Be Love September 2, 2018

Transcription

1 Be Love September 2, 2018 GATHERING MUSIC SILENT MEDITATION 9:50 AM Please rise in body and spirit, as you are able Facebook Check-in: As you arrive, please check-in on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter and

2 PRELUDE WELCOME AND PASSING OF THE PEACE CALL TO WORSHIP: One: In this house you will find bread for your life s journey. Many: In Jesus we find life anew. One: Come. Stay a while and eat this bread so you will never hunger. Many: In Jesus we find life anew. One: Come. Be strengthened in God to withstand the present night and the spiritual forces of evil. Many: In Jesus we find life anew. HYMN Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread BLACK 342 PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison) Dear God, you call us to be doers of the Word, not hearers only. You call us to love the world with your passion, And to let that love be expressed in justice, forgiveness, and peace. Forgive us when our hearts are constricted with fear. Let your transforming grace open us to the world you cherish. Forgive us when we honor you only with our lips and not with our actions. ASSURANCE OF PARDON One: Holy One, in Christ you have shown us the way into your Beloved Community of mercy, love, and peace, in which you are making all things new. We come to affirm our covenant and sacred promise to be in loving relationship with you. Thank you for giving us life. Open us, body, mind and spirit to your truth. Fill us with your grace so we fall in love with your world and offer and experience forgiveness, reconciliation and hope. 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. CHILDREN S MESSAGE SPECIAL MUSIC 2

3 NEW TESTAMENT LESSONS James 1:17-27 Pew Bible page 229, NT Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, Pew Bible page 42, NT ONE: Here ends a reading from God s word. ALL: Thanks be to God, who is still speaking. SERMON What Really Defiles Us Rev. Robert Grow MISSION MOMENT North Coast Health Lester Armstrong OFFERING DOXOLOGY Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, Ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. PRAYER OF DEDICATION (In Unison) Accept our offerings of praise in grateful thanksgiving for your presence in our lives and the many blessings you bestow upon us. Consecrate our offering, O God, that it may become bread to fill the emptiness and heal the brokenness of the lives in this community and beyond. And may we be reminded that our real life begins when we give with generous hearts to proclaim the gospel in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen. JOYS AND CONCERNS OF THE CONGREGATION PASTORAL PRAYER HYMN Let us Break Bread Together BLUE 288 3

4 SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION We gather as a community to share the bread and the cup Christ offers. All are invited to participate in this holy sacrament. Today, we will receive communion in the pews. Please take the bread and hold it until all are served; we will partake together. Do likewise with the cup of juice. We serve gluten-free Communion at WPUCC. One: Many: One: Many: One: Many: One: Many: God be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to God. Let us give thanks to God Most High. It is right to give God thanks and praise. O Holy God...Amen and Amen. Holy, holy, holy, God of love and majesty, the whole universe speaks of your glory, O God Most High. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of our God. Hosanna in the highest! THE LORD S PRAYER (unison) 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin 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. HYMN I m So Glad Jesus Lifted Me BLACK 474 BENEDICTION ONE: Go forth from here filled with the bread of life. Share that bread with those you meet so they may taste the bread that will never let them know hunger. May God s blessing be upon you. May Jesus love attend to you. May the Holy Spirit sustain you until we meet again. POSTLUDE Liturgy is from Worship Ways by the United Church of Christ 4

5 MINISTERS OF GOD S LOVE...Every Member of WPUCC SENIOR PASTOR...Rev. Jason Thompson ASSOCIATE PASTOR James R. Furry PASTORS EMERITI...Rev. Don Norenberg, Rev. Larry Craig DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION...Wendy LeForge DIRECTOR OF MUSIC...Christopher Venesile, PhD CHURCH ADMINSTRATOR...Linda Ferro LECTOR...Bill Armstrong, Jr. COUNTERS...Richard & Lynne Rice, Bill & Janet Beutel WE WELCOME all who are here to worship with us today. Please sign the attendance pads and pass the pad to the side aisles, by the windows. WE ESPECIALLY WELCOME Rev. Robert Grow, who will be leading worship with us this week. Robert (Rob) Grow is a native of Akron, Ohio. He graduated from Muskingum College, now Muskingum University with a Bachelors of Arts majoring in political science and with a minor in speech communications in He then graduated from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio with a Masters of Divinity in Rob also graduated from Drew University School of Theology with a Masters of Sacred Theology where he concentrated in social ethics. He also completed two internship units of Clinical Pastoral Education (chaplain training) at Cleveland Clinic, and a residency in C.P.E. at Saint Vincent s Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio in Rob is a former United Methodist pastor who was brought up in that denomination and also spent about five years as a very active Quaker when he lived in New Jersey. He is now a Candidate in Discernment in the Western Reserve Association of the UCC and is in his twelfth year of work as a hospice chaplain. He currently lives in Columbus and has been a member of Brecksville UCC for the past ten years. PASTOR JASON will be on vacation, returning on September 6. If you have a pastoral need during this time, please contact the office or Pastor Jim Furry. FOR YOUR INFORMATION: Attendance last Sunday was 72 adults and 4 children/youth. Thank you for your offerings of Operating $2,233, OCWM $206, Pink: Members in Need $25, North Coast Health $25, Light the Steeple $25, Children's Plate $1, All Church Retreat $155, Church Reimbursement $65, Bridge to the Future $35 PINK ENVELOPE FOR SEPTEMBER North Coast Health. In 1986, with the support of a coalition of local churches, a committee of concerned individuals founded a ministry to address the needs of the medically underserved, those falling through the gaps in the health care system. With the support of volunteer doctors, nurses and other caregivers, the North Coast Health staff provides primary health care, preventive care, chronic disease management, medical tests, specialty referrals, prescription assistance, and health education to low-income individuals and families. 5

6 WE PRAY FOR: Grace Burgess, Doug & Kathleen Henderson, George White, Grace Green, Pastor Larry & Christina Craig, Janet Gorman, Clara Strodtbeck, Jean Clark, Georgia Smith, Lakota Snow, Elmer Rogers, Pat Bunnell, Wanda Paulin, John Ittu, Carol Hunt, Midge Karnatz, Elaine Barry, Geri Frimel, Bob Owens, Shirley and Jay Gardella. Scott & Susan, Dane Beamish, Bonnie Carey, at home members, Rodnisha Fouqua & family, Nancy Pierce, Joan Kelly, Noah, Sam, Chris, John, Lynne, Cindy, Caty, David, Catrina, Debbie & Steve, Sharell & Josh, Shana, grandkids, Lynn, Jen, Staci, Rick, Joe, Craig, Isabel, Liz, Bea, Breanna, John, Anne, Meli, Leo, Rosie, Eric, Ivonne, Dawn, David, Sanjay, Wells family, Diana, Phoenix, Moving mercies, Bob, Larry, Clare Walker, Flagg family, Maureen, David, Mary, Bridget, Amy, LaDonna, John, Ann, Richard, Andy, Taylor, Stanton McMahon, Jay Meng, Chloe, Wil, Rosemary, Bryan, Lisa, Lyda, Mike, Anna, Vespucci family, Rachel, Luke, Adam, family, incarcerated, survivors of gun violence, Patrick, and all in military service. GOD IS ON THE MOVE! Our SUMMER collection is Peanut Butter and Jelly. Thanks for your generosity! THINKING AHEAD: Christmas Pageant! We plan to offer a multigenerational (all ages) Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at the worship service. If you would like to be a part of it, and can attend rehearsals, please contact Ms. Wendy. Thanks! WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDIES resume September 12! Did Paul condemn homosexuality? Did Paul think Christ only came to save some? Did Paul say it was okay for Christians to abandon the Law of Moses? For answers to all these questions and many more, join us this fall for Wednesday night Adult BIBLE STUDY. Starting September 12, we will meet weekly at 6pm in the parlor for an in depth look at Paul's letter to the Romans. DO YOU LOVE TO SING? We would welcome you into our church choir! Rehearsals start this Wednesday, September 5, 7:00 p.m. in the music room below the sanctuary. For more information, contact Chris Venesile or any choir member. 6

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8 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: 10:00 a.m. Worship & L.I.G.H.T. 11:15 a.m. Punch on the Porch THIS WEEK AT WEST PARK MONDAY, 09/03: Office closed 7:00 p.m. Mood Disorder Support Group, Parlor TUESDAY, 09/04: 7:30 p.m. Recovery, International, Youth Room WEDNESDAY, 09/05: 7:00 p.m. Choir, Music Room THURSDAY, 09/06: 9:00 p.m. AA Bartter Hall FRIDAY, 09/07: 7:00 p.m. Al- Anon, Parlor SATURDAY, 09/08: 9-12 Saturday Work Morning 10:15 p.m. Alpha-Omega AA Bartter Hall 12:00 a.m. Westside Midnight AA Bartter Hall NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9: 10:00 a.m. Worship & L.I.G.H.T. 11:15 a.m. Punch on the Porch Christian Ed, Growth & Outreach, Trustees West Park United Church of Christ 3909 Rocky River Dr Cleveland, Ohio