September 28, 2025

WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE

PRELUDE                                                                     “Fanfare Festiva”                                                                                Barbara Werner 

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: God calls to us from the fire, from the silence, from the breath.

Many: We come to stand on holy ground.

One: God hears the cries of the oppressed and remembers the covenant of love.

Many: We come to trust in God’s presence, nearer than our very breath.

All: Let us worship the Living God, whose name is life itself. 

*HYMN 406                           “We Are Standing on Holy Ground”                        HOLY GROUND 

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION                                                                                                                                            Michael Ayers

God of Breath and Being, we confess that we forget you are as near as the air in our lungs. We act as though you are far away, hidden or absent. We turn from the cries of our neighbors and the suffering of the world, fearing we have little to give or no words to speak. Hear our prayers…

Silent prayer is offered

Forgive us O God,
For doubting your presence and resisting your call. Draw us back to you, and teach us to stand barefoot on holy ground, to breathe deeply of your Spirit, and to live as witnesses of your love. Amen 

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON

*RESPONSE OF PARDON             “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                              “How Can I Keep from Singing”                        arr. Jeffrey Honore

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

   Children: May God be with you here

     Congregation: May God be with you there                                             

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE   Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17    CEB

A long time passed, and the Egyptian king died. The Israelites were still groaning because of their hard work. They cried out, and their cry to be rescued from the hard work rose up to God. God heard their cry of grief, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked at the Israelites, and God understood.

Moses was taking care of the flock for his father-in-law Jethro, Midian’s priest. He led his flock out to the edge of the desert, and he came to God’s mountain called Horeb. The Lord’s messenger appeared to him in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush. Moses saw that the bush was in flames, but it didn’t burn up. Then Moses said to himself, Let me check out this amazing sight and find out why the bush isn’t burning up.

When the Lord saw that he was coming to look, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

Moses said, “I’m here.”

Then the Lord said, “Don’t come any closer! Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground.” He continued, “I am the God of your father, Abraham’s God, Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I’ve clearly seen my people oppressed in Egypt. I’ve heard their cry of injustice because of their slave masters. I know about their pain. I’ve come down to rescue them from the Egyptians in order to take them out of that land and bring them to a good and broad land, a land that’s full of milk and honey, a place where the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites all live. Now the Israelites’ cries of injustice have reached me. I’ve seen just how much the Egyptians have oppressed them. So get going. I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

But Moses said to God, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

God said, “I’ll be with you. And this will show you that I’m the one who sent you. After you bring the people out of Egypt, you will come back here and worship God on this mountain.”

But Moses said to God, “If I now come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they are going to ask me, ‘What’s this God’s name?’ What am I supposed to say to them?”

God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. So say to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” God continued, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors, Abraham’s God, Isaac’s God, and Jacob’s God, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever; this is how all generations will remember me.

SERMON                                                                                                                                                                                      Rev. Trip Porch

                                                                    WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 286                             “ Breathe on Me Breath of God”                                                       TRENTHAM 

 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE  

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

OFFERTORY                                “Prelude to Sunrise”                                                                     Saundra Eithun

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

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION 

God of Life, receive these gifts as signs of our love and gratitude. Use them to bring justice where there is oppression, bread where there is hunger, comfort where there is sorrow, and holy ground wherever your people breathe your name. Amen.

*HYMN 10                                “Sing Glory to the name of God”                          LASST UNS ERFREUEN

TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING

CHARGE & BENEDICTION

CHORAL RESPONSE                         “Amen”                                                              Peter Lutkin

POSTLUDE                                ”Holy Ground”                                                        Geron Davis

                                                                                                                                                      arr. Philip Keveren

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