September 14, 2025

WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE

PRELUDE                                                                    “Prelude IV for Piano”                                                  Mark Andersen

INTROIT                                   “Be Joyful in the Lord”                                                        Donald Moore                          

WELCOME                                                                   

One: This is the day that the Lord has made

All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

*CALL TO WORSHIP

One: Surely the Lord is in this place!

Many: And we did not know it.

One: God meets us in the wilderness, in our uncertainty and fear.

Many: God opens the heavens and shows us a dream of life and hope.

One: Come, people of God, awaken to the presence of the Holy.

All: Let us worship the God who is still dreaming among us. 

*HYMN 401                                    “Here in this Place”                                                    GATHER US IN

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                                                                                           Rebekah Gayley

God of Jacob, we have fallen short. We confess that we are slow to dream your dreams. We cling to what we know, afraid of what might change. We close our eyes to the wilderness places where you are already at work. We confess that our visions are too small, and our faith too timid. Forgive us, Lord. Awaken us to your presence. Give us courage to dream with you of a world made whole on earth as it is in heaven. Amen. 

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*RESPONSE OF PARDON 752            “Dona Nobis Pacem”                        DONA NOBIS PACEM

*PASSING OF THE PEACE                                       

     One:   The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,

     All:      And also with you.

WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD

ANTHEM                                     “Grant Us Thy Peace”                                  Felix Mendelssohn

CHILDREN’S RECESSIONAL 175      “Seek Ye First” vs. 1

   Children: May God be with you here

   Congregation: May God be with you there                                             

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE   Genesis 28:10-17  CEB

Jacob left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran. He reached a certain place and spent the night there. When the sun had set, he took one of the stones at that place and put it near his head. Then he lay down there. He dreamed and saw a raised staircase, its foundation on earth and its top touching the sky, and God’s messengers were ascending and descending on it. Suddenly the Lord was standing on it and saying, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will become like the dust of the earth; you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. Every family of earth will be blessed because of you and your descendants. I am with you now, I will protect you everywhere you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done everything that I have promised you.”

When Jacob woke from his sleep, he thought to himself, The Lord is definitely in this place, but I didn’t know it. He was terrified and thought, This sacred place is awesome. It’s none other than God’s house and the entrance to heaven.

SERMON                                                                                                                                                               Rev. Trip Porch

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 49                               “The God of Abraham Praise”                                                                           LEONI

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  

Time of Offering   online giving is available at  www. indianolapres.org/give  

OFFERTORY                                     “Morning Prayer”                                                 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky                      arr. Juliano Molteni                                                                      

*OFFERTORY RESPONSE 709            “God We Honor You”                               ABUNDANT BLESSINGS

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

God of abundance, we offer you these gifts as signs of our love and gratitude. Take them, bless them, multiply them, and use them to build your dream of justice, peace, and compassion here in this neighborhood, in this city, and in this world. Amen.

*HYMN 765                           “May the God of Hope” (Song of Hope)                                 ARGENTINA

TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING

CHARGE & BENEDICTION

CHORAL RESPONSE                       “Amen”                                                             Peter Lutkin

POSTLUDE                             “The Spirit of God”                              arr. Linda Hartman 

Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452