Worship - September 9, 2007

O Lord, you have searched me
      and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
      you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
      you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
      you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in - behind and before;
      you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
      too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
      Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
      if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
      if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
      your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
      and the light become night around me,"
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
      for the night will shine like the day,
      for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
      you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
      your works are wonderful,
      I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
      when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
      your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
      before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
      they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
      I am still with you.

Hymnal #823
New International Version

Opening Prayer

God of all generations, as the author of the psalm acknowledged your creative presence in such an intimate and personal way, so we affirm your presence with us in an even more wonderful and personal way - in the relationship established through Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. We praise and thank you, O God, for reaching out to us and touching our lives in this way. We turn towards you in gratitude seeking to love as we have been loved and pray that this time of worship will be a worthy offering of praise and thanksgiving for the way you lay your guiding hand on our lives. In Jesus� name, we pray. Amen

by Moira B Laidlaw
Liturgies Online

Annual Conference Moment

Our Annual Conference delegate, Kay Kearns, will share briefly about the event, and point the congregation to the bulletin insert which holds more information. Knee surgery the week after this June 30 - July 4 conference prevented her from reporting back earlier.

Pastoral Prayer

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

Words of Purpose and Unison Commitment for Teachers

It is our purpose
         to respond to the call of Christ in our lives, to teach and convey
                  the message of Jesus,
         to keep before us the needs of those we serve, to cultivate
                  patience and understanding,
         to strive for the ability to do our job well,
         to remember that we all are learners at the feet of our Lord,
         to dedicate our lives to His service.

         I will deepen my understanding of God�s will for me and my world through regular study of the Bible, especially the gospels, and by daily prayer to God for forgiveness and guidance.
         I will be regular in worship and study, service and stewardship in a congregation of other Christians, an active member of Christ�s earthly body, the Church.
         I will let both my life and my words demonstrate my belief that Jesus� person, life, and words are the pattern for God�s kingdom on earth.

from Pastor�s Manual - Church of the Brethren,
�1978, The Brethren Press, Elgin, IL, pp. 102-103

A conversation with God

ME:       Lord, I tried to teach some kids about the cost of discipleship.
             You said we should count the cost before we decide to follow
             you. I told them your story of the man who decided to build
             a tower and had to stop because he ran out of money.

LORD: Yes. I remember - that seemed like a good illustration.

ME: But the kids had questions: What kind of tower? How big
was it? What was it for?

LORD: What did they think it was for?

ME:       Maybe a water tower, a cell phone tower, or an airport tower.
             One even suggested one of those new wind energy towers.
             But I said it didn�t matter what it was for, because the man
             never finished it.

LORD: So you were trying to get back to the point-counting the
cost of discipleship.

ME:       Right. It worked-to a point. They wanted to know why the
             man didn�t finish it. But when I said he ran out of money,
             they asked, "Why didn�t he just put it on his MasterCard?"

LORD: Hmmm. So then you said: "Stones, $200; mortar, $100;
labor, $300; and for everything money can�t buy, there�s
the Master."

ME:       Why didn�t I think of that? For inspiration, forgiveness, and
             unconditional love, there�s the Master.
                                   Discipleship: priceless!

- Linda Logan, Bridgewater, Virginia
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

As Jesus traveled with the crowds, he spoke to them about the steep cost of discipleship. Rather than offering words of assurance, Jesus challenged his followers to consider the price that might be asked. As we follow in the way of Jesus, are we willing to give up the things of this world in order to follow? Are we willing to turn from family if necessary, carry the cross as Jesus, or do away with possessions that stand between us and truly becoming a disciple of Christ?
Brothers and sisters, consider the cost of following Jesus. May we build a foundation not rooted in the wealth of this world; but in obedience to the one who taught us the way of true discipleship.

Kelly Meyerhoeffer
Bethany Theological Seminary, M.Div. �07
Pastor, Happy Corner Church of the Brethren, Ohio

Benediction