Sunday, August 16, 2020
CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
GATHERING THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH
August 16, 2020
Centering Scripture: Genesis 45: 1-15
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MINISTRY OF LIGHT
*CALL TO WORSHIP
The love of Christ Jesus fills your hearts with the joy of believing.
And also fills your heart!
This is a time for loving awe.
How deep is the wealth of God’s wisdom and knowledge?
How unfathomable are the divine purposes and ways of working!
Who could ever read God’s mind or give advice?
Who could give or do anything that placed the Holy One in our debt?
In God rests the cause of all the things, and the continued existence of all things.
To whom be glory forever!” Amen!
*HYMN OF PRAISE “And Are We Yet Alive” No. 553
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- And are we yet alive, and see each other’s face?
Glory and thanks to Jesus give for his almighty grace! - Let us take up the cross till we the crown obtain,
and gladly reckon all things loss so we may Jesus gain.
EPISTLE LESSON Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
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PRAYER OF CONFESSION
With you, loving God, is the beauty that displays the defects in us, with you is the goodness which confronts the evil in us. Yet also with you is the love that embraces us, that Christ-love that welcomes common sinners and eats with them. Many are the times we have turned our back on you, but never has there been a time when you have turned your back on us.
Today we come again, some of us feeling guilty, some feeling frustrated with ourselves, some feeling despondent, and maybe some feeling apathetic. Enfold us all, we pray, within your saving love. Please deal with us in the way we most need; speak comfortable words or rebuke us, tend our wounds or lance our infections, awaken our conscience or calm our nagging anxiety.
Holy Friend, give to the timid the courage to accept your mercy, and give the proud the humility to seek your forgiveness. Please touch every person with the redeeming love of Christ Jesus. In whose name we pray.
Amen!
FORGIVENESS
Family of God, God knows our need before we ask for help. There is enough mercy to cover all our sins, and not ours only, but those of the whole world. Therefore put the past and its errors behind you. Live as forgiven people, for in Christ, such you truly are!
Thanks be to God!
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
And also with you!
PASTORAL PRAYER
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.
PSALTER Psalm 133
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
CHILDREN’S MOMENTS
The Genesis story from the Centering Scripture at the top of the bulletin is about Joseph and his older brothers who sold him to Egyptians that took Joseph far away to Egypt. It tells of the time many years later when the brothers come into the presence of a man, now grown up, whom they do not recognize. WOW!! It is Joseph!
He tells his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,” because Joseph got back together with his whole family and gave them food. They lived in Egypt while there was no rain at home for them to grow anything to eat. What do you suppose God wants you to do when you and brothers, sisters, or friends have a fight or an argument? Maybe you can think about how glad Joseph was to see his family. Read the whole story and name the feelings of the people in it.
WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGS may be mailed to the church with thanks to you and our Lord. As you do so, pray, “Bless Thou the gifts our hands have brought. Bless thou the work our hearts have planned. Ours is the faith, the will, the thought; the rest, O God, is in thy hand .”
*GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 15:10-28
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SERMON Rev. David Harper
*CLOSING HYMN “Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me” No. 361
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Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me cure.
BENEDICTION
The gathering of the people of God is ending; the scattering to of the people of God to be agents of Christ in many places is about to begin. Remember how great are your resources.
How deep is the wealth of God’s wisdom and knowledge!
How unfathomable are the divine purposes and ways of working!
Who could ever read God’s mind or give advice?
Who could give or do anything that placed the Holy One in our debt?
In God lies the cause of all things, and the continued existence of all things.
To God be glory forever! Amen!
Go in peace to love and serve your God.
In the name of Christ. Amen!