September 20, 2026

‍ ‍WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE                                                              

PRELUDE                                                                          “Morning Has Broken”                                                       arr. Lisa Hoekstra 

INTROIT                                     "Make a Joyful Noise"                                     Karle Erikson

WELCOME                                                                    Rev. Trip Porch

One: This is the day that the Lord has made

All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

*CALL TO WORSHIP   by Rev. Daniel B. Randall

One:  We are met in the presence of God

All:    And we do not meet alone.

One:  With the angels in the highest heaven

All:   We gather to worship the Lord.

One:  With Abraham and Sarah

All:   We gather to worship the Lord.

One:  With the saints of every age

All:   We gather to worship the Lord.

One:  We embark on our own journey of faith

All:   God’s Holy name be praised.

One:  God makes of us a people of blessing

All:  God’s Holy name be praised.

One:  In the desert and in the den, in barrio or basilica

All:   God’s Holy name be praised.

One:  We journey in the presence of God.

All:  And we do not journey alone.

One:  Let us worship God.

*HYMN 291                                                                  “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness”                                                     SPIRIT

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                                                                   Ed Kinschner

God of the long road, we confess that we like to stay put. We would rather guard what we have than open our hands and let it go. We build fences where you asked for tables. We hold on to good things until they spoil in our grip. We have been generous when it was easy and cautious when it cost us something.

Forgive us. Loosen our hands. Set us moving again that you might bless the world through our living.

Silence is kept for individual confession…  Amen.

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*RESPONSE OF PRAISE 582   “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me”   GLORY TO GOD

*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                                      “Draw the Circle Wide”                                    Mark Miller

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE                                                                  Jeremy Carroll

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION 

SCRIPTURE   Genesis 12:1-9   CEB

The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your land, your family, and your father’s household for the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,  those who curse you I will curse; all the families of the earth will be blessed because of you.”

Abram left just as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Now Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.  Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all of their possessions, and those who became members of their household in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,  Abram traveled through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. The Canaanites lived in the land at that time.  The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I give this land to your descendants,” so Abram built an altar there to the Lord who appeared to him.  From there he traveled toward the mountains east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshipped in the Lord’s name.  Then Abram set out toward the arid southern plain, making and breaking camp as he went.


SERMON                                                                                             Rev Trip Porch

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN INSERT                        “Lord, You Have Lavished on Your Land”                                     MELITA 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  followed by the Lord’s Prayer

TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at  www. indianolapres.org/give

OFFERTORY                               “The God of Sarah Praise”                   arr. James Michael Stevens

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

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

God, we have been blessed so that we might be a blessing. Take what we return to you and send it out past us, farther than we will ever see. Amen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

*HYMN INSERT                            “The God of Sarah Praise”                                                     LEONI

TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING

CHARGE & BENEDICTION 

BENEDICTION RESPONSE          "The Grace of Our Lord Jesus"             James A. Brown Jr.   

                                                                                                                                                                                 arr. K. Lee Scott

POSTLUDE                   “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”        arr. Brent Edstrom                                                                    

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

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September 13, 2026