First Congregational United Church of Christ River Falls, Wisconsin. July 15, 2018

Transcription

1 First Congregational United Church of Christ River Falls, Wisconsin July 15, 2018

2 July 15, 2018 FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 9:30 am Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship Welcome to our guests who are visiting with us today! Join us for coffee in the Fellowship Hall following the 9:30 worship service. ~The Nursery is available for young children. ~Church Mouse activity bags are available for children. ~Large print bulletins and hearing impaired devices are available from the ushers. ~Please stand when noted by the * ~Congregation responses are in bold. No matter who you are. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome here! As Jesus courageous disciples, living God s grace, we strive to: ~ Worship faithfully ~ Welcome openly ~ Grow spiritually ~ Care passionately ~ Serve generously PRELUDE ANNOUNCEMENTS SILENCE AND RINGING OF THE BELL CALL TO WORSHIP L: We gather in the name of Jesus Christ, the head of the church and the Savior of the world, P: Not because we have invited Christ into our house, but because Christ has invited us into the house of the Lord. L: We have come, not to tell Christ what we will do, P: But to learn from Christ what we can do. L: We have listened for the voice of the Lord, P: Now we await the still small voice. Speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening. All: Come let us worship the God who leads us into life.

3 *HYMN When in Our Music God Is Glorified #561 *PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, you have put many valuable things into our hands, but we have so many times shown ourselves to be ungrateful with your gifts, either hoarding them or wasting them. The good land you have given us, the gift of freedom, food in abundance, our time of life and the ministry of your Word have all been too carelessly received and treated by us. Teach us to value these things and to care for them as stewards, that we may also distribute them to others according to your will and pass them along with interest to those who come after us. Amen. *ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS L: The mercy of God has no beginning and no ending, P: But endures forever. L: Let us receive the gift of God s grace that is ours this day, P: And live as God s peaceful people. L: In Christ we are forgiven. P: Thanks be to God! L: May the peace of the Lord be with you all. P: And also with you. *PASSING OF THE PEACE (Please greet one another with signs of peace)

4 *GLORIA Woke Up This Morning SCRIPTURE LESSON Ephesians 1:3-14

5 PSALM 24 (Cantor will introduce; congregation, please join in when directed) R Lift up your heads, O mighty gates; behold the glorious Ruler waits! The Sovereign One is drawing near; the Savior of the world is here. L: The earth is the LORD s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. P: Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? L: Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. P: They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation. Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. R L: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. P: Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. L: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. P: Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. R GOSPEL LESSON Mark 6:14-29 SERMON Rev. Chris Myers

6 *HYMN The Lily of the Valley

7 *STATEMENT OF FAITH (from a morning prayer liturgy at Eastern Mennonite Seminary) We believe in God: Whose love is the source of all life and the desire of our lives, Whose love was given a human face in Jesus of Nazareth, Whose love was crucified by the evil that waits to enslave us all, And whose love, defeating even death, is our glorious promise of freedom. Therefore, though we are sometimes fearful and full of doubt, in God we trust; And in the name of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves in the service of others, To seek justice and to live in peace, To care for the earth and to share the commonwealth of God s goodness, To live in the freedom of forgiveness and the power of the spirit of love, and in the company of the faithful, so to be the church for the glory of God. Amen. THE PRAYERS & LORD S PRAYER (debts/debtors) 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. TELL ME A STORY OFFERTORY Rose Rude Summer Choir We Give Thee but Thine Own

8 *PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING O God, let us praise you, not just with our voices, but with our actions. Not just with our hearts, but with our hands. Even by our giving, may we praise you, O God. Accept these gifts and use them for your glory. Amen. *HYMN Rejoice, You Pure in Heart #55 *COMMISSIONING May the love of God shelter you when you need to be sheltered, challenge you when you need to be challenged, lead you when you are lost and help you abide in Christ. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord your God. Amen. POSTLUDE Reprinted music used by permission under the following licenses: OneLicense.net A CCLI License Music at First Church Concert with the Chris Silver Band

9 Liturgist: Coffee Fellowship: Ushers: Welcomers: Nursery: Organist: Rover: Trustee: Counters: Among Friends Coordinator: Music Coordinator: Choir Director: Bell Choir Director: Church Moderator: Church Secretary: Youth Pastor: Minister for Community: CE Minister: Senior Pastor: Assisting in today s worship service are: Midge Kees Neal and Caren Prochnow Bill and Martha Olson, Peter Rayne, Cori Fosmo Diane Crist, JoAnn Lentz Kaye Anderson Marsha Pearson Bob Gustafson Bob Ferguson Marie Roe, Kris Roen Norma Revels Marsha Pearson Scott Perau Ross Fugl Neal Prochnow Missy Luedtke JaNae Westrich Rev. Dave Ostendorf Rev. Stacy Johnson Myers Rev. Chris Myers Altar table flowers are in celebration of Neal and Caren Prochnow s 56 th wedding anniversary on July 21 and Caren s birthday on July 20. Sun., July 15 Mon., July 16 Tues., July 17 First Congregational UCC, 110 N. Third Street, River Falls, WI Tel: office@firstchurchrf.org Fax: :30 am - Summer Choir 9:30 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Coffee Fellowship 11:00 am - WEVR Broadcast 7:45 pm - Softball Game at Hoffman Park 9:00 am - Yoga 9:00 am-3:00 pm - Among Friends Wed., July 18 9:00 pm - Worship Service on Channel 16 Thurs., July 19 Sun., July 22 9:00 am - Yoga 12:00 pm - Worship Service on Channel 16 9:30 am - Worship Service 10:30 am - Coffee Fellowship 11:00 am - WEVR Broadcast

10 Please remember the following in your prayers this week: Those who are ill or recovering: - Audrey Johnson (mother of Linn Lawrence), Janine Schulze (Dale Olson s sister), Steve (brother in law of Carole Mottaz), Rae and Mike Farley, Carolyn (mother of Paula Tiede), Nancy (sister of Bobbie Kuhn), Brad (son-in-law of Midge and Glenn Kees), Peg Thompson, Roger Becker (nephew of Sonny Miner), Barb (sister of Sue Simonet), Mary Morse (Dan Rude s sister), Karen Williams (mother of Shelley Killian) Prayers for the ministry of our congregation: - For those who share their musical gifts with us each Sunday, especially our Summer Choir this Sunday - For those working to organize the School Supply Give Away - For Annette and Wayne Petersen preparing to move to Chicago after 52 years in River Falls and this church! - For those who trained for the Saints Program to preserve, record & share the faith stories of our church saints - For those who cooked and served dinner at the Simpson Shelter in Minneapolis this past Thursday - For those who organized the most recent Music at First Church concert last Wednesday what a joy! - For those getting ready for VBS the week of July 30-August 2 Prayers for our world: - For firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, forest fighters, EMT workers - For those who are caring for loved ones with dementia - For those struggling with depression and mental health issues, that they may find hope - For those who are traveling that they may safely return home - For our political leaders that our nation might work justly and for the common good - For those working to care for our delicate creation and the daily decisions we make to help do this Prayers of thanksgiving: - For the gift of the River Falls Days weekend - For the safe rescue of the Thai Cave Boys and those who rescued them - For those who do our church laundry each week - For the gift of nightly walks around the neighborhood - For the pocket gardens that community members tend on Second Street - For Marsha Pearson our church musician who shares her musical gifts so willingly - For those who are pregnant that God may watch over them and keep them healthy Those grieving the loss of loved ones: - For those who are in mourning including the Hansen and Church families If you have people you wish to include on our prayer list, please see the pastor or use the blue prayer cards in the pews or on the back sign-up table.

11 JULY 15, 2018 (B) EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST SCRIPTURE LESSON: Ephesians 1:3-14, from The Message How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we re a free people free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth. It s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. It s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what s coming, a reminder that we ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

12 GOSPEL LESSON: Mark 6:14-29, from The Message King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone s lips. He said, This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead that s why he s able to work miracles! Others said, No, it s Elijah. Others said, He s a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets. But Herod wouldn t budge: It s John, sure enough. I cut off his head, and now he s back, alive. Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias adultery. Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt and yet he couldn t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back. But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias s daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod and the guests. The king said to the girl, Ask me anything. I ll give you anything you want. Carried away, he kept on, I swear, I ll split my kingdom with you if you say so! She went back to her mother and said, What should I ask for? Ask for the head of John the Baptizer. Excited, she ran back to the king and said, I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now! That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John s head. He went, cut off John s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. When John s disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.