Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
February 18, 2007
Worship 10:00 am, Sunday School 11:10 am

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude                                 “Andante Religioso”                             Nevin

  Entering into Worship in song                                                   (Psalm 27:1)
        a - "The Lord is my light and my salvation,
                    Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear? (repeat)
        b - The Lord is my strength, the strength of my life,
                    of whom, then, shall I be afraid?" (repeat a)

*Prayerful Litany                                                                 (back of bulletin)

*Hymn                        "Immortal, invisible, God only wise"                        70

  Scripture                                Exodus 34:29-35

  For Children                    "God and a hot plate"

  Scripture                                   Luke 9:28-36             (from "The Message")

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

  Hymn                           "Christ upon the mountain peak"                         232
                         (Our younger children leave for bell practice & Sunday School)

  Pastoral Prayer

  Wellness moment

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory                                       “Adagio”                                Schumann
                                       (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Scripture                             2 Corinthians 3:12-18

  Message                              "Lifting the Veil"

*Hymn                           "Love divine, all loves excelling"                         592

*Benediction

*Postlude                         “Oh, How Happy are They”     American Folk Melody

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Prayerful Litany

Speak to us, living God.
Through silent retreat and this time of shared worship,
we linger awhile and await the sound of your voice
to guide and inspire us anew.
       Let the light of your words shine through us.

Reveal yourself to us, holy God.
As brave and bold as we would like to be,
we sometimes flee from your presence
and are more fearful than faithful.
       Let the light of your words shine through us.

Renew your covenant with us, compassionate God.
Your commandments are both just and merciful,
and through your words we glimpse your glory
and gain courage to listen anew.
       Let the light of your words shine through us.

Sing to us, loving God.
May the sound of your voice inspire new songs,
and may justice, mercy, and peace resound
throughout the earth, as in heaven.
       Let the light of your words shine through us.

by Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm
Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship
Bethany Theological Seminary, Richmond, Indiana
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
   

For Children
"God and a hot plate"

         I have something I want to show you this morning, but first I want you to remember that you should never play with what I have here. (pull out the hotplate) What is this? That’s right. It’s called a hot plate. It’s used to heat things up. Some of you have a stove top that is sort of like this at home. Have your parents ever told you not to play with it? They have? That’s good. Why shoudl you never play with it? That’s right, because it could hurt you. Always remember, this is not a toy. You can get burned very badly, very easily. I want you to be just a little afraid of this. Being afraid can be a good thing, especially if it keeps you from getting hurt.

         How could you get hurt? Well, back up. I don’t want you to be very close when I turn this burner on. It won’t take very long. Let’s watch what happens.... Do you see anything changing? That’s right. The burner is turning red. Electricity is being sent through the metal of the burner and it is getting so hot that it changes color. Do you see. Now again. This is not a toy. Touching the burner can hurt us. (turn the burner off) It can hurt us even when the metal is not hot. Like now. It’s no longer red, but it’s still hot enough to burn. Be careful.

         Now, Miss Paula just read a story from the Bible I want you to remember. It’s a story about Moses, who went up a mountain to meet with God. He came back down with two tablets bearing the commandments of God. Only, when he came down, he looked different. He had been with God up on the mountain and it says that his face was shining because of it. Think about that burner and how it got red because electricity was running through it. That’s sort of like Moses. Only he didn’t know his face looked different. But everybody else did. And they were afraid.

         Maybe it was good that they were afraid. The tablets Moses brought from God down the mountain weren’t toys to play with. And Moses wasn’t a celebrity, a "star," a famous person, for everyone to try to get close to. No, he had been with God, and God is bigger than anything I can imagine, which can be kind of scarey.

         In the Bible story, Moses needed to cover up his face after every visit time he was with God. Whenever he would then come and speak with the children of Israel, speaking for God, it says he wore a "veil" over his face. He didn’t want to make them afraid, though sometimes a little fear is not a bad thing, especially if it keeps us from doing something that will hurt us.

         Always remember that when your parents warn you about things like this hot plate that should make you just a little afraid because it could hurt you - remember that they are telling you this because they love you. And remember that God loves you much, much more, even when some things about God might make you uncomfortable or afraid. God, after all is bigger than anything we can ever imagine.

Pastoral Prayer

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

Wellness Moment

         Our Wellness Team has chosen a focus for each month of the year. On February's theme of Caring for our Heart, Gail Hanna (a cardiac nurse), will share some wellness insights every week. A challenge for the congregation this month is to collectively "walk" the distance between where Gail and another deacon grew up on the lower eastern shore of Maryland, to the the farm where another deacon grew up in Garrett County on Maryland's far western border. Toward tabulating this figurative walk across our state, pedometers have been made available, and folks are invited to share their distances every week. Exercise builds up the heart, one of the important ways by which we can care for this organ given us by our Creator.
   

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

         As you return your offerings, please take the time to add your name to and pass on the attendance pads located on the inside aisle of each pew. Would you pray with me?

Ushers?
   

Benediction

         As you are "changed from glory into glory" along the path of growing as a disciple of Jesus this week, take the "veil" off and allow your light to shine. Continue to discover the ability that is uniquely yours in Christ, and put it to use in the "ministry" to which you are called, whether this "mission" is lived out in the context of this congregation, or in your everyday life in the workaday world.

May the Lord bless and keep you, make his face to shine upon you, and give you peace.
Amen? Amen!