THE CHURCH AT WORSHIP SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Chiming of the Hour Preparation for Worship Prelude The Healing Balm of Prayer David Paxton * Call to Worship from Psalm 130

Wait for the Lord, like those who hope in God’s mercy. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Watch for God, like those who eagerly await the morning. We watch for God, whose power redeems us.

* Hymn of Praise No. 582 Come Down, O Love Divine DOWN AMPNEY

Come down, O Love divine, seek now this soul of mine, and visit it with your own ardor glowing; O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear, and kindle it, your holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn

to dust and ashes in its heat consuming; and let your glorious light shine ever on my sight, and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,

shall far out-pass the power of human telling; for none can guess its grace, till love creates the place wherein the Holy Spirit makes its dwelling.

* Prayer of Praise Elizabeth Corney Welcome and Passing the Peace Lia Scholl * Gathering Music All Are Welcome words and arrangement by Marty Haugen

Prayers of the People

Hymn of Offering No. 383 Savior, Thy Dying Love SOMETHING FOR JESUS

Savior, thy dying love thou gavest me, nor should I aught withhold, dear Lord, from thee: in love my soul would bow, my heart fulfill its vow, some offering bring thee now, something for thee.

Give me a faithful heart, guided by thee, that each departing day henceforth may see

some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done, some wanderer sought and won, something for thee.

All that I am and have, thy gifts so free, ever in joy or grief, my Lord, for thee;

and when thy face I see, my ransomed soul shall be, through all eternity, offered to thee.

Ushers, please come forward in the final verse.

Giving Our Tithes and Offerings

* Offertory Response Praise God Whose Dawn Transfigures Night LASST UNS ERFREUEN

Praise God whose dawn transfigures night, Whose Daystar shines for us on high.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Whose Spirit brings into our sight, The hope which to our world draws nigh.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!!

The children may exit to the Children’s Room (107B) for playtime. * Offertory Prayer Introduction to Our Sacred Text

Lesson from the Gospels Luke 7:36-50, NLT One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

People: This is the Word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.

Solo Hope Peterson, soprano Wordless Is the Prayer Sally Ann Morris text by Carl P. Daw, Jr.

Sermon Reverend Carol Howard Merritt

* Hymn of Commitment No. 680 O God of Every Nation NYLAND

O God of every nation, of every race and land, redeem the whole creation with your almighty hand;

where hate and fear divide us, and bitter threats are hurled, in love and mercy guide us, and heal our strife-torn world.

From search for wealth and power and scorn of truth and right, from trust in bombs that shower destruction through the night,

from pride of race and station that lures us from your way, deliver every nation, eternal God, we pray.

Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease, when hatred and division give way to love and peace,

till dawns the morning glorious when truth and justice reign, and Christ shall rule victorious o'er all the world's domain.

We invite you to commit your life to Christ as a disciple and to join our church as a member. You may also wish to reaffirm your faith in Christ or make other

commitments. You are welcome to come forward at this time.

Announcements

Choral Benediction No. 437 Go Now in Peace Natalie Sleeth, (1976)

* Benediction

Postlude Trumpeting Franklin Ritter

___________________________ *Please stand as you are able.

CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES Sunday, February 19 11:00 Worship in Wait Chapel 12:00 Reception in Narthex 2:30 Administrative Council, Balcony Room Wednesday, February 22 10:00 Community Office Hours, Church Office 5:30 Wednesday Night Supper: Baked Potato Bar Sunday, February 26 9:45 Sunday School Classes Godly Play Chancel Choir Rehearsal 11:00 Worship in Wait Chapel 12:00 Reception in the Narthex

COMMUNITY NEWS

Today we welcome Carol Howard Merritt, author of the new book, Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church, who will be preaching. Carol is a minister whose writing, speaking, and teaching are anchored in theological wisdom and sociological insight. She’s a sought-after keynote speaker, especially on the topic of ministering in a new generation, and the award-winning author of Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation and Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation. Carol is a frequent contributor to books, websites, magazines, and journals. She is a regular writer at the Christian Century where her blog is hosted. Her new book will be available for purchase by check or credit card. Wednesday night supper this week will be a baked potato bar. Check the box on your response card if you plan to join us! College Students and Young Adults are welcome to a pancake lunch after worship on the first Sunday of the month. Join us!

Hearing Devices and Large Print Hymnals are available. Talk with an usher if you need assistance. Audio recordings of the Worship Service are available on the church website. Music and Lyrics are reprinted with permission of OneLicense # A-719218. Before worship next Sunday, we invite you to read the Gospel lesson Luke 9:28-45.

Wake Forest Baptist Church is a progressive, welcoming and affirming Christian community committed to Jesus Christ. We value prophetic

worship, thoughtful religious education, social justice, and peacemaking.

P.O. Box 7326, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109-7326 Church Office Phone: 336-245-8914 Pastor Phone: 336-414-3640

www.wakeforestbaptist.org

THE CHURCH AT WORSHIP SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

FEBRUARY 19, 2017