Chiming of the Hour. Welcome to Worship. Passing of the Peace

Transcription

1 Chiming of the Hour GREENWOOD FOREST BAPTIST CHURCH The Worship of God The Sixteenth Sunday of Pentecost September 24, 2017 Gathering Hymn 550 (v. 4) Welcome to Worship Leader: The Lord be with you, People: And also with you. Passing of the Peace We re Marching to Zion Rev. Lauren Efird Rev. Efird Preparation for Worship Sweetness of Freedom Citizens Praise Team Within my heart s a rebellious side, Conflicted with the Spirit s desire, To keep my heart in step with you, So I do not do what I want to do. All my life I live to follow, You alone as you change my desire, Liberated by the blood of Jesus, I found life in the sweetness of freedom. Only you have the power to break Every chain I ve placed around my neck, I heard your call from the pit of death, To surrender all and nothing less. Through the Spirit I have righteousness, Sweet victory over the flesh, I can walk with confidence in you, As you gratify my soul with truth.

2 Call to Worship (Psalm 19:7-14) Rev. Wesley Spears-Newsome Prayers of the People and Lord s Prayer Rev. Stephen Stacks Leader: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; People: The decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; Leader: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; People: The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; Leader: The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; People: The ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Leader: More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; People: Sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb. Leader: Moreover by them is your servant warned; People: In keeping them there is great reward. Leader: But who can detect their errors? People: Clear me from hidden faults. Leader: Keep back your servant also from the insolent; People: Do not let them have dominion over me. Leader: Then I shall be blameless, People: And innocent of great transgression. Leader: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart People: Be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. We affirm each prayer with the following response: Leader: Lord, in your mercy... People: Hear our 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. During the following hymn, children (ages first grade and younger) are invited to go to Children s Time. Parents may pick up their children in the Children s Wing after worship. Invocation Rev. Spears-Newsome Hymn 486 Jesus Calls Us O er the Tumult Hymn 34 Offertory Prayer Word of God, Across the Ages Dave Atkins Scripture Reading Exodus 20:1-20 Rev. Spears-Newsome We affirm the reading of Scripture with the following response: Offertory by Ingathering Offertory on Forest Green arr. Lind Presentation of the Offering OLD 100TH Reader: The word of God for us, the people of God. People: Thanks be to God. As our offering is presented back to God, we will sing the following doxology: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God, above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!

3 Anthem Teach Me, O Lord Peter Moger Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, And I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, And I shall keep thy law: Yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart. Sermon Worshipping God Alone Rev. Efird Hymn 676 Teach Me, O Lord, I Pray Prayer Concerns Emma Aeppli, Ray Camp, Calvin and Malory Dykstra (Otto and June Dykstra s son and granddaughter), Jean Eaton, Timothy Edwards (Zelma Palmer s brother), Sara Martin (Jay and Doris Martin s daughter-in-law), Rich and Trish Penci, (Susan Beck s friends), Kathy Rhoades, Judy Teander, Iris Thomas, Bill Whelan, and Kathleen Wicker Dot Alexander-Oaks at Whitaker Glen-Mayview Our partner church, Ebenezer Baptist, Cuba, and our brothers and sisters of the Oromo Evangelical Lutheran Mission Benediction Rev. Efird Postlude Psalm XIX Marcello Please stand as you are able. The flowers are given today by Keith and Valerie Brooks in memory of Dr. Billy Caldwell. The Deacon of the Day is Dave Atkins, Chair of the Fellowship Ministry. Today s acolyte is Griffin Beal. Hearing assistance devices are available at the back of the sanctuary. GFBC by the Numbers Focus on Finance 2017/2018 Budget (MDP + MSP) $900,457 Amount of Budget supported through Stewardship Giving $825,216 (excludes cell tower lease, GFCC receipts, and outside groups) Week 3 of 52 (September 17) Stewardship Giving needed Week 3 YTD to fully subscribe budget $16,047 $48,141 Actual Stewardship Giving $15,941 $40,021 Over (Under) $ (106) $(8,120) Attendance Last Week Faith Formation 157 Worship 172

4 Announcements and Upcoming Events New Time for Faith Formation/Coffee Hour We have moved our Faith Formation hour to 9:30 to 10:30 am. This new time aligns the adult and youth schedule with the Children's Ministry schedule and allows all of us a little more breathing room before worship. It also provides us a designated time to invite guests to get plugged in to the life of the congregation. We now have coffee set up in the Narthex by 10:30 and invite you all to enjoy some time in fellowship before worship begins at 11 am. The Parlor will also be available for children as a hangout space. Called Business Meeting There will be a brief called business meeting after worship today to vote on our candidate for the Director of Children s Ministries. Information about the candidate, Kadeisha Bonsu, appears a few pages over. Commitment Cards This new church year at Greenwood Forest includes many exciting ministry opportunities such as retreats for all ages, transformational Bible study, providing shelter and meeting space for community groups, feeding food insecure children in our neighborhood, and vibrant and meaningful worship services. As we embark on this new year, we invite you to pledge your financial commitment for the Budget year. We challenge you to increase your giving by 1% of your income in order to help us serve God in Cary! You should have received your commitment cards in the mail; if not, you will find one in today s worship bulletin. Picnic on the Lawn Today! Come enjoy a picnic lunch on the lawn with your church family following worship today, Sunday, September 24. The Fellowship Ministry will provide drinks. You re welcome to store your coolers in the Fellowship Hall during Faith Formation and Worship. Along with your lunch, bring a blanket or lawn chair and a dessert to share if you d like! Spirituality in the Home October Save the date for a church-wide retreat on October hosted by the Discipleship Ministry! Our topic will be The Sacred Journey: Discovering Spiritual Transformation in Our Daily Lives and it will be led by Rev. Dr. Ken Meyers, the faith formation specialist for the Alliance of Baptists. We will explore how to structure our lives and homes in a formative way that is open to encounters with God and continues the growth we experience on Sunday throughout the week. Childcare will be provided and we encourage all to attend. A registration form is included in today s Worship Bulletin or you can register online at gfbccary.org under News and Events/Discipleship Retreat. Praise Assembly October 1 Praise Assembly resumes next Sunday, October 1, at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall. Come start your Sunday with songs of praise! Current Sermon Series Escaping Empire August 27 Resisting the Master Exodus 1:8-2:10 September 3 Approaching Holy Ground Exodus 3:1-15 September 10 Deacon Ordination/Teacher & Caregiver Commissioning September 17 Fleeing the Captor Exodus 14:19-31 September 24 Worshipping God Alone Exodus 20:1-20 New DVD Series The six-session study guide DVD Embracing Emergence Christianity by Phyllis Tickle is now available for checkout in the GFBC Media Center. Updates Needed The church office is about to publish the Church Handbook. Send any changes in your address, phone number, or to publications@gfbcccary.org by tomorrow, Monday, September 25. Note of Thanks My family and I have been overwhelmed at the outpouring of love from all of you. Your cards, donations and most of all your prayers throughout our long ordeals have sustained us. In all of the sadness, God's love has been very evident and a true source of strength. Thank you, thank you. Wilma Caldwell and Family

5 Our Candidate for the Director of Children s Ministry Kadeisha Bonsu is a fourth year student in the M.Div/ MSW dual-degree program at Duke Divinity School and UNC School of Social Work. She is a New Jersey native, but Durham has been her home since She first came to Durham as a Duke University undergraduate where she completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2012, double majoring in Religion and Dance. Upon graduation she served as an Ameri- Corps Teaching Fellow for Citizen Schools at Lowe s Grove Middle School in Durham. She then matriculated into the M.Div/MSW program from which she will graduate in December Outside of her professional and academic work, she loves to travel and dance. Kadeisha believes, Dance is the vehicle by which I get to God and God gets to me. Embodied worship is her language to God and sustains her relationship with God and her community as she seeks to honor God and witness to others through dance. Though she has received training in various dance styles, African dance remains her favorite. She has studied dance in Ghana, West Africa, for a semester at the University of Ghana, Legon. Furthermore, she has traveled four times for study, missions, and vacation to Ghana. Her other travels include Israel and South Africa. In the summer of 2015, she interned with the Umoja Project in Kenya, serving orphans and vulnerable children, under the organization of the Global Interfaith Partnership of Indianapolis. Kadeisha feels called to bi-vocational work. Upon completion of her degree, she would like to serve as a school and clinical social worker. Additionally, she intends to pursue her ministerial calling by serving part-time in the local church setting. She hopes one day to be ordained and pastor children or youth or young adults. Kadeisha is excited to serve at GFBC and looks forward to getting to know and be in community with this congregation. Motion from the Personnel Committee The Personnel Committee recommends that Greenwood Forest Baptist Church hire Kadeisha Bonsu as permanent part-time Director of Children s Ministries effective immediately. She will work fifteen (15) hours each week at a rate of $25/hour. No insurance or retirement benefits are associated with this position.

6 Get Excited for Ministry Mondays! Starting in September, we are going to have Ministry Mondays on a quarterly basis instead of scheduling monthly committee meetings at various times. All committees will meet in the Fellowship Hall at round tables. Ministry Mondays will foster a team mentality and be a sustainable and energetic way to do the work of ministry together! It will help us to work towards a common vision and communicate across ministries. If you are serving on a ministry team this year, save these dates: September 25 November 20 February 26 May 21 Schedule 6:00-7:00 pm Team A 7:00-7:30 pm Dinner 7:30-8:30 pm Team B Team A Children Congregational Care Missions Outreach Stewardship Worship Team B Discipleship Fellowship Finance Personnel Properties Youth Dinner will be provided. Bring $7 for a sub, chips, and drink. Please contact Doug Black at black_douglas@bellsouth.net with any dietary restrictions. GFBC: Making Committee Meetings Fun Since 2017

7 This Week at GFBC Sunday, September 24 9:00 am Meet-and-Greet for Children s Ministries Director Candidate 9:30 am Children, Youth, and Adult Faith Formation 10:30 am Coffee in the Narthex 11:00 am Worship 12:15 pm Picnic on the Lawn 3:00 pm Youth Alpha and Omega 4:30 pm Youth Choir Monday, September 25 6:00 pm Ministry Monday Wednesday, September 27 5:00 pm Congregational Care Ministry Training 7:00 pm Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal Sunday, October 1 9:00 am Praise Assembly 9:30 am Children, Youth, and Adult Faith Formation 10:30 am Coffee in the Narthex 11:00 am World Communion Sunday Worship 3:00 pm Youth Alpha and Omega 4:30 pm Youth Choir

8