Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
February 18, 2001 Worship 10:00 am Sunday School 11:10 am

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me." And they came closer. He said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt." (Genesis 45:4)

"Glory" ... in the "beauty of holiness"...

Call to Worship

*Hymn "O worship the Lord" 124

*Opening Prayer

...especially when we don’t
feel very "holy"...

Story Time "A sibling’s sorrow" (Genesis 37)

Confession Time

Moment of Silence

*Hymn (vs. 1& 2) "Wonderful grace of Jesus" 150

..."met to know God’s holy will"...

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

Special Music                             "Every Voice"              R. Johnson & J. Robinson
                                                                         Mark Lane
                          (children & youth then quietly leave for choir or preschool playtime)

Pastoral Prayer

Scripture Genesis 45:3-15

Message "I am your brother"

Hymn "Heart with loving heart united" 420

...we overflow with what God gives...

Responding with our Tithes and Offerings Luke 6:27-38

Offertory

*Hymn (vs. 1) "We give thee but thine own" 384

*Responsive Reading (back of bulletin)

*Benediction

*Postlude

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
in the beauty of holiness, in the beauty of holiness.
Glory to the Father, abounding in mercy!
Be joyful, all ye people, and magnify the Lord God!

refrain: Oh, glory hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
O come before his presence and glorify his name.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
in the beauty of holiness, in the beauty of holiness.
Glory be to Jesus, our gracious redeemer!
We praise him, for he loved us, and brought a great salvation. ...refrain

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
in the beauty of holiness, in the beauty of holiness.
Glory to the Spirit, the holy revealer!
Sing praises to the Spirit, to the Father, and the Savior. ...refrain

[text and music by Robert Lowry, 1873]

Confession Time
Jealousy is, indeed, a powerful emotion. We may experience it like an ocean wave which pounds the shore. It can push backward even the most grounded person. It can knock us over, such that we are tempted to sin against someone, to desire them harm. Jealousy, however, can tear us apart on the inside, even if we do not act on it, like the brothers of Joseph did.
Spend a few moments of quiet thinking about when you felt this wave of jealousy wash over you. Perhaps it is very near to you right now. If so, pray for God to help you let it go. Then, when the song begins, stand tall (physically, if you are able - spiritually, if you are not) and sing of God's wonderful grace, which is "deeper than the mighty rolling sea."

Every Voice by Robert Johnson and Jim Robinson

Sometimes it feels as if I'm fighting all alone
A silent whisper in the storm
A soldier praying that his letter reaches home
Amid the shouting and explosions
On a planet gone half mad
I know someone is listening
Someone understands

                                             CHORUS
                   Every voice, every heart lifting up his holy name
                   When we rejoice we're a part of the healing song of grace
                   All who suffer, let your faith be strong - You're not alone
                   Above the din of worldly noise He hears every voice

I catch a glimpse of heaven
Through the ashes and the smoke
I know the Father waits for me
He longs to listen to the song within my soul
Even as the great deceiver
Tries to tell me all is lost
We will raise a mighty chorus
And the enemy shall fall                      ...CHORUS

Every voice, every heart
Every voice, every heart                      ...CHORUS

Every voice, every heart, He hears every voice
Every voice, every heart, He hears every voice

Heart with loving heart united, met to know God's holy will.
Let his love in us ignited more and more our spirits fill.
He the head, we are his members, we reflect the light he is.
He the master, we disciples, he is ours and we are his.

May we all so love each other and all selfish claims deny,
so that each one for the other will not hesitate to die.
Even so our Lord has loved us, for our lives he gave his life.
Still he grieves and still he suffers, for our selfishness and strife.

Since, O Lord, you have demanded that our lives your love should show,
so we wait to be commanded forth into your world to go.
Kindle in us love's compassion so that ev'ryone may see
in our fellowship the promise of a new humanity.

When we give, we receive

Leader: Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you."

Left side: When we give encouragement,
Right Side: we receive the joy of empowering someone.

Left side: When we give gifts of service,
Right Side: we receive the satisfaction of cooperation.

Left side: When we give thanks,
Right Side: we receive good will.

Left side: When we give time and energy to develop talents,
Right Side: we receive the fulfillment of using them.

Left side: When we give the gift of listening,
Right Side: we receive a connection with people.

Left side: When we give smiles,
Right Side: we receive cheer.

Left side: When we give money for Christ's mission,
Right Side: we receive delight in helping those in need.

Left side: When we give acts of kindness,
Right Side: we receive the gift of empathy.

All:              "A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over,
                        will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the
                        measure you get back."

                                                  -Jean Lersch
                                                    St. Petersburg Church of the Brethren
                                                    St. Petersburg, Florida