Worship - May 28, 2006

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
May 28, 2006
Worship 10:00 am, Sunday School 11:10 am

Health Promotion Sunday

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

Morning Praise (9:45 am)
Announcements
Prelude

Call to Worship Ephesians 3:16-21 (Paul’s prayer)

*Hymn "Praise him, praise him!" 100

*Opening Prayer

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory

Hymn "We give thee but thine own" 384
(stand on final verse)

*Prayer

Scripture Matthew 11:28-30

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

Prayer Song "Take, O take me as I am" (insert)
(sound clip)

Pastoral Prayer

Scripture Romans 8:22-27

With the Children "Groaning"

Prayer Song              (reprise) "Take, O take me as I am"                    (insert)
                                                                       (sound clip)
                                              (Pre-schoolers leave for Sunday School)

Responsive Scripture Reading 849

Message "On my Grandma's front porch"

*Hymn "When peace, like a river" 336

*Responsive Closing Prayer

*Benediction

*Postlude

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Gathering Prayer

         Holy Spirit, we are gathered, such as we are. We assembled that we might be of service to you, though we have different skills, different understandings, and different emotions to place at your disposal.
         We see you at work among us. We have sensed that you see in us what we cannot always see, that you have patience with our oddities, and that you hold out hope when we are inclined to give up on each other.
         Help us be a people living your kingdom way. Use our time of worship today to hold us to lives of greater integrity of love in how we treat each other.

- Anonymous
2006 Health Promotion Sunday Resources

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

As you return your Tithes and Offerings to the Lord just now, remember this promise:

"But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:1-2)

Ushers?

Prayer

O Holy God,
      open unto me
            light for my darkness,
            courage for my fear,
            hope for my despair.
O loving God,
      open unto me
            wisdom for my confusion,
            forgiveness for my sins,
            love for my hate.
O God of peace,
      open unto me
            peace for my turmoil,
            joy for my sorrow,
            strength for my weakness.
O generous God,
      open my heart
            to receive all your gifts.

- Howard Thurman

Pastoral Prayer

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

With the Children
"Groaning"

Scripture: Romans 8:22-27

Focus: Prayer is so much more than asking God for things. At the same time, sometimes we don’t even know what we need to ask for. The Bible suggests that we have an Intercessor who prays for us with sighs or groans too deep for words.

Experience: To experiment with using several sounds as a prayer, and to examine groaning as a fine way to pray at times.

Arrangements: None are needed.

LEADER: Howdy! How’s everyone doing?

CHILDREN: Fine!

L: Well, good. Listen, I’ve been a little confused lately, and I need your help. Is this a good way to pray? (Whistle or hum a few notes. Have children imitate you.)

C: No!

L: How about this - is this a good way to pray? (Make honking sound; have children imitate.)

C: NO!

L: Well, what about this? (Make any other silly sound you can think of; have children imitate.)

C: N0000!

L: All right, last one: What about this? (Groan; have children imitate.)

C: No.

L: Well, actually, that can be a good way to pray. The Bible tells us that a groan is a prayer God recognizes! Listen to what it says in the book of Psalms: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?" (Psalm 22:1). Hmmm! And long before those words were written, there was a lot of groaning going on in Egypt. Anybody know that story? Yes, the children of Israel were slaves of Pharaoh, and they were hurting so bad that they groaned, and God heard their groan and sent Moses. (Exodus 2:23-25) In the scripture that Gail just read, it talks about us groaning, and how God hears us when we groan! The Holy Spirit, it says, connects us up with God through those "sighs" or "groans" which, it says, "are too deep for words. Sometimes, when we hurt, we don’t know how to pray, but that’s okay, because God does! Let s try groaning together again.

C: (Groan.)

L: That was really good. What kind of prayer is that? Is it a prayer that says, "Thanks, God, everything is great with me"?

C: No!

L: Might it be a prayer that says, "Oh, God, I’m sad and I need help"?

C: Yes!

I.: Well, let’s have a prayer to give thanks that God understands even our sad and groaning prayers. When I’m finished giving thanks, we’ll all say a groan prayer together. Think of something that makes you sad, that you might want to groan about to God. Then, when you make your groaning prayer, you can silently also tell God what is making you sad and ask for God’s help. (Prayer of thanks, then groaning prayer.)

adapted from Welcoming the Children, by Brad D. Baker, pp. 39-40.

Responsive Scripture Reading

Romans 8:28-39

For we know that in all things God works toward a good end with those who love God, who are called according to God's design.

For God has always known his own and has established that they are to be conformed to the image of God's Son, so that Christ is but the first-born child among a whole multitude of sisters and brothers.

For those whom God has thus established, God has also called; and those whom God has called, have indeed been fully accepted; and those whom God has accepted, God has also clothed in splendor.

What then shall we say about these things? If God be for us, who can stand against us?

For indeed, God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. How will he not with Christ lavish upon us every other good gift?

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has called? God has accepted. Who, then, can condemn?

It is Christ Jesus, who died, rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are considered sheep to be slaughtered."

But in all these things through the love of Christ we have surpassed the need to conquer.

For I am confident that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Responsive Closing Prayer

One: Our eyes are not God’s eyes.
All: Lord, give us your vision.
One: Our mind is not God’s mind.
All: Lord, give us your wisdom.
One: Our heart is not God’s heart.
All: Lord, give us your compassion.
One: May we see a way where there was no way.
All: May we have light where there was darkness.
One: May we offer grace instead of judgment.
All: Amen.

by Jeanne Davies, associate pastor
Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Ill
2006 Health Promotion Sunday Resources

Benediction

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)