St. Stephen Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Transcription

1 St. Stephen Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 2301 Union Avenue - Fairfield, CA FAX / office@ststephencmechurch.org Sunday, November 29, :00 AM Women in Blue 1st Sunday in Advent Rev. David C. Isom - Senior Pastor The Right Rev. Bobby R. Best Presiding Bishop - Ninth Episcopal District Rev. Travis Morris, Presiding Elder - Oakland District Associate Ministers: Rev. Edward B. Marks Rev. Dr. Joseph Allen Exhorters: Bro. Willis Ferrell Bro. James Leonard Bro. Odell Toliver

2 Prelude - Praise & Worship ** The Call to Worship L: I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord, our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. P: For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. L: Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. P: Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. L: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, Lord I have loved thy habitation, the place where thy honor dwelleth. P: For the Lord is in His Holy Temple, Let all the earth keep silence before him. L: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer. All: O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things, make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth sing praises. The Hymn of Praise - #411 Lift Him Up How to reach the masses, men of every birth, For an answer, Jesus gave the key: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, Will draw all men unto Me. CHORUS: Lift Him up, Lift Him up, Still He speaks from eternity: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, Will draw all men unto Me.

3 Oh! the world is hungry for the Living Bread, Lift the Savior up for them to see; Trust Him, and do not doubt the words that He said, I ll draw all men unto Me. CHORUS Don t exalt the preacher, don t exalt the pew, Preach the Gospel simple, full and free; Prove Him and you will find that promise is true, I ll draw all men unto Me. CHORUS Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought, Let the world in you the Savior see; Then men will gladly follow Him who once taught, I ll draw all men unto Me. CHORUS Affirmation of Our Faith I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ His only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; the third day he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. Celebration in Song

4 The Responsive Reading - #585 Spiritual Service Leader: I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. People: Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Leader: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think: People: But to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Leader: For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: People: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Leader: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; People: Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; Leader: Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; People: He that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Leader: Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. People: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Leader: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; People: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Leader: Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. People: Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Leader: Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. People: Be of the same mind one toward another. Leader: Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. All: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

5 The 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, A-men, A-men. Celebration in Song Hospitality & Fellowship Pastoral Reflections The Advent Liturgy / Lighting The Advent Candle The Altar Call & The Ministry of Generous Giving (Tithes / Offerings) The Prayer of Thanksgiving (Dismissal to Children s Church) Celebration in Song The Preached Word Rev. Wanda Shannon Associate Minister Davis Chapel CME Church, Richmond, CA The Invitation to Christian Discipleship & Church Membership Doxology & Benediction 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 - AMEN

6 Sick & Shut-In Members/Prayer Requests The St. Stephen CME Church Family Reverend David C. & Mrs. Stephanie J. Isom Mrs. Esther L. Isom Bishop & Mrs. Bobby R. Best Elder Travis Morris Mayor Harry T. Price & Family Chief Tony Velasquez & Family Chief Joe Allio & Family District Attorney Krishna Abrams & Family City of Fairfield Our Known Sick & Shut-In Members Mr. Brad Bolden Mrs. Sara Ford Mrs. Roberta Roberson Mrs. Vivian Cobb Mrs. Edna Franklin Mrs. Minnie Smiley Mrs. Maggie Dove Mrs. Marva Marshall Mr. Albert White Mr. Arthur Faint Mrs. Rosilyn Ramos Mrs. Elizabeth Young Mrs. Sylvia Allen Mrs. Lorri Carlson Mrs. Van Colden Rev. Leroy Johnson Please keep in prayer: Mrs. Viola King Mrs. Opal McCoy Rev. Harry Redds Rev. Winfred Warren Please know that I am available to you; feel free to call me when you need me at or text me on Reverend David C. Isom Prayer Requests & Joys to Share (Please detach and place in the prayer box.)

7 Welcome, Rev. Wanda Shannon Reverend Wanda Shannon grew up in Richmond. After graduating from Richmond High School, she went to work for Neighborhood House Tutorial Center as an educational coordinator. While working she received a Bachelor of Sociology Degree from Mills College in Oakland. She went to work for a telecommunications company and after working for many years, Wanda returned to the world of academia to obtain a Master of Sociology Degree from California State University Hayward. Three quarters of the way through the process of obtaining that degree she recognized God s calling her to ordained ministry, but continued on at Hayward State to obtain her first Masters Degree. She enrolled in San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California and obtained a Master of Divinity Degree while working part time as the Resource Center Director for the Presbytery of San Francisco. The Presbyterian Church USA trained her in the specialized ministry of church transition and revitalization. Reverend Shannon was ordained in 2000 as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament at Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church in Richmond. Immediately after ordination, she moved to Oregon where she served as pastor for two years. Reverend Shannon is a retired school teacher with the West Contra Costa School District. After returning to California, she served as a temporary supply pastor for three congregations and was an interim pastor. For five years, while she was worshiped at Faith Presbyterian Church and served as Youth Bible Study instructor and was frequently supply pastor in charge of pastoral care. One of the joys of Reverend Shannon s ministry is to have been to be privileged to be a Delegate to United Nations 52nd Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. She is a member of the African America Korean American Fellowship of Churches and traveled to Korea with the Fellowship for two weeks. Rev. Shannon retired as Minister in good standing with the Presbyterian Church USA, but she did not from retire from God s calling over her life. After a great deal of prayer and soul searching, she returned to the root of her spiritual upbringing as a member of Davis Chapel and became a Traveling Elder of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. This year at the Northern California Region Annual Conference, Reverend Wanda Shannon was granted full connection in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. She is happily married and she has three children, two sons and a daughter. She has eleven grandchildren. She has an avid love of flowers and has what is known as a green thumb. She loves to watch the assortment of the shades of green come alive as plants and trees blossom in the spring. Rev. Shannon has never forgotten her ordination theme and vow: BLOOM WHERE GOD PLANTS YOU!

8 Announcements / Information NOTICE: Additional announcements concerning various Community Events are posted on the bulletin boards in the church foyer and in the Joseph B. Davis Fellowship Hall. TRUSTEE OF THE WEEK: WILL FERRELL EVANGELISM: Through the Word of God, souls are born again; through the Word of God, souls are sanctified; through the Word of God, saints are strengthened. The Evangelism Committee Church Conference/Official Board will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at 6:30PM. All ministry leaders should have their written reports ready to submit. If you have not received your copy of Secrets of The Vine by Bruce Wilkinson (the current book for the entire SSCMEC family to study), please see Rose Mary Lewis or Myrtle Boggan today. We ask that you please remain with the same small group you were in when studying I AM A Church Member. Schedule weekly groups meetings for discussions. Books are free, so everyone is encouraged to participate. Donations of $3.50 are welcome, but not required to participate. SSCMEC will host the Northern/Southern Region Mid-Winter Conference on December 4 5, Worship service will be on Friday evening at 7PM and the business session will be on Saturday from 9AM 1PM. Registration in $50; please make your checks payable to SSCMEC. Get ready for the Women s Missionary Society s Advent Musical which will be held during the 10AM worship service on next Sunday, December 6, We are excited also that our Presiding Prelate for the Ninth Episcopal District, Bishop Bobby R. Best, will preach the Word of God. You won t want to miss what promises to be a blessed worship experience. The Feed My Sheep food ministry serves supplemental/emergency food twice a month throughout the year for low income, unemployed, elderly, disabled, single parent, and others with various special needs. Many of our community families rely on food banks, pantries and charities to survive. On Wednesday, December 16, 2015 between 2PM 4PM, we will distribute Christmas baskets. We need donations of Stuffing mix, Cranberry sauce, Cake mix, Frosting mix, Canned or packaged gravy and large can of yams. We also need frozen turkeys. Please contact Vivian Martin at for further information. SSCMEC SCHOLARSHIP: A $500 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior. The money is for use at the student s discretion for higher education purposes. Eligibility criteria and applications are located in the church foyer. Deadline is May 31, 2016 at 5 PM. For more information, contact Rose Mary Lewis, Ollie K. Young or Gladys Moore.