July 12, 2026

WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP:

We’ve come to worship God,

who makes streams flow from rock,

who turns the parched earth into springs of water,

who sends the rain from heaven

and makes the wilderness blossom and flourish.

As the deer thirsts for flowing streams,

so we thirst for You, O God.

Come, let’s worship our life-giving God,

who pours out living water on all who thirst.

OPENING HYMN: #430 - Come Sing, O Church, in Joy

PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

In scripture the people of Israel returning home from long exile-- sought in the Prophet’s words guidance for building God’s kin-dom:

Offer food to the hungry, Reach out to the afflicted,

Remove the yokes of oppression and injustice,

Overcome despair and complaint in struggle.

We too, struggle with this guidance, and too often fail in our attempts to build  community.

Holy One, forgive us.

Take away whatever holds us back. 

Show us the way to confidence and generosity so that

we may be known as your people:

Repairers of the broken places and

Restorers of streets to safety and peace. 

O God, by your love change us so that we might bring you glory. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Please observe a brief moment of silence to rest in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice and to experience God’s peace

SONG OF BLESSING:

The Lord bless you, and keep you

And give you peace

The Lord bless you and keep you

And give you peace

PASSING OF THE PEACE:

Leader:  The peace of Christ be with you

Response:  And also with you

HYMN: #455 - All Creatures of Our God and King (v. 1-4)

SCRIPTURE READING: John 18: 1-14

18 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” 5 They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.”[a] Jesus replied, “I am he.”[b] Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus[c] said to them, “I am he,”[d] they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”[e] 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he.[f] So if you are looking for me, let these people go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” 12 So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.

SERMON: “Putting our Swords Away”

Rev. Dr. Austin Ashenbrenner

HYMN: #356 Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

1 Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
Mount of God's unchanging love!

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.

3 O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

OFFERING

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE/ LORD’S PRAYER:

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 sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen

CLOSING HYMN:  #420 - God of Grace and God of Glory (v. 1-5)

BENEDICTION