Eden United Church of Christ Order for Worship Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, October 30, :00 a.m.

Transcription

1 Eden United Church of Christ Order for Worship Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, October 30, :00 a.m. WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Eden United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming congregation. We believe that all people are children of God; that persons of all ages, races and sexual orientations are part of our increasingly diverse culture. We welcome all persons into the full life and ministry of this church. Children s bulletins are available upon request from the ushers. Thank you for muting your cell phone, pager, and PDA during worship. PROCESSIONAL Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! Caribbean Melody/ Hal H. Hobson THE LIGHT ENTERS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT GREETING & ANNOUNCEMENTS The Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring (Thank you for your gift of presence and for completing a blue worship card today) INTROIT Praise to God, Your Praises Bring (v.4) NCH 430 Praise God for the garden root, mea-dow grass, and or-chard fruit: Praise for hills and val-leys broad, each the ta-ble of our God. * CALL TO WORSHIP All who are able may stand) Keith Smith L: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. R: Happy are those to whom God imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. L: While I kept silence, my body wasted away. R: For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. L: Then I acknowledged my sin, and I did not hide my iniquity; R: I said, I will confess my transgressions to God, and you relieved me from the guilt of my sin. L: Therefore let all the faithful offer prayers to God; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. R: You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. 1 1 Ps. 32:1-7, NRS, adapted for worship.

2 * HYMN Like a Tree beside the Waters NCH 313 * INVOCATION (in unison) Keith Like Zacchaeus we seek your presence, while hiding in the crowd, O God. Some of us hide for fear of rejection, while others hide in fear of the claim you would make on our lives. Still we move closer, suspicious that something is missing in our lives and that that something may be you. Help us acknowledge our needs and trust your promises, so that we might be transformed by your grace for the sake of the gospel. Amen. * PASSING OF THE PEACE Keith L: The peace of God be with you all. R: And also with you. L: Let us greet our neighbors with a sign of peace. MUSICAL INTERLUDE L: Our service continues with the Anthem. ANTHEM The Journey Is Our Home Allen Pote CHILDREN S GATHERING Arlene CHILDREN S BLESSING Great Work Has God Begun in You (v.2) 353 In love, God calls you to this day, and gives you strength, these vows to say; Take up the faith that you were shown, and grow, as-sured you are God s own. (Children K-12th grade will go to their class in the Oliver Hall Kitchen. Please meet children in Oliver Hall following the Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting. Nursery care is available at any time during worship. Please see an usher for an escort to the nursery.) SCRIPTURE READING Luke 19:1-10 Keith (Today s scripture lesson can be found in English on page 854 in the pew Bibles.) SERMON Unlikely Disciples The Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring * HYMN God Loved the World NCH 208

3 PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer Keith Jesus Prayer (in unison) Our God, in whom is heaven, blessed be your name. Your presence come, your will be done, both here and everywhere. May your realm of peace and freedom sustain our hopes and come on earth. May we be fed today with the bread that we need, and may forgiveness be ours in the same measure we give. In times of temptation, strengthen us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen. * Prayer Response Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ (v.2) NCH 520 Come, pray in me the prayer I need this day; help me to see your pur-pose and your will, Where I have failed, what I have done a-miss; held in for-giv-ing love, let me be still. OFFERING & DEDICATION OF OUR GIFTS Invitation (Thank you for placing your blue worship card in the offering plate) Keith Offertory Introduction of Toccata in D Minor BWV538 J.S. Bach Response God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending (v.1) NCH 565 God, whose giv-ing knows no end-ing, from your rich and end-less store, Na-ture s won-der, Je-sus wis-dom, cost-ly cross, grave s shat-tered door: Gift-ed by you, we turn to you of-fering up our-selves in praise; Thank-ful song shall rise for-ev-er, gra-cious do-nor of our days. * Prayer of Dedication Keith * HYMN Take My Life, God, Let It Be NCH 448 * BENEDICTION Arlene * RESPONSE O God of Love, O God of Peace (v.1) NCH 571 O God of love, O God of peace, make wars through-out the world to cease; The wrath of hu-man wrong re-strain; Give peace, O God, give peace a-gain. (The congregation remains standing and joins in singing the recessional after the Chimes are played.)

4 * CHIMES & THE LIGHT DEPARTS WITH THE PEOPLE * RECESSIONAL Halle, Halle, Hallelujah! Caribbean Melody/ Hal H. Hobson Worship Leaders The Rev. Dr. Arlene K. Nehring, Senior Minister The Rev. Pepper Swanson, Associate Minister Keith Smith, Liturgist Dr. Jessie Wenchieh Lo, Organist/ Music Director Eden Church Choir Cindy Keune, Greeters Cindy Keune, Pat Payne, Thressa Collier, and TBD, Ushers Angelina Collier & Kemy Gekara, Childcare Workers Suzie Hasselkuss & Theressa Colllier, Church School Teachers, K-12 Susie Newman, Fellowship Captain Michael Stuber, Linda Joost, Susie Newman, Fellowship Hosts Linda Joost, Fellowship Helpers Bill Adam, Trustee on Duty Dawn Coburn, Sunday Sexton Welcome Welcome to Eden United Church of Christ! If you are searching for a spiritual home, please consider becoming part of our congregation. Eden welcomes members who seek a deeper relationship with God in a caring community and who strive to make a difference in the lives of others. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism and the Rite of Church Membership four to five times yearly during morning worship. Please see one of our pastors or an usher, deacon, or member of the E-Team if you seek baptism for yourself or your child, or if you would like to be received into church membership. We will celebrate infant and adult baptism and receive new members several times each year. Flower Dedication The flowers on the altar are given by Alliene Turner in celebration of her husband Bob Turner s birthday. TODAY The Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting of Eden United Church of Christ will be held today in the Sanctuary following morning worship. This meeting is called by the Church Council in accordance with the Church bylaws. The meeting purpose is twofold: to receive a report from the Eden Area Foundation (EAF) Board of Directors regarding the 2017 grants, and to act on a recommendation from the Church Council that Eden United Church of Christ in Hayward extend our Designated Term Associate Minister Patricia (Pepper) Swanson s term until June 30, (No action is required by the Congregation on the Grants. This grants announcement is being shared for informational purposes only in accordance with the EAF Bylaws.)

5 Upcoming Events All Saints/Día de los Muertos Worship & Ofrenda: Come remember and honor your loved ones who have died this past year on Sunday, Nov 6, at our annual All Saints/Día de los Muertos worship. Our special tradition is to honor those who have died by naming them and by praying for them in worship. In addition, you are invited to place a photo of your loved one on our ofrenda, a special memorial display prepared by our Cherryland neighbors, starting Oct 30. Special music for this event will be provided by Jesse Acker-Johnson on guitar. For more information, contact Pastor Arlene or Corina Vasaure. Castro Valley Light Parade: On Saturday, Nov 12, Eden Church will participate in the 2nd Annual Castro Valley Light Parade, a special glow-in-dark event sponsored by the County of Alameda Community Development Agency. Our entry will include a car, decorations, and...lights! Church members and friends are invited to parade with the E-Team as they give out flashlights and other freebies. Cocoa and cookies for all participants. Save the date and plan to meet in Castro Valley at 5 pm. A planning session will be held on Sunday, Nov 6 after worship in the Jensen Room. For further information, sign up with Pat Payne or Bob Turner. Annual FESCO Luncheon: Do you love to go out for lunch with friends? We have just the place right here at Eden Church. Come to our annual FESCO luncheon on Nov 18 in Oliver Hall at 12 noon. Cost is $10 per person. There will be a delicious lunch with proceeds going to FESCO family shelters. Please invite your friends and come and have lunch with your friends at Eden. Tickets are available for purchase from Pat Payne, Carol Roach and the Church Office. November Confirmation Activities: Confirmation Students and Families, please mark your calendars for these important dates: Sunday, Nov 6, :00 am - 11:15 am, All Saints/Day of the Dead Worship & Communion Servers 9:15 am 12:30 pm, Taco Potluck, Serve & Clean up Assistance Saturday, Nov 12, pm Castro Valley Parade of Lights, Evangelism Event, Evening Saturday, Nov 26, :00 am - 1:00 pm, Advent Decorating & Nacimiento Creation, includes community lunch Advent Decorating & Nacimiento Creation: It s hard to believe, but the Advent season is just around the corner, and it s almost time for evergreen wreaths and garlands, trumpeting angels, twinkling lights, and lots of shepherds, magi, and little holy families. Please join the deacons and our Cherryland friends and neighbors on Saturday, Nov 26, from 10 am to 1 pm, for a fun time adorning the church for the holiday season, kids crafts for the holidays, and creating our annual Nacimiento. Many hands make light work! Lunch and fellowship time will be provided. Please see Carol Roach or Miriam Hutchison (decorations), Pat Payne (lunch & fellowship), or Corina Vasaure (Nacimiento) for more information. Announcements Fall Bible Study Continues: Bible Study continues this fall with the reading of the Acts of the Apostles. Both the daytime and evening sessions will be in the Community Room. The daytime session is from 10 am to 11 am. The evening session is from 7 to 8:30 pm for prayer, fellowship, and to read the Scripture. Mark your calendar for remaining fall dates: Nov 7 & 21 and Dec 5. Need a ride to the evening session? Please don t hesitate to contact Dianne Dorn or Keith Smith for carpool arrangements. If you have questions, you can also contact Pastor Pepper. Chimes Deadlines: Due to fall holidays, the deadline for submitting articles for our Nov-Jan Chimes newsletter will be as follows: Nov 13 for Dec Chimes, and Dec 12 for Jan Chimes.

6 Invitation to the Ministry of Music: Music is one of the first things newcomers notice when they attend worship. Are you interested in shaping the musical landscape at Eden? Are you willing to serve God through active participation and spiritually fulfilling experience? Come and join the Eden Choir! Dr. Jessie Lo will be leading and teaching music during rehearsals that are held on certain Sundays beginning at 11:30am. See Coming Attractions in this issue of the worship announcements for our upcoming rehearsal and performance schedule. Come join a fun-loving group, learn some music, and be a vital part of the Ministry. Window Shopping for a Retirement Community: The second in a series of conversations about retirement living will be held Monday, Nov 7, 1pm, in the Norberg Room. Participants in this intergenerational conversation will receive a smart shopper s guide to retirement communities in the East Bay based developed by some of Eden s most persnickety shoppers. Bring your curiosity, experience, and questions to this graduate seminar style conversation, or or phone in your questions in advance to organizers Carol Price or Pastor Arlene. Wiebe-Freed Family Support: Eden members and friends have resumed our practice of providing Friday night supper for the Wiebe-Freed family. Volunteers are needed to coordinate, cook, and deliver meals. Please contact Keith Smith to learn more and get involved. Emergency Preparedness at Eden Church: We are updating our Emergency Preparedness Plan to ensure that we are as ready as possible to respond in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. Please help us gather the information we need to update our communication system and our ability to assist ourselves and our neighbors by completing our 2016 Emergency Preparedness Survey online. A link to a survey can be found in the upper left corner of our website, No computer? Please contact the Office Manager, Tania Martinez, , M-F, 8:30 am to 5 pm for assistance in completing the Survey. For more information, contact Operations Manager, Diana Zankowsky, (510) , M-F, 9am to 1pm. Seekers Book Discussion: The Seekers read books on religion and other topics. We will soon complete Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint by the Nadia Bolz-Weber. Our next book is The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. Please join us for our weekly discussions on Wednesdays at 10 am in the Community Room. Contact Pastor Pepper for info. Flowers for Worship: The 2016 Flower Calendar is posted in the Church Office. Stop by to sign up for a date to match your occasion. Flowers can be provided by: 1) Cut or purchase flowers and arrange them at home or church and place them on the communion table; 2) Make arrangements with Eden s Flower Coordinator Mary Graw to provide flowers and she or another member will arrange them; or (3) Order flowers delivered from a florist to the church on the Saturday prior to your date. Bulletin dedications are due to the Church Office by 12 noon on the Wednesday before your date. For information, contact Mary Graw at (510) Eden Stitchers: Quilters and others with sewing projects are invited to join the Eden Stitchers on Tuesdays at 10 am in the Jensen Room. Contact Suzie Hasselkuss (suziequilting@comcast.net) or Shannon Whitney (Shannon_whitney@sbcglobal.net) for the date of the next meeting. Yoga for Lunch: Yoga classes are held on Wednesdays at 11:30 am in the Fireside Room. Join Yogi Amanda Sharpe and Eden members and friends. Comida Contributions Needed: Thank you to all who have responded with contributions in support of Comida para Cherryland. Based on current needs we anticipate having enough money to fund the food pantry through Dec Every dollar contributed goes directly to the purchase of food. Please make checks payable to Eden United Church of Christ and note Comida on the envelope or check. For information about the budget, see the Rev. Rob Parrish. To discuss financial contributions to Comida, see Michael Stuber.

7 Joys Congratulations to Jessie Payne Bejar, who was recently offered a nursing position at the UCSD hospital in La Jolla s Surgical PCU, where she ll be caring for post-operative organ transplant patients. Jessie (and her husband Isaac Bejar) will be home for Thanksgiving and moving from the Baltimore to LaJolla in December, in time for Jessie to start her new position at UCSD La Jolla on December 19. Eden Church gratefully received an $1,850 donation from Congregation Shir Ami, the Reform Synagogue in Castro Valley. This money was raised as part of Shir Ami s High Holy Day Food Drive, the Congregation s annual tradition to address hunger in our community. Prayer Concerns Four families in our congregation and three families in the Cherryland neighborhood have asked Eden Church for help finding affordable housing. If you have a lead on a room to rent, or on an efficiency apartment, or a one, two or three bedroom house or apartment to rent, please contact Pastor Arlene. For Jacque and Nate Blake as they venture off to their new home in Thousand Oaks. For the victims and survivors of Hurricane Matthew, especially for the people of Haiti, who haven t yet recovered from the 7.0 earth quake that occurred in For Amy Servas, whose grandma died on Monday morning, Oct 10. For members and friends who are living with mental health challenges. And for Mary Bernstein, Juanita Chavez, Ann Dodd, Regina Fischer, Clyde Howell, Arden Keune, Wesley Moniz, Jan Richards, Ruth Schaap, Marilyn Sundberg, June Staley, the Wiebe-Freed family, and Terry Wilkerson. Coming Attractions Mark Your Calendars! New or amended items are in italics. Nov 06 Nov 12 Nov 13 Nov 18 Nov 20 Nov 26 Nov 27 Dec 04 Dec 11 Dec 18 Dec 24 Dec 25 Choir Rehearsal & E-Team/CV Light Parade Planning Meeting CV Light Parade Choir Rehearsal & Congregational Life Team Meeting FESCO Fall Luncheon Choir Performs in Worship & Worship Practices Team Meeting Advent/Nacimiento Decorating, 10 am to 1 pm Advent 1, Pageant Practice, & Choir Rehearsal Advent II, including the Sacrament of Holy Communion & Special Music by the Mt. Eden High School Chamber Singers Pageant Practice & Choir Rehearsal Advent III Children s Pageant & Happy Birthday Jesus Party Choir Rehearsal Advent IV -- Choir Performs in Worship Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, Sanctuary, 7 pm Christmas Day Service, Pioneer Chapel, 10 am

8 This Week At-A-Glance Sunday, October 30 9:00 9:45 a.m. Music Rehearsal Sanctuary 10:00 11:15 a.m. Sunday Worship Sanctuary 11:15 11:45 a.m. Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting Sanctuary 11:45 12:30 p.m. Sunday Counters Library 11:45 12:30 p.m. Fellowship Hour Oliver Hall 11:45 1:00 p.m. Outreach & Cultural Learning Team Norberg Room Monday, October 31 4:00 7:00 p.m. Cherryland Computer Café Norberg Room Tuesday, November 1 10:00 12:00 p.m. Eden Stitchers Jensen Room 4:00 7:00 p.m. Cherryland Computer Café Norberg Room 7:00 9:00 p.m. Church Council Norberg Room Wednesday, November 2 10:00 11:00 a.m. Seekers Community Room 11:30 12:45 p.m. Yoga at Eden Fireside Room 7:00 9:00 p.m. ESLO Meeting Norberg Room Friday, November 4 11:45 2:00 p.m. Single Women Group Offsite Sunday, November 6 9:00 9:45 a.m. Music Rehearsal Sanctuary 10:00 11:15 a.m. Sunday Worship & Holy Communion Sanctuary 11:30 12:30 p.m. Sunday Counters Library 11:30 12:30 p.m. Fellowship Hour Oliver Hall 11:30 12:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal Music Room 11:30 12:30 p.m. E-Team/CV Light Parade Plan Mtg Jensen Room