory over the powers that deform and destroy human life. His lordship is hidden. The world appears to be dominated by people and systems that do not acknowledge his rule. But his lordship is real. It demands our loyalty and sets us free from the fear of all lesser lords who threaten us. We maintain that ultimate sovereignty now belongs to Jesus Christ in every sphere of life. Jesus is Lord. He has been Lord from the beginning. He will be Lord at the end. Even now he is Lord.
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
Offertory O Love That Will Not Let Me Go Arr. Larson
*DOXOLOGY 606 Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow OLD 100th
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PREPARATION FOR PRAYERS
465 (Vs. 1) What a Friend We Have in Jesus CONVERSE
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in Prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~