HARVEST THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL - 2008
CELEBRATED on OCTOBER 19 , 2008
from 08.30 A.M. onwards.
ORDER OF WORSHIP
CALL TO WORSHIP:L: Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ, by the grace of God, we are
all gathered before His presence with thankful hearts, to give
thanks to God — God our Creator, our Parent, our Provider,
our Protector, our Lord, our Saviour, our Liberator, our Healer,
our Guide. And above all the Lord of Peace. We welcome you
all to take part in this annual thanksgiving service joyfully.
Let us celebrate today the glory of God.
OPENING HYMN: No. 243 “We plough the fields …”
LITANY OF PRAISE:L: Sing joyful songs to the Lord!
Praise the mighty rock
Where we are safe
Come, worship Him
With thankful hearts
And songs of praise.
Celebrate and worship His Holy Name with all your heart.
Praise the mighty rock
Where we are safe
Come, worship Him
With thankful hearts
And songs of praise.
Celebrate and worship His Holy Name with all your heart.
C: We will celebrate and praise you Lord! You are good to us,
and your love never fails.
L: Bow down and worship the Lord our creator! The Lord is our God and we are His people. He takes care of His sheep in His own pasture.
C: Only you are God! And your power is so great and fearsome.
You are worthy of praise, mighty king, our Lord and
our God. We praise you and kneel down to worship you,
the God of holiness.
CONFESSION
L: Today, if you will hear God’s voice: do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.
I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Remember therefore, where you have fallen: repent and do the works you did at first. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.
Let us examine ourselves in silence.
Lord, we confess that we have lived a self-centered life. We have exploited the nature, our neighbour and people who belong to the weaker section of society.
I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Remember therefore, where you have fallen: repent and do the works you did at first. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.
Let us examine ourselves in silence.
Lord, we confess that we have lived a self-centered life. We have exploited the nature, our neighbour and people who belong to the weaker section of society.
C: Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.
L: Lord, we confess that we have forgotten to loosen the bonds of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burden, to let the oppressed go free
and to break every yoke.
C: Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.
L: Lord, we confess that we have not shared our food with
the hungry, the poor, and those who are in need.
C: Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.
L: Lord, we confess that, we have distanced ourselves and are not
available to our brothers and sisters, when they sought our support,
encouragement, shelter, help, love and care.
C: Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.
L: Lord, we confess that we have robbed you, in the tithes and
offerings. Sometimes we have made vows to you, but we have
forgotten to keep them.
C: Lord, in your mercy, forgive us.
Absolution: Presbyter
The Lord heals the broken-hearted and binds up wounds. The Lord preserves all who love Him. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him. He also hears our cry and saves us. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in mercy. He has not punished us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us.
The Lord heals the broken-hearted and binds up wounds. The Lord preserves all who love Him. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him. He also hears our cry and saves us. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in mercy. He has not punished us according to our iniquities. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us.
C: Amen. Thanks be to God
COLLECT : ALL
O Eternal God, who crownest the year with your goodness
and does give us the fruits of the earth in their seasons, give
us grace that we may use them for your glory, for the relief
of those in need and for our own well-being; through Jesus
Christ thy son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
HYMN : 004 “Come, sing praises to the Lord above,...”
OLD TESTAMENT : DEUTERONOMY 26: 1-15
HARVEST ANTHEM : CHURCH CHOIR
EPISTLE : II CORINTHIANS 8: 1-15
GOSPEL : MATTHEW 9: 35 -38
HYMN : 245 “Sowing in the ...”
MESSAGE
CREED:
I believe in the triune God, the creator of the heaven and earth. The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, and makes grass grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food and to the young ravens that cry. He satisfies the poor with bread and also clothes the priest with salvation. He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. The Lord is always good. The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the lord shall not lack any good thing. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
OFFERTORY HYMN : 051 “All things bright and ...”
(After placing the offertory kindly come forward to the altar and place your thanksgiving envelopes).
DOXOLOGY & OFFERTORY PRAYER
BENEDICTION: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
THANKSGIVING PRAYERS
L: Let us all say, that we love the Lord, because He has heard our voices and our supplications.
C: Yes, because He has inclined His ear to us, therefore we
will call upon His name as long as we live.
L: Lord, we give thanks to you for giving us every good and perfect gift.
C: We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come.
L: Lord we thank you, for providing us food, clothing and shelter and
warmth in the family relationship.
C: We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come.
L: Lord, we give thanks to you for blessing our country and our city,
for blessing us with the produce of the ground, the increase of our herds, the increase of our cattle and the offspring of our flocks, and very specially for blessing our children and our families.
C: We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty.
L: Lord, we give you thanks for forgiving all our iniquities, for your
healing touch on us, for redeeming our life from destruction, for
Your protection to us from the face of our enemies.
C: We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty.
L: Lord, we give thanks to you for satisfying us with good things.
C: We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty.
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
L: O God, as your stewards, we acknowledge that you intend the whole human race to be adequately fed and clothed and that you provide the resources for it. We remember before you all those who are working to make your intensions a reality.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for scientists and all others who are engaged in improving
our farming and Irrigation methods in our country. We pray
especially for the poor farmers and landless labourers of our
country who are suffering and are at the verge of taking their lives
because the monsoons have failed and are not able to bear the
burden of loan, and those who struggle hard to produce and yet
are not able to enjoy the fruits of their labour. We also pray for
the farmers and their families who were affected by untimely rains
in various parts of our country.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for industrial establishments, their workers, skilled and unskilled labourers. Free them from oppressive structures. Help them to get just wages
for their hard work.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for the leaders of our Governments, both state and central and all those who are involved in decision making of our country. Give them the vision to promote justice and peace, to nurture and protect the unity among people. Promote harmony between communities that are divided due to regional, language and religious differences.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for all those who are engaged in the life of the church, church leaders, pastors, lay leaders-women, men, youth and children who make the church alive and vibrant. Help them to become more aware of the various needs of the humans and to become involved in the ministry of feeding the hungry, freeing the oppressed and comforting the broken hearted. May the voice of your church be clearly heard by all as a voice calling for justice and peace.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray specially for the pastors of St. John’s Church and the
members of the Pastorate Committee and other sub-committees that they may be enlightened to lead the congregation in the right path.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for the projects of the Church – St. John’s Hostel,
Stephen’s Home for the Aged and Asha Nivas- that they may
continue to be a haven for those who need protection and care.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord.
L: We pray for our entire congregation, inspire us to build on the traditions,
we have been brought up but awaken our spirits to be open to new possibilities. Help us to be good stewards of the resources, talents and gifts available in the congregation. Guard us from being complacent; motivate us to be always involved in your mission.
C: Hear our prayer O Lord. Amen
LORD’S PRAYER :
BENEDICTION:
CLOSING HYMN : 036 : “There shall be showers ...”
The Harvest Festival ... is a celebration of thanksgiving for God’s Goodness as well as our willingess to share the bounty which we received through God’s goodness and also it points forward to the great Harvest of the end times when Christ will gather all things to Himself.
