First Presbyterian Church of Niles
Morning Worship
All Saints’ Day and Communion
10:00 A.M. November 1, 2026
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(*Stand if you are able.)
PRELUDE
REFLECTION TEXT Psalm 34: 1-2
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Chanson Guilmant
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)
O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
OPENING PRAYER
*HYMN For All The Saints SINE NOMINE
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who to the world their steadfast faith confessed,
Your name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Still may your people, faithful, true, and bold,
Live as the saints who nobly fought of old,
And share with them a glorious crown of gold. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ringed by this cloud of witnesses divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet in your love our faithful lives entwine. Alleluia! Alleluia!
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
Then hearts are brave again, and faith grows strong. Alleluia! Alleluia!
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)
Holy God, we know that we may rest in the promises of our baptism — we know that your grace rests on us this day and every day. Never for a moment are we outside of your constant care. And yet, things happen. Life tumbles in and your promises seem distant. We retreat into fear. We worry about what we cannot change. We forget why we do what we do in the name of our arisen Lord. Forgive our anxious fears. Lead us to be the people of God that you created us to be, disciples of Jesus Christ, in whose name we offer our prayers.
MOMENT OF SILENT AND PERSONAL CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Responsive)
By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God — not the result of works, so that no one might boast. Believe the promise of the Gospel. In Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
PASSING THE PEACE
As God has forgiven us in Christ let us also forgive one another.
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Please share the sign of peace with one another.
The sharing of Christ’s peace.
RESPONSE Peace is Flowing Like a River TRADITIONAL
Peace is flowing like a river, flowing out to you and me.
Flowing out into the desert, setting all the captives free.
His love is flowing like a river, flowing out to you and me.
Flowing out into the desert, setting all the captives free.
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING Psalm 43
SPECIAL MUSIC Soon and Very Soon Arr. Schrader
Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Hallelujah! Nor more dying there, we are going to see the King, Hallelujah!
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 23: 1-12
MESSAGE Corrupt Spiritual Practices Rev. Christopher Mergener
*HYMN 172 Blest Are They BLEST ARE THEY
Blest are they, the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of God.
Blest are they, full of sorrow; they shall be consoled. Refrain
Refrain: Rejoice and be glad! Blessed are you; holy are you!
Rejoice and be glad! Yours is the kingdom of God!
Blest are they, the lowly ones; they shall inherit the earth.
Blest are they who hunger and thirst; they shall have their fill. Refrain
Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.
Blest are they, the pure of heart; they shall see God. Refrain
Blest are they who seek peace; they are the children of God.
Blest are they who suffer in faith; the glory of God is theirs. Refrain
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Responsive) (from the Heidelberg Catechism)
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
That I am not my own, but belong – body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
REMEMBERING THE SAINTS WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US
For all the saints, who from their labors rest…
THE CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! …
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING (Responsive)
The Holy One be with you.
And also with you.
Open your hearts.
We open our hearts to you, O God.
Let us give thanks to God, an Abiding Presence.
To the One who companions us through all things, we give thanks and praise.
Faithful One..
…In awe and gratitude, we join together in praise of you, Source of Abundance:
Holy, Holy, Holy One
God of justice and love
Heaven and earth are full of your wonder
Blessed is your presence among us
Since the beginning…
…You may now take the elements.
PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
Offertory Precious Lord, Take My Hand Arr. Lund
*DOXOLOGY 606 Praise God, From Whom All Blessing Flow OLD 100TH
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
PREPARATION FOR PRAYERS 470 (Vs. 1)
There is a Longing in Our Hearts LONGING
Refrain: There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord, for you to reveal yourself to us.
There is a longing in our hearts for love we only find in you, our God.
For justice, for freedom for mercy: hear our prayer.
In sorrow, in grief: be near; hear our prayer, O God. Refrain
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Responsive)
Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Unison)
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
*HYMN Let There Be Peace on Earth LET THERE BE PEACE
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me;
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator, children all are we.
Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now.
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
All music is reproduced under permission from ccli.com License #11146543.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~