Worship - June 8, 2008

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
June 8, 2008
Worship 10:00 am

"Hoping against hope, he believed…"
(Romans 4:18a)

Morning Praise (9:45 am)
Announcements
Prelude "Fairest Lord Jesus" German folk melody

*Hymn "Come, thou Almighty King" 41
(note on the first hymn)

  Listening                                                         Congregational Discovery Team
            Skit and Invitation to participate
            Quiet Time for writing
            Receiving our offering of words

Sharing a joy, a concern, a word of testimony or praise
(please be brief, and aware of God’s listening presence)

Hymn "O Master, let me walk with thee" 357

Pastoral Prayer

Tercentennial Minute
John Kline Murdered, Guilty Never Brought to Trial

Song "Planting seeds of peace" Haynes
(based upon James 3:13-18)

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory "Dwelling in Beulah Land" Miles
(Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

Scripture Romans 4:13-25

Message "Contrary to all indications" (mp3 audio)

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

*Benediction

*Postlude "Carmina Christo" Haweis

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

A note on the first hymn

As you sing this familiar hymn, be listening for all the names it uses for God. Notice how each of these connect with the three persons of the Trinity. Each empowers worship - the Father helps us to praise, the Incarnate Word attends prayer, and the Comforter bears witness to the worship of the people of God.
On an historical note, this text was first sung to the tune AMERICA, which in England is the melody of "God save the king." It was said that when British soldiers surprised colonial worshipers during a service in the middle of the Revolutionary War and ordered them to sing "God save the king," sing they did. But they substituted these words, and thus worshipped a greater King.

adapted from Hymnal Companion, p. 69

Call to Worship
Songs from the Heart

One: The LORD created us, making us in his own image (Ps. 100:3).
All: We have been rescued from the power of sin and death.

One: How gracious is our God. His goodness endures forever (Ps.147:1).
All: Worthy is the Lamb! (Rev. 5:9).

One: In Christ, God came to earth in human form and lived among us.
All: Our Creator did not leave us to our own devices. Put his statutes to song! (Ps. 119:54).

One: Praise God! The LORD is our song.
All: Give thanks! The LORD is our strength (lsa. 12:2).

One: With every fiber of our being, we give ourselves to God.
All: Make melody with strings and voices (Ps. 33:3). Make a joyful noise to the LORD (Ps. 98:4).

by Roseann Harwood, interim pastor
Dranesville Church of the Brethren Herndon, Virginia
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"

Opening Prayer

No matter what name* we use to call upon you:
                  Almighty King,
                  Father, all glorious,
                  Ancient of Days,
                  Incarnate Word,
                  Spirit of holiness,
                  Holy Comforter,
                  Spirit of power,
                  great One-in-Three,
         come and refresh us with yourself this day.
Lead us beyond the limits of our knowledge
         into the wonder of faith in you.
                  We believe, help thou our unbelief.
                           Forgive our wandering from you.
Keep nudging us toward your promised land, your kingdom.
                  This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

*quotes "Come, thou Almighty King"

Listening
Skit and Invitation to participate
Quiet Time for writing
Receiving our offering of words

With a skit, members of our Congregational Discovery Team will be inviting everyone to spend a few moments writing down responses to the following 3 questions on 4x5" cards:

What do we, as a congregation, do well?
What draws us to this church?
What keeps us here?

When finished, everyone will pass their cards toward the outer aisles of each pew, where CDT members will collect them. These cards will be used after worship as we expand upon this sharing. This is the first of 3 listening sessions. The next, on August 3, will focus upon our growth areas as a congregation. Another in September will be asking questions about our church's vision.

Pastoral Prayer

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

Tercentennial Minute
John Kline Murdered, Guilty Never Brought to Trial

John Kline (1797-1864) of Linville Creek, Virginia, was one of a kind. Although it was not unheard of for Brethren elders to travel back and forth among their scattered flock, sharing news, praying, and preaching in their homes, Kline was exceptional. Over the course of his life he traveled by his record over 100,000 miles, on foot, by train, but most of all on his faithful horse, Nell.

His sermons, as they are recorded, include humor as well as a strong biblical foundation. When asked, he defended the faith with his pen, writing an essay and a short book on the topic of baptism. But Kline was not only a preacher, he was also a farmer, a doctor and a carpenter. He was a much beloved visitor among the Brethren, especially the children, for whom he always kept some candy with him.

Kline's life was not without tragedy. He and his wife, Anna, lost their only child at birth. She suffered from incapacitating mental illness.

Had the Civil War not intervened, Kline would still have been remembered as one of the towering figures among the 19^th century Brethren. But southern Brethren faced many hardships because of their unwavering stance against slavery and violence. They were victims of theft, persecution, and even murder. Early in the war Kline was arrested and imprisoned along with other Brethren and Mennonites for his refusal to take part in the so-called "Glorious Cause."

And as one of the few Brethren on either side of the Mason-Dixon line who refused to honor the boundary between the two sides, he drew particular ire. He was elected Moderator of the Annual Meeting from 1861 to 1864, in part as recognition of the great risk he took in traveling to the northern states.

By 1864 his friends and relatives were pleading with him to stay home because of the rumors of his impending murder. He refused. On May 19, 1864, as he journeyed back from his last Annual Meeting, Kline said, "Possibly you may never see my face or hear my voice again. I am now on my way back to Virginia, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. It may be that bonds and afflictions abide me. But I feel that I have done nothing worthy of bonds or of death; and none of these things move me; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God."

John Kline was ambushed and killed by cowards masquerading as soldiers on June 11, 1864. Although sometimes referred to as Confederate guerillas, those who did not serve in the army had usually found a way to avoid duty in order to swagger about and give orders to the few left at home. It is said that everyone in the Linville Creek area knew exactly who had murdered Kline, but no one was ever brought to trial, making the whole community complicit in the murder.

And that’s the Tercentennial Minute for Sunday, June 8, 2008.

by Frank Ramirez, pastor of the Everett, PA Church of the Brethren
posted by permission
The Everett church graciously makes available these weekly vignettes from Brethren history
to all who are interested during this 300th anniversary year of our denomination.
Frank will be the guest preacher for our Homecoming on October 26, 2008
(this is our congregation's 100th anniversary year)

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

         The chairpersons of both the Nurture and Witness commissions of our Church Board will fill us in on the special offering for this month in general and next week in particular. As next Sunday is Father's Day (where the Nurture Commission fits in), you are invited to give an offering in honor of or in memory of your own father or someone who has been to you like a father. This special offering will be earmarked for Heifer International (a month-long focus each year by the Witness Commission). Not only can you give in someone's name, but you can select an animal - or a portion of an animal - for your gift "which keeps on giving."
         After clearing up any misunderstandings we may have concerning this offering, these commission chairpersons will invite us to return our tithes and offerings today.

Benediction

The liturgy, that is, the “work of the people” is not yet finished this morning. I invite you on this hot day to head back to the cool of our air conditioned fellowship hall. Choose a seat around one of the tables. You’ll receive someone else’s card from our earlier listening session, which you’ll read to the others at your table. This may ignite the sharing of more thoughts concerning what we do well as a congregation, what draws us and keeps us here. If nothing else, enjoy the treats and the “fellowship.” Save your usual connecting with each other till the end.

As you head forth, remember once again
         what God promised to Abraham and Sarah long ago:
                  “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you,
                           and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing,…
                                    and in you all the families of the earth
                                             shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
Hoping against hope,
         sometimes contrary to all indications,
                  we believe that God is still fulfilling this promise.
                           We even dare to believe that in Christ
                                    this promise is still being lived out in us.
                                             Amen? Go!