FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

SEPTEMBER 9, 2001                                                                                                                                                       10:00 A.M.

PRELUDE

GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND MEDITATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:                 This is a new day filled with fresh possibilities.

PEOPLE:            We gather to participate in the new things God is doing.

Leader:                 Old ways and tired routines are left behind.

PEOPLE:            Our God comes to us in unexpected ways and refreshes all who join the adventure.

Leader:                 Those who claim sophistication and power may miss the movement of the eternal.

PEOPLE:            All who give up their pretenses will find unusual opportunities.

Leader:                 Let us together explore the wonders of God.

PEOPLE:            Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew our spirits. Amen.

+*HYMN OF PRAISE                           “Praise to the Living God”                               8

*   PRAYER OF INVOCATION

*   SENTENCES OF PRAISE

Leader:                 Sing praises to God, O you saints, and give thanks to God’s holy name!

PEOPLE:            We exalt you, O God, for you have restored us to life!

+*GLORIA PATRI                                                                                                                      

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.  Amen.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In unison)

             God of Grace, you are always more ready to forgive our shortcomings than we are willing to admit them. You give us great promise for our living, and we laugh at you, thinking that we are no good.  You call us to difficult and inspiring missions, and we busy ourselves with other things that we decide are more important.  You challenge us to have courage, and we shrink back, locking ourselves into the safety of our own homes.  Bring us new life, God, so that the spirit of Christ may shine in us. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS

THE LORD’S PRAYER

          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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

RESPONSE                                                                                                                          v.1, 57

O Holy Spirit, Root of life, Creator, cleanser of all things,

Anoint our wounds, awaken us, With lustrous movement of your wings.

WORDS WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE

*    HYMN OF PREPARATION        “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds”                   393

                                (Children please leave for classes during the first verse.)

THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON                                           Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

                                          (Pew Bible, O.T. p.184)

THE ANTHEM              “I Need Thee Every Hour”                      Hawks/Birchwood

THE EPISTLE LESSON                                                                               Romans 8:31-39

                                                (Pew Bible, N. T. p.145)

THE SERMON                                         “Running and Jumping”

CALL TO PRAYER

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING, INTERCESSION AND PETITION

OUR OFFERING TO GOD

Offertory 

*DOXOLOGY                                                                                            NCH 778

                          Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below;

                          Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*   HYMN OF DEDICATION         “I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty”                50

*   CHARGE and BENEDICTION

*   POSTLUDE

 (Please feel free to remain and listen, or to greet one another in the narthex and at coffee hour.)

Our Worship has ended.                                                                   Let our Service Begin

Welcome visitors! Please sign our guest book and join us in Edwards Hall for Coffee Hour Fellowship following the service.  Church school, nursery, and restrooms are located down the hill in Jonathan House.  Please speak with an usher for assistance.

 

The Liturgist this morning is Alison Cichowlas.

The Deacon-in-Charge is Paul Blow.

The Greeter is Cindy Booth.

The Ushers are Adelaide Stearns and Paul Blow.

The Board of Christian Education will host Coffee Hour this morning.

Ellie Kell and Amy Hendrick are in charge of the Nursery this morning.

 

The call to worship and prayer of confession are reprinted by permission from

Flames of the Spirit, ed. Ruth C. Duck. Copyright 1985 The Pilgrim Press.

 

We have sound-enhancing assistive listening devices and large print bulletins available.  Please speak with an usher or pick one up in the narthex.

 

In the name of God and Jesus Christ, Edwards Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ, welcomes all who seek to know and worship God.  We invite everyone to join in our faith journey and participate in our congregational life.

             As a community of faith, we take seriously the Biblical call to love God and our neighbors as ourselves, and recognize that although we are many members, we are one. We celebrate the uniqueness of everyone. We rejoice in our diversity of views and understandings of our shared faith.  We commit ourselves to work diligently to help end oppression and discrimination.  We affirm all relationships founded on the principle of God’s love and justice.

             We declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming congregation.  Seeking to be the Body of Christ, we welcome into full fellowship and membership all persons of every race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical or cognitive ability and economic status.

 

THIS WEEK AT EDWARDS

September 9 – 15, 2001

SUNDAY               Adult Church School                                                                           9:00 A.M.

                                WORSHIP/SUNDAY SCHOOL                                                      10:00 A.M.

                                Coffee Hour Fellowship                                                                    11:00 A.M.

                                Friendship Cookout                                                                           11:30 A.M.

MONDAY             Board of Trustees Mtg., Jonathan House                                            7:30 P.M.

                                Stewardship Committee Mtg., Pastor’s Study                                    7:30 P.M.

TUESDAY             Heritage worship service                                                                      1:00 P.M.

                                Pastor/Parish Relations Committee Mtg., Pastor’s Study                   7:30 P.M.

WEDNESDAY       Oak Knoll worship service                                                                10:15 A.M.

                                Countryside Manor worship service                                                 11:15 A.M.

                                Bible Study, Pastor’s Study                                                                 7:30 P.M.

THURSDAY          Staff Meeting, Jonathan House                                                            5:00 P.M.

                                Fair craft workshop, Jonathan House                                                  7:00 P.M.

                                Wedding Rehearsal                                                                               7:30 P.M.

SATURDAY          Bonnie Walker’s Wedding                                                                 10:00 A.M.

 

Please welcome Barbara Jean Couch, our new Student Pastor, who will be worshipping with us today.  We will commission her for her ministry with us next Sunday.

 

Mark your calendars for our next Evening Contemporary Worship Service: Sunday, September 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Edwards Hall

 

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, we will be welcoming new members.  If you are interested in joining, please speak with Debbie Clark.

 

ALSO ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, the Diaconate will be sponsoring a potluck sandwich lunch following worship, with opportunity for conversation about our theme, “Gifts of the Spirit.”  Families with last names beginning with A-M are asked to bring a sandwich filling (tuna, chicken salad, turkey, etc); N-R are asked to bring drinks; and S-Z are asked to bring desserts. Please plan to attend!

 

URGENT NEEDS - A PLACE TO TURN

A call was placed this week to A PLACE TO TURN - a food pantry - part of our local mission outreach.  The shelves are bare of several items and there is an urgent need for the following:

Canned vegetables, fruit juices, pasta (All kinds and some sizes suitable for large families), side dishes (scalloped potatoes, tuna or hamburger helper etc.), Tuna, after school snack foods, low sugar items suitable for Diabetics, deodorant, toothpaste, paper towels.

 

Special deliveries will be made of your contributions on Monday September 10, 17 and 24.  A basket for your donations is located in the narthex.

Thank you so much.

 

Marge Rogers, Board of Wider Missions

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to Greet, Usher, Host Coffee Hour, and provide flowers.  There is a sign up chart on the kitchen door in Edwards Hall (instruction sheets are available in the manila envelope above the chart.)  Please take a few moments at coffee hour to look it over and sign up.