Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
November 7, 2010
Worship 10:00 am              Sunday School 11:10am
 

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)           "Praise, I will praise you, Lord"            76
  Announcements
  Prelude

  Call to Worship

*Hymn                                    "Great is the Lord"                                          87

*Opening Prayer

  From the Prophets                   Haggai 1:15-2:9

  For Children                             "Build again"

  Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise
                                 (please be brief, and aware of God's listening presence) 

  Hymn                           "Open my eyes, that I may see"                             517

  Pastoral Prayer

  From the Epistles           2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory

(Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

*Response                         "Grant us, Lord, the grace"                                 388

*Dedication

  From the Gospels                     Luke 20:27-38

  Message            "Your Life in Christ is your Real Life" (mp3)

*Hymn                             "In the bulb there is a flower"                               614

*Benediction

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

1 - I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

2 - Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

1 - Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.

2 - One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

1 - On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

2 – Yes, I will keep thinking about your marvelous glory and your mighty miracles.

Both - We will fill our minds with your splendor and glory, and with the stories of your amazing exploits.

Psalm 145:1-5 from the New Revised Standard Version,
© 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Psalm 145:5 also from the Contemporary English Version,
© 1995 by American Bible Society
and the Laughing Bird Version
©2001 Nathan Nettleton
  

Opening Prayer

            Redeeming God, come and heal our lives this day. Open our hearts to receive your words of hope and joy that we may become faithful servants of yours in this world which you have loaned to us. For we ask this in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

from Worship Connection,
written by the Rev. Nancy Townley, Abingdon author.
  

For Children
"Build again"

            (A tower of children’s building blocks is already built (somewhat precariously) on the worship center table. Invite the children up to it.)

This morning I built this tower, and I wanted to show it to you. Wait, this is not quite right. Let me move some blocks to make it better. Oops! (the tower comes crashing down). Oh, no! What a mess! This just won’t do. It looks terrible up here. This is supposed to be neat and clean up here and now it is looks like a tornado blew through. What am I going to do? Will you help me clean up? What should we do? You think we should rebuild my tower? You think we should put the blocks away? Let’s decide. (Go with whatever they choose. While they work, talk with them.)

You know, a long time ago God’s people came home from being away in exile and found their place to be a big mess. The walls and towers of Jerusalem had crashed to the ground. The temple was a shambles. Everything had been destroyed. It was pretty depressing. The people were very sad. They didn’t know what to do or where to start. Should they pick it all up and put it away? Should they rebuild? 

Well, God sent a prophet by the name of Haggai. Can you say that name – Haggai. His job from God was to encourage the people. He told them that something even better could arise from the mess that they returned to. But the question was, could they trust that God would help them clean up and rebuild, even if it seemed more than they could do on their own. Many were afraid that if they did rebuild, some bully would just come and tear everything down ago. That was what happened before. They needed to stop being afraid and start rebuilding. Haggai promised that if they did, God would provide what they needed to complete the task. 

Thank you. You’ve been a big help. That really looks nice. For the rest of this morning’s service, all of us - even the big people - can look at this and remember the prophet Haggai, and how God helps us clean up and rebuild.

Idea borrowed from Talks to Children,
by Rev. Donald McCorkindale,
Dalgety Parish Church, Fife, Scotland
  

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

We have heard the words “do not be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed,” and “stand firm and hold fast” in the face of troubling events and the alarming way some interpret what’s happening around us. God is still at work in this world, Paul affirms, and this is where we are called to grow as “first fruits” of the Lord’s saving, sanctifying purpose in Christ and the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid (remember last week’s theme?).Instead, focus on believing and doing what you have received and know to be the truth in Christ. Focus on letting the Holy Spirit make your lives into examples of holiness for others, right here, right now. 

How you are letting the Spirit make you holy? How are you living out the truth you know, right where God has planted you? What does it mean for you to stand firm here and now? Is it about defending a position or being grounded and rooted? Think about these things as you return your offering… Ushers?
  

Dedication

         O God our Father, who through our Lord Jesus Christ has loved us and through grace has given us eternal comfort and good hope, make our hearts strong for the work which lies ahead. Indeed, help us to “not be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed,” and to “stand firm and hold fast” as we cooperate with your Spirit in the holy task of bearing fruit. These offerings are part of your harvest. Help us to put them to good use. Amen.
  

Benediction

As you go to love and serve the Lord, I offer you this old Celtic benediction.

God bless to you the earth beneath your feet,
        the path whereon you go,
        the place wherein you rest.
Evermore and evermore, God bless the way you take.

God bless to you the faith whereon you set your mind,
        the love whereon you set your heart,
        the hope whereon you set your life.
Evermore and evermore, God bless to you your life.

AMEN!

borrowed from Bruce Prewer, Uniting Church in Australia