1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Through the use of music and drama, this service brought together worship leaders (see names below) and worshipers. The liturgist was Bennett Samuel with Frank Thomas preaching.
Gathering Hymn – O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Psalm 90)
Words: Psalm 90:1-2, 4-5; Isaac Watts, 1719, alt. Public Domain
Music (ST ANNE 8.6.8.6): William Croft, 1708, Public Domain
Greeting
The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, be with you all.
And also with you.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Amen.
The people are invited to exchange greetings of peace with each other.
Songs of Praise –
To You, O God, I Lift Up My Soul
Psalms for All Seasons 25C
Praise the Lord, Sing Hallelujah
Psalms for All Seasons 148C
Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer
Words and Music: Keith Getty and Margaret Becker © 2002 Modern M. Music and Thankyou Music, admin. EMI Christian Music Publishing.
Call to Confession – How Long?
Confession – Out of the Depths I Cry to You – verses 1-3
Psalms for All Seasons 130D
Silence
Out of the Depths I Cry to You – verses 4 and 3
Psalms for All Seasons 130D
Assurance of Pardon
People of God, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love,
and with him is full redemption. God has redeemed us from all our sins through Jesus
Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
(based on Psalm 130:7-8)
Out of the Depths I Cry to You – verses 5 and 6
Psalms for All Seasons 130D
Prayer for Illumination
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
and I will observe it to the end.
Give me understanding of your law,
that I may observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it. (Psalm 119:33-35)
Old Testament Lesson – Psalm 13
How Long, O Lord, Will You Forget – verses 1 and 2
Psalms for All Seasons 130D
New Testament Lesson – Romans 8:18-28
How Long, O Lord, Will You Forget – verse 3
Psalms for All Seasons 13D
Sermon
Hymn of Response – Gbemi Jesu
Words and Music: Yoruba, anonymous
Prayer
Prayers of the people, each section ending:
.... your people cry:
How long, O Lord, how long?
Wait for the Lord
Psalms for All Seasons 37B
Sending (based on Romans 8:32-39)
If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us,
will he not with him also give us everything else?
Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to
condemn?
It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor thing
present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Closing Hymn – Justice Will Roll Down
Words: Sandra McCracken © 2010 Drink Your Tea Music, admin. Simpleville Music, Inc.
Benediction
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and
forevermore. And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you now and forever.
Amen.
Frank Thomas, preacher
Bennett Samuel, liturgist
Friends of the Groom, directed by Tom Long, with Jocelyn Sluka and Susan Jung
Laura de Jong, vocals
Sandra McCracken, guitar/vocals
Karl Digerness, vocals and guitar
Bruce Benedict, acoustic guitar
Kevin Twit, electric guitar
Jeremy Simpson, piano/organ
Greg Scheer, bass
Brandan Grinwis, drums/percussion
Jared Ortiz, professor at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, describes the Nicene Creed as a dramatic and powerful statement where every word is like a declaration of war, saying yes to the truth and no to many falsehoods.
Jane Williams, professor of theology at St. Mellitus College in London, England, sees the Nicene Creed, crafted 1700 years ago, as an extraordinary creative and exciting description of who God is and therefore what we trust in as Christians in God's world.
Maria Eugenia Cornou and Mikie Roberts serve on a planning team for an October worship event in Egypt to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the ecumenical creed that emerged in the year 325 and remains firmly embedded in the worship practices of the church today.
Jared Ortiz, professor at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, describes the Nicene Creed as a dramatic and powerful statement where every word is like a declaration of war, saying yes to the truth and no to many falsehoods.
Jane Williams, professor of theology at St. Mellitus College in London, England, sees the Nicene Creed, crafted 1700 years ago, as an extraordinary creative and exciting description of who God is and therefore what we trust in as Christians in God's world.
Maria Eugenia Cornou and Mikie Roberts serve on a planning team for an October worship event in Egypt to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the ecumenical creed that emerged in the year 325 and remains firmly embedded in the worship practices of the church today.
This expression of Psalm 148 was submitted by Ed Willmington, who wrote it with Clayton J. Schmit. The nature of Psalm 148 is total exuberance as all of nature offers praise to God.
