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*CALL TO WORSHIP (loosely based on Deyenu Passover song)

When God brings us out of slavery and bondage, 

it would have been enough.

When God executes justice upon the oppressors,

it would have been enough.

When God redistributes wealth among the peoples,

it would have been enough.

When God parts the seas and obstacles before us,

it would have been enough.

When God provides for us throughout our wanderings,

it would have been enough.

When God provides manna for us in the wilderness,

it would have been enough.

But God does all this and so much more

AND SO WE PRAISE AND THANK GOD.

*HYMN # 482 Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty

INVITATION TO CONFESSION We are invited to serve God, but many times we choose instead to go our own way. Let us confess our need for God’s grace and forgiveness.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (by Barb Hedges-Goettl)

When we follow gods of our own making instead of you, forgive us, O God.

When we travel paths other than yours, forgive us, O God. 

When we compromise when we should stand firm, forgive us, O God.

When we stand firm when we should compromise, forgive us, O God.

When desperation makes us seek out any answer instead of your answer, forgive us, O God.

–Silent Confession–

Assurance of forgiveness Deuteronomy 7:8  Good News Translation

The Lord loves you and wants to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saves you by his great might and sets you free                                                                                                Thanks be to God for the Good News: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.  

*GLORIA PATRI

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION       

SCRIPTURE READING Joshua 24:1-26         NIV  /   NRSV 

The Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God!

HYMN #276 Great is Thy Faithfulness

SERMON    We do !                                  

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – adapted from the Westminster Larger Catechism Q104 by Barb Hedges-Goettl

As God’s people, the church, we have no other gods before God. 

We know and acknowledge God as the only true God, and our God.

We worship and glorify God by thinking, by meditating, by remembering, highly esteeming, honoring and adoring God. We choose, love, desire, fear, believe, and trust God. We hope, deight, and rejoice in God. We are zealous for God, calling upon God and giving God all praise and thanks. We yield all obedience and submission to God with our whole selves. We are careful in all things to please God. We are sorrowful when we offend God. We walk humbly with our God.

*CLOSING HYMN #540 God Be With You Till We Meet Again