Rev. Raynette K. Weiss and Associate Pastor Jessie K. Weiss. We are two of Our Heavenly Father’s vessels. Sunday service for June 15, 2025.

Opening Hymn: O My Father by James MCGranahan:

O my Father, thou that dwellest

In the high and glorious place,

When shall I regain thy presence

And again behold thy face?

In thy holy habitation,

Did my spirit once reside?

In my first primeval childhood

Was I nurtured near thy side?

2.For a wise and glorious purpose

Thou hast placed me here on earth

And withheld the recollection

Of my former friends and birth;

Yet ofttimes a secret something

Whispered, “You’re a stranger here,”

And I felt that I had wandered

From a more exalted sphere.

3.I had learned to call thee Father,

Thru thy Spirit from on high,

But, until the key of knowledge

Was restored, I knew not why.

In the heav’ns are parents single?

No, the thought makes reason stare!

Truth is reason; truth eternal

Tells me I’ve a mother there.

4.When I leave this frail existence,

When I lay this mortal by,

Father, Mother, may I meet you

In your royal courts on high?

Then, at length, when I’ve completed

All you sent me forth to do,

With your mutual approbation

Let me come and dwell with you.

Sermon:

Father’s Day is an opportunity to honor fathers and celebrate the principles of fatherhood as taught in the Bible. It’s a time to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of fathers, both earthly and heavenly, and to express gratitude for their influence. The Bible places significant emphasis on the importance of fathers and their role in the family. Exodus 20:12). Father’s Day provides a specific occasion to fulfill this commandment through expressions of love, appreciation, and gratitude. The relationship between Jesus and God the Father is also a key example of perfect fatherhood and sonship, demonstrating a model of love, obedience, and trust. Several verses illustrate the importance of a father’s role, such as Deuteronomy 1:31, where God is described as carrying Israel like a father carries his son, and Malachi 4:6, which speaks of the reconciliation between fathers and children. Father’s Day is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of fathers setting a godly example for their children.
Scripture outlines the responsibilities of fathers, including nurturing, teaching, disciplining, and providing for their children. Father’s Day can be a time to encourage fathers to live up to these responsibilities. The Bible also emphasizes the concept of God as our Heavenly Father, a model of perfect love, grace, and guidance. Father’s Day can be a time to reflect on Our Heavenly Father’s love and provision for us as His children.

Closing Hymn: The Father’s House by Corey Asbury:

Sometimes on this journey, I get lost in my mistakes

What looks to me like weakness is a canvas for Your strength

And my story isn’t over, my story’s just begun

And failure won’t define me ’cause that’s what my Father does

Yeah, failure won’t define me ’cause that’s what my Father does

Ooh, lay your burdens down

Ooh, here in the Father’s house

Check your shame at the door (ooh)

‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore (ooh)

Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house

Arrival’s not the end game, the journey’s where You are

You never wanted perfect, You just wanted my heart

And the story isn’t over, if the story isn’t good

A failure’s never final when the Father is in the room

And failure’s never final when the Father is in the room

Ooh, lay your burdens down

Ooh, here in the Father’s house

Check your shame at the door (ooh)

‘Cause it ain’t welcome anymore (ooh)

Ooh, you’re in the Father’s house, yeah

Prodigals come home

The helpless find hope

Love is on the move