July 5, 2026
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
July 5, 2026 Livestream Worship + Holy Communion: Online Bulletin
Bringing in the Light of Christ
Chiming of the Trinity
Prelude
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing arr. Jason Tonioli
Welcome
Call to Worship
We come seeking the God who knows us completely.
The God who calls us beloved.
Some of us come carrying joy.
Some of us come carrying questions and wounds.
Some have always felt welcomed.
Some have wondered whether there was a place for them.
Yet the Spirit continues to gather people from every nation, every story, and every walk of life.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Come as you are.
For Christ has already made room for us here.
Hymn
Morning Has Broken UMH#145
A Reading from the Old Testament
Isaiah 56:1–8
Psalm of Response
Psalm 139:1–18 UMH pp. 854&855
Solo
Eternal Father Strong to Save arr. Stephen DeCesare
Scott Sprinkle, baritone Jane Patterson, piano
A Reflective Reading
The Sound of the Genuine by Howard Thurman
Jo Ann Croom
Reading from the New Testament
Acts 8:26–39
Sermon
Why Are Christians So Obsessed With Gender and Sexuality?
The Celebration of Holy Communion
Invitation to the Table
Prayer for Wholeness and Grace
Assurance of Grace
Thanks be to God! Amen
The Great Thanksgiving
The Holy One be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the One who creates, sustains, and loves us.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Creator, who dwells among us and beyond us,
holy is your name.
May your way of justice, mercy, and peace
take root in our hearts and in this world.
Give us today the courage and nourishment we need for this journey.
When we struggle with doubt, hold us gently.
When we carry grief, stay near to us.
When fear closes our hearts, lead us back toward love.
Forgive us for the ways we have wounded one another,
and free us to offer grace where harm has been done.
Help us resist the temptation
to cling to certainty more than compassion,
to choose fear over understanding,
or exclusion over belonging.
Guide us through the hard questions of life and faith,
and remind us that nothing can separate us from your love.
For the hope we seek, the courage we need,
and the love that sustains us are found in you. Amen.
Breaking the Bread
Giving the Bread and Cup
Prayer after Receiving
Amen
Joys and Concerns
Blessing of the Tithes and Offerings
Doxology UMH#94
Hymn
Together We Serve TFWS#2175
Blessing and Sharing of Christ’s Light
Postlude
Help Us Accept Each Other F. Kaan/John Ness Beck
Today’s worship participants
Our Pastor: Rev. Kelly Dotson
Music Director: Dr. Joel Reed
Worship Arts Associate: Patty Higgins
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