First Presbyterian Church of Niles
Sunday Morning Worship
10:00 A.M. May 10, 2026
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PRELUDE
REFLECTION TEXT Psalm 47: 1-2
Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP A Trumpet Chorale Arr. Simpson
Celebration Ringers
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)
We gather to celebrate the God of wonder and majesty!
Awesome God, help us to worship you in spirit and in truth.
We gather to celebrate Jesus Christ, who was dead and buried, and
now risen indeed!
Jesus, renew our hope in your great power and love.
We gather to celebrate the Holy Spirit, our promised comforter and
guide!
Come Holy Spirit! Fill us with your presence and peace.
We gather to celebrate the ancient hope of Christians:
God is with us and will never let us go.
OPENING PRAYER
*HYMN Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise ST. DENIO
Immortal, Invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes.
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, your great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
not wanting, not wasting, but ruling in might.
Your justice like mountains high soaring above,
your clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
Your life is life-giving to both great and small;
in all life you’re living, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves and as flowers,
then wither and perish but naught dims your powers.
So perfect your glory, so brilliant your light,
your angels adore you, all veiling their sight:
All praise we now render as your angels do:
in awe at the splendor of light hiding you.
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)
Ever-present God, we come before you knowing we have ignored your promised Holy Spirit living within us. Therefore, we forfeit peace and bear needless worry. We become confused and deaf to your voice of truth. We struggle with obedience to your Word and fight an overwhelming sense of loneliness. Forgive us! Help us to remember that we are never alone, that you are with us and for us, by the power of your Spirit abiding in us, the Spirit of Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
MOMENT OF SILENT AND PERSONAL CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Responsive)
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Believe the good news of the gospel: 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 Ephesians 1: 15-23
SPECIAL MUSIC Be Thou My Vision Arr. Eithun
Celebration Ringers
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING John14: 15-21
MESSAGE Living by Jesus’ Commandments Rev. Christopher Mergener
*HYMN Creator Spirit, Come, We Pray O WALY WALY
Creator Spirit, come we pray, and visit every mind today;
May hearts you made to be your own be filled with heavenly grace alone.
Enkindle us, set us a glow, pour out your love till hearts ov’er flow;
To be made whole we sorely long; O heal us, Spirit ever strong.
Defend us always from the foe; on those who fear, your peace bestow,
Protect our journey, be our guide, that we in safety may abide.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Responsive)
What do you believe when you confess your faith in the Holy Spirit?
Apart from the Holy Spirit, our Lord can neither be loved, nor known, nor served. The Holy Spirit is the personal bond by which Jesus Christ unites us to himself, the teacher who opens our hearts to Christ, and the comforter who leads us to repentance, empowering us to live in Christ’s service. As the work of the one Holy Spirit, our love, knowledge, and service of Christ are all inseparably related.
How do we receive the Holy Spirit?
By receiving the Word of God. As the midwife of the new creation, the Spirit arrives with the Word, brings us to rebirth, and assures us of eternal life. The Spirit nurtures, corrects, and strengthens us with the pure spiritual milk of the Word.
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
Offertory I Need Thee Every Hour Arr. Tournquist
*DOXOLOGY What Gift Can We Bring ST. DENIO
This gift we now bring, this present, this token, these words can convey it, the joy of this day! When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing, this song we now offer in honor and praise! Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PREPARATION FOR PRAYERS (791) (Vs. 1 & 6)
For You, My God, I Wait TRENTHAM
For you, my God, I wait with hope born of the Word.
Like sleepless ones who long to dream I wait and call my Lord.
O God, you are my hope; I know that you forgive.
Your love redeems me from the depths so I may rise and live.
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.
© Presbyterian Outlook, 2026
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