Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
October 9, 2005
Worship 10:00 am, Sunday School 11:10 am

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude

  Centering Song                "I've got peace like a river"

  Call to Community And Worship                                          (back of bulletin)

*Hymn                            "Joyful, joyful, we adore thee"                               71

*Opening Prayer

  Scripture                                Philippians 4:4-6 (NRSV)

  For Children                               "Always?"

  Steadying Song              "Rejoice in the Lord always"
                                         (Pre-schoolers then leave for Sunday School)

  Scripture                               Philippians 4:4-6 (CEV)

  Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise

  Hymn                          "Savior, like a shepherd lead us"                           355

  Pastoral Prayer

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings           Philippians 4:4-7 (The Message)

  Offertory

*Response                   "Give thanks with a grateful heart"               (see insert)

*Dedication

  Scripture                                Philippians 4:1-9

  Message                "About Euodia and Syntyche..."
                                                Brother Chariton

*Hymn                           "Heart with loving heart united"                            420

*Benediction

*Postlude

Call to Community and Worship

by Audrey Osborne Mazur
Black Rock Church of the Brethren
Glenville, Pennsylvania
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
    

Opening Prayer

         Creator God, we come in gratitude and awe. We come to worship and rejoice. Continue to open our hearts to whatever is true, honorable, and just. Open our minds to whatever you find pleasing and commendable. Awaken our spirits to your goodness and mercy. Let us think upon all that is worthy of praise. May we use our days to rejoice in you always. Amen.

by Audrey Osborne Mazur
Black Rock Church of the Brethren
Glenville, Pennsylvania
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
    

For Children
"Always?"

         Rejoice! Rejoice! What does it mean to rejoice? Can anyone tell me when a good time to rejoice might be? (Let children respond.) We rejoice when we’re happy, don’t we? We rejoice when something good has happened.
         How do we rejoice? Do we rejoice loudly or quietly? (Wait for responses.) We can rejoice in many different ways, can’t we? Some people may like to jump up and down and make lots of noise to rejoice. You see that at soccer games or baseball games. If the team that you’re rooting for wins the game, there’s a lot of jumping up and down and yelling and cheering. You can rejoice quietly. At a wedding, people are very happy and rejoice when the couple gets married. You see people smiling and laughing and sometimes people are so happy, they even cry.
         There are many different ways to rejoice, but when should we rejoice? Should we rejoice maybe once a month, or just once a week? Perhaps it would be good for us if we rejoiced every day. Do you know what the apostle Paul told one congregation? He said, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice" (Phil. 4:4 RSV). Rejoice always. Do you think that would be hard to do?
         Could you rejoice if someone just called you a bad name or if you just lost your favorite toy? Would it be hard to rejoice if someone has just stepped on your toe? (Children may respond.) Sometimes it’s hard to rejoice, but God wants us to rejoice always because we always have something to rejoice about. We rejoice because God loves us, and he always will.

         [If they don't already know it, teach the children "Rejoice in the Lord always" and involve the congregation in singing it as a four-part round. Dismiss the pre-schoolers for Sunday School.]

adapted from Saving the Ants, by Ruth Gilmore, p. 112.
   

Pastoral Prayer

written closer to the time (if not at the moment)

Dedication

         With grateful, rather than fretful, hearts we give our thanks to you, God. Help us to celebrate you, all day, every day. Come and settle us down, that we might center our lives upon Jesus. Let’s begin afresh right now, with these offerings a symbolic first step. No more worry, just prayerful excitement. Nudge us with your Spirit in that direction, Lord. Amen.
  

Preface to reading Philippians 4:1-9
before the sermon

         This morning we have another "guest" from the past, a fellow by the name of Chariton (kahr-ih-ton). He hails from the Macedonian city of Philippi, and is part of the church there which started in the home of Lydia when the apostle Paul first visited. Please realize that brother Chariton is a fictional character. You won’t find his name, which literally means "grace or kindness," in the Bible. No doubt, however, a person like him did exist back then - someone who responded to the challenge of Paul in his letter to help two women in that fellowship to reconcile to one another. Let’s first listen to the scripture from the fourth chapter of Philippians, then let’s open our imagination (and our hearts) to hear what brother Chariton might have to share with us.

Philippians 4:1-9

pronunication  Euodia (yoo-O-dee-uh) & Syntyche (SIHN-tih-tshee)
   

Benediction

Go now, rejoicing always in the Lord.
Stand firm in Jesus Christ and be of one mind in him.
Always act with justice;
let your gentleness be known to everyone,
and yield up your worries on the altar of prayer.

And may God give you peace that passes all understanding;
May Christ Jesus guard your hearts and minds;
And may the Holy Spirit plant within you
........all that is honourable, just and pure.

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net