Worship - August 30, 2009

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
August 30, 2009
Worship 10:00 am

Jesus told them, “I want to make it clear to you that unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the son of man, you’ll have no inner life…” Well, upon hearing all this a good number of his students said, “This lesson is mighty hard to swallow. Who can take it?”
(John 6:56 & 60, Cottonpatch version)

Morning Praise (9:45 am) "Kingdom Dance" (insert)
Announcements
Prelude "Heart of Worship" Redman

Invitation "Come to the water" 495

Words of Eternal Life (back of bulletin)

*Song of Praise "Blessed be your name" (insert)

*Opening Prayer

Scripture Ephesians 6:10-20

For Children "What shall I wear?"

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

Pastoral Prayer

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory "Indescribable" Tomlin
(Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

Scripture John 6:56-69

Song "Breathe" (insert)

Message "Hard Word" (mp3)

*Song "Trading my sorrows" (insert)

*Benediction

*Postlude "Shine, Jesus, Shine" Kendrick

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Words of Eternal Life

Leader: Amidst summer vacations and guest preachers, and given the human suffering of too little and the hopeless wondering of too much, these "hard sayings" from John's Gospel beg for a larger vision of eternal life.

People: So let us make our affirmations and confessions.

Leader: The church is called to be a sign that points to God, who came to us in the flesh.

People: We seek the inner meaning found in the words of Jesus. Let the Spirit nurture us with the Word, so that we take on your nature.

Leader: The church is called to be a foretaste that has eaten of the life-giving Word.

People: We long for any experience of your "grace-filled" meal when we take you into our hearts.

Leader: The church is called to be an instrument in God's hand, used for God's mission.

People: It is not human preference that makes your mission real, but the servant purpose for which your work is done in us, and through us.

Leader: "You have the words of eternal life"

People: We confess we would never seek you, were it not that we have already been found by you.

You have provided the goal-life eternal;
Your Spirit has awakened our desire;

You have called us for your purpose.
With glad hearts and generous hands, let us fulfill our calling to be a sign, a foretaste, your instrument.

All: Thanks be to God!

by Glenn Timmons
Trotwood Church of the Brethren, Trotwood, Ohio
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085, "The Living Word Series"

Opening Prayer

More awesome than lofty mountains or rolling ocean, are you, holy Friend.
More cheering than the sunshine through winter windows,
fairer than springtime and more fruitful than mellow autumn,
more abundant in mercy than the number of stars in the Milky Way,
and as expensively loving as Christ crucified,
are you, God of all space, time and eternity!

Lovelier than the faces of those whom we most cherish,
more mysterious than the beginning of space and time,
more irrepressible than even Christ on Easter morning,
are you God, God of grace, mercy, peace and joy.

There is nothing like you in the heavens above or on earth below!
You always keep faith with your stumbling people
and pour grace upon those who trust and serve you!

Glory and honor, blessing and thanksgiving, shall be yours forever!
Amen!

by Bruce Prewer, Uniting Church in Australia

For Children
"What shall I wear?"

Be melodramatic. A person stands all alone looking a bit miserable. One at a time, six people come out of the congregation and hit him/her with a balloon while saying the words below. They then stand back smirking; looking tough and unbeatable.
The person who is hit flinches back each time and, each time, asks the kids to help find a piece of armor that will help him/her. When the kids find the matching piece of armor with the suitable message, he/she puts on the piece of armor, unpins the message and pricks the tough person’s balloon. The tough person shrieks,

“Arrrggghhh, Curses! Foiled again!”

and runs back to their seat. As the miserable person gains more and more armor and foils more and more tough balloon wielding meanies, he/she becomes increasingly more confident and relaxed and happy.
Nasty balloon wielding meanies enter and are foiled as follows:

Nasty balloon: "Nobody in this group likes you.
Go and play with someone else!"
Piece of Armor: Belt (with a heart on it)
Armor message: "God loves me!!"

Nasty balloon: "Come on, it's our ball,
Don't let those kids play with us.
They’re too little.”
Piece of Armor: breastplate/shirt
Armor message: No, I want to play with them.

Nasty balloon: "How dumb! Do you really go to church?"
Piece of Armor: Shoes
Armor message: "I love to come to church.
All my friends are here"

Nasty balloon: "Ha ha ha, I got you into trouble."
Piece of Armor: Shield (umbrella)
Armor message: "God forgives me."

Nasty balloon: "You can't have any,
you don't deserve it!"
Piece of Armor: helmet (hat)
Armor message: "God gives me lots of great gifts."

Nasty balloon: "You’ll never be good enough
to join our group.”
Piece of Armor: sword-Bible
Armor message: "This is my story, this is my song…"

slightly adapted from "Mustard Seeds"
written by Rosemary Broadstock and Ann Scull (thanks!!!!).

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

As you return you offering just now, allow these words to echo within. They are the chorus to the song (__our pianist__) will play as our offertory. Listen.

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God.
All powerful, untameable,
awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim,
You are amazing God

Ushers?

Benediction