October 20, 2019

THEME: Gratitude- Offering Our Best to God

NOTES: In the Jewish tradition of Deuteronomy, thanksgiving is expressed as an offering. The offering is given to acknowledge that God provides richly for us. It is also given to sustain the community of God's people. How does this affect our understanding of gratitude? Is thanksgiving a concrete expression of our awareness that the good produce and sustenance we gather from the earth come from the creative work of God? We work hard. But even our work is  possible because of the provisions God has made for us in creation. When we consider the "first fruits" of our labors, what will we have to offer God and the community of God's people?


Scripture:
 Deuteronomy 26:1-11When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5 you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.







8:30 am Order of Service



We Gather in God's Presence
Welcome

Prelude

Lighting the Christ Candles

Praise Hymn

Call to Worship

Leader: In deep gratitude we come to worship God.
People: We recognize God as the source of all goodness.
Leader: All good gifts come from the Spirit of God:
People: Love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness are all of God.
Leader: We come with grateful hearts, not for things, but for who God is.
People: We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.

~ posted on The Presbyterian Church in Canada website. http://presbyterian.ca/

Invocation

Great God accept our gratitude,

For the great gifts on us bestowed–

For rainment, shelter and for food.

Great God accept our gratitude.
Great God, our gratitude we bring,

Accept our humble offering,

For all the gifts on us bestowed,

Thy name be evermore adored.

Josephine Delphine Henderson Heard (1861 – c. 1921) was born the daughter of two enslaved parents in Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.  With the end of slavery in the United States, Josephine was able to become a teacher.  She was an accomplished poet and wife of an American Episcopal Chruch minister. https://worshipwords.co.uk/great-god-accept-our-gratitude-josephine-delphine-henderson-heard-usa/

We Contemplate God's Word

Scripture

Sermon


We Pray Together

Joys & Concerns

Prayer Hymn

Praying Together
Congregational Response:
Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

Loving God,
You are our Creator and Sustainer.
When You open Your hand,
You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
And so we look to You whenever we are in need,
trusting in Your love and Your abundant goodness.

As You once fed the hungry crowds with five loaves and two small fish,
we ask that You would again fill those who are empty this day.
Pour out Your Spirit on all who hunger and thirst.

We pray for those who are physically hungry—whose stomachs are empty.
We think especially of the people in Somalia and Eastern Africa
who are facing critical food shortages;
    who are suffering the effects of malnutrition and starvation;
        and watching helplessly as loved ones die.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

We pray for those who are empty emotionally—
who are lonely and long for companionship and love,
        who are caught in the grip of depression,
            or overwhelmed with grief.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 
We pray for those who are spiritually empty—
who are troubled, but don’t know where to turn;
    who long for purpose and meaning, but don’t know where to look;
        who need You, but do not yet know You.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 
God, we praise You for Your abundant gifts in our lives.
Pour out Your Spirit on us as well.
Fill us with Your compassion and love,
so that we would willingly share some of our abundance
with those who have need.

Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
Pour out Your Spirit, so that we may be filled.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ,
who came so that all of humanity might come to know
the abundant life that comes from You.

Amen.

-Christine Longhurst. https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/07/prayers-of-people-july-31-2011.html



We Come to the Lord's Table

Invitation to the Table

Communion Hymn

Elder's Prayer

Words of Institution

The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation

Prayer of Thanksgiving


We Go Forth into the World

Challenge for Discipleship

Discipleship Hymn

Blessing


10:40 am Order of Service


We Gather in God's Presence

Welcome

Prelude

Call to Worship
 Leader: In deep gratitude we come to worship God.
People: We recognize God as the source of all goodness.
Leader: All good gifts come from the Spirit of God:
People: Love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness are all of God.
Leader: We come with grateful hearts, not for things, but for who God is.
People: We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.

~ posted on The Presbyterian Church in Canada website. http://presbyterian.ca/

Praise Hymn

Lighting of the Candles

Invocation 

Great God accept our gratitude,

For the great gifts on us bestowed–

For rainment, shelter and for food.

Great God accept our gratitude.
Great God, our gratitude we bring,

Accept our humble offering,

For all the gifts on us bestowed,

Thy name be evermore adored.

Josephine Delphine Henderson Heard (1861 – c. 1921) was born the daughter of two enslaved parents in Salisbury, North Carolina, USA.  With the end of slavery in the United States, Josephine was able to become a teacher.  She was an accomplished poet and wife of an American Episcopal Chruch minister. https://worshipwords.co.uk/great-god-accept-our-gratitude-josephine-delphine-henderson-heard-usa/

Passing of the Peace

Faith Hymn


We Contemplate God's Word

Presentation of Bibles

Scripture

Choir Anthem

Children's Sermon

Sermon


We Pray Together

Joys & Concerns

Prayer Hymn

Praying Together
Congregational Response:
Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 

Loving God,
You are our Creator and Sustainer.
When You open Your hand,
You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
And so we look to You whenever we are in need,
trusting in Your love and Your abundant goodness.

As You once fed the hungry crowds with five loaves and two small fish,
we ask that You would again fill those who are empty this day.


Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 


We pray for those who are physically hungry—whose stomachs are empty.
We think especially of the people in Somalia and Eastern Africa
who are facing critical food shortages;
    who are suffering the effects of malnutrition and starvation;
        and watching helplessly as loved ones die.


Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled. 
We pray for those who are empty emotionally—
who are lonely and long for companionship and love,
        who are caught in the grip of depression,
            or overwhelmed with grief.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled.  

We pray for those who are spiritually empty—
who are troubled, but don’t know where to turn;
    who long for purpose and meaning, but don’t know where to look;
        who need You, but do not yet know You.


Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled.  

God, we praise You for Your abundant gifts in our lives.
Pour out Your Spirit on us as well.
Fill us with Your compassion and love,
so that we would willingly share some of our abundance
with those who have need.

Leader: Lord, in Your mercy, open Your hand.
People: Pour out Your Spirit, so that they may be filled.  

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ,
who came so that all of humanity might come to know
the abundant life that comes from You.

Amen.

-Christine Longhurst. https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/07/prayers-of-people-july-31-2011.html


We Come to the Lord's Table

Invitation to the Table

Communion Hymn

Words of Institution
 
The Lord's Supper with instrumental meditation

Prayer of Thanksgiving


We Go Forth into the World

Challenge for Discipleship

Discipleship Hymn

Blessing


Closing Hymn