Sermon Tone Analysis

*Prelude*

Ushers will collect Prayer cards during the first hymn.

*Welcome*

*Call to Worship*

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil.

1:2 NIV).

*~*Praise                                   # 457         *Lead On, I King Eternal

*~*Invocation (Lord’s Prayer)        *Father of all, as we enter worship we are reminded that we know you through others who came before us.

Their faithfulness and love prepared the way.

May we too be faithful and loving, that those who come after us will know you.

And may we celebrate your presence in this place.

Lord, meet us here.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen

*~*Gloria Patri** (*Sung together)*                                       *#575

*~*Psalm for Today                                  Unison                    **Psalm 84:1-7* NRSV

1     How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

2     My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

3     Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

4     Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.

5     Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6     As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.

7     They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

*Child Dedication*

It is a wonderful privilege today to participate in the public dedication of Aiden Riley Parece, born December 17, 2006

Following the example of devout parents of the Bible Abigail Parece has expressed her desire to present her child to the Lord.

It is a somber commitment to responsibly care for that which the God has given, and to be prepared to release them to His work when that time comes.

Jesus demonstrated His acceptance and love for little children when He said, “suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not:  for of such is the kingdom of God.”

And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.

*Charge to the Parents*:

The primary responsibility for the care of a child rests on the parents.

The Scriptures say “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Abby, as you engage in this task may you earnestly seek the Lord daily for His wisdom – for all events that will occur, all the decisions to be made and all the needs to be met.

For as the apostle James says “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that gives to all people liberally, and doesn’t scold, and it shall be given them.

May you also daily give thanks to God for your child, Aiden and for the joy and love he brings to your home.

As he grows, may you earnestly strive to spend adequate time with him, developing in him a strong moral foundation for life, and an awareness of the Lordship of Christ and His abiding presence.

*God Parents *

Nicole Lepucki and Michael Picard, you have been chosen as godparents by Abby.

This designation gives you an extra relationship and responsibility for Aiden.

*Charge to the Extended family*:

Aiden also has the benefit of the influence provided by his extended family, who are being asked to provide backup support for his spiritual training.

Extended family please stand to receive your charge.

It is your responsibility to provide a caring, supportive group for this family.

I ask you to be faithful in prayer for them, and undergird their efforts to establish a strong Christian home built on Christian principles.

I urge you to demonstrate a real interest in and concern for Aiden as he grows physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.

*Charge to the Church*:

There is one other agent of influence represented here today – the church.

Members of this congregation please stand to evidence the acceptance of your part of this responsibility.

I charge you to do all that you can to provide and support a place of worship in this community where Aiden may hear the full counsel of God’s Word.

I urge you to be faithful in providing programs for instruction in discipleship, and to demonstrate affectionate kindness towards all of your little ones.

And I charge you to covenant before God to set an example by your lives and to maintain an atmosphere in your church that will inspire Aiden  to desire the Christian way of life.

*Commitments:*

And now Abby in the sight of God and in the  presence of these witnesses,

Do you solemnly undertake to bring up Aiden in the fear and admonition of the Lord?

Do you promise to seek to lead him to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and serve Him as Lord?

Do you pledge to make your home a “school” for Christian instruction?

Do you promise, as far as in you lies, to set before your child examples of consistent Godly living?

And now, on the authority of God’s Holy Word, and as a minister in Christ’s church, I dedicate you Aiden, to the Lord, and to His service, according to His will.

*Our Offering to God                                                             **Sirach 35:12-17* NRSV

12     Give to the Most High as he has given to you, and as generously as you can afford.

13     For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.

14     Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; 15     and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice;

for the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no partiality.

16     He will not show partiality to the poor;

but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.

17     He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan, or the widow when she pours out her complaint.

*~*Doxology          #572*

*~*Prayer of Dedication                   *Lord God, we give thanks that through tithes and offerings we may participate in the eternal work of your Kingdom.

We dedicate our gifts as an opportunity to illuminate the future and to glorify your present work among us.

May these gifts bring blessing to the One who is the light of the world.

*Scripture Reading                                                                 **Luke 18:9-14* NRSV

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’

13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

*~*Hymn of Prayer                  # 437   *I Must tell Jesus

*Pastoral Prayer  *Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge you as the Son of God, the Savior of sinners, and the head of the Church.

Triune God, we thank you that in your all-wise providence you have so directed history that Reformations occurred.

Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and enable us to learn from the Bible—the Word

of God.

Humble us so that we may understand the insufficiency of our own works and the total sufficiency of Jesus’ work for our salvation.

And encourage us to use the way of prayer that has been opened to us through Jesus’ finished work.

Quicken and strengthen faith in human hearts and unite your people around the truth of the gospel.

Grant that the truths that we rediscovered at the time of the Protestant Reformation may find lodging in many hearts even today.

Hear us, for Jesus’ sake.—Joel

Nederhood

~*Hymn of Praise          # 456     Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

*Scripture Text             **2 Timothy 4:6-8,* *4:16**-18 *NRSV

6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me.

May it not be counted against them!