July 31, 2016

THEME:

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11, Luke 12:13-21 & Psalm 107:1-9 

Hosea 11:1-11
When Israel was a child, I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.
² The more I^[a] called them,
    the more they went from me;^[b]
they kept sacrificing to the Baals,
    and offering incense to idols.

³ Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    I took them up in my^[c] arms;
    but they did not know that I healed them.
⁴ I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with bands of love.
I was to them like those
    who lift infants to their cheeks.^[d]
    I bent down to them and fed them.

⁵ They shall return to the land of Egypt,
    and Assyria shall be their king,
    because they have refused to return to me.
⁶ The sword rages in their cities,
    it consumes their oracle-priests,
    and devours because of their schemes.
⁷ My people are bent on turning away from me.
    To the Most High they call,
    but he does not raise them up at all.^[e]

⁸ How can I give you up, Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
    How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
⁹ I will not execute my fierce anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
    the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.^[f]

¹⁰ They shall go after the Lord,
    who roars like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling from the west.
¹¹ They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
    and like doves from the land of Assyria;
    and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.

Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV)
¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” ¹⁵ And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” ¹⁶ Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. ¹⁷ And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ ²¹ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”


Psalm 107:1-9, 42-43 (The Message)
^1-3 Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
    His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
    Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
    from the four winds, from the seven seas.

^4-9 Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
    looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
    staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.
    He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
    that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great draughts of water down parched throats;
    the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

^42-43 Good people see this and are glad;
    bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks.
If you are really wise, you’ll think this over—
    it’s time you appreciated God’s deep love.

8:30 AM Order of Service

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship:
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Our wandering is over at last. Our journey has purpose and direction!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Home, to a safe and prosperous place. Home is a place where we are welcome!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: There is no more hunger or thirst. There is plenty of room!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Our lives have meaning and joy. Our souls find rest with God!

Hymn of Praise:   #90 Come, Christians, Join to Sing (vss. 1 & 2)

Invocation

Generous God, giver of delight and truth,

Help us to hold lightly the fading things of this earth

and to reach for the lasting things of your kingdom,

so that what we are and do and say

may be our gifts to you

through Christ, who calls to come and follow, Amen.

 

Lighting of the Candles
Children are welcome to come forward.
Leader:  In the beginning, God said,
People: 'Let there be light' and there was light!
Leader: We light these candles today,
People: Because God is with us in this time and in this place!

 Joys & Concerns

Prayer Hymn  #578 I Need Thee Every Hour (vss. 1 & 2)

Prayers of the People

Scripture: 

Sermon

Communion Hymn: #422 Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ (vss. 1 & 2)

 Invitation to Share in the Lord's Supper

Christians of all denominations and backgrounds are welcome
to share in communion & offering.

Words of Institution

Prayer for Bread and Cup

The Lord's Supper and Offering

Please come forward down the center aisle to partake of the elements.
Gifts, tithes and offerings may be placed in the basket on the table.

The Lord's Prayer

Invitation to Discipleship

Hymn of Invitation:#556 Trust and Obey (vss. 1 & 4)

Blessing
Children are welcome to come forward.
Leader: The light that was in one place at one time, is now in all places and all times,
People: For God has placed the light in us!
Leader: We go in peace!
People: Amen!

           

10:40 AM Service Order

Gathering and Preparing for Worship

Opening Music: #286 This is the Day

Welcome & Announcements

Hymn of Praise:#90 Come, Christians, Join to Sing (vss. 1 & 2)

Call to Worship
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Our wandering is over at last. Our journey has purpose and direction!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Home, to a safe and prosperous place. Home is a place where we are welcome!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: There is no more hunger or thirst. There is plenty of room!
Leader: Come! God is leading us home.
People: Our lives have meaning and joy. Our souls find rest with God!
 

Invocation

Generous God, giver of delight and truth,

Help us to hold lightly the fading things of this earth

and to reach for the lasting things of your kingdom,

so that what we are and do and say

may be our gifts to you

through Christ, who calls to come and follow, Amen.

Moments of Fellowship and Greeting

Offering Our Hearts to God

The Lord's Prayer

Call to Offering

Offertory

Doxology CH #46

Prayer of Dedication

Encountering God's Word

Scripture:

Children's Moment and Blessing

Choir Voluntary

Turning to God in Prayer

Joys and Concerns

Prayer Hymn:  #578 I Need Thee Every Hour (vss. 1 & 2)

Prayers of the People

Contemplating God's Word

Scripture:

Sermon

Sharing at the Lord's Table

Invitation to Communion

Christians of all denominations and backgrounds are welcome to share in communion. Please hold each element as we partake in unison.

Communion Hymn: #422 Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ (vss. 1 & 2)

Prayers for Bread & Cup and Words of Institution

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Going Forth in Faith

Invitation to Discipleship

Hymn of Invitation: #556 Trust and Obey (vss. 1 & 4)

Benediction

Choral Response #446 The Lord Bless You and Keep You

Carrying Out of the Light

Postlude