Worship - February 22, 2015

Worship Order for Sunday

Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
February 22, 2015
Worship 10:00 am Sunday School 11:10am

First Sunday of Lent

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

services were canceled this day, due to inclement weather

Beginning with Praise (9:50 am) “Children of the heavenly Father” 616
Announcements
Prelude “Andante Religioso” Fielitz

*Call to Worship (back of bulletin)

*Hymn “All people that on earth do dwell” 42

*Invocation Litany (back of bulletin)

Scripture Genesis 9:8-17

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Offertory “O Rest in the Lord” Mendelssohn
(Please sign the attendance pad and pass it on)

Scripture Matthew 7:7-11

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

Hymn “Lead us, O Father” 359

Pastoral Prayer (ends with Lord’s Prayer)

Scripture Luke 15:11-32

Affirmation 712

Message “I believe in God the Father Almighty”

*Hymn “Children of the heavenly Father” 616

*Benediction

*Postlude “God Be With You” Williams

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

We put our hope in the Lord,
for God is our help and our protection.
Come let us sing to the Lord a familiar song;
approach God's presence with joyful wonder.

by Eugene F. Roop
Anderson, IN Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085,
"The Living Word" Series

Invocation Litany
(adapted from Psalm 25)

One: Lord, we offer our life to you.

All: O God, we trust you.

One: Please don't disappoint us.

All: Don’t let our enemies rejoice at our expense.

One: Make your expectations clear to us.

All: Lead us in your truth.

One: Teach us the path you wish us to travel.

All: You are the One who saves us.

One: Gracious God, bless us with your love and compassion.

All: We pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

by Eugene F. Roop
Anderson, IN Church of the Brethren
Church of the Brethren Living Word Bulletin
Anchor/Wallace, Sleepy Eye MN 56085,
"The Living Word" Series

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

We turn now to the beginning book of the Bible, to the story of Noah and his ark. The danger has passed, the flood has ended, the animals and Noah’s family have survived and left the ark. Instead of boat, Noah has built an altar and made an offering to the Lord. God responds with a promise. This is where we pick up the story. Listen…

Genesis 9:8-17

I invite all of you children of God to set your imagination free this morning, no matter what your age may be. In your bulletin is a blank piece of paper. When you entered this sanctuary today, you were offered crayons and encouraged to take some. We have just heard one of many Bible stories about God, this one involving a flood and animals and Noah and a promise. With this paper and these crayons, I invite you to try drawing a picture of God.

Now, I know that drawing a picture of “God the Father Almighty” is an impossible task for, as scripture says, no one has ever seen God … and lived. It was but a voice that led Noah to do what he did. Even Moses on the mountain later on only saw God from behind, not face to face. I’m not asking for an accurate representation. I’m also not asking for something we might pretend is God and worship as an “idol” or “graven image.” I am not asking you to break the second commandment, which pertains to trying to control the great “I am who I am,” to think that we have captured God, who must now serve us.

No, I invite you this morning to simply use your crayons creatively to draw God. The Bible uses imaginative words to give us a glimpse of the Lord God, none of which even begins to say everything. From the scripture we just heard comes the image of a rainbow, like the after-effect of God’s hand drawn across the sky. Later in Genesis come a picture of a burning bush which is not consumed. Remember? There is also someone who wrestled in the dark with Jacob. Do you recall his dream of a ladder to heaven or, in the book of Kings, the visionary sight of a chariot of fire, or the sound of sheer silence, all of which move in God’s direction, but only convey a little.

Simply set your imagination free and, using the crayons in your hand as tools, draw on the piece paper a picture of God. Your hymnal makes a good backboard. It doesn’t matter if you think you can’t draw. In fact, don’t aim to make it a “perfect drawing.” If you’d like other crayons, we have a plenty available. Now, please, don’t put your name on it. As you leave worship later on, would you place your drawing on the table in the back, returning your crayons there also? Do you understand what I’m asking?

Now is the time to return our monetary offerings to the Lord, and the opportunity to add some color (with your crayons) to this worship. Ushers, please come forward and receive what we have to share.

Pastoral Prayer

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

Affirmation
(The Apostles' Creed)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
         creator of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus, God's only Son, our Lord,
         who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
                  born of the Virgin Mary.
                  suffered under Pontius Pilate.
                  was crucified, died, and buried;
         he descended to the dead.
         On the third day, he rose again;
         he ascended into heaven,
         he is seated at the right hand of the Father
                  and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
         the holy catholic* church.
         the communion of saints,
         the forgiveness of sins,
         the resurrection of the body,
         and the life everlasting.

* universal

Hymnal #712, English translation of The Apostle's Creed,
prepared by the English Language Liturgical Consultation ELLC, © 1988.

Benediction