Worship Order for Sunday

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

Thanksgiving Sunday

      David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
                                               (2 Samuel 6:14-15)

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude

 Call to Worship

*Hymn                                   “We gather together”                                      17

*Opening Prayer

  The Presence of Christ: Brethren Disaster Ministries in the Gulf Coast

*Commissioning Israel Rosas and Paul Sonczewski                                     796

  Scripture                                    Isaiah 12:1-6

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

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

*Response                       “Now thank we all our God”                                 86

*Offertory Affirmation                                          (in unison, on back of bulletin)

  Scripture                                Ephesians 1:3-14

  Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise
                              (after each is shared, altogether respond with #89 chorus:)
                                                    
“Lord of all, to thee we raise
                                     this our hymn of grateful praise.”

  Pastoral Prayer

  Scripture                                2 Samuel 6:12-23

  Message                                 “The jig is up” 

*Hymn                                     “Bound Together

*Benediction


#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship
Psalm 98

1 - O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
2 - His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
1 - The Lord has made known his victory;
2 - he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
1 - He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
2 - All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
1 - Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
2 - break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
1 - Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
2 - with the lyre and the sound of melody.
1 - With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
2 - Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
1 - Let the floods clap their hands;
2 - let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord,
1 - for he is coming to judge the earth.
2 - He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

1 – (briefly pause) Turn to #17 and let us sing, for we have gathered together
                                 to ask the Lord's blessing. If you able, please stand.
  

Opening Prayer

O God,
         who blesses this world with goodness and mercy,
         who brings good news to the oppressed,
         who binds up the brokenhearted,
         who opens the eyes of the blind,
         who sets the captives free;
We bless you, as those who have been
         touched by your Holy Spirit,
         filled to the brim and overflowing with your gladness,
         clothed with your joy and praise,
         planted by you to be like trees of blessing for others.
Forgive us, just now,
         for allowing the bad news to win,
         for shutting our eyes to what you are doing all around us,
         for not proclaiming your salvation,
         for not reaching out, but instead,
         for paying attention to our own needs and desires,
                  instead of seeking your will.
Forgive and Live in us.
         Today!
         This we pray, in the name of your Son, Jesus - our Christ.
         Amen!

(refers to Isaiah 61:1-4 and Luke 4:18-19)

 

The Presence of Christ:
Brethren Disaster Ministries in the Gulf Coast

         This 8 minute video highlights the ongoing work of our disaster relief work 2 years after Hurricane Katrina.
  

Commissioning Israel Rosas and Paul Sonczewski

As God's Spirit calls and the church commissions,
         the servants of Christ are scattered in places of need
                  throughout the world.
We accept your service as an extension of this congregation
         and pledge our support of your ministry.
We join with you in seeking first the kingdom of God.
Consider your assignment as God at work in you,
         ministering to human need.
May you be given a deep love for those among whom you will live,
         and may Christ be known through you in word and deed.
Our prayers will continually support you
         while you are absent from us.

Hymnal #796
by John H. Mosemann, adapted from The Mennonite Hymnal,
copyright©1969 Faith & Life Press/Mennonite Publishing House.
  

Pastoral Prayer

 

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

 

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

         Echoing the sentiments of Isaiah 12, Meister Eckhart (1260-1328), the medieval German mystic and preacher, once said, "If you can but utter one prayer, let it be 'Thank you.' '' A spirit of thanksgiving turns us back to God. Gratitude acknowledges life as a gift and helps us live with trust in and faithfulness to a giving God. In corporate worship, our time of offering carries the spirit of our thanks. The giving of our resources serves a variety of practical needs in our congregation and world, but it also anchors all of our worship in our gratitude to God as Giver. Yes, let us echo the prophet Isaiah and "give thanks to the Lord." May we affirm as individuals and as a faith community the centrality of thanksgiving to all we are and all we do.

Glen Mitchell
Spring Mills, PA
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
   

Offertory Affirmation

O Gracious God,
You whose nature it is to move with mercy,
We thank you for
         the abundance we've known,
                  the forgiveness we've encountered and embodied,
                           and all the words we've waited on
                                    that have carried us again and again
                                             to you.
Make of all our giving an offering
that sings praise to you
and becomes your grace in our community and world.
In the name of the One who focused your mercy
and inspires our gratitude,
Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Glen Mitchell
Spring Mills, PA
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
   

Benediction

 

(para traducir a español, presione la bandera de España)

 

Interested in Sunday School?
Below is a growing list of possible sites to visit. As you discover others, please let us know.

International Lesson:
Faith and Life Resources
Mennonite Publishing House

International Lesson:
Mennonite Weekly Review

(scroll down on left to "Sunday School lessons)

International Lesson:
Christian Standard
(one week ahead)

International Lesson:
Living Web Sunday School Project

While one of our adult classes follows the International lesson above, using
A Guide for Biblical Studies,
published quarterly by our denomination,
another class often uses one of the
Good Ground series,
also published by Brethren Press.

For children and youth, we use the new
Gather Round curriculum
(developed jointly by the Church of the Brethren and the Mennonite Church)

 

©2007 Peter L. Haynes
(unless otherwise stated, worship resources were written by him)

 

return to
Worship Orders
page

return to
Worship
page

return to
Sermon
page

return to
Long Green Valley Church
page