Worship - October 11, 2015

Worship Order for Sunday

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

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17)

Beginning with Praise (9:50 am) “Shall we gather at the river” 615
Announcements
Prelude

*Echo Call to Worship Hebrews 4:12-16 (see insert)

*Hymn “Come, thou fount” 521

*Unison Prayer (the words to #13)

CROP Walk Moment

Giving voice to lament Psalm 22:1-15

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

Hymn “O God, our help in ages past” 328

Pastoral Prayer

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

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

Song “Come, follow me” (insert)

Scripture Mark 10:17-31

Message “Inheriting Eternal Life”

*Hymn “Take my life” 389

*Benediction

*Postlude

*Rise in body or in spirit

#'s are from Hymnal: A Worship Book

Worship leaders - see basic guidelines

Call to Worship

I invite you to let scripture call you into worship. We will read from the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, phrase by phrase. For each, you will provide an echo – first the left (your left) side, then the right. You’ll find this on your bulletin insert, so turn to it now. As you do, please rise in body or spirit. To make sure we all understand our part in this scripture calling, let’s practice the first 2 lines, where I will read, then you will respond as an echo, first the left side, then the right side. (do so) Are we all on board? Let’s begin.

One: For the word of God is alive and active.

Left: alive and active Right: active

One: Sharper than any double-edged sword,

Left: double-edged sword Right: sword

One: it penetrates even to dividing soul & spirit, joints & marrow;

Left: joints & marrow Right: marrow

One: it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Left: of the heart Right: heart

One: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.

Left: from God’s sight Right: sight

One: Everything is uncovered and laid bare

Left: uncovered and laid bare Right: laid bare

One: before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Left: must give account. Right: account

One: Therefore, since we have a great high priest

Left: great high priest Right: high priest

One: who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God,

Left: the Son of God Right: of God

One: let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

Left: faith we profess Right: profess

One: For we do not have a high priest

Left: a high priest Right: priest

One: who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,

Left: our weaknesses Right: weaknesses

One: but we have one who has been tempted in every way,

Left: in every way Right: way

One: just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Left: he did not sin Right: not sin

One: Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,

Left: with confidence Right: confidence

One: so that we may receive mercy and find grace

Left: find grace Right: grace

One: to help us in our time of need.

Left: time of need Right: need

Opening Prayer

Turn now to #13 in your hymnal, and let’s pray in unison (not sing) the words to this old hymn. Ready?

1. Blessed Jesus, at your word we are gathered all to hear you.
Let our hearts and souls be stirred now to seek and love and fear you.
By your gospel pure and holy teach us, Lord, to love you solely.

2. All our knowledge, sense, and sight lie in deepest darkness shrouded,
till your Spirit breaks our night with your beams of truth unclouded.
You alone to God can win us, you must work all good within us.

3. Glorious Lord, yourself impart! Light of light from God proceeding,
open lips and ears and heart, help us by your Spirit's leading.
Hear the cry your church now raises; Lord, accept our prayers and praises!

by Tobias Clausnitzer (1619-1684)
translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)

CROP Walk Moment

someone will give a plug for next week's community CROP walk

Giving voice to lament
Psalm 22:1-15

Today’s psalm is a lament. It’s a prayer for times when things go wrong, for people who face seemingly impossible situations. The words don’t sugar coat trouble, pretending that everything is just fine, even when it’s not. Lamentation prayers say it like it is. Sometimes they let God have it with both barrels, sort of like Job did in the Bible. God is not offended by such prayers. The Lord wants truth from our inmost being, and sometimes that truth is lament. The beginning of this psalm may sound familiar. That’s because Jesus prayed them when he was nailed on the cross. Now, the poetic images behind these words may be difficult for children to grasp. So, as ____ reads it from an adult translation, _____ will add a simpler children’s version. Listen.

¹My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from helping me,
        from the words of my groaning? God, where are you?
     Why don’t you help me?

²O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
    and by night, but find no rest. I pray to you for help but you do nothing.

³Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
⁴In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
⁵To you they cried, and were saved;
    in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
The Bible is full of stories of people
    who prayed to you for help.
         You answered them
               and saved them from their trouble.

⁶But I am a worm, and not human;
    scorned by others, and despised by the people. What am I, a worm?
     Why don’t you help ME?

⁷All who see me mock at me;
    they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
⁸“Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
    let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
Everyone is against me.
    They laugh at me and make fun of me.

⁹Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
    you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
¹⁰On you I was cast from my birth,
    and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Still I know that you made me.
     You have watched over me
           since before I was born.

¹¹Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.
Do not be far from me now
     when there is trouble all around me
           and there is no one to help me.

¹²Many bulls encircle me,
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
¹³they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.
I feel like I am surrounded
     by big fierce bulls snorting at me.

¹⁴I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
        my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
¹⁵my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
God, I am scared and hopeless.
     Help!

the text on the left is 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 children's version on the right is by Carolyn Brown
fom her blog, Worshiping With Children

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

Benediction

As you step forth into this week, remember what Jesus said to the disciples, who took to heart the Lord’s song to that rich man, wondering, "Then who can be saved?" Remember his words in response. "For God, all things are possible." Say it now... Repeat it... Now, go out and live it.