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Worship
Sunday, September 19, 2021

THE COMMUNITY GATHERS

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

GATHERING MUSIC                                                                                                                     
Patricia Milstead, organ

PRELUDE                                                                                                                                        
Patricia Milstead, organ

“An Appalachian Air” ~ Gilbert Martin

CONGREGATIONAL CENTERING                                                                                            
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

      THE SACRAMENT OF SILENCE

      INSTRUMENTAL

“There’s Something About That Name” ~ UMH #171

WORDS OF WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                     
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

*CALL TO WORSHIP                                                                                                                    
John Palmer

      L:   The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

      P:  And also with you.

L:   Jesus challenges us in today’s gospel:

P:  Whoever wants to be first must be last and servant of all.

L:   Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them:

P: Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not only me but the one who sent me.

L:   To change the world we must change the way we love and welcome all children!

P: May we learn to love all children as if they were our own!

*OPENING PRAYER (In Unison)                                                                                                 
John Palmer

Holy One, with the presence of our children we welcome you with joyful hearts this morning. Teach us the way to make the last first and to be servants of all.  Guide us in your way of humility and service. Show us how to become disciples of Jesus Christ — your Child and our Brother. We ask for blessings on all your children in your Holy Name.  Amen.

*HYMN                                                                

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingstone, John Palmer, Tom Waldrop

                                       “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” ~ UMH #89

TIME FOR CHILDREN                                                                                                                  
Shelley Ahn-Wong, Director of Children’s Ministry

THE COMMUNITY PROCLAIMS AND HEARS THE WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (In Unison)                                                                              
John Palmer

Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING                                        

John Palmer

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

      L:   The Word of Life.

      P:  Thanks be to God. Amen.

      PRAYER CARDS COLLECTED

HYMN

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingstone, John Palmer, Tom Waldrop

                                           “Near to the Heart of God” ~ UMH #472

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE                                                                                              
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER                                                                    
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

SCRIPTURE READING                                  

John Palmer

Mark 9:30-37

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

      L:   The Word of Life.

      P:  Thanks be to God. Amen.

SERMON                                                            

Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

Whoever Welcomes One Such Child

THE COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO THE WORD

WORSHIP WITH TITHES & OFFERINGS                                                                                 
John Palmer

Opening our hands and our hearts to the children of this world in Christ’s name, let us worship with our tithes and offerings. 

OFFERTORY                                                                                                                                  
Patricia Milstead, organ

“Siciliano” ~ Domenico Scarlatti

*DOXOLOGY                                                                                                                                  

“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” ~ UMH 95

*HYMN                                                                

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingstone, John Palmer, Tom Waldrop

“Lord, Whose Love through Humble Service” ~ UMH #581

THE COMMUNITY DEPARTS FOR MINISTRY

*BENEDICTION                                                                                                                              
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

POSTLUDE                                                                                                                                     
Patricia Milstead, organ

“An Exultant Alleluia” ~ Lani Smith

* Stand as you are able

Sunday, September 5, 2021

THE COMMUNITY GATHERS

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

GATHERING MUSIC                                                                                                                     
Joyce Rhodes, organ

                                            “Sonatina for Organ” ~ Gordon Young

PRELUDE                                                                                                                                        
Joyce Rhodes, organ

                                                      “Pavane” ~ Gordon Young

CONGREGATIONAL CENTERING                                                                                            
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

Widening Circles

By Rainer Maria Rilke

      THE SACRAMENT OF SILENCE

      INSTRUMENTAL

“Let Us Break Bread Together” ~ arr. Albin C. Whitworth

WORDS OF WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                     

Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

*CALL TO WORSHIP (Adapted Psalm 146)                                                                             
Marna Taylor

      L:   The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

      P:  And also with you.

      L:   Happy are those whose hope is in the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.

      P: The Lord executes justice for the oppressed and gives food for the hungry.

      L:   God sets the prisoner free and opens the eyes of the blind.

      P:  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down.

      L:   God watches over the strangers and upholds the orphan and widow.

      P:  The Lord reigns forever. Praise the Lord!

*OPENING PRAYER (In Unison)                                                                                                 
Marna Taylor

Faithful God, you draw near to us in our joy and in our grief, in our hope and in our despair. When we are bowed down, you raise us anew. We turn to you now in search of your healing touch. God of compassion and love, move among us this hour. Open our eyes, dispel our fears, and show us the real life you have to offer.  We pray this in the name of the Risen One, Jesus the Christ.  Amen.

*HYMN                                                                

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingston, Bob Rhodes, and John Palmer

                                   “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” ~ UMH #57

TIME FOR CHILDREN                                                                                                                  
Shelley Ahn-Wong, Children’s Ministry Director

THE COMMUNITY PROCLAIMS AND HEARS THE WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (In Unison)                                                                              
Marna Taylor

Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING                                        

Marna Taylor

James 2:1-17

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

      L:   The Word of Life.

      P:  Thanks be to God. Amen.

      PRAYER CARDS COLLECTED

HYMN

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingston, Bob Rhodes, and John Palmer

                                                   “He Touched Me” ~ UMH #367

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE                                                                                              
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER                                                                    
Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGS                                                                                       
Marna Taylor

Transform our gifts, gracious and loving God, that they may: feed the hungry; remove the bonds of oppression; and bring peace, justice, and mercy, to those in need of your love and grace, both now and forevermore. Amen.

OFFERTORY                                                                                                                                  
Joyce Rhodes, organ

                                           “Chanson Religieuse” ~ Gordon Young

*DOXOLOGY                                                                                                                                  

“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” ~ UMH 95

SCRIPTURE READING                                  

Marna Taylor

Mark 7:24-37

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

      L:   The Word of Life.

      P:  Thanks be to God. Amen.

SERMON                                                            

Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

Astounded Beyond Measure

THE COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO THE WORD

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

INSTRUMENTAL                                                                                                                            

Joyce Rhodes, organ

                                                  “Bread of Life” ~ Gordon Young                                                 

*HYMN                                                                

Linda Juhl, Sue Livingston, Bob Rhodes, and John Palmer

“What Does the Lord Require of You” ~ TFWS #2174

THE COMMUNITY DEPARTS FOR MINISTRY

*BENEDICTION                                                                                                                              

Rev. Jeffrey D. Hall

POSTLUDE                                                                                                                                     

Joyce Rhodes, organ

                                              “Postlude on ‘Lasst uns Erfreuen’ – 

                                                   ‘Thee Holy Father We Adore’ ” 

* Stand as you are able