NOTES: Today's scriptures use the metaphor of a vineyard to talk about the relationship between God and God's people. In Isaiah, we see what happens when the relationship falls apart. John's words of hope encourage us to stay close to God to see what can happen when the relationship is successful. The vineyard is a common and powerful metaphor for the Prophets and the Gospels. It so clearly illustrates that staying close to God through love, honesty and justice leads to bearing healthy fruit; while cutting ourselves off leads surely to unhealthy fruit or even unfruitfulness. As we seek to live faithfully in our world today, particularly in navigating issues of justice, the reminder to draw close and stay close is timely.
Ponder this Poem/Prayer as we prepare:
Praise the Eternal One, the Divine Gardener.
Who plants the sun, the moon, the stars in the heavens.
Who creates earth, the amazing garden upon which we live.
Who loosens rocks into teeming, incubating soil.
Who spreads the seeds of life in the seas, land, and skies
– which transform into beasts that swim, crawl and fly.
Who spreads a dazzling array of flora on field and plain.
Who plants dense forests and open moorland.
Who orchestrates nourishment through clouds, thunder and rain.
Praise the architect of earth and heaven
In whose lush garden we stand today.
-Ana Gobeldale, UK https://worshipwords.co.uk/call-to-worship-inspired-by-psalm-148-ana-gobledale-uk/
Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7 and John 15: 1-8
Isaiah 5:1-7
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. 2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.
3 “Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? 5 Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. 6 I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it.”
7 The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.
John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
8:30 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
WelcomePrelude
Lighting the Christ Candles
Praise Hymn#276 "We Gather Together" (all verses)
Call to Worship
Leader: God brings joy! So don't let go
of all the reasons to rejoice.
People: God fills our lives with joy.
Leader: God listens to us! So don't stop
lifting our prayers with honest hearts.
People: God hears our words and silence.
Leader: God welcomes us! So don't stop
giving our hearts to God.
People: God graces us with a peace
we cannot begin to understand.
Invocation
God of peace,
cause us to rejoice in you always,
make us gentle to everyone,
keep us from being anxious about anything—
help us to ask you for what we need, with thanksgiving;
and let your peace
guard our hearts and minds
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~ written by Michael Perry in Bible Praying. Posted on The Jubilate Group website. http://www.jubilate.co.uk/
We Contemplate God's Word
Scripture
Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#572 "Take Time to Be Holy" (verses 1, 3, & 4)
Praying Together
Dear Lord our God,
we are thankful that you are constantly at work in our lives.
You are…
a help in times of difficulty
a strength in times of weakness
a guide when we feel lost and alone
We know that through Your Son, Jesus Christ,
You have the power…
to transform lives
to mend broken relationships
to bring strength to the weary
and hope to the broken hearted.
So we bring our worries and our burdens,
our hopes and dreams,
before your throne of grace,
knowing that you are the Lord of our lives and the hope of the world.
Lord we pray for your church here in Berea, in all it's many forms,
for those that are thriving and those that have lost a sense of direction.
We give thanks for our own church and its people,
and gladly acknowledge all the gifts you have given us.
Grant us your help and guidance and support.
We too, have problems and needs and concerns—
worries about ourselves, our families and those we love.
We remember in our prayers today…
those who are worried about their health and what the future might hold
those who feel anxious or depressed or afraid
those who are in hospital
those with burdens they find impossible to share
those who still mourn the loss of someone dear to their heart.
And we pray for ourselves—
that we might know the gentle authority of Jesus
in all parts of our lives—
leading us, guiding us, encouraging and directing us,
now and always. Amen.
— adapted from Starters for Sunday, on the Church of Scotland’s website.
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#395 "Seed, Scattered and Sown"(all verses)
Elder's Prayer
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#56 "For the Beauty of the Earth" (verses 1, 2, & 4)
Blessing
10:40 am Order of Service
We Gather in God's Presence
WelcomePrelude
Call to Worship
Leader: God brings joy! So don't let go
of all the reasons to rejoice.
People: God fills our lives with joy.
Leader: God listens to us! So don't stop
lifting our prayers with honest hearts.
People: God hears our words and silence.
Leader: God welcomes us! So don't stop
giving our hearts to God.
People: God graces us with a peace
we cannot begin to understand.
Praise Hymn#276 "We Gather Together" (all verses)
Lighting of the Candles
Invocation
God of peace,
cause us to rejoice in you always,
make us gentle to everyone,
keep us from being anxious about anything—
help us to ask you for what we need, with thanksgiving;
and let your peace
guard our hearts and minds
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~ written by Michael Perry in Bible Praying. Posted on The Jubilate Group website. http://www.jubilate.co.uk/
Passing of the Peace
Faith Hymn#714 "For the Fruit of All Creation" (all verses)
We Contemplate God's Word
ScriptureChoir Anthem
Children's Sermon
Sermon
We Pray Together
Joys & ConcernsPrayer Hymn#572 "Take Time to Be Holy" (verses 1, 3, & 4)
Praying Together
Dear Lord our God,
we are thankful that you are constantly at work in our lives.
You are…
a help in times of difficulty
a strength in times of weakness
a guide when we feel lost and alone
We know that through Your Son, Jesus Christ,
You have the power…
to transform lives
to mend broken relationships
to bring strength to the weary
and hope to the broken hearted.
So we bring our worries and our burdens,
our hopes and dreams,
before your throne of grace,
knowing that you are the Lord of our lives and the hope of the world.
Lord we pray for your church here in Berea, in all it's many forms,
for those that are thriving and those that have lost a sense of direction.
We give thanks for our own church and its people,
and gladly acknowledge all the gifts you have given us.
Grant us your help and guidance and support.
We too, have problems and needs and concerns—
worries about ourselves, our families and those we love.
We remember in our prayers today…
those who are worried about their health and what the future might hold
those who feel anxious or depressed or afraid
those who are in hospital
those with burdens they find impossible to share
those who still mourn the loss of someone dear to their heart.
And we pray for ourselves—
that we might know the gentle authority of Jesus
in all parts of our lives—
leading us, guiding us, encouraging and directing us,
now and always. Amen.
— adapted from Starters for Sunday, on the Church of Scotland’s website.
We Come to the Lord's Table
Invitation to the TableCommunion Hymn#395 "Seed, Scattered and Sown"(all verses)
Words of Institution
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We Go Forth into the World
Challenge for DiscipleshipDiscipleship Hymn#56 "For the Beauty of the Earth" (verses 1, 2, & 4)
Blessing
Closing Hymn #461 "Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service" (verse 4)
No comments:
Post a Comment