Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
August 1, 2010
Worship 10:00 am
 

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)           "I stand amazed in the presence"            528
  Announcements
  Prelude                                        "Andante"                                    Beethoven

  Call to Worship

*Hymn                             "I will sing of my Redeemer"      344

*Opening Prayer

  Scripture                                   Psalm 107:4-9

  For Children

  Scripture                                Colossians 3:1-11

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

  Hymn                        "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart"                       (insert)

  Pastoral Prayer

  Scripture                                 Psalm 107:33-43

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory                                   "Supplication"                                   Schreiner
                                        (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Scripture                                 Genesis 32:22-32

  Message                                  "Out of joint" (mp3)

*Hymn                           "When we walk with the Lord"                               544

*Benediction

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship
based upon Psalm 107:1-3

1 – O give thanks to the Lord…

2 – Freely give it.

1 – Don’t hold back, be extravagant with your gratitude.

2 – Let loose and really give thanks to the Lord,

1 – Why?

2 – Because God is good, that’s why!

1 – His steadfast love endures forever.

2 – Like Niagara Falls it keeps pouring over.

1 – God’s love will never end.

2 – Did you hear the “forever” part?

1 – It’s not like there is only so much to go around

2 – leading us to hoard a limited supply.

1 – NO! God’s love is limitless.

2 – There’s more than enough to go around.

1 – It’s not a matter of seeing the glass half empty or half full.

2 – The cup overflows.

1 – His steadfast love endures forever.

2 – Because God is good.  Amen?

1 – Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

2 – Speak up about it.

1 – Don’t just whisper.

2 – Say so!

1 – Yes, say so!

2 – God has redeemed us

1 – When we were in trouble, the Lord has always been there!

2 – and has gathered us in from all over.

1 – East, west, north, south.

2 – O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

1 – for his steadfast love endures forever.

Opening Prayer

Like the spray from a waterfall,
                        your love soaks us, O Lord.
     We do, however, confess our fear of getting wet,
            of truly trusting in your goodness and mercy,
            of risky relying upon your promises,
            of hopefully hungering for what is right and just,
            of imaginatively listening to your Word,
            of willingly wrestling with your call to faith.
Even as we fail to live out
            what you have created us to do,
     and who you have made us to be,
                 at times running in the opposite direction,
            you reach out and lift us up and turn us around.
                        Your love is that steadfast!
            Like the father of that prodigal son,
                        your eyes never leave us.
                        Your outstretched arms have welcomed us here this morning.

Thank you for the One whose dance upon the cross
            has placed this song of wondrous love in our hearts.
                        We cannot help but sing Love’s tune.
            It has followed us
                        everywhere we have been this past week,
                                    and will travel with us
                        everywhere we will go in the days which lie ahead.
            Help us, then, to truly hear your story,
                                          which is our story of redemption this hour,
                        such that we seek to live it out this week.
                                    In your name. Amen.
 

Scripture

            Listen as we continue reading Psalm 107. It is a thanksgiving hymn sung by those who have been too long away from home, as they make that dusty journey back to where they long to be. Along the way they discover yet again that God has never left their side. Perhaps this is the road you currently travel. If so, be blessed as you hear these words of heartfelt trust.

Psalm 107:4-9

            I have no idea what our brother Ed has up his sleeve for our children this morning, but now is the time for our little ones to travel up front for his storytime. This is their home, as it is ours in Christ. Jesus said, “let the children come to me.”
  

For Children

As he is led, gospel storyteller Ed Lewis will share.

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

            Skipping over several verses in today’s psalm, we turn now toward its conclusion. Perhaps later on today you will want to read the verses we omit in this thanksgiving hymn. For now, as we turn toward returning our tithes and offerings, listen to this song of returning exiles. Our reasons for returning, as theirs, as grounded in God’s active presence. All along the way, “his steadfast love endures.” Our invitation to give lies in the very first verse with which we began worship: “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” Listen.

Psalm 107:33-43

            Ushers, help us to “give heed to these things” through our tithes and offerings.
  

Benediction

It’s easy to sing “trust and obey.”
            I’m here to tell you, however,
                        that there is a lot of wrestling involved in those words.
The good news is that we’re wrestling with God.
            What? That doesn’t sound like good news?
                        Oh, but it is!
            It means that the One in whom we place our trust is near,
                        and that our doubts and fears are taken seriously
                                    as we strive to lean into
                                                where the voice of God is calling us to go.
I, for one, wouldn’t want it any other way.
            How about you?
                        Go with God.