Worship Order for Sunday

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
August 17, 2003
Worship 10:00 am Sunday School for all ages 11:15 am

      "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled."     (Luke 12:49)

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude

*Call to Worship    (vs. 2 only) "Holy Spirit, come with power"                       26

*Opening Prayer

*Hymn                               "We praise thee, O God"                                    99

  For Children                       "Learning to love"                      (Luke 9:51-58)
                 (Pre-school thru 2nd grade children then leave for Sunday School)

  Scripture                                Romans 12:14-21

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory

  Scripture                                  Psalm 46:1-11

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

  Hymn                         "God, whose purpose is to kindle"                           135

  Pastoral Prayer

  Scripture                                  Luke 12:49-53

  Message                            "Playing with fire"

*Hymn                                  "Move in Our Midst"                                      418

*Benediction


#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Opening Prayer

Come, Lord,
         work upon us,
         set us on fire and clasp us close;
         be fragrant to us,
         draw us to your loveliness;
         let us love,
         let us run to you. AMEN

Hymnal #675
St. Augustine of Hippo, North Africa, ca. 400
   

For Children
"Learning to love"

Purpose: To let the children see how Jesus’ disciples had to grow and learn by sharing the story of the disciples wanting to call down fire on an inhospitable Samaritan town.
Scripture:
Luke 9:51-58.
Materials:
None.
Hints for telling the story:
  In this story, Jesus’ friends are like dumb, lovable clowns. Their repetition should be the kind of thing that endears them to the children. Make it fun, not Irritating. Let these friends be attractive, not distant.

         One time Jesus and his friends were on the way to Jerusalem. As the sun was falling low and night was coming on, Jesus sent some of his friends into the village ahead of them to find them a place to stay the night. They hurried on ahead while Jesus and the other friends took their time.

         When Jesus and the others were almost to the village, the friends who had gone ahead met them coming back from the town. And they were mad! "Those miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable creeps!" one of them said.

         "Those dirty, miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable creeps!" added another.

         "Those low-down, dirty, miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable creeps!" said a third.

         "What’s the matter?" Jesus asked.

         "Those miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable creeps won t let us stay there!" the first one replied.

         "Those dirty, miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable...."

         "Wait a minute!" Jesus interrupted, "Why won t they?"

         "They said they don’t like people who would go to Jerusalem," said one.

         "And I said I don’t like people who don’t like people who would go to Jerusalem," said the second.

         "And I said I don’t like people who don’t like people who don’t like people who would—I mean, um, I don’t like them either. Those low-down, dirty, miserable...."

         "Hey, Jesus," another friend Interrupted, "Why don t we go burn their fields?"

         "No, let s burn their city," said another one.

         "No, let’s ask God to send down fire from heaven and burn up everything in their whole dirty, low-down, miserable, inhospitable, unfriendly..."

         "Hold it!" Jesus said. "When are you going to learn that we are supposed to love people? Even people who are not what we’d like them to be. Even people who don’t do what we like."

         "Even dirty, miserable, no-good..."

         "Everybody," said Jesus, "even our enemies."

         That night as Jesus and his friends were sitting around the campfire on the hard ground, still on their way to Jerusalem, one of Jesus’ friends said, "Jesus, I’d follow you anywhere!"

         And Jesus told them that foxes had holes and birds had nests but that he had nowhere to lay his head. And one of his friends said, "And it’s all because of those miserable, no-good, unfriendly, inhospitable creeps?"

         "Haven’t you learned yet?" Jesus sighed. "I love them, too."

         And Jesus’ friends just stared at the fire. They had a lot to learn.

***************

Prayer: God, thank you for loving us even when we are not nice to each other. Thank you for helping us learn and grow, no matter how old we are. Amen.

by Jim Benton
from Moments with Children in Worship through the Church year,
pp.94-95
    

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Pray with me.

         Lord, when others give us a hard time, it is not our first impulse to turn the other cheek, to pay them back with good things rather than bad. We need your Spirit within us to overcome evil with good. On our own, we don’t do such a good job.
         The same is true of our finances, God. There are many other things I’d rather do with this money. However, you work wonders when we allow ourselves to move with your Spirit. We discover that - in you - there is always plenty. With these offerings, O Lord, as well as with our everyday lives, help us to overcome evil with good. May someone receive some needed "fire" that they might burn for you.
         In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
    

Pastoral Prayer

 

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

 

   

Benediction

As that old camp song sings:
             "It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
                      and soon all those around can warm up to its glowing..."
         Wherever you go this week,
                  may God ignite you with the Word and the Spirit
                           to be such a spark.
                                    Amen.

 

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

International Lesson thoughts
from the
Mennonite Publishing House

International Lesson
Commentary by
Richard Hughes
(posted on Saturday)

International Lesson
Commentary by
Edwin Elliott

 

©2003 Peter L. Haynes
(unless otherwise stated, worship resources were written by him)

 

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