THE SERVICE
Preparing for Worship
Prelude
"The King Shall Come MORNING SONG
"Guide Me, O Thou RHONDDA
Silent Prayer
Opening
God's Greeting
Call to Worship
Hymn: "For All the Saints" PsH 505, PH 526, RL 397, TH 358
stanzas 1, 2, 4, 5, 7: all
stanza 3: men and boys stanza 6: women and girls
stanza 6: women and girls
We Celebrate the Living Faith of the Departed Saints
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith, Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. By faith Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. By faith, the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry ground.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets conquered kingdoms, administered justice, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames. Others were tortured, imprisoned, stoned, put to death by the sword. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hymn: "Rejoice in God's Saints" (see box)
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:4
Sermon: "Dead, Yet Speaking"
Prayer of Application
We Celebrate God's Blessings Through Departed Saints We Have Known
Hymn: "What Shall I Render to the Lord" PsH 178
Rocks are placed in memory of departed saints
[While names of departed members are read, two young people place rocks on a simple frame constructed to shape them into a mound of stones (see Josh. 4:1-9).]
Children's Message
Congregational Prayer
Offering
Offertory: "Shall We Gather at the River"
We Celebrate with the Saints in Heaven
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-5; Revelation 22:1-5
Anthem: "No More Night" Walt Harrah, arr. Camp Kirkland; Word Music
Giving Testimony of our Faith
We long for that day
when Jesus will return as triumphant king,
when the dead will be raised
and all people willl stand before his judgment.
We face that day without fear,
for the Judge is our Savior.
Our daily lives of service aim for the moment
when the Son will present his people to the Father.
For then we will see the Lord face to face.
He will heal our hurts,
end our wars,
and make the crooked straight.
Then we will join in the new song
to the Lamb without blemish
who made us a kingdom and priests.
God will be all in all,
righteousness and peace will flourish,
everything will be made new,
and every eye will see at last
that our world belongs to God.
Hallelujah! Come, Lord Jesus.
He will heal our hurts,
end our wars,
and make the crooked straight.
Then we will join in the new song
to the Lamb without blemish
who made us a kingdom and priests.
God will be all in all,
righteousness and peace will flourish,
everything will be made new,
and every eye will see at last
that our world belongs to God.
Hallelujah! Come, Lord Jesus.
—from the Contemporary Testimony Our World Belongs to God, 57, 58
Hymn: "By the Sea of Crystal" PsH 620, TH 549
Closing
Parting Words of Encouragement:
Hebrews 12:1, 2a
Final Blessing: Hebrew 13:20-21
Doxology: "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" PsH 501, PH 466, RL 362, 363, TH 164
stanza 7 only
Postlude
This All Saints Day service was prepared by the worship committee of Creston Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Members include Mary Worst and Kathy Verbrugge, who designed the banners, Helen Van Beek, and Donald Van Beek, pastor.
Excerpt
REJOICE IN GOD'S SAINTS
(sung to HANOVER)
Rejoice in God's saints today and all days
a world without saints forgets how to praise.
Their faith in acquiring the habit of prayer,
their depth of adoring, Lord, help us to share.
Some march with events to turn them God's way;
some need to withdraw, the better to pray.
Some cany the gospel through fire and through flood;
our world is their parish; their purpose is God.
Rejoice in those saints, unpraised and unknown,
who bear someone's cross or shoulder their own. They shame our complaining, our comforts, our cares;
what patience in caring, what courage is theirs.
Rejoice in God's saints today and all days
a world without saints forgets how to praise.
In loving, in living, they prove it is true:
the way of self-giving, Lord, leads us to you.
Text: Fred Pratt Green, 1977 (c) 1973, 1980, Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. For permission to reproduce this text, use your CCLI or LicenSing license or contact the publisher, 1-800-323-1049.