Thoughts and Prayers

Transcription

1 November 26, 2017 CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY Thoughts and Prayers Disaster strikes, and social media fills with comments to the effect of Thoughts and Prayers are with you. Equally as likely as the offering of thoughts and prayers is the criticism of those who offer thoughts and prayers. Critics say, These are empty words. They are a weak substitute for meaningful action. I always wonder what the critics have offered to help. If thoughts and prayers are wrong, what did they offer that was right? The author of the Epistle of James would agree that faith without works is dead. However, in some cases there is little to do other than pray. After the Texas church shooting, there is little that those of us 1,000 miles away can do other than pray, and our prayers are far from empty. The prayers of the righteous avail much. (James 5:16b) There is a strength in the unity of the body, even if it is only in knowing that the Body of Christ is unified. Political protests or fundraising walks for the cure are expressions of unity among particular groups. Cancer victims feel strengthened by the marches of allies who advocate for research. Politicos feel emboldened by the rallies of the like-minded. And people of faith experience spiritual strength through the prayers of others. Lighting candles and praying are in themselves expressions of protest against evil. They are the church s way of saying, I am sad. I am sorry, and I am supportive of you. It is our way of offering the unifying presence of the Holy Spirit through the fellowship of the Body of Christ. It is a way of rejecting the evil that led to the shooting in Texas, and it is our way of affirming hope to storm victims. When natural disasters, such as flooding and hurricanes, strike, it is the church of Jesus Christ that leads our nation s efforts in disaster relief. A recent article by USA Today reported that 80% of this nation s disaster relief is funded by private, non-profits. Of that 80%, 75% of those groups are Christian groups. This means that Christians are the leading provider of disaster relief services in our country. This is far from empty words and promises. It is Christian people intervening in crisis to render aid. In addition to the disaster relief efforts, people who are injured head to hospitals founded by churches such as Emory University, Atlanta Medical, and Emory at St. Joseph s. Thoughts and prayers matter, and Christians do well not to acquiesce to bullying by secular critics who lack faith and facts. Prayers unite the church of Christ, offer strength to those in need, and signal love, compassion, and support in times of crisis. And the church of Jesus Christ gives generously to fund the relief efforts that rebuild devastated lives after disasters. To the people of the church in Texas, to victims of storms, you have our prayers, our thoughts, our love, our compassion, and our offerings.

2 8:30 and 11 a.m. ORDER OF WORSHIP November 26, 2017 Christ the King Sunday Gathering Music Holy God, We Praise Your Name arr. Robert Hebble Welcome and Announcements (Please complete and pass the red friendship pad at this time.) Dr. Glenn Ethridge *Hymn of Praise Rejoice, the Lord Is King UMH 715 *Affirmation of Faith 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1:15; 3:16 UMH 889 There is one God, and there is one mediator, Christ Jesus, who came as a ransom for all, to whom we testify. This saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance: That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory. Great indeed is the mystery of the gospel. Amen. A Morning Prayer and The Lord s Prayer Dr. Amy Morgan 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. Sacrament of Holy Baptism (8:30) Dr. Ethridge/Dr. McBrayer Emery Daniel Newsom, son of Lydia and Matt Newsom Congregational Pledge With God s help, we will so order our lives after the example of Christ, that Emery, surrounded by steadfast love, may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal. God Claims You TFWS 2249 Emery, Emery, God claims you, God helps you, protects you, and loves you, too. We this day do all agree a child of God you ll always be. Emery, Emery, God claims you, God helps you, protects you, and loves you, too. Sacrament of Holy Baptism (11:00) Dr. Ethridge/Dr. Morgan Caroline Ellis Uddin, daughter of Betsy and Aaron Uddin Congregational Pledge With God s help, we will so order our lives after the example of Christ, that Caroline, surrounded by steadfast love, may be established in the faith, and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal. God Claims You TFWS 2249 Caroline, Caroline, God claims you, God helps you, protects you, and loves you, too. We this day do all agree a child of God you ll always be. Caroline, Caroline, God claims you, God helps you, protects you, and loves you, too. Our Tithes & Offerings (8:30) Lord Whose Love Through Humble Service arr. Wilbur Held (11:00) The King of Love My Shepherd Is arr. Dan Forrest Ms. Natalie Spruell, Soprano

3 *Doxology UMH 95 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. *Hymn of Preparation Come, Christians, Join to Sing UMH 158 (At the 11:00 a.m. service, children in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade are invited to leave for Children s Church during the Hymn of Preparation. Pick up is in room 227.) Solo (8:30) The King of Love My Shepherd Is arr. Dan Forrest Ms. Natalie Spruell, Soprano Anthem (11:00) Jesus Shall Reign Where er the Sun arr. Hal Hopson Chancel Choir and Congregation Jesus shall reign wherever the sun does its successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more. To him shall endless prayer be made, and praises throng to crown his head; His name like sweet perfume shall rise with every morning sacrifice. People and realms of every tongue swell on his love with sweetest song; and infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on his name. Blessings abound wherever he reigns: the prisoners leap to lose their chains; The weary find eternal rest, and all who suffer want are blest. Let every creature rise and bring blessings and honor to our King; Angels descend with songs again, and earth repeat the loud Amen. Scripture John 18:33-37 Mr. Jack Ginn The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Sermon A Far Away Kingdom Dr. Ethridge *Sending Hymn Crown Him with Many Crowns UMH 327 (Those who wish to join the church are invited to come forward.) *Benediction *Postlude Dr. Ethridge All Hail the Power of Jesus Name arr. T. Birchwood *Congregation stand as able. UMH: United Methodist Hymnal / TFWS: The Faith We Sing Large print hymnals and bulletins and hearing assistance devices are available from an usher. Children s worship bags are available in the narthex and parlor side door. Ministry of the Christmas Poinsettias You are invited to support the Ministry of the Christmas Poinsettias. Each year, volunteers visit approximately 50 homebound members and present them with a cheerful, fresh poinsettia plant on behalf of the congregation. Additional poinsettia plants will be placed in our sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. All contributors and their designees will be recognized in our bulletin on December 17. We invite you to make a gift of any amount in memory of or in honor of someone dear to you. Your generous contributions will offset the cost of the poinsettias as well as other seasonal decorations in the church. Please fill out the form below and place it in the offering plate or deliver it to the church office NO LATER THAN NOON ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 11. Your Name: (Use one form for each person memorialized / honored) Please make my contribution: In Memory Of: In Honor Of: Please indicate your interest in the following: Use my contribution for poinsettias for the homebound and decorations for the church. I will help deliver poinsettias to the homebound on December 16. I would like to pick up a poinsettia after 9:35 a.m. worship on December 24. I would like to pick up a poinsettia after 11 a.m. worship on December 24. Phone number

4 Oak Grove NEWS NOVEMBER 26, 2017 This Week s Activities Sunday, November 26, :30am Coffee Fellowship 4:00pm Youth Choir Choir Rm 218 5:30pm Disciple 1 Rm 237 5:30pm Youth Fellowship Youth Hall Monday, November 27, :30am Disciple 3 Rm :00am Church Bridge Rm 101 7:00pm Church Council Meeting 7:30pm Adult Volleyball Heritage Hall Gym Tuesday, November 28, :30am Disciple 1 Rm :30am Akin Circle 6:30pm Grief Recovery Group Rm 238 7:30pm Boy Scout Troop 77 Meeting Scout Hall Wednesday, November 29, :30am WOW (Weekly Oxygen for Women) Rm 238 5:00pm Midweek Communion Service 5:00pm Covenant Kids Rm 223 5:30pm Midweek Meal Fellowship Hall 6:15pm Midweek Program Fellowship Hall 6:15pm Children s Choirs Various 6:15pm Blessing Bags Youth Lobby 6:15pm Go Forth Women's Devotional Rm 239 6:30pm Christian Believer Rm 237 7:00pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary 7:00pm Young Adult Bible Study (YABS) Rm T01 8:00pm 9.35 Band Rehearsal Fellowship Hall Thursday, November 30, :00pm Mobile Soup Kitchen Prep Kitchen 7:30pm Evening WOW Rm 101 Friday, December 1, :00pm Mobile Soup Kitchen Delivery Saturday, December 2, :00am Caring for Clarkston (C4C) Away Away Christmas at Oak Grove Sunday, Dec. 17, :30 & 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served in 30 minutes prior to doors opening for scheduled performances. The program will feature the ensembles of Oak Grove United Methodist Church with guest, Mr. Timothy Miller, Tenor. These musicians, accompanied by orchestra, will provide an opportunity to experience the Advent and Christmas Season through both the classics and your favorite carols. Nursery is available by reservation. Contact Tricia Fazio (tfazio@ogumc.org). Please pick up free tickets through the church office or during Midweek on Wednesday evenings in Fellowship Hall. Tuesday, Nov. 28 6:30 p.m. Oak Grove UMC On Tuesday, November 28, at 6:30 p.m. in, we will have a meeting for everyone interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent or providing support services to foster parents. Come learn about the great ministry of our United Methodist Children s Home and how you can help provide hope for a child. For more information or to reserve your spot, please Denise Varnadoe (denise@varnadoe.net). To reserve childcare, (tfazio@ogumc.org). Christmas is a time of joy, but sometimes recent loss, life struggles, or memories from the past can cloud the joy of Christmas. Our Service of Hope offers people the opportunity to be honest about the difficult feelings that are stirring at the holidays while claiming the hope we have in the Christ who comes at Christmas. Please invite friends and family to join you for this Service of Hope.

5 Sunday, November 26 Youth Hall Sunday School Youth Fellowship 9:30-10:30 a.m. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Youth Christmas Tree Lot Mondays Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m. Thursdays Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sundays, noon - 5 p.m. Christmas Tree Lot is OPEN! Please volunteer for the 2017 Youth Christmas Tree lot sales! Each volunteer time slot needs to have two adult volunteers to help oversee the workers for each shift. Sign up online (ogumc.org). Saturday, Dec. 2 Caring for Clarkson (C4C) 8 a.m. noon Meet in Youth Hall High School Winter Retreat The Big Chill February 2 4, 2018 Join us for the weekend to relax and connect with God at Camp Lee Christian Retreat Center. Registration is now OPEN! Visit under events or contact Shannon Higgins (shiggins@ogumc.org). December 24 Worship Schedule 11:00 a.m. Fourth Sunday of Advent with Communion (One service only with Children s Church) 2:30 p.m. Children s Service (Sanctuary) 4:00 p.m. Traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Sanctuary) 6:00 p.m. Traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Sanctuary) 6:00 p.m. Contemporary Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Fellowship Hall) December 31 Worship 11:00 a.m. One service only with Children s Church (No children or youth Sunday school) Angel tree It s Angel Tree Time! Once again we have the opportunity to make Christmas a little brighter for families in our area. Our gifts will support families through DFCS, the United Methodist Children s Home, the Carrie Steel Pitts Home, Murphy- Harpst Children s Centers, and New American Pathways. You can help provide gifts by visiting the table in, or by contacting Phil Perry ( or philipperry@bellsouth.net). UMW Christmas Tea It's the most wonderful time of the year! Everyone is invited to the United Methodist Women Christmas Tea on Wednesday, December 6, at 11 a.m. in. Dr. Joseph McBrayer will install the new officers at this time. You don't want to miss this special (and tasty) holiday tradition. Please contact Faye Traynelis (fayetraynelis@att.net) with any questions. Merry Christmas! Deliver Poinsettias - Bring Christmas Joy! When we deliver poinsettias each year to our homebound members, we share Christmas joy and remind people that their church is thinking of them during the holidays. Sign up to deliver one or more poinsettias at or contact Sandee Edmondson in the church office ( ). Please mark your calendar for Saturday, December 16, from 8:30 until10:30 a.m., to pick up the poinsettia you will deliver. Please contact Amity Farrar (amityfarrar@yahoo.com) with any questions. D wednesday ecember 6 Sunday, December 3, p.m. to 5 p.m. and Grand Lawn Kids can prepare for Christmas by making creative gifts for all the important people in their lives! Parents Grandparents Family Friends Teachers Neighbors Kids of all ages can create presents for others to show thanks and praise for God s great gift on Christmas Day. We will also celebrate with a bounce house, hot chocolate, and Christmas cookies! Invite friends and neighbors to join us! Sponsored by Oak Grove UMC Children s Ministry Team

6 PLEASE PRAY FOR Due to an early publication deadline, we do not have a current prayer list. Please join with our Caring for Clarkston Ministry to provide Baked Goods to Refugee Families We need groups (Sunday school classes, Circles, Covenant groups, D groups) or individuals to sign up to bake items and deliver them to the youth kitchen by 5 p.m. on Friday, December 1. Specifications: Homemade cookies OR brownies (no cakes please) are requested. Treats should be nut free. Please package in closed containers or on a sturdy paper plate bagged in a gallon ziplock bag. Each plate should contain a dozen treats. We need about 130 plates of cookies or brownies to distribute to each family that we serve on December 2 as a special Christmas gift. Past C4C guests have been delighted by this special gesture from Oak Grove members! Please visit the church website to sign up (ogumc.org). This will help us be sure we have enough treats to share holiday cheer. Thank you for your help in spreading Christ s love this Christmas! M I November 29, 2017 Midweek Communion DW E E K covenant Children s Bible Study 5 to 5:30 p.m. 5 to 5:45 p.m. 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Dinner Reservations and cancellations must be made by noon Monday before the meal ( or click reservations ). Standing reservations (through May 2, 2018) are encouraged. Menu for November 29, 2017 Herb Baked Chicken, Seasoned Rice, Mixed Vegetables, Rolls, Salad, Strawberry Cake Counseling Available through Oak Grove Going through a difficult time in your life? We can help! Oak Grove works with Care and Counseling Center of Georgia to offer counseling. Financial assistance is available. Addiction Help Available Oak Grove has a counseling grant especially designated to assist people dealing with addiction or chemical dependency. If you or someone you love could benefit from addiction help, please contact Amy Morgan. Grief Support Group Grief Sharing for anyone grieving significant loss Tuesdays, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in room 238 Led by: Stephanie Foxman, Licensed Professional Counselor There is no charge and newcomers are always welcome. For information on any of these opportunities, contact Dr. Amy Morgan ( , ext. 210 or amorgan@ogumc.org). Turbans with a Hear Turbans with a Heart is a ministry that makes turbans for cancer patients who have lost hair due to chemotherapy. Begun in 2001 by the women of the Seekers Sunday School Class, this ministry has made and donated over 5,000 Turbans through DeKalb Medical Center, Emory Hospital, and the VA hospital. The group meets the first Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. 12 p.m. in room 102, and welcomes new members. For more information, contact Amy Morgan (amorgan@ogumc.org). Wednesday, December 6, :30 p.m., Sanctuary During the Christmas season our lives become almost frantic. As is our tradition, we offer this Cool Yule Dinner and program so our children, their family, friends of the family, and our congregation can enjoy dinner, and then a program presented by our Children's Choirs. They will sing about the Christ child and what he means to them. We look forward to your spending an evening with us, as we rejoice in the fellowship of family and the songs of the Christmas season. DINNER RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED by Monday, December 4, at 12 p.m. Sign up online ( or by calling the church office ( ). Lunch Bunch Dec. 5 at 11:30 a.m. Fellowship Hall Enjoy lunch followed by the Dazzling Dames and Dudes from Park Springs Retirement Community and a Christmas sing-a long with the Oak Grove Senior Adult Singers, Music from the Heart Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m., and costs $8.00 at the door. Make reservations in the church office, in senior adult Sunday School classes, or online ( Due to an early publication deadline, the financial numbers are not available.

7 Today s Worship Servants Sound: (8:30) Billie Williams (11:00) Taylor Pendley Ushers: Louis Barksdale, David Bell, Bill Berg, Mike Brooks, Barry Cox, Saxon Dasher, Judd Davis, Jack Ginn, Ed Hong, Sonny McCoy, John McMillen, Hugh Means, Jonathan Merrill, Bob Pratt, Tim Ramsey, Bill Rembert, Michael Smith, Clayton Webster, Barbara Woolard, Hank Woolard Altar Guild: Regina Haynes, Sally Houghton Children s Church: Carrie and Judd Davis Our Worship Times 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship Sanctuary 9:35 a.m. Sunday School Various 9:35 a.m. Contemporary Worship Fellowship Hall 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Sanctuary Our Pastors Dr. Glenn Ethridge Senior Pastor ext. 211 Dr. Amy Morgan Pastor of Nurture and Service ext. 210 Dr. Joseph McBrayer Pastor of Invitation and Discipleship ext. 226 Rev. Mary Lou Gilbert Pastor to Senior Adults Dr. Dana Everhart Theologian in Residence Our Program Staff Dale Smith Executive Director ext. 225 Pam Reynolds Director of Finance ext. 224 Kim Cody Children s Ministry ext. 218 Ed Scruggs Music Ministry ext. 226 Leanne Herrmann Organist Andy Webb Youth Ministry ext. 202 Atticus Hicks Dir. of Contemporary Worship ext. 208 Our Church Information Church Office Office Hours 9 a.m. 5 p.m. M F Emergency Contact After Hours ext. 9 Address 1722 Oak Grove Road, Decatur, GA Website Our Schools Oak Grove Christian School YCS (Young Children s School) Submitting Articles to the Oak Grove News: Please be reminded that Thursday 12 p.m. is the deadline for information that you would like to add to the Oak Grove News. This will enable your article to appear in the following week s bulletin. Send items to oakgrovenews@ogumc.org. Articles will run TWO times and may be edited for space. Indicate the two editions you prefer when the article is submitted. Thank you! Check the Oak Grove website for up-to-the-minute news on all events: Make Sure You Stay in Constant Contact Information on our ministries, news, and upcoming events is shared through our Constant Contact weekly congregational . If your address changes during the year, please contact Diane O'Steen, Membership/Database Admin., (dosteen@ogumc.org or ext.221)