Online Worship for August 23, 2020

Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live streaming worship service for August 23rd, 2020. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down, or you may download and print the service in PDF format below.

Online Worship, August 23, 2020
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D. — Guest Pastor
Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD    

Welcome                                                                   Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

Prelude: This is My Father’s World – Sheppard- arr. Whitworth     Kayleen Yuda

Call to Worship: based on Psalm 105                                      Eric Tanouye

Lay reader: Have you not know? Have you not heard?
All: Has it not been told to us since the beginning?

Layreader: Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength!
All: They shall run and not get weary!

Layreader: They will fly with wings like vultures!
All: Wait, did you say vultures? I think you meant you mean eagles…eagles are much nicer birds than vultures. They will fly with wings like eagles!

Layreader: No… sorry, it says vultures… they fly with wings like vultures!

Please join me in the Invocation:                                            Eric Tanouye

All: Lord, on a morning long ago along a dusty, country road in Galilee, Jesus got up while it was still dark and went out to pray. As we turn to you in prayer this morning our God, give us a sense of purpose, a hope for the day ahead. We pray to you our Gracious God of broken hearts and tired legs, help us your people of the Church of the Holy Cross in these long days of COVID-19 to feel your strength, to hear your still speaking voice, to taste your sweet goodness. By your strength our Lord, lift us during our time here and empower us to fly out of this sanctuary as your hands and hope to a hurting world. As we face this day, show us what we are to do… Amen.

Hymn #99: Abide With Me – Henry F. Lyte                 Douglas Albertson, solo
                                                                                                Kayleen Yuda, pianist
                                                                              Movement led by Genie Phillips

Scripture: Isaiah 40:21-31                                                       Eric Tanouye

Have you not been paying attention?  Have you not been listening? Haven’t you heard these stories all your life? Don’t you understand the foundation of all things? God sits high above the round ball of earth. The people look like mere ants. He stretches out the skies like a canvas—  yes, like a tent canvas to live under.

He ignores what all the princes say and do. The rulers of the earth count for nothing. Princes and rulers don’t amount to much.  Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted, They shrivel when God blows on them. Like flecks of chaff, they’re gone with the wind.

“So—who is like me? Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy. Look at the night skies:  Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name – so magnificent! so powerful!—     and never overlooks a single one?

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me.  He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired,  they walk and don’t lag behind.

Story/Sermon:  On Vulture’s Wings!                 Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

Pastoral Prayer                                                     Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

Silent Prayer                                                           Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

                                                 Lord’s Prayer in 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 and ever. Amen.

Instrumental Anthem: Amazing Grace – arr. Keveren                Kayleen Yuda

Call to Offering                                                                      Eric Tanouye

What we have received comes from seed sown in us by Jesus Christ.
Having received the blessings of the harvest begun in us,
let us return to God fruits of the blessings we have received
Once more we invite you to an offering. You cannot place your gifts in a calabash or a plate. Instead, they must make their way through the mail in an envelope sent to 440 West Lanikaula Street, Hilo, Hawai’i, 96720, or as information on the Internet submitted at holycrosshilo.com/donate.

Please join me in the Prayer of Dedication:

All: God of all Gifts, make these humble gifts fly on wings to bring your blessing and your hope to a dark places and hopeless people. Empower these gifts to feed those who are hungry, strengthen those who are weary, free those who are trapped, and bring smiles to those who need to feel love this day in the name of our friend and savior, Jesus the Christ, we pray, amen!

Anthem: On Eagle’s Wings – Michael Joncas                  Doug Albertson, solo
                                                                                                Kayleen Yuda, pianist
                                                                               Movement led by Genie Phillips

Announcements                                                     Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

Benediction:                                                            Rev. Jonathan C. Roach, Ph.D.

Postlude: Rejoice, the Lord is King – Darwall, arr. Whitworth        Kayleen Yuda