Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship
Leader: Come, all who have wandered and all who have stayed close.
People: God calls each of us by name.
Leader: The Good Shepherd searches for the lost.
People: God's love never gives up on us.
Leader: The woman rejoices when the lost coin is found.
People: We are precious in God's sight.
Leader: The Father runs to welcome every child home.
People: We come to worship the God whose mercy is greater than our failures.
All: Let us worship the Lord with joy, for we have been sought, found, and welcomed home.
Opening Hymn
Great Is Thy Faithfulness UMH 140
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and loving God,
You never stop searching for us, yet we confess that we often wander from your ways. Sometimes we drift through distraction, choosing comfort over compassion and convenience over faithfulness. At other times we remain close in body but distant in heart, clinging to pride, resentment, or the belief that we have earned what can only be received by grace.
Forgive us when we fail to trust your love. Forgive us when we fail to rejoice in the grace you extend to others. Restore in us the joy of being your beloved children, and lead us again into the life you desire for us.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Hear the good news: Jesus tells us that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The Shepherd finds the sheep. The woman finds the coin. The Father welcomes the child home with open arms. That same grace is offered to each of us today. In Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, our lives are restored, and we are welcomed into God's family. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Glory to God! Amen.
Passing of the Peace
First Reading:
Luke 15
Sermon:
Lost Coin, Sheep, and Children by Rev. Mark Moore
Hymn of Response
Amazing Grace UMH 378
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory Response
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow UMH 95
Offertory Prayer
Generous God, Everything we have is a gift from you. As those who have been sought, found, and welcomed by your grace, we offer these gifts with grateful hearts. Use them to seek the lost, to bring hope to the weary, to welcome the forgotten, and to share the good news of your boundless love. May our giving reflect the joy of your kingdom, where every person is treasured and every life matters. We pray this in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer and Lord's Prayer
The Great Thanksgiving
Communion
Announcements
Closing Hymn
Great is the Lord
Benediction
Said Each Week as A Communal Prayer:
Send to us all the people who feel unwanted and unloved in other places, and if they can't come to us, send us to them.
Postlude