Worship Order for Sunday

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
September 30, 2012
Worship 10:00 am          Sunday School 11:10am
 

      Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.
                                   
(James 5:16)

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)          "If you believe and I believe"         (insert)
  Announcements
  Prelude

*Responsive Call to Worship                                                          (see insert)

*Hymn                       "From all that dwell below the skies"                          49

*Opening Prayer

  Memory Verse                                                                            (see above)

  For Children                  "Pray for one another"

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

  Song                              "If you believe and I believe"                          (insert)

  Pastoral Prayer

  Gospel                                      Mark 9:38-50

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

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

  Hymn                       "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord"                       151

  Scripture                                   James 5:13-20

  Song                              "If you believe and I believe"                          (insert)

  Message                             "Getting in touch" (mp3)

*Hymn                              "Thou true Vine, that heals"                               373

*Benediction

*Postlude  

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

One:     Your revealed will is right on the mark, LORD; it gives our souls their second wind.

All:      What you say goes, and any fool can wise up by taking note.

One:     Your instructions are spot on, LORD; anyone who follows them will be glad they did.

All:      What you direct us to do is easy to see, and once seen, everything becomes clear.

Left:     Respect for you keeps us true, LORD, nothing can corrupt it, now or ever.

Right:  What you decide is always accurate; a fair ruling, beyond dispute.

Left:     Your Word is worth far more than even diamond encrusted gold!

Right:  It is sweeter by far than any mouth watering delicacy, even chocolate dipped strawberries with cream!

One:     But that’s not all! Your Word, O LORD, keeps me out of danger, and following it pays off richly.

All:      Can anyone put their finger on all their own faults? LORD, eradicate the bugs I haven’t even identified yet.

One:     Remind me not to entertain sour contemptuous thoughts, and don’t let them start pulling my strings. Without them, I can stay on course, and keep my record clean.

All:      That’s what I want, O LORD. I want all the things I say, and all the things I mull over in my heart, to be things I’d be proud to offer to you, for you are the bedrock of my life; the one who puts me back where I belong.

Psalm 19:7-14, Laughing Bird Version
©2000 Nathan Nettleton www.laughingbird.net
  

Opening Prayer

As much as we desire our words and actions, even our inner life, to be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, we realize how far we are from pulling it off. If not for your eternal mercies, every day we would only be spinning our wheels, racing into the wind and getting nowhere. Instead, you guide us to identify our failings, such that – when we truly pay attention – we can stop repeating the same mistakes, over and over. You pick us up when we fall flat on our face. You bandage our scrapes, and you set us on our way, forgiving and living in us. Your Spirit empowers us to walk in the way of Jesus. In fact, you help us to spread our spirit wings and fly upon your holy wind. Because of this, we have gathered in the name of the One whom you sent to save us, that together we might sing out and live out your praise. May it be so. Amen.

  

For Children
Pray for one another

            Together, we’ll explore the memory verse, focusing upon the encouragement to “pray for one another.” What does that mean? How can we do it? When do we do it? As suggested by Carolyn Brown, I’ll offer the children prayer sheets on which to write/draw their own prayers for their church and for people in it, using the time of sharing joys and concerns during worship as a model. Challenge them to listen to what is shared and write down (or even draw, if that is easier) people for whom we are asked to pray that day. Take it home and use it during the week to remember to pray for them. As the children go back to their seats, offer (via the ushers) these sheets to any adults who wish to have one.

borrowed and adapted from Worshiping with Children,  Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
   

Pastoral Prayer

 

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

 

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

How easy it is
      to be suspicious of others
            who may not be like us,
                  even if the cup of water they give
                        quenches our thirst.
How hard it is
      to keep from causing
            others to stumble,
                  even if our criticism
                        is well meant.
Being salt is difficult work.
                  Jesus never promised otherwise.
      What God has promised
                        is that we don’t do it alone.
            The ability to receive and give service,
                             to be the hands of Christ,
                             to add flavor to the world around us –
                  this power is provided for us
                        by the One who calls   us as disciples
                                           and sends us as apostles.
                                                            Please pray with me.

            Help us to see you in what is offered to us, O Lord. Forgive us when we cause others to fall, and lead us to help them stand as our friends. Receive what we are about to give as seasoning, that together we might dwell in your peace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ushers?

  

Benediction

May God bless you through times of suffering,
      that your prayers might become real,
            even when unanswered.
May God bless you when things are going well,
      that your praise might become honest,
            aware of your own failings.
May God bless you when you open yourselves
                        to the touch of other believers,
      that together we might more fully become the body of Christ,
            confessing our sins and professing our faith,
                  alive to the power of the Holy Spirit within.
Amen!

  

 

Interested in Sunday School?
Below is a growing list of possible sites to visit. As you discover others, please let us know.

International Lesson:
Faith and Life Resources

Mennonite Publishing House

International Lesson:
Mennonite Weekly Review

(scroll down on left to "Sunday School lessons)

International Lesson:
Christian Standard
(one week ahead)

International Lesson:
Adult Bible Studies
from The United Methodist Publishing House
(click "supplemental resources" and "current events supplement" under both the "Student" and "Teacher" sections in the left hand column)

International Lesson:
International Bible Lesson
a weekly column by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
in "The Oklahoman" newspaper
also found
here

International Lesson:
Living Web Sunday School Project

While one of our adult classes follows the International lesson above (see also), using
A Guide for Biblical Studies,
published quarterly by our denomination,
another class often uses one of the
Good Ground series.

For children and youth, we use the new
Gather Round curriculum
(developed jointly by the Church of the Brethren and the Mennonite Church)

 

©2012 Peter L. Haynes
(unless otherwise stated, worship resources were written by him)

 

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