Sunday, August 9, 2020
CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
GATHERING THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH
August 9, 2020
Centering Scripture: Genesis 37: 1-4, 12-28
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MINISTRY OF LIGHT
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: As we come together today, O Lord, we are tossed to and fro on waves of fear and doubt.
People: O Calmer of trouble waters, let us hear again your reassuring words,
“Take heart, it is I; have no fear.”
Leader: As we come together today, O Lord, we are driven here and there by winds of ambition and pride.
People: O Healer of troubled souls, let us hear again your reassuring words,
“Take heart, it is I; have no fear.”
ALL: Come, Lord Jesus, and bless our worship with the gift of your presence, that we might find peace for our anxious hearts and meaning for our troubled lives.
HYMN OF PRAISE “Give to the Winds Thy Fears,” v.1 No.129
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EPISTLE LESSON Romans 10: 5-15
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MORNING PRAYER
Glorious are you, God most wonderful, we come to you with loving awe.
Glorious are you, God most beautiful, we come to you with loving adoration.
Glorious are you, God most loving, we come to you with loving praise.
By your Holy Spirit inspire us beyond our expectations, and enlarge our faith beyond our understanding. Through Christ Jesus our Friend. Amen!
PASTORAL PRAYER
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.
LITANY
Loving Creator, you could have made a utilitarian world, functional and dull, but instead you have filled it with countless bonuses that enrich our lives beyond measure. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For light and sight: the colors of gardens, sky and woods; houses, cars and motorcycles; historic sailboats and aircraft, our many colored jackets, shirts, scarves and pajamas. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For sound waves & hearing: the roar of thunder and rain on the roof; the twitter of wrens and the speedy flight of hummingbirds; a child’s laughter, choirs, orchestras, and the hum of a well-tuned motor.
For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For shapes and textures and our sense of touch; a warm pool and velvet moss; polished timber and a joyful hug; a silk garment, rich soil, and the kiss of an infant. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For fragrance and our ability to smell: the fragrance of honeysuckle and mint; the scents from the wind across our foggy river; the aroma of coffee and baking bread. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For flavors and our taste buds; peaches, paw paws, berries and apples; numerous drinks and many cheeses; a roast dinner and an Asian curry; crisp salads and a chocolate cake. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
Especially for the bonus of joy that comes through faith, we thank you.
For the Bible and its heroes, the church and its saints, the fellowship of congregations, the joyful songs of God’s people, and the enrichment of different pastors and soul mates. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
For Christ Jesus and the love that seeks and saves the lost, and welcomes and heals the wounded and broken. For the holy Font and Table where that love is made visible, touchable and available to the least and the last. For the friendship of the Spirit who takes the wonder of Christ‘s ways and makes it live for us and within us. For bonus gifts both great and small,
We thank you, loving God.
Through the love of your Holy Son, and in the joy of the Holy Spirit.
Amen!
CHILDREN’S MOMENTS
Listen while the preacher reads a story of a storm at sea. Wind and rain when you are on the water in a boat is pretty scary. Have you had an experience that was pretty scary? Jesus asks us to trust in his loving presence when we are scared. What did you do when you were scared? Trusting Jesus will help to keep you calm and make smart decisions carefully. Try it next time you’re scared.
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 .”
HYMN “God Will Take Care of You,” v.1 No. 130
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GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 14: 22-33
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SERMON Rev. David Harper
CLOSING HYMN “Only Trust Him” v.1 No. 337
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BENEDICTION
We are now sent from here
in the name of Jesus Christ
to serve the God who cherishes us
and to trust the Spirit who nurtures us.
That you may live with the flair of those who have faith, I bless you!
Amen!
That you may live with the faith of those who have hope, I bless you!
Amen!
That you may live with the hope of those who have love, I bless you!
Amen!
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
in the name of Christ. Amen!