Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

O Lord our God, you are the one God and there is no other. Give us grace to hear and heed the great commandment of your kingdom, that we may love you with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“The Greatest Commands” – Exposure Youth Camp 2015

Alto: Love one another, for love is of God. He who loves is born of God; and knows God. He who does not love, does not know God. For God is love, God is love.

Bass: Love bears all things, Believes all things. Love hopes all things, Endures all things.

Tenor: God is love, God is love, God is love. God is love, God is love, God is love. God is love, God is love, God is love, God is love, God is love, God is love.

Soprano: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, all thy strength,all thy might. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, for God is love, God is love, God is love.
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Gospel Reading: Mark 12:28-34 (NLT)

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
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Prayers of Intercession:

Almighty God, you are our Fortress, our Savior, our Ever-present Help in times of trouble. Hear our prayers –

+ For all who follow Christ – that love of God and neighbor may mark our lives….
+ For all church leaders – that they may show Christ’s courage and compassion….
+ For the peacemakers – that the language of love may prevail over the language of conflict….
+ For the Jewish people – that they may follow the path that Moses and the prophets set before them….
+ For all who grieve and mourn – that they may experience Christ’s comfort….
+ For all who suffer violence – that Christ may heal their broken bodies, minds, and hearts….
+ For all who have died in Christ – that they may rest forever in the peace of Christ….

Almighty God, you are our Rock and our Strength, in you we take refuge: hear our prayers and give us the help we need, we ask you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Psalm 18” (Overcome) – James Block

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Blessing – Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!