News & Events

January 24, 2021

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”

~ Michelle Obama

“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don’t give up.”

~ Anne Lamott

“Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company… You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.”

~ John Piper

“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other – not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.”

~ Nelson Mandela

Prelude
Kevin McCullough

Call to Worship

Songs

Time for Youth

Robbie Frederiksen, Youth Ministry Director

Scripture Lesson

Read by Tom Waldrop

Ruth 2:17-23

Message

“Glimpses of Future Hope”

Offering Prayer

We give our offering hopefully,
hoping that you can use these gifts
hoping that these gifts can further your kingdom
hoping that your kingdom will come.
Your kingdom, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

The Lord’s Prayer

Song

Sending Forth

May the God of hope,

the God of “Hesed” – of loving kindness,

the God of second chances,

the God of resurrection

bless you with strength and courage

today, and all the days of your life.

Amen.

Postlude

Kevin McCullough

Sunday, January 17, 2021

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
~ Mother Teresa

“I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” 
~ Helen Keller

“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.”   
~ Bill Widener

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Prelude

Joyce Rhodes, organ

Call to Worship

What mysteries there are in God’s world!

We, so sophisticated, stand in awe at the wonders of the natural world.

We look at the tiniest of seeds and wonder what will happen

From that small seed will grow a large shrub.

Although we consider our gifts to be small and insignificant,

God will use our gifts in miraculous ways. 

Praise the God of small seeds and mighty power. Amen.

— written by Nancy C. Townley

Hymn

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” ~ UMH #133 vs. 1, 3

Time for Kids  

Shelley Ahn-Wong, Children’s Ministry Director

Scripture

Ruth 2:1-16

Message
Pastor Kate Conolly

“From Little, God Can Bring Much”

Offering Prayer

Ever-faithful God,
we long to be faithful givers,
modelling ourselves on you
who gives everything to us.
May your Spirit of abundance,
which gives more than we ask or imagine,
grace these gifts for your kingdom
in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Offertory

Joyce Rhodes, organ

Hymn

“For the Healing of the Nations” ~ UMH# 428 vs. 1, 4

Sending Forth

Imagine what a mustard seed of faith

might do this week in your life and

the life of our community.

Not a quart,

nor a gallon,

nor a truckload.

Just a mustard seed.

Imagine.

Now go and live out that grace.

Yes! Let it be so! Amen!

~ from the Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren

Postlude

Joyce Rhodes, organ