Welcome to Bethlehem United Church of Christ. September 23, 2018 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

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1 Welcome to Bethlehem United Church of Christ September 23, 2018 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

2 First time guests, welcome! We are so glad that you are worshiping with us this morning. Please sign our guest book in the Narthex and identify yourself to one of our ushers or Welcome Team members to receive a delicious gift. We invite everyone to write their prayer requests on the Action Pads in the pews. They will be gathered and read aloud during our Prayers of the Church. Prayer requests may be edited for privacy concerns. All are invited to stand for sections marked with a cross ( ); however, some may choose to remain seated. Congregational responses are in bold. RADIO SPONSORSHIP Today s Radio Broadcast is in memory of Betty Nonnenmacher from her family and friends. CHURCH LIFE Tamsen Marshall is still at Glacier Hills. Happy birthday to Ginny Slocum, who will be 91 on September 26. ATTENDANCE LAST SUNDAY 8:30 = 20 10:00 = 95 Our Mission To worship God, to learn and live the Word of God, to engage in Christian fellowship and service, to invite others to join us on our faith journey in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

3 Order of Worship September 23, 2018 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Chapel Sanctuary 8:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. Centering Meditation It is absolutely impossible for someone who has grown up in an environment of honesty, respect, and affection ever to feel driven to torment a weaker person in such a way as to inflict lifelong damage. This person has learned very early on that it is right and proper to provide the small, helpless creature with protection and guidance; this knowledge, stored at that early stage in mind and body, will remain effective for the rest of this life. Alice Miller RINGING OF THE BELLS PRELUDE Andante WA Mozart WELCOME AND SHARING PARISH LIFE RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP Jesus challenges us in today s gospel: All: Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all. All: All: Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking the child in his arms, he said to them: Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me. We are still learning today what Jesus came to teach us two thousand years ago. To change the world we must change the way we love and welcome all children! May we learn to love all children as if they were our own! Will all the children present please lift up your voices so all of us adults can hear you? Say your name and say Hello! Children: Say your names and hello a happy chaos moment! All: Welcome, children!

4 HYMN OF GATHERING I Am a Child of God Bruce Harding The Member Care Team will collect written prayer requests during this hymn. Verse 1: Verse 2: Verse 3: Verse 4 Verse 5: I am a child of God, I am a glimpse of God s new creation. I am a child of God, I am a child of God. I am an endless prayer, I am a yearning for contemplation, I am an endless prayer, I am an endless prayer. (Begin Round!): I am an angry voice, I am compassion and consternation, I am an angry voice, I am an angry voice. I am a cry for peace, I am commitment and dedication, I am a cry for peace, I am a cry for peace. I am a song of joy, I am the moment of jubilation, I am a song of joy, I am a song of joy. RESPONSIVE PRAYER OF INVOCATION Dear God, Jesus has called us to welcome children as a way to welcome you. So please, hear our voices as we welcome the children in our midst: All: We welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ! All: And please, dear God of compassion and justice, hear our voices: With the presence of our children we welcome you! Teach us the way to make the last first and to be servants of all. Guide us in your way of humility and service. Show us how to become disciples of Jesus Christ your Child and our brother. We ask for blessings on all your children in our holy family. Amen. CALL TO CONFESSION Let us think about all the children in our own lives, our community s life, and in our world. What are their needs; where do we fail as individuals and community in welcome, nurture and care for them?

5 UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION Dear God, we often have not welcomed the children as Jesus has commanded. Too many children in our community and world suffer from violence, abuse, neglect and poverty. We know that if we were to join together to welcome and care, to celebrate and honor our children, we would save ourselves and our world. We need forgiveness. We want to make amends. We want to change. We want to learn to welcome all children, for in loving and caring for them, we welcome your reign of justice and peace. (let us observe a few moments of silence to breathe and reflect) WORDS OF FORGIVENESS We give thanks for our savior and teacher Jesus Christ, who was born among us as a child needing nurture and care, and grew to reveal your power to make all things new. We give thanks and rejoice that in Christ we are forgiven and given strength to grow in discipleship. All: Thanks be to God! THE PRAYER OF OUR SAVIOR (please say in the way most familiar to you) 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 [sins/trespasses], as we forgive our debtors [those who sin/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. PASSING OF THE PEACE Children of God, the Peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. Let us share Christ s peace with one another. 10:00 LEARNING WITH OUR CHILDREN Following the message, nursery, preschool, and K-7 children can leave for Sunday school. SONG OF PRAISE #35 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. Amen. Amen.

6 ANTHEM Child of God Mark Miller SCRIPTURE READINGS James 3:13 4:3, 7 8a 13 If you are wise and understand God s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. 4 1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don t have what you want because you don t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don t get it because your motives are all wrong you want only what will give you pleasure. 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Mark 9: Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn t want anyone to know he was there, 31 for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead. 32 They didn t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. 33 After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, What were you discussing out on the road? 34 But they didn t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else. 36 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf [a] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me. All: The Word of God, for the people of God. Thanks be to God! SERMON To Change the World, Welcome the Children Pastor John

7 8:30 COLLECTION OF OFFERING AND PRAYER REQUESTS 10:00 SPECIAL MUSIC Silence Nancy Telfer PASTORAL PRAYER & PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH 10:00 INVITATION TO GIVE O God, you who have given us life, you who have made every child a holy child, we give you thanks. May we open our hearts now and give generously to you and to your church - for the sake of the children who are our future. 10:00 OFFERTORY Give Thanks Henry Smith 10:00 DOXOLOGY #46 Praise God the source of life and breath; Praise Christ, now born to conquer death; Praise Holy Spirit s mystery: One God, pure grace, who sets us free. Amen. 10:00 PRAYER OF DEDICATION HYMN OF PARTING # 431 Go, My Children, with My Blessing BENEDICTION Go forth and welcome all God s children, making the last, first, and becoming a servant to all. Like Jesus, take a little child and put her among you; take her into your arms, and remember, whoever welcomes one such child welcomes God! Go forth to change the world as Jesus has commanded by offering welcome, justice and compassion to all children and to the least of these. Go forth in God s welcome and love. 10:00 SUNG BENEDICTION Bathe Me in Your Light Ron Klusmeier POSTLUDE When In Our Music God Is Glorified Stanford/Gordon Young Please join us for our Sunday morning Coffee Connection: in the Schmale Lounge after the 8:30 service in the Willimann Fellowship Hall after the 10:00 service

8 HELPING IN THE SERVICES TODAY Pastor: Rev. John L. Kennedy Minister of Spiritual Growth and Development: Lily Tinker Fortel Director of Music: Thomas Burton Organist: Gail Jennings Director of Handbells: Jim Rowan 10:00 Bell Ringer Matt Perros Liturgist Marilyn Pearson Coffee Hour Servers 8:30 Harriette Ehnis, Mike Ehnis 10:00 Patti Judson, Chuck Judson, Vicki Hoxie Office Volunteer Mary Lou Wenk 10:00 Sound Technician Gary Rogers 10:00 Educational Building Greeter Barb Marshall Building Opener/Closer Mike Ehnis/Tom Ziesemer Ushers 8:30 Harriette Ehnis, Mike Ehnis 10:00 Chuck Hookham, Steve Darr, Dennis Huibregtse, Pat Huibregtse, Abby Korzuck To Change the World, Welcome the Children: Service Prayers for the 17 th Sunday after Pentecost was written by the Rev. Bonnie Tarwater of San Diego, CA. Copyright 2018, Faith Formation Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education. All publishing rights reserved.