July 24, 2022

Order of Worship – Announcements

Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

Reading “The Gift of Strawberries” – Jane Snyder – audio recording

Psalm 148

¹ Praise the Lord!  Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!  ² Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!  ³ Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!  ⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the heavens!  ⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.  ⁶ He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.  ⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, ⁸ fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!  ⁹ Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!  ¹⁰ Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!  ¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!  ¹² Young men and women alike, old and young together!  ¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.  ¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him.  Praise the Lord!

Acts 8:4-24

⁴ Now those who were scattered went from place to place proclaiming the word.  ⁵ Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.  ⁶ The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, ⁷ for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed, and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured.  ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.  ⁹ Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great.  ¹⁰ All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”  ¹¹ And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.  ¹² But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  ¹³ Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.  ¹⁴ Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.  ¹⁵ The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit ¹⁶ (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).  ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”  ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money!  ²¹ You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God.  ²² Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.  ²³ For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.”  ²⁴ Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

(NRSV)