Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
August 5, 2012
Worship 10:00 am
 

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)         "We are people of God’s peace"         407
  Announcements
  Prelude                                        "Larghetto"                                       Kaulah

  Call to Worship

*Hymn                        "Brethren, we have met to worship"                             8

*Opening Prayer

  Wilderness Signposts           Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15

  Children’s Story              "Bread from Heaven"

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

  Receiving Time

  Responsive Affirmation                                                                            794

  Hymn                              "Help us to help each other"                              362

  Pastoral Prayer

  Gospel Signposts                       John 6:24-35

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory                      "Chorale: The Peaceful Forests"                          Isaak 
                                        (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Living Letter Signposts            Ephesians 4:1-16

  Message        "Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace" (mp3)

*Hymn                                   "Lord, speak to me"                                     499

*Benediction

*Postlude                                        "Geneva"                          Genevan Psalter

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

Long ago, when the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, hungry and nostalgic for the “good old days” of slavery, doubting the One who had parted the waters that led to freedom,

God, though disappointed by their lack of faith, commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven. He rained down on them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven. And so they ate this bread of angels, which he sent in abundance. On the wind God also sent more food still; game birds coming in like wind-blown sand, falling thick on the ground around the camp, meals-on-wings landing on their doorstep. The people stuffed themselves happily, because the Lord had given them just what they were craving.

            May we who, on our own wilderness journey, have gathered this hour to worship, trust in the Lord for today’s bread. Come, all who are hungry, rise in body or spirit, and receive God’s holy manna, which is showered all around us.

(adapted from Psalm 78:23-29, NRSV and Laughing Bird)
  

Opening Prayer

Yes, we have met to worship you, O Lord.
      Like our spiritual ancestors, however,
            we come with our own doubts and fears.
      Like them, we longingly look back
            upon a time when being “church” was easy,
                  forgetful that the “good old days”
                        had their own struggles and pitfalls.
      Forgive us when we walk backward into your future,
            focused more upon yesterday than today.
      Teach us, once again, the day-by-day way
            of faithful living, following Jesus.
      Scatter before us the bread
            of your Living Word and
                  our Risen Christ,
            that we might glean what is needed for today.
      Break open our hearts this hour
            to those among and around us
                  who are struggling hard with sin,
                  who are seeking grace,
                  who are pouring forth a flood of tears.
As we pray together with all our power,
      as we try to preach the Word,
            we know that all is vain
                  without the presence of your Holy Spirit.
      So, shower upon us your holy manna, Lord God.
            This we pray in the name of the One who said,
                   “I am the bread of life.” AMEN
  

For Children
"Bread from Heaven"

(needed: the crust cut off angel food cake)

When I was growing up, I loved it when my friend Stuart’s mom would make a birthday cake for his grandmother. Why? It was because his grandmother always wanted an angel food cake, and when his mother made it, she always cut off the crust on the angel food cake. Guess who got to eat the crust? That’s right – all of us friends of Stuart. Mmm. That was soooo good. I’ve brought some to share with you. Would you like to try it? … Isn’t it good?

A long, long time ago, after the children of Israel were set free from being slaves by Moses, they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness, a dry place where there wasn’t much to eat or drink. They got hungry there. There were times when they thought they couldn’t go on because they were so hungry. With empty stomachs, they complained. A lot! They wondered if it would have been better to remain slaves in Egypt, where they at least had some food. They complained to Moses. Moses took their complaint to God.

Guess what God did? If you were listening, we just heard the story of what God did. Every day, God gave them something they called “manna.” Every morning, they went out and saw the ground covered with stuff they could eat. The first time they saw it, they asked, “what is it?” Anyone want to guess what the word “manna” means? In Hebrew, their language, “manna” means “what is it?” It was sort of like bread, and it was sweet. Maybe it tasted a bit like the crust of an angel food cake. Which would make sense, since it was “bread from heaven.”

The important point was that God provided for their hunger. Every day, they received manna, their daily bread. Just enough manna to satisfy their hunger. God also sent some birds to eat… A funny thing about this manna was that if they tried to save some of it for the next day, it spoiled overnight. It tasted terrible. They could not use one day’s bread on the next day, except for on the day of rest. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

Maybe when you think about God giving manna to the children of Israel when they were hungry, you can think about how good this crust of angel food cake tasted. Now, for a prayer, I’m going to ask everybody in our congregation to help us pray the Lord’s prayer. Perhaps you have the Lord’s prayer memorized. Good. It’s okay if you don’t yet know it all by heart. As we pray, I want you to be listening for something in it about bread. When you hear it, think about this Bible story and the manna.

Shall we pray? … Our father…

Receiving Time

[After being "introduced" by a member of our congregation...]

Minister: Knowing that Christians never fully arrive, but are always in the process of becoming, do you now reaffirm your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?

Candidate: I do.

Minister: Believing that Christianity is experienced in a faith community that supports and strengthens us in time of weakness and doubt, and that learns from us as we learn from it, do you promise to live and share with us in the bonds of Christian fellowship?

Candidate: I do.

Minister: Recognizing that the church is organized to fulfill its mission, will you worship, serve, and share in the program of this congregation by your prayers, regular attendance, loyal service and outreach, and faithful stewardship?

Candidate: I will.

Minister: Becoming a member of this congregation, will you make every effort to witness to the Christian gospel and keep alive the concerns of the Church of the Brethren where you live and work?

Candidate: I will.

Minister: (turning to the congregation) Would you please stand and join in the “Responsive Affirmation” found in the back of your hymnal, #794.

adapted from For All Who Minister
(A Worship Manual for the Church of the Brethren),
©1993 Brethren Press, pp. 143-144.
  

Responsive Affirmation

Leader: This person now presented to you
                 has witnessed to his faith in Jesus Christ
                 and offers himself as a companion in our obedience to Christ.
              It is our privilege and joy to welcome him into our family of faith.

People: We freely receive you, even as Christ has received us.
             We open ourselves to fellowship with you
                    in worship, study, service, and discipline.
             We pledge our willingness to give and receive counsel,
                    to offer and accept forgiveness in the redeemed community.
             We joyfully accept you as partners,
                    both in the care of our spiritual family,
                    and in our mission to the world.

adapted from #794 - 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

Please pray with me.

O God, we humbly admit that we search so often for bread that perishes, rather than the bread of eternal life.  We foolishly think that happiness and fulfillment can be attained from our own hands, rather than from your hands.  We offer these gifts with the promise that you have already given us the bread of heaven.  You are the Bread of Life.  We come seeking to never be hungry or thirsty again.  Amen.

            As the ushers receive our tithes and offerings, would you fill out and pass on to others the attendance pad that is found on the center aisle side of each pew. Thank you.

the prayer is Copyright © 2011 David S. Bell.
Reprinted with permission from www.DavidSBell.org.
      

Benediction

            I pray that you have received from God your daily bread for the journey that lies ahead of you this week. Fed by manna from heaven,