Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
August 14, 2011

Camp Sunday
Living in the Spirit

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)                          "Fluye"                           (insert)
  Announcements
  Prelude                             "The Heavens are Telling"                       Beethoven

  Call to Worship                      Ephesians 3:14-21

*Hymn                              "I've got peace like a river"

Living in the Spirit of Humility

*Responsive Prayer of Confession                                                               691

  Scripture                                    Acts 9:10-17

  For Children

  Song                            "I have decided to follow Jesus"

Living in the Spirit of Honesty

  Scripture                                   Philippians 4:8

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

  Hymn                                "Spirit of the living God"                                    349

  Pastoral Prayer

Living in the Spirit of Generosity

  Scripture                                  Genesis 18:1-8

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory                                    "Quiet Song"                                       Paxton
                                        (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

*Response                                    "Sanctuary"

*Dedication

Living in the Spirit of Peace

  Scripture                                      Psalm 133

  Message                                  "Messy Peace" (mp3)

  Song                     "Peace, be still, and know that I am God"                  (insert)

Living in the Spirit of Love

  Scripture                                 Matthew 5:43-48

  Sharing Time for those who experienced camp this summer

*Song                                         "Love Canon"                                       (insert)

*Benediction

*Postlude                      "Praise God, the Source of Life"
                                            French church melody

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

1 - For this reason I kneel before the Father,

2 - from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

1 - I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

2 - so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

1 - And I pray that you,

2 - being rooted and established in love,

1 - may have power,

2 - together with all the Lord’s holy people,

1 - to grasp how wide

2 - and long

1 - and high

2 - and deep

1 - is the love of Christ,

2 - and to know this love that surpasses knowledge –

1 - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

2 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,

1 - according to his power that is at work within us,

2 - to him be glory in the church

1 - and in Christ Jesus

2 - throughout all generations,

1 - for ever and ever!

2 - Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21 from the New International Version (NIV),
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica
  

Responsive Prayer of Confession

Leader: Almighty God, Spirit of purity and grace 
                 whose dwelling is with the humble and contrite heart,
                     hear your children's confession of sin and grant us mercy.
             For all that has been evil in our lives;
                 for unholy thoughts and impure motives,
                 for any scorn of goodness, trifling with truth,
                     and indifference to beauty,
                 for being petty when we could have been gracious,
People: forgive us, O God.
Leader: For lack of love toward you,
                     whose love has never failed;
                 for doubt in your providence,
                 for acts of ingratitude,
                 and for disobedience to visions we have been able to see,
People: forgive us, O God.
Leader: For the wrong we have done our neighbors;
                 for silence in the face of war,
                 for neglect of charity and failure in justice,
                 for forgetfulness of other's pain,
                 and for advantage taken of another's weakness,
People: forgive us, O God.
Leader: For our faulty following of the Master;
                     our slow faith in his power to save,
                     our timid, hesitant answers to his call of service,
                     our insensibility to the meaning of the cross;
                 for all that mars our discipleship
                     and makes it difficult for others to believe in him,
People: forgive us, O God.
Leader: May God, who is almighty and merciful
                 forgive our sins,
                 empower us to overcome temptation,
                 and enable us to love as Jesus loved.
People: AMEN 

Hymnal #691 - adapted from a litany of repentance,
Edward K. Ziegler, The Adventurous Future,
ed. Paul H. Bowman, © 1959 Brethren Press.
  

For Children

            One of our young adults was on staff at Shepherd's Spring this summer and will be with us for worship before heading off to college. For this time, we'll do a "trust walk" with a twist. Instead of the children being blindfolded and led around the sanctuary (it takes a bit of humility to be led, you know, just ask Ananias), they will lead this blindfolded staffer. It should be fun!
  

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Who were those three visitors who appeared to Abraham “by the oaks of Mamre?” The story flows back and forth between calling them “men” and “The Lord,” so that we wonder if it is God who has come to Abraham’s tent. Even if these are just men, Abraham is a generous host. What can we learn from him? Perhaps the author of the New Testament letter to the Hebrews says it best: “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.”

            Be generous like Abraham. You never know who will show up at your door… Ushers, guide us into the giving of our tithes and offerings.
 

Dedication

            At summer camp we learn that you are not confined to a building, O Lord. We sense your presence in outdoor cathedrals. In making new friends, we also begin to see others as persons made in your image, just like we are. With these offerings, we give not only money, but also ourselves, and are filled with the awareness that we are your sanctuary. Amen.
  

Benediction

1 - With humility,

2 - honesty,

1 - generosity,

2 - peace,

1 - and love,

2 - live in the Spirit this week.

1 - Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,

2 - according to his power that is at work within us,

1 - to him be glory in the church

2 - and in Christ Jesus

1 - throughout all generations,

2 - for ever and ever!

1&2 - Amen.