Worship Service Bulletin

A Service for the Lord’s Day

14th Sunday after Pentecost

(*Please stand in body or in spirit)

The Instrumental Prelude and Time for Meditation

Announcements, Rev. Hana Elliott

Celebrations and the Birthday Song,

  Happy birthday, happy birthday, your friends are all singing.

May the year that is coming bring gladness to you.

   May it teach you to be helpful, kindhearted, and loving.

     Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you.

*Call to Worship:

Leader: Your creation gives thanks to you, O God.

People: And we, your faithful, bless you.

Leader: We shall speak of the glory of your realm and tell of your power.

People: We shall let all people know your mighty deeds and glorious splendor.

*Hymn #31 “To God Be the Glory”

*Call to Confession:

The grace of God overflows for us through the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin, first in silence, and then aloud together.

*Prayer of Confession, In Unison

(Begin with individual silent prayer before joining in unison)

O Lord our God, you call us to work for a world where all will be fed and have dignity, but we find ourselves distracted by our own desires. You call us to share the gifts that you have given us, but we fear that there isn’t enough. You call us to celebrate your abundance, but we have too often bought into the myth of scarcity. In the midst of our inadequacy, speak your words of abundance and grace. In this hour, may we see here all we need—your gifts to feed and nourish us, and your presence which grants us your fullness.

*Assurance of Forgiveness:

Dearly beloved, through the power of the Spirit that is at work within us God forgives our sins and strengthens our inner beings. So now live knowing the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge and fills us with the fullness of God. Thanks be to God!

*The Gloria #108, In Unison

  Glory be to the Father

And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost

      As it was in the beginning,

     Is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

*Passing of the Peace:

May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

Prayer for Illumination:

Holy God, may this your Word give us the power to comprehend, with all the saints, the length and width, the height and depth of the love of Christ and fullness of life in you. Amen.

Children’s Time:

First Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 4:42-44 (pg. 577)

Second Scripture Reading: John 6:1-15 (pg. 1667)

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord

People: Let our thanks and praise be to God!

Sermon: “Food for Thought”

*Hymn #705 “I’ll Fly Away”

*Affirmation of Faith, (1)

We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the (continued)

(1) from A Brief Statement of Faith.

waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Call to Offering:

Because a little boy shared his bread and fish, a multitude ate. Let us share what has been given to us.

Offering,

Monetary gifts may be placed in the offering plates as they are passed through the pews. Offerings of volunteer hours may be made by filling out a slip of paper regarding the number and type of hours, and putting it into the jar on the table by the door inside the sanctuary.

*Doxology #109

  Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise God all creatures here below,

   Praise God above ye heavenly host,

     Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication (2)

Let us Pray: God of abundant love, gather our offerings, as Jesus gathered up the baskets of leftover food. Gather our efforts, as Jesus gathered the hopes of the people who looked for a true king. Gather our service, as Jesus gathered people to God’s heavenly banquet. Bless all that you have gathered to the building of your kingdom. Amen.

Prayers of the People

….Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from

(2) Adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2009, © 2008 Abingdon Press.

evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Choral Response

  Hear our prayer, O Lord, hear our prayer, O Lord,

Incline thine ear to us, and grant us thy peace. Amen

*Hymn #398 “Make Me a Blessing”

*Charge & Blessing, (Ephesians 3:20-21)

*Choral Response: “Go, My Children, with My Blessing” (Back Page)

  Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me.

Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.

   Here my Spirit’s power filled you;

    here my tender comfort stilled you.

       Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.

*The Choral Amen,

  Amen,   Amen,   Amen.