Wesley Methodist Church

23rd Lord’s Day after Pentecost

Order Of Worship
Sunday November 8th, 2020
Preacher: Dr. Andrew Hunter

IN PREPARATION: Please ensure that your electronic devices are switched off or in
vibrate position. Also, please ensure that you are wearing your masks at all times,
unless you are asked to read.

Call to Worship:
Opening Hymn: Immortal, invisible, God only wise

1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth Thee.
4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
All praise we would render; oh, help us to see
’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

Opening Prayer:
Thank you Father because Wisdom belongs to you.
Lord, we are deeply grateful because when you give Wisdom, it cannot be
retrieved by Man.
In every area of our lives where we have had wisdom deficit, fill it Lord. Fill it now.
You give the ability to do – give us the ability to do and excel.
When you give wisdom, it’s visible – very visible. Lord let wisdom speak for us, in
the name of Jesus.
As the Lord lives, we will not be allergic to wisdom.
We declare in the name of Jesus that uncommon wisdom is my portion.
Lord, teach me, show me, the path to Divine Wisdom.
Let the wisdom you will give us, open doors for us, that people to look to us for
solutions.
Whatever we make with my hands based on the wisdom you give us, will cause
men to fulfill their destiny in Jesus name.
 Our hearts Lord, are open, fill us with your wisdom. We promise to comply and obey
you.
Lord Jesus, Help me to be relevant in all that you want to be made.
Give us wisdom to manage my homes and our lives, while we seek to manage others
Let those we lead benefit from the Wisdom you give.
Your wisdom shall lead us aright in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Confession and Assurance:

Leader: God is gracious and merciful and knows our needs even before they reach
our lips. Still, we engage in confession, admitting God all to that rests
uneasily in our hearts. Confident of God’s love, let us make our
confession, first in silent prayers.

Let us pray together:

People: Holy God, we will be honest: this is really hard. It is really hard to wear
masks, to avoid public gatherings, to spend so much time watching
screens. We’re losing patience and we’re losing hope and we’re losing our
grip on faith. We’re caught between the selfishness of wanting to do
whatever we want without regard for others, and wanting to be helpful and
generous. Please help us. Help us to lean on you and each other when
things get hard and when we get depressed. Remind us every day that
there is light at the end of the tunnel. Encourage our hearts, and help us to
be your people, to the best of our ability in these strange days. This we
pray in the name of Jesus, who is with us always.

Sometimes, O God, we forget people, or we toss them aside – the difficult

ones, the needy ones, the ones that are hard to spend time with, the
ones who confront us. And sometimes when we do things like that, it’s not
really about the other people, but about us. We are uncomfortable, or we feel
guilty, or we follow brighter, shinier people, or we worry about what will
make us look good. We are in such desperate need of your forgiveness.
We need to be forgiven for our sin, for our mistakes, for mistaking
what the world values with what you value. Help us to be better, and to see
more clearly, and to care more thoroughly. In Christ we pray. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word
Collect for Today: Eternal God enable us by your grace to live for you day by day. May
we run the race before us ever looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,
that when he shall come again to judge the living and the dead we shall be prepared
for his coming. In Jesus’ name.

The Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:1–13

 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their
lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out
to meet him.
7 
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but
go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went
in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man
cometh.

Hymn of Preparation:
1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet your tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King!

2 Praise him for his grace and favor

to his people in distress.
Praise him, still the same as ever,
slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness!

3 Fatherlike he tends and spares us;

well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows!

4 Angels, help us to adore him;

you behold him face to face.
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
 Praise with us the God of grace!

Sermon: Dr. Andrew Hunter

Prayer of Commitment:
Dear Heavenly Father,

You are my Lord and my God.  I know from Your Word that a broken spirit, a broken
and a contrite heart is a sacrifice, O God, that You will not despise.

I come before you now to offer myself to you Lord God – all of me – my body, my
mind and my soul.  All I have, all I am, are Yours and Yours alone.

I confess Lord, that I am a sinner and I ask for Your forgiveness for all the sins I have
committed.

I repent of my sins Lord, and with your help, I choose to turn away from them and I
proceed in the opposite direction, turning to You alone.

In the name of Jesus, I also choose to forgive all those who have ever wronged me or
who have ever spoken slanderous words against me.  I bless each one of them in the
name of Jesus and pray that the love and peace of Jesus will fall heavily upon them
now.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession:

Gracious Father, in this season of thanksgiving, remind us of the truth that every
good and perfect gift comes from You. God, we admit that even in our moment of
gratitude, we fall short. We feel thankful for the gifts without acknowledging the
Giver. We praise the beautiful creation around us without drawing close to the
Creator. We sing about our salvation without glorifying You – our Savior. Forgive us.
Remind us, oh God, that any good we experience is only a glimpse of Your character.
That any blessing is only a foretaste of what You have in store for those who put
their hope in You. And that even our lives– the very breath in our lungs– is only
there because of Your deep love for us. God, reveal Yourself to us in every good gift,
and give us eyes to see You in them. In Christ’s holy Name we pray. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer:

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 trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever
and ever. Amen.

Welcome & Brief Announcements: Congregational Steward

The Presentation of Tithes & Offerings:

Offertory Prayer:
The Blessing of the Children:
Closing Hymn: Guide me o, Thou great Jehovah

1 Guide me, O my great Redeemer,

pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but you are mighty;
hold me with your powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
feed me now and evermore,
feed me now and evermore.

2 Open now the crystal fountain,

where the healing waters flow.
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
ever be my strength and shield,
ever be my strength and shield.
3 When I tread the verge of Jordan,
bid my anxious fears subside.
Death of death, and hell's Destruction,
land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever sing to you,
I will ever sing to you. 
Benediction:
"Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
And may the Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Amen.

Amen:
Doxology:
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; 
Praise Him, all creatures here below; 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host: 
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.