Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
June 24, 2007
Worship 10:00 am

Graduate Recognition Sunday

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude

  Seeking God’s Presence           "Kum bah yah"                                 (see insert)
                                                    ("wind, rain, firestorm" version)

  Call to Worship                             Psalm 97   (from The Message)

*Hymn                                     "Jesus shall reign" 319

*Opening Prayer (h-7)

  Scripture                              Revelation 22:12-17

  Passing on the gift

  Hymn                                       "Come and see"                                            20
                              (Our younger children, ages 3-7, leave for Sunday School)

  Graduation Celebration & Blessing

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

  Hymn                              "Take, O take me as I am"                         (see insert)
                                                                         (sound clip)

  Pastoral Prayer

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory              (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Scripture                                  John 17:20-26

  Message                      "Praying into the future"

*Hymn                                  "Go light your world"                             (see insert)
                                                                             (mp3)

*Benediction

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Passing on the gift

         Witness Commission chairperson, Jeannie Schwartz, will share about our month-long special offering focus, Heifer International, a global and ecumencial organization begun within our own denomination.
   

Graduation Celebration & Blessing

         We'll recognize our 5 high school graduates, along with 2 others who have completed medical assistant or post-graduate degrees, asking them to come forward, share briefly where they are headed from this point, receive a gift and our blessing for their journey ahead (below).

Graduation Blessing

         May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
         May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
         May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
         May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
         And the Blessing of God, who Creates, Redeems and Sanctifies, be upon you and all you love an pray for this day, and forever more. Amen.

(a Franciscan Blessing)
   

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings
(refers to Acts 16:16-34)

         It happened in the city of Philippi. A young woman there was possessed by a demon who would speak through her, sort of like the infamous "Oracle of Delphi." She was much in demand by people who wished to have the fortunes told. This girl was a slave, and her owners made a fortune off her supposed gift, charging fees left and right for her services.
         Along came the apostle Paul and his friends one day, and she followed them, crying out as she went, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." Now, saying that once or twice might be a nice advertizement, but she repeated it over and over for several days. Can you imagine? Finally, at the limit of patience, Paul turned and ordered that demon out of her. And it obeyed. She no longer went into trances and spoke other-worldly messages.
         Perhaps you can picture the faces of the owners of this woman when they realized their cash machine was now closed. They could no longer use this girl for their own benefit. They were mad. They seized Paul and his friends and dragged them to court. How they got out of jail is a whole other story that involved God simply opening up their cells, and Paul simply sharing about Jesus with his jailers who then became believers.
         Just now, however, think about that slave-girl who was used by both a demon and by her owners for their own benefit. That’s not how our God works. Whether it be our abilities in God’s Spirit, that is - our gifts, or the other blessings the Lord provides for us; all of these are given freely. And in this freedom, we pass along our gifts to others. We don’t "use" or "abuse," we share. And like the loaves and fishes, God’s blessings are multiplied beyond our wildest imagination.

Remember this as you return your offering just now. Ushers?
   

Benediction