Worship Order for Sunday

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
October 5, 2014
Worship 10:00 am          Sunday School 11:10am

 

Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning his vineyard.

(Isaiah 5:1a)

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)          For God so loved us            167
  Announcements
  Prelude                                  “O Loving Savior”                          Gounod

*Responsive Call to Worship

*Hymn                            Come, let us all unite to sing                          12

*Opening Prayer

  Commissioning of Deacons

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings

  Offertory                              “Prelude in B Minor”                          Chopin
                              (Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

  Scripture                                   Psalm 80:7-15

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

   Hymn                                    God sent his Son                                 345

  Pastoral Prayer

  Video Scripture                           Isaiah 5:1-7

  Hymn                                 For God so loved us                               167

  Scripture                               Matthew 21:33-36

  Message                        “A Vineyard Love Song

*Hymn                             What wondrous love is this                          530

*Benediction

*Postlude                             “He Keeps Me Singing                      Bridgers


*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

One:    Everything is worthless when compared with the
           
infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

All:      For his sake we have discarded everything else,
           
so that we may gain Christ and be found in him.

One:    The righteousness from God is based on faith.

All:      We want to know Christ and the power of his
           
resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings
           
by becoming like him.

One:    We have not attained this goal, but we press on
           
to make it our own because Christ Jesus has made
           
us his own.

All:      We press on toward the goal for the heavenly prize,
           
which God, through Christ, is calling us.

by Craig L. Gandy, co-pastor
Spring Run Church of the Brethren
McVeytown, Pennsylvania
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085,
"The Living Word" Series

    

Opening Prayer

            Gracious God, we give you thanks for calling us to be your people. Lend us your strength as we continue to press toward the goal, because we desire to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and to share in his sufferings so that we might become like him. May your Spirit descend upon us anew, uniting us together as the body of Christ. We pray all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

by Craig L. Gandy, co-pastor
Spring Run Church of the Brethren
McVeytown, Pennsylvania
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085,
"The Living Word" Series

   

Commissioning of Deacons

             Tonight is Love Feast. You are invited to this special meal, prepared and served by our Deacons. It is one of their responsibilities as caregivers in this congregation. They are persons prayerfully called to this task by you. The role of Deacon came into existence in the early church. The book of Acts tells of how the twelve apostles were overloaded with the all needs of the people. Folks were getting left out, especially those on the margins, like widows and the sick and children. Because the care of everyone is important, God led the early church to call forth deacons to take care of people, sort of like how a gardener tends a garden - feeding, watering, weeding.

            When you look closely as those first called to this role, you discover they weren’t cookie-cutter deacons, they weren’t all alike. In fact, one of them, Stephen, was a gifted preacher. Preaching was not in the original job description, but he was so good at it, he was stoned to death by those who opposed Jesus. By the way, getting killed is also not in the Deacon job description, but sometimes persecution happens to all God’s children.

            What I’m saying is that every deacon, like every follower of Jesus, is unique. Each one fulfills their calling in their own way. In tending this garden called the church, some are more ‘hands on’ in visiting people, while the gift of others is to care with phone calls or notes of encouragement.  Some are quite vocal, while others work quietly behind the scenes. Some are blessed with organizing skills, while others simply do what needs to be done. Thank God for each one!

            Would all of our deacons please come forward? Nancy, Jean, Gail, Linda, Teresa, Mike and Dave, you have been serving faithfully. This year, we called you, Helen, to replace Lois. We are grateful for the years Lois served, and are confident that God will work through you, Helen, in the years ahead. This is not a new call, for you have served as a deacon in years past.

            It is always good to reflect upon and reaffirm vows we have previously made. Therefore, let me ask all of you deacons the following questions, that you may once again give voice to your commitment, and be chastened in and revived for the importance of your calling as deacons.

Do you declare anew your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

If so, say, “I do.”

Will you seek to cultivate more fervently your spiritual life by Bible reading, meditation, prayer, and Christian witnessing?

If so, say, “With God's help, I will.”

Will you encourage and lead the congregation in deepening its spiritual life and its ministries of compassion?

If so, say, “I will.”

Will you seek to be a good example in faith and conduct?

If so, say, “I will.”

Do you, once again, accept the call to the ministry of deacon in this body of Christ, and promise to perform faithfully all the duties thereof?

If so, say, “I do.”

             I now ask those of you who serve on our church board to come forward to assist in laying hands on these deacons for a prayer of consecration. If you are able, would you deacons please kneel (or sit in a chair if your knees are not up to that task).

               Eternal God, you have come in Jesus Christ not to be served but to serve. Now we set apart and consecrate these, your servants, to this ministry of deacon, that they may serve in your name.  Grant them deep compassion for human needs; fill them with tender care and steadfast love for those for whom Christ died.  Inspire them with devotion to your church. Grant them growth in faith that they may lead others by precept and example. Grant to the church the grace to work with them for the increase of faith and caring within the fellowship.  Sustain them in their labors. Through Christ we pray.  Amen.  

 (candidates rise)

             In the name of Jesus Christ, you are now set apart in the sacred ministry of deacon.  Serve God and this congregation faithfully and courageously.  And may God bless you in your service.

Congregation:

               We, the members of this body of Christ, in the spirit of joy and in renewed loyalty to our Lord, acknowledge and receive you as deacons.  We promise to pray for you and support you in confidence, encouragement, cooperation, and prayers, that together we may increase in the knowledge and the love of God, manifested to us in Jesus Christ.  

all but the first 5 paragraphs
adapted from For All Who Minister
Copyright ©1993 by Brethren Press, p. 322-324

 

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

The apostle Paul wrote the following to the church in Philippi. Listen.

               “Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life.  

Lord of grace and forgiveness,
you who gave everything
and spared nothing
to make us your own,
we offer back to you
what you have so freely given to us.
Let all that we say and do,
all that we think and plan and consider,
be pleasing to you, blessed Creator,
Provider, and Savior,
in whose name we pray. Amen.

Philippians 3:7-11 from the Contemporary English Version
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

prayer by Bill Hoppe in Ministry Matters
from “The Abingdon Worship Annual 2011,”
edited by Mary J. Scifres and B.J. Beu
Copyright © 2010 by Abingdon Press.

 

Pastoral Prayer

 

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

 

Benediction

As those whom God loves
   go and sing your love song in this world
      through the life you live,
         as well as the words you speak.
As you do so,
   be listening for God’s melody in the background.
      Seek to be in harmony with this voice,
         even if at times you are a counter melody
            to the music of this age.
Know that you do not sing alone.
   Through the Holy Spirit
      God is singing through you.

   

 

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)

 

©2014 Peter L. Haynes
(unless otherwise stated, worship resources were written by him)

 

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