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Asbury United Methodist Church
September 13, 2026
All Are Welcome!
Prelude
Joys, Concerns, Announcements
Greeting – Nicole Day
We come to worship together today, breathe in God’s peace and love.
We say thank You Lord for the unique gifts and talents You have placed in me; reveal them to me clearly and help me to use them for Your glory.
Help me to walk the journey you have prepared for me, help me to see the plans you have dreamed up for me.
For all our blessings Lord, we are so grateful. AMEN!
Please stand as you are able at *.
*CALL TO WORSHIP (responsive) Nicole Day
One: Jesus met the hurting, the lonely, and the forgotten.
All: He healed them and sent them with purpose.
One: He restores what is broken—
All: And calls us into lives of love and service.
One: Today, we come for healing and calling—
All: We worship the One who makes all things new.
*Hymn TFWS #2172 “We Are Called”
Come! Live in the light!
Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom,
To live in the freedom
Of the city of God!
We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God!
Come! Open your heart!
Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless
So all hatred and blindness will be no more!
We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God!
Sing! Sing a new song!
Sing of that great day when all will be one!
God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other
As sisters and brothers united in love!
We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly,
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God!
1st READING: Exodus 14:19-31 (NRSVUE) Nicole Day
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the LORD, in the pillar of fire and cloud, looked down on the Egyptian army and threw the Egyptian army into a panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Psalm 114- UMH Page 835 Nicole Day
Response: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.
R
When Israel went forth from Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language.
Judah became God’s sanctuary,
Israel God’s dominion.
The sea looked and fled,
Jordan turned back.
The mountains skipped like rams,
The hills like lambs.
What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?
O mountains, the you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob.
Who turns the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a spring of water. R
Special Music:
2nd Reading: Romans 14:1-12 (NRSVUE) Nicole Day
Welcome those who are weak in faith but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat, for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it for the Lord. Also those who eat, eat for the Lord, since they give thanks to God, while those who abstain, abstain for the Lord and give thanks to God.
For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
So then, each one of us will be held accountable.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSVUE) Lay Speaker Don Taylor
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Pastor: The word of God for the people of God.
People: Thanks be to God!
SERMON: “Talent is God’s gift to us” Message by Lay Speaker Don Taylor
HYMN TFWS #2130 “The Summons”
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the save?
Will you let my love be shown,
Will you let my name be known,
Will you let my live be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract of scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
And do such as this unseen,
And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
To reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In you company I’ll go
Where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Prayer Time
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, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY #94
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise god, all creatures here below:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power up-lifts!
Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Heavenly Father, we are so blessed by these gifts and tithes. Help us to use them in ways that help your people and grow your kingdom. Let us keep our minds on you and pray that our hearts follow you and your ways as we look for ways to forgive those around us, showing the mercy you have shared with us. AMEN.
*HYMN UMH #593 “Here I Am, Lord”
I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
All who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save.
Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord.
Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord.
Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame,
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.
I will give my life for them.
Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord.
Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
*Benediction
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today 9/13
8:45 am Worship with Lay Speaker Don Taylor
9:45 am Fellowship Time
Wednesday 9/16
5:00 pm Choir Practice
Next Sunday 9/20
8:45 am Worship
9:45 am Fellowship Time
Prayer for at home:
Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things, You have endowed me with unique talents and abilities, gifts that are a reflection of Your infinite wisdom and purpose. Lord Jesus, You taught us through parables and Your own life that every talent, big or small, is a treasure from the kingdom of Heaven. I come before You, seeking the courage and wisdom to utilize these gifts not for my own glory, but for the upliftment of those around me, and for the glory of Your name. Lord, as You multiplied the loaves and fishes, multiply the impact of my gifts so that they may serve as instruments of Your love and grace. Let my talents be a living testimony to Your work in my life and inspire others to discover and utilize their own gifts in service to You and their fellow beings. Amen.
Pastor Alison Dix Cell: 319-573-4801
Email: Alison.dix@iaumc.net
Website: www.theasburymethodistcr.com
Phone: 319-364-3188
Church office hours: Tues, Weds, Thurs 9am-1pm
