Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
April 2, 2006
Worship 10:00 am, Sunday School 11:10 am

The fifth Sunday of Lent

  Morning Praise (9:45 am)
  Announcements
  Prelude

*Call to Worship and Invocation Prayer                                 (back of bulletin)

*Hymn                        "I know not why God’s wondrous"                        338

  Scripture                               Philippians 4:10-20

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

  Prayer Hymn                 "Lord, listen to your children"                             353

  Pastoral Prayer

  Scripture                                  Luke 12:15-21

  Drama           "The Seven Deadly Sins, part 5: Greed"

  Hymn                   (vs 1&2) "Where cross the crowded ways"                    405
                                (Pre-schoolers leave for Bell Ringers & Sunday School)

  Scripture                          2 Corinthians 8:1-9, 9:6-8

  Message                     "The hilarity of generosity"

  Responding with Offerings and Health Kits

         (as we sing the following hymns, you are invited to process to the back of the sanctuary, placing your tithe or other offering in the baskets, and assemble a Health Kit, then return to your seat)

hymns (words on insert) sung as needed:
"Lord, thou dost love"      387
"Great is thy faithfulness"   327
"Renew your church"        363

*Unison Prayer                                                                                        751

*Benediction

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

One: Our wilderness journey nears an end!
All:   We all shall know Christ!

One: Celebration is at hand!
All:   We all shall know Christ!

One: The prophet foretold it!
All:   We all shall know Christ!

One: Jesus commissioned us to it!
All:   We all shall know Christ!

Invocation Prayer
(in unison)

         Lord, it is our joy, our heart's desire, our passion, our pleading — that all shall know Christ! The wideness of your love is awesome, your grace is amazing, your forgiveness of our sin is incomprehensible! In this hour and in this place, draw near, Lord, as we celebrate our joy in knowing and worshiping you! Amen.

by Larry M. Dentler, pastor
Bermudian Church of the Brethren, East Berlin, PA
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"
  

Pastoral Prayer

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

Responding with Offerings and Health Kits

         Jesus once said, "Give, and it will be given to you. 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." (Luke 6:38)

         Or as those words are paraphrased in The Message: "Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

         Generosity begets, it gives birth to, generosity. As the book of James says, "Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above," that is - it begins with God (James 1:17).

         You are invited this morning to "give birth" to some generosity, by literally putting your hands to work in assembling a health kit which someone, somewhere in this world will receive someday to meet some pretty basic daily needs.

         Let’s do this as an act of worship, singing hymns of faith as we work. The ushers will guide us, moving from the front to the back in the center aisle. When they come to your pew, please exit to the middle and recess to the back of the sanctuary. As you do, place your tithe or offering in the plates the ushers will be holding. In the back, move to one of two tables and watch for what you are supposed to do. Once you’ve assembled your health kit, return to your seat by way of the outside aisles.

         Through it all, keep your mind focused upon worship. The words to the hymns we’ll sing are on an insert in your bulletin, so you don’t need to carry your hymnal. When you aren’t actually putting together a health kit, sing out - these are familiar tunes. Hum along when you aren’t able to look at the words. If in doubt, just follow the leaders.

         Now, on your bulletin insert, let’s sing about how God loves a cheerful giver.

hymns (words on insert) sung as needed:
"Lord, thou dost love"      387
"Great is thy faithfulness"   327
"Renew your church"        363
   

Unison Prayer

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