Worship - November 17, 2013

Call to Worship
Isaiah 12

You will say in that day: I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me.

Refrain: “Surely it is God who saves me…”

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.

Refrain: “Surely it is God who saves me…”

Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.*

Refrain: “Surely it is God who saves me…”

Rise, people of God,
      let your heart sing,
           your spirit soar,
           your ears open,
           your mouth declare
                 God’s great faithfulness -
                        #327 in your hymnal.

*Isaiah 12:1, 3-6 from The New Revised Standard Version,
copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved
the words to Isaiah 12:2, the refrain, is from The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 86

Opening Prayer

             Come, Lord Jesus. Enter through the door we open to you this morning, once again hearing your knock. Every day we rise to new life in you, even as we daily lay aside the weight of sin and turn toward the One who sent you.
            Come, Holy Spirit. Breathe into us the vitality we need to face into a new day and week. Empower our faithfulness, as we seek to be who we were created to be and do what we have been called to do.
            Come, Trustworthy God. Forgive us yet again our debts and trespasses, that we might become more merciful toward others. Continue giving what we truly need to labor on today and tomorrow, journeying toward your kingdom come.
            In your name we pray. Amen.

Isaiah 65:17-25

1 - In the 65^th chapter of Isaiah, we hear God’s promise to those who face the difficult task of starting over after a disaster.

2 - As you listen, think of the former residents of Jerusalem returning home from exile in Babylon to find an enormous rebuilding task ahead of them.

1 - Listen also through the ears of others who today are tempted to lose hope, like those recovering from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

2 - May your listening to God be a prayer…

(pause)

1 - I am about to create new heavens and a new earth, the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.

2 - But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.

1 - I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people;

2 - no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.

1 - No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days,

2 - or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

1 - for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,

2 - and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

1 - They shall build houses and inhabit them;

2 - they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

1 - They shall not build and another inhabit;

2 - they shall not plant and another eat;

1 - for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,

2 - and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

1 - They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity;

2 - for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord - and their descendants as well.

1 - Before they call I will answer,

2 - while they are yet speaking I will hear.

1 - The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,

2 - the lion shall eat straw like the ox;

1 - but the serpent—its food shall be dust!

2 - They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain,

1 - says the Lord.

2 - says the Lord.

scripture text from The New Revised Standard Version,
copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved

Dedicating our Prayer Chain

When we pray for people going through difficult times, we are praying into a future we cannot yet see. However, through our prayers - with hope and by faith, we step into what God is already doing. What will happen down the road is out of our hands. We simply make our requests known, and trust in God who says, “I am about to create new heavens and a new earth… be glad and rejoice in what I am creating… before (you) call I will answer, while (you) are yet speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:17, 18, 24). We pray, mindful of what Jesus said: “if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:19-20). We trust in the Holy Spirit who, as the apostle Paul wrote, “helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Prayer goes hand-in-hand with re-building and planting, upheld by the promise that such labor will not be in vain.

Our congregation’s prayer chain has been revised. There are fewer receiving requests by phone and more doing so by email. As we set this renewed chain in motion, let us dedicate it with prayer. If you are on this chain, whether by phone or email, would you please stand?

I encourage you to faithfully engage in this ministry, using the requests that come your way not for gossip but for mutual aid. Hold these persons in your heart as you bring them to God in prayer, whenever and however you connect with the Lord on a regular basis. Uniting our voices in dedication just now, let’s pray together what Jesus himself taught, saying,

Our Father who art in heaven,
            hallowed be thy name.
      Thy kingdom come,
      thy will be done,
            on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our debts,
            as we forgive our debtors.
      Lead us not into temptation,
            but deliver us from evil.
      For thine is the kingdom,
                  and the power,
                  and the glory, forever. Amen

Responsive Prayer

ALL: Listening God,
               you hear our prayers before we speak,
                     yet welcome our praying;
               therefore we come with confidence
                      to lay our requests before you.

Leader: We pray for Christian everywhere,
                   for our denomination and our congregation,
                   for faithfulness and strength to persevere in righteousness.
             We pray for the whole people of God.

People: Lord, hear our prayer.

Leader: We pray for the nations of the world,
                   for all leaders
                   and for those who make policy decisions.
             We pray for the commonwealth of our global community.

People: Lord, hear our prayer.

Leader: We pray for those who are overcome by violence,
                   for victims of injustice or oppression,
                   and for those in poverty or pain,
             We pray for all who need healing and peace.

People: Lord, hear our prayer.

Leader: We pray for those who endure trials,
                   for those who are dying,
                   and for those who mourn.
             We pray for all who need comfort and hope.

People: Lord, hear our prayer.

Leader: You have heard the prayers of your people, O God.
We rest in the comfort of your care,
as we pray in Jesus' name.

ALL: AMEN

Wellness Moment

Lifting up an upcoming event - Hands-on CPR training - in December.

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

As you return your offering just now, would you sign and pass along to person beside you the attendance booklets located at the center aisle side of each pew? Thank you… And now we have our next episode in the “Tater Tales” saga.

Video Offertory

Shepherd's Spring

youtube link

the last episode

For Children
“The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza”

Suggested by Carolyn Brown in her Worshiping with Children blog as an appropriate book to accompany 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; she writes: "The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza, retold by Philemon Sturges, tells of a hen who decided to bake a pizza, called repeatedly on neighbors to help her, kept on working when the neighbors declined to help, then shared the pizza with the neighbors. Stop before the neighbors do the dishes to ponder why the hen shared her pizza with the neighbors who refused to help make it. In a way this goes against Paul’s “anyone unwilling to work should not eat,” but it is also an example of keeping on working for God's peace no matter what is going on around you and setting an example like Paul did. It would be possible to end the discussion there or to follow it by reading the last two pages on which the neighbors do the dishes. If you do the latter, ponder the effect of the hen’s sharing example on those around her – even when it might look a little crazy." We are again having one of our older children read this book to our younger children. We gave this young lady the choice of this or “Farmer Duck” by Martin Waddell (suggested by Noell Rathbun-Cook in the Storypath blog)

Benediction

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
The Lord be with all of you.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 from The New Revised Standard Version,
copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved