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Worship Order for
Sunday
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Call to
Worship
Leader: Grace
unto you and peace from God
who was and who is
and who is to come,
People: and
from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the first born of the dead,
ruler above all rulers of the earth.
Leader: In love Jesus Christ suffered
death to free us from our sins,
People: making
all who confess Christ as nation of priests
set aside for God's service.
All: To
Jesus Christ be glory and power forever and ever!
Hymnal
#659, Revelation 1:4-6, adapted
from RSV
by Ruth C. Duck, Bread for the Journey, ed. Ruth C. Duck,
©1981, The Pilgrim Press
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Opening
Prayer
Awaken us to your glory, O Lord. Lift our eyes from the details of
this moment, and the labor of our daily existence, that we might
catch a glimpse of your bigger picture. Help us to hear your
resurrection promise in Christ, and thus rise to new life even now -
today! With the aroma of your love, make us hungry for a taste of
your kingdom. Touch us with your Holy Spirit, convicting us of our
sin but also empowering us to move beyond it. Yours is, indeed, the
power and the glory, and we praise your name for the "great
things" you have done, as well as for who you are. Thank you,
Jesus. Amen.
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"Go
and make disciples" ...
commissioning those who teach!
Every person
who will be (or even anticipates at some point being) involved in
our Sunday School program in the coming months, is invited to get
up out of their seat at this point and come forward - that we
might "act out" Matthew
28:16-20 in a low key way. Using the text as a guide, we'll
remember the story and realize our role in "going" (not
just sitting in class, then leaving the lessons behind once we
exit church, but allowing them to enter our everyday world) and
"making disciples" ... "baptizing" ...
"teaching." This is our great commission, of which
Sunday School is a part. Our teachers will be invited to stand in
front of everyone to hear all this, especially the important
reminder that Jesus is with us always. But all need to hear and be
commissioned, as well. We'll end with a prayer, and sing about
"Jesus' school of
learning" (#489) as folks return to their seats, and
preschoolers head off to their special worship time.
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Pastoral Prayer
written closer to the time (if not at the
moment)
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Returning
our Tithes and Offerings
Read Proverbs
10:11-13
As
you respond to God's goodness with your offering this morning, turn
to the back of your bulletin and be refreshed by what is there.
These reflections are like "a word fitly spoken."
Allow it to guide your giving into an act of worship. The prayer is
very appropriate. Feel free to pray it on your own. Now, would the
ushers please come forward to serve?
(back of bulletin:)
REFRESH MY HEART IN CHRIST
When I am feeling dry and depleted, I am tempted to dwell on those
things that rob me of time, energy, and enthusiasm. I have learned
that it s much more productive to ask myself the following question:
If money, time, and people s opinions were of no consequence, what
would I do and be?
Vacations relax me, people impress me, nature inspires me, but in
order for my heart to be refreshed in Christ, I need to
reconnect with the source of power and passion in my life. Only in
Christ do I find purpose that awakens and changes me. Like Paul in
his letter
to Philemon, I receive joy and encouragement when I perceive the
good I can do for Christ; I become partnered with God for that which
God has uniquely equipped me to do. The more I seek God s direction
for my life, the more I learn about myself and I am able to serve
others with a sense of fulfillment.
PRAYER
Loving and Gracious God,
Thank you for blessing me with gifts that serve your kingdom;
I offer you my heart to be refreshed for the work of Christ.
Grant me courage to step into the streams of living water and
to explore the mystery of what you have created me to do and be.
Amen.
by Rosanna Eller McFadden, Goshen,
Indiana
Elkhart City Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren Living Word
Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word
Series"
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The Letter to Sardis
Revelation 3:1-6 (NRSV)
{1} "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him
who has the seven spirits of God
and the seven stars:
"I know your works;
you have a name of being alive,
but you are dead.
{2}
Wake up, and strengthen what remains
and is on the point of death,
for I have not found your works perfect
in the sight of my God.
{3}
Remember then what you received
and heard;
obey it,
and repent.
If you do not wake up,
I will come like a thief,
and you will not know at what hour
I will come to you.
{4}
Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis
who have not soiled their clothes;
they will walk with me,
dressed in white,
for they are worthy.
{5} If you conquer,
you will be clothed like them in white robes,
and I will not blot your name
out of the book of life;
I will confess your name
before my Father and
before his angels.
{6} Let anyone who has an ear listen
to what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
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Benediction
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