Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
Psalm 67

1 - If we want to worship the Living God, we need to be "on our toes," prepared to move.

2 - Our first song is really a medly of hymns.

1 - So be prepared to shift quickly from one to the next.

2 - We’ll sing the first and last verses of the first two hymns, and both verses of the third.

1 - Again, be "on your toes,"

2 - ready,

1 - willing,

2 - able

1 - to praise the Lord.

2 - But first, let’s open our minds and hearts in prayer.

1 - May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,

2 - that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.

1 - May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

2 - Amen.

1 - Please stand, ready to sing for joy our medly of praise, moving quickly from one hymn to the next,

2 - starting with #98, "Sing to the Lord of harvest."

Children’s Story
"Fred’s Winter Coat "
Matthew 25:1-13

object: a heavy winter coat

         Let me tell you a story about a boy named Fred. Have you ever known somebody who did just enough to get by, but no more? That was Fred. In school, when a teacher assigned homework with some bonus questions for extra credit, Fred never wanted to do any more than he had to. If his parents ever asked him to do a chore around the house, he did the minimum amount of work to get it done, and would not even think of doing anything extra to help out. If his room needed cleaning, he waited until his parents told him to do it. And even then, he wouldn’t start until they’d nagged him several times, threatening to take away some privilege. What’s more, he would just stuff the mess out of sight. Do you think he’d actually put anything away where it belonged? Not Fred! Are you getting a picture of Fred in your head? Maybe you know somebody like him. Maybe you are a bit like Fred yourself. No, I’m sure none of you would be like that!
         Anyway, it was about this time of year, maybe a little earlier in the Fall, when he was invited to go on a hay ride with other children from his church. He was really excited about this cause he liked hayrides. Have any of you ever been on a hayride? This one was going to happen at night. As he was getting ready to go that afternoon, his mother told him, "Fred, it could get cold tonight. I want you to take your winter jacket just in case."
         "Aw, Mom," he replied. "It’s not going to be that cold. It’s only Autumn. I don’t want to. It’s so heavy!" But you know how Moms can be. She insisted, and he ending up taking it. As he was riding in the car with the other children, though, that coat just seemed so big and bulky and unnecessary. He decided that, as she wasn’t along, what his Mom didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. So, when they arrived at the farm, he conveniently left his winter coat in the car.
         The hay ride didn’t happen at first. There were other fun things to do on the farm where it was to take place. An hour or so later, the sun was starting to go down when they got to where the wagon and tractor were. But it wasn’t quite time for the ride. They had to wait for the farmer to finish milking the cows or something. You know what? The longer they waited, the colder it got. The sun was going down, after all. Fred started to shiver. He looked around and noticed for the first time that the other children had brought their winter coats. He leaned over to his best buddy, Ralph, and asked if he could borrow some of his coat. "Now, how are we going to do that?" Ralph said. (Drape coat over one of the children and wonder with them).
         It got so cold, that Fred decided he’d better run back to the car and get his coat, and so he did. The car was much further away than he thought. All the way there he wished he had brought his coat, just like his mother had asked him to. Finally, he got to the car opened the door, grabbed his coat, and put it on. It was cold at first, but then it started to warm him up. "Ah!" he said, and then he heard the tractor start.
         It sounded like they were leaving without him. He started running and crying at the same time. Why hadn’t he brought his coat? Now he was going to miss the fun. They were just going to leave without him. All because he hadn’t thought ahead enough to bring his coat. Sometimes when you do just enough to get by, you miss out on special stuff. He stopped running, and just walking, the tears pouring down his cheeks.
         Then he round the corner of the barn, and there was the tractor and the wagon, and everybody yelling, "Come on, Fred, we’ve been waiting." He rubbed his eyes and ran and jumped on board, and he had a wonderful time. But, you know, he almost didn’t.
         What God has in store for us in heaven is a bit like a hayride, you know. It’s gonna be fun. You won’t want to miss it. Get ready for it now by growing as a disciple of Jesus. Faith is like a winter coat from Jesus. Take it with you, won’t you? - even when you think you don’t need it. Just remember Fred. You know, I wonder what would have happened if he had left his coat at home.

Stewardship Moment

         The first three Sundays of November, as we look forward to Pledge Sunday on November 24, three members will share about stewardship from a personal perspective. Last week's moment share some of the basics of giving - the value of using offering envelopes, tithing, etc. Along the way, she gave testimony to how God proved faithful after a decision was made to move to one income in preparation for the birth of their first child. This week lifts up other ways in which people give financially (i.e. some give on a monthy or every-other-week basis, while others give after tabulating profits on a bi-yearly or yearly basis. Some arrange for their offering to be deducted from their pay and sent to the church. Still others give stocks or return their blessings in other non-cash ways)... The final Sunday's moment will be about the stewardship of other things - like time and talents.

Responding with our Tithes and Offerings

         Listen to what the prophet Amos had to say about "Stewardship."

         In other words, what we give to God in worship needs to be a reflection of what is happening in our lives. Are justice and righteousness part of our daily walk, or are we merely making a show of our faith? Ponder that as you return to the Lord what God has entrusted into your hands. Don’t just think about it, pray it... Will the ushers come forward to serve.