Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren
Long Green & Kanes Rds., near Glen Arm, Md.
January 17, 2016
Worship 10:00 am          Sunday School 11:10am

Second Sunday of Epiphany

  Beginning with Praise (9:50 am)      “When Christ’s appearing”     217
  Announcements
  Prelude

*Call to Worship

*Song of Praise                       “Shine, Jesus, shine”                            (insert)

*Opening Prayer

  Gospel story                                John 2:1-11

  Fish Eyes video                                                                           Ted & Co.

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

  Hymn                     “Lord, you have come to the lakeshore”    229

  Pastoral Prayer

  Returning our Tithes and Offerings                1 Corinthians 12:1-11

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

  Scripture                                     Isaiah 62:1-5

  Message                          “Engaging possibilities” (mp3)

*Hymn                             “Joyful, joyful, we adore thee”                            71

*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 steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

Left: Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

Right: your judgments are like the great deep;

All: you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

One: How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Left: They feast on the abundance of your house,

Right: and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

All: For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.

Psalm 36:5-9 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
     

Opening Prayer

With you, Enduring Joy,
      we find our refuge.
In the shelter of your compassion,
      we are made whole;
in the abundance of your grace,
      we are fed;
in the depths of your living waters,
      we are transfigured into new people.

With you, Revealer of Glory,
      we are filled to the brim.
Our lips cannot contain your praise;
our hearts overflow with your spirit;
our lives are poured out for others.

With you, Activating Spirit,
      we find our common life
            in this community of faith.
United by a common confession,
      we take our uncommon gifts
            and share them
                  in serving all people.

Same in love, same in grace,
God in Community, Holy in One,
hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father . . .

by Thom M. Shuman
transitional pastor at Galloway Presbyterian Church
Columbus, OH
from Lectionary Liturgies
  

Gospel story 

             On this second Sunday of the season of Epiphany, we shift from last week’s gospel story of the baptism of Jesus to this week’s account of a wedding in Cana of Galilee.  Found only in John’s gospel, this story appears early on in Jesus’ ministry. He has already called his disciples, and their first outing together is to a ceremony uniting a husband and wife. Of course, who would leave before the celebration that follows a wedding? It’s at this feast that Jesus is prodded into a miracle by his mother. Listen.

John 2:1-11

             Let’s pause and try to envision this happening through the eyes of two of the disciples: Andrew and his math-challenged brother, Peter – men who laid down their fishing nets to follow Jesus. At this point they are still trying to figure out where Jesus is leading them, and why…

Fish Eyes video

Pastoral Prayer

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

Returning our Tithes and Offerings

             Who doesn’t come to a wedding without a gift? On important occasions, we bring gifts. The season of Epiphany began with the story of those wise men, who traveled from afar to celebrate the birth of Jesus. They didn’t arrive empty-handed. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Perhaps you’ve heard the joke that had the Magi been women, they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts. Of course, the wise men in the Bible did ask directions of King Herod - big mistake which God corrected in a dream. But that’s a story for another day.

             On this day, since the thread woven through the scriptures to which we are paying attention this morning involves the uniting of husband and wife, we might ask, “what gift are we bringing to this celebration?” That’s a good question. One place we might turn for an answer is the twelfth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, a chapter we will revisit next Sunday, followed the week thereafter by the well-know 1 Corinthians 13. Note that in the eleventh chapter, Paul wrote about another special occasion, communion, which the folks in that church were royally messing up by not recognizing that everyone in their fellowship was important. None should be left out. As we will hear, Paul emphasizes that no one in the body of Christ is value-less, and everyone has something to offer. Listen.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

             Ponder all this as you offer your more tangible gifts of money that help our ministry as the “bride of Christ” happen. Just remember that there are many other gifts, involving time and talents, which make this possible. Perhaps you can resolve to pay more attention to the gifts God has given you.

Ushers, please come and lead us.

Benediction

Go now, with your trust in Christ
who has quenched your thirst with the wine of God’s love.
Do not be silent about God’s faithful love,
but shelter in the warmth of God’s wings
and keep your hearts honest.

And may God rejoice over you and call you “My Delight”;
May Christ Jesus bring out the best in you, to his glory;
And may the Spirit equip you all with gifts for the common good.

by Nathan Nettleton (©2001)
pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church
       (near Melbourne, Australia)
from the Laughing Bird resources