Worship - November 7, 2004

This service was planned by the Junior High Youth group of our church.

Call to Worship

One: As Jesus grew, he matured both in body and spirit.

All: As he grew older he increased in God’s favor.

One: Jesus aligned his spirit and actions with his father’s direction.

All: He healed the sick, loved those who were unlovable, and taught a new and different way to follow God.

One: He was loved by the least of these, but rejected by those who choose religious tradition.

All: He threatened, spoke out, and often surprised – but he always resisted the way of violence.

One: He choose the cross and accepted the fear man had for him.

All: He went to the cross and exposed humans to the reality of what we would do in order to protect power.

One: He rose from the grave and called on his disciples to carry out his message.

All: As disciples may we grow and walk in the way of Jesus. May we mature both in body and spirit seeking to continue living peacefully, simply, and together. AMEN

Kelly Meyerhoeffer
Stauton, VA

Opening Prayer

Lord of love – we come as your people seeking to follow in your way. As we gather for worship we reach out for your Spirit that it might come guide us in discerning your call. Lord we seek to walk closer in your footsteps, to love the unloved, and help heal those who are hungry and hurting. In this time of worship may we grow into the blessing that you first demonstrated to us and may we move forward as your people – people living peacefully, simply, together – blessing those as you blessed us. AMEN

Kelly Meyerhoeffer
Stauton, VA

Pastoral Prayer

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

Scripture Jam
(Luke 2:41-52)

Reader 1: Luke 2:41-52

Reader 2: Now every year his parents

Reader 3: Whose parents?

Reader 4: Jesus’ parents

Reader 3: Right, Jesus

Reader 2: Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem

Reader 5: For the festival of the Passover

Reader 1: Cool. I love festivals!

Reader 3: Party time!

Reader 4: Rides, games, and cotton candy!

Reader 2: No, not that kind of festival

Reader 5: This is much more serious business

Reader 1: A time to remember the Jews deliverance from Egypt

Reader 2: And when he was 12 years old

Reader 3: Hey, that’s about my age!

Reader 4: He was probably in seventh grade

Reader 2: When he was 12 years old they went up as usual for the festival

Reader 5: Same old festival

Reader 2: When the festival was ended and they started to return

Reader 3: Party’s over!

Reader 2: The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem

Reader 5: But his parents did not know it

Readers 1, 2, 4: (make ominous music sound: "dum dum dum dum ….. dum dum dum dum)

Reader 3: What do you mean, he stayed behind?

Reader 1: A 12 year old in a city?

Reader 4: Sounds like a movie! Home Alone 3: Lost in Jerusalem

Reader 5: My parents would freak!

Reader 3: How could they not know?

Reader 2: Assuming that Jesus was in the group of travelers

Reader 1: Lost in the crowd

Reader 3: Hanging with his friends

Reader 2: They went a day’s journey

Reader 4: Traveling on foot and donkey takes awhile

Reader 2: Then, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends

Reader 5: Must have been quite a crowd!

Reader 2: When they did not find Jesus

Reader 3: Did they put his face on milk cartons?

Reader 4: Did they hang his picture at the post office?

Reader 1: Did they call the local police?

Readers 2 and 5: (Buzzer sound) Wrong!

Reader 2: When they did not find him

Reader 5: They returned to Jerusalem to search for him

Reader 3: Another day’s journey back

Reader 2: After three days they found Jesus in the temple

Reader 4: His parents must have been furious!

Reader 3: I wonder if they grounded him …

Reader 1: Why was he in the temple?

Reader 2: They found Jesus in the temple

Reader 5: Sitting among the teachers

Reader 2: Listening to them

Reader 5: And asking them questions

Reader 3: But he was only 12!

Reader 4: Just a boy … questioning the teachers.

Reader 5: He was only 12.

Readers 1, 2, 3, 4: Wow!

Reader 2: And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers

Reader 5: Of course, Jesus was smart.

Reader 3: Probably made the honor roll

Reader 2: When his parents saw him they were

Reader 1: Astonished

Reader 3: Amazed

Reader 4: Relieved

Reader 5: Angry

Reader 1: Happy

Readers 3, 4, 5: All at the same time

Reader 2: And his mother said to him,

Reader 5: "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been

searching for you in great anxiety."

Reader 1: They were scared.

Reader 3: Do you hug him or ground him?

Reader 4: They were relieved.

Reader 3: Would he try this again?

Reader 2: But then he said

Reader 5: "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?"

Readers 1, 2, 4: Huh?

Reader 3: Come again?

Reader 5: The house of God.

Readers 1, 2, 3, 4: Of course!

Reader 2: But they did not understand what he said to them.

Reader 3: Clueless.

Reader 5: One day they’ll get it.

Reader 2: Then he went down with them to Nazareth,

Reader 1: And was obedient to them.

Reader 2: His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Readers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5: And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Responding with our Tithes and Offerings

Generous God,
    you gave us life;
    now we give our lives back to you.
We present ourselves:
    our work and play,
    our joys and sorrows,
    our thoughts and deeds,
    our gifts and resources,
    to be used by you
      for the sake of all people everywhere,
      through Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN

Hymnal #751, from First University United Methodist Church,
Minneapolis, Min.. adapted from Ventures in Worship, Vol. 1,
ed. David J. Randolph, copyright © 1969 Abingdon Press.

Benediction

Go now and know that Christ walks with you as you carry the gospel into the world. May our minds reflect the thinking of Christ, may our hands touch others with the compassion of Christ, and may our tongues confess the blessings that God has shown us. Go now and carry forth the body of Christ. Peace be with you. AMEN

Kelly Meyerhoeffer
Stauton, VA