09/05/2026
Worship Bulletin for Sunday, September 6
The Lord’s Day
September 6, 2026 at 10:30 AM
We welcome you to worship today. It is a privilege to have you as our guest.
As you join us today, begin to worship quietly with personal prayer.
Please turn off your cell phone and turn your hearts and minds toward God.
We prepare for worship
Take a moment and meditate on this as you prepare for worship…
Just as faith is challenged by open enemies such as Goliath, faith is often assailed by family and friends who cast aspersions on anyone who seeks to honor God and follow the faith that he has espoused. Richard Phillips
Prelude Holy Manna (Brethren, We Have Met To Worship) William Moore
Dr. Kenneth Dean, Jr., Director of Music Ministries
Please quietly prepare your hearts for worship during the Prelude.
Aisquith Life and Opportunities
We praise our great God
Call to Worship Psalm 9:9-14
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!
Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to me, O Lord!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all your praises,
that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may rejoice in your salvation.
Invocation
Hymn No. 598 Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah CWW Rhondda
Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy pow’rful hand;
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven, feed me til I want no more,
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain, whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar lead me all my journey through;
Strong Deliev’rer, strong Deliv’rer, be thou still my strength and shield,
Be thou still my strength and shield.
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 give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.
We embrace Christ through His Word
Confession of Faith Westminster Larger Catechism, Questions 143,144
Q. 143. Which is the ninth commandment?
The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Q. 144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?
The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requires; keeping of lawful promises; studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.
Psalter Reading (Responsive) Psalm 69:1-18
1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.
9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies!
The Example and Promise of Christ (Responsive) John 15:18-27
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own;
but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin,
but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin,
but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.
25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
The Calling and Promise of God Joshua 1:7-9
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Hymn No. 5 (HMR) Hallelujah! Perseverance
What can separate my soul from the God who made me whole,
Wrote my name in heaven’s scroll? Nothing. Hallelujah!
Trouble, hardship, danger, sword brought by those who hate my Lord?
Slander here? Or no reward? Nothing. Hallelujah!
Angels, demons, now or then? Wickedness dreamed up by men?
Persecutions come again? Nothing. Hallelujah!
Victors we’re ordained to be by the God who set us free;
What can therefore conquer me? Nothing. Hallelujah!
We face death for God each day; what can pluck us from his way?
Let God’s people ever say, “Nothing.” Hallelujah!
We respond in gratitude for God’s blessing
The Prayers of God’s People and the Lord’s Prayer (in unison) RE Jeff Soule
The Giving of God’s Tithes and Our Offerings
Offertory Morning Has Broken (Elenore Farjeon) arr. K. Dean
The Gloria Patri (Hymnal, pg. 735) and Prayer of Dedication
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.
We are nourished by God’s Word and Sacrament
Scripture Reading 1 Samuel 17:25-30 Pew Bible pg. 240
25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”
28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.
Sermon “Facing Giants – Part 1: David vs. Eliab” Pastor Ceselsky
Sermon Outline can be found on the back page of the bulletin.
Hymn No. 498 Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners! Hyfrydol
Jesus! What a Friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me, he, my Savior, makes me whole.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end.
Jesus! What a strength in weakness! Let me hide myself in him;
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing, he, my strength, my vict’ry wins.
Jesus! What a help in sorrow! While the billows o’er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking, he, my comfort, helps my soul.
Jesus! What a guide and keeper! While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night o’er takes me, he, my pilot, hears my cry.
Jesus! I do now receive him, more than all in him I find;
He hath granted me forgiveness, I am his, and he is mine.
Celebration of The Lord’s Supper
We respond to God’s Grace
The Doxology (Hymnal, pg. 731)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heav’nly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Benediction and Three-Fold Amen (Hymnal, pg. 740) Danish
Postlude Christ Is Made The True Foundation (Tune: Westminster Abbey) Henry Purcell
Please be seated and quietly reflect upon the Lord’s grace during the Postlude.
Announcements
Adult & Children’s Sunday School will resume NEXT Sunday, September 13. RE Riley B. Franklin will be leading the adult class in a study of the Minor Prophets.
Dr. Dean will be performing at the Music at the Monastery concert series, NEXT Sunday (September 13) at 4 PM at the Franciscan Monastery located at 1400 Quincy Street NE, Washington DC. The event is free but there will be a free-will offering taken.
The Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies will resume on September 15 and 16 respectively. The men will conclude the study on the prophecy of Daniel (from the Spring) and then move on to a study of the Book of Romans – please speak with Pastor Ceselsky if you have any questions. The women’s study will be on the Parables of Jesus – please speak with Julie Ceselsky if you have any questions or need a copy of the materials. (Ladies, please pick up a copy of the schedule from the tables in the narthex.)
Donations for the Roof repair can be made through the ARC Fund. Please use a pink envelope and label it “ARC” or “Roof.”
Birthdays and Anniversaries this week: Tomorrow (September 7) is Libby Soule’s Birthday, Thursday (September 10) is Karen Wallace’s Birthday, and Saturday (September 12) is Damian Andrade’s Birthday.
Prayer Requests
1. Please continue to be in prayer for Libby Soule as she has discontinued her physical therapy regimen due to lack of progress. Liby is continuing to work on neurological rest and home exercises. Please pray especially for a reduction of dizziness, confusion, daily migraines, and chronic fatigue as well as her ability to perform regular activities. Please pray as well for patience and joy in the midst of her adversity.
2. Please continue to pray for Jacqueline Cade as she seeks to treat the issue she was having with her eyes. Please pray for a complete and quick healing.
3. Missions Prayer Request for the Week: Calvin & Geeta (MTW – South Asia) – We give thanks that Calvin & Geeta have been able to safely return to their home and mission field. One blessing of their extended stay in the US was that they were able to attend their daughter’s wedding. Please pray that the Lord would bless their labors as they return to their ministry activities.
4. Please continue to be in prayer for those in our congregation who have on-going health concerns: Evelyn King; Maisie Manning’s daughter, Yvonne; Betty Jo Norris; Alice Orie, Robert Willis (Rick’s brother), & Ken Wilson.
5. Please be in prayer for Aisquith members, family members, and friends of the Aisquith Community who are currently struggling with various illnesses and other physical and emotional issues.
Weekly Calendar
TODAY: 10:30 AM Lord’s Day Worship Service with The Lord’s Supper
Tuesday: 5:30 PM Bell Choir Practice – Room 28
7:00 PM Joint Board Meeting (Deacons & Session) – Library
NEXT Sunday 9:30 AM Sunday School
Children: Rooms 15,16
Adults – Room 11
10:30 AM Lord’s Day Worship Service
Coming Soon
Men’s Bible Study – Tuesday, September 15, 7 PM
Women’s Bible Study – Wednesday, September 16, 10:30 AM
Church Officers
Ruling Elders: Riley B. Franklin, Jeff Soule & Mark Werner (Clerk)
Deacons: Andrew Bell, Gus DeFord, Jonathan Frank, Ken Schumann (President), and Rick Willis
Women’s Care Ministry: Christine Clark, Debbie DeFord, Judi Mason, Fran Oswinkle, & Jeanne Williams (Moderator)
Sermon Notes
Date: September 6, 2026
Text: 1 Samuel 17:25-30
Sermon Title: “Facing Giants – Part 1: David vs. Eliab”
Delivered By: Pastor John Ceselsky
Proposition: Seeing as God sees (and living faithfully) will produce a negative response from the world.
Main Point 1: The People’s Confrontation.
Point 1: Have you seen this man? (v. 25a)
Point 2: Have you not heard the King’s promise? (v. 25b)
Main Point 2: David Speaks.
Point 1: Verification. (vv. 27,30)
Point 2: Vilification. (v. 26)
Main Point 3: Eliab Heard.
Point 1: Eliab’s Charge. (v. 28)
Point 2: Eliab’s Reasoning.
Point 3: David’s Response. (v. 29)
