Des Moines First United Methodist Church WORSHIP SERVICE ~ Sunday, July 23, 2017 We Welcome Everyone First United Methodist Church, at the top of 10 th Street in downtown Des Moines, strives to love others as Christ loves us and, in doing so, to be the Body of Christ in word and deed. As the Body of Christ, we welcome all of God s children, knowing that each is created in the image of God. We welcome people of all gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, races, ethnicities, family configurations, and physical and mental capabilities to join us in full participation as we come together to worship God and then go out to share God s love in the world around us.
First United Methodist Church 10:30 AM Sunday, July 23, 2017 Des Moines, Iowa 7 th Sunday after Pentecost SERVICE OF WORD Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. As you are able, please stand wherever there is an *. GATHERING TO WORSHIP Prelude Come, Ye Thankful People arr. Lester H. Groom Announcements Shared Greetings Centering Moments O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. Psalm 139:1-6 Opening Prayer (In Unison) Christine Anders O God, you search us and know our hearts. You try us and know our thoughts. In every place, O God, you are there. Grant that we may seek you and your ways, wherever we are. And when you see us in need of encouragement or challenge grant us your mercy and empower us for ministry. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God in glory everlasting. Amen. (Based on And Also With You, pg. 108) *UMH Hymn # 583 Sois la Semilla (You Are the Seed) (Stanzas 1-3)
PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE First Reading Genesis 28:10-19a (OT, pg. 30-31) Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Christine Anders UMH Hymn # 583 Sois la Semilla (You Are the Seed) (Stanza 4) As we sing, children are invited to come to the chancel for the Children s Time. Children s Time Christine Anders Children may return to their seats and stay for the rest of the service or may depart for Children s Church from the west door of the sanctuary. Children can be picked up from Children s Church following worship in Room #112. Second Reading Romans 8:12-25 (NT, pg. 191-192) Reader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Tom Glenn Music Ministry Holy, Holy, Holy! arr. Douglas Mears Summer Bells (UMH # 377) *Gospel Reading Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NT, pg. 17, 18) Reader: The Gospel of the Lord. People: Praise to the living Word! Reflection SHARING AND THANKSGIVING Prayers of the People Liturgist: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Liturgist: Let us pray. People: We believe, O God, that you have plans for us. Reveal those plans to us. Show us what you want us to do. And give us the grace and courage to do your will with faith, hope, and joy. Pastoral Prayer
The Lord s Prayer (in unison) 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. Ministry of Sharing Offering You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. Amy Wilson Carmichael Offertory We Are Climbing Jacob s Ladder arr. Eugene W. Hancock *Doxology, # 94 *Prayer of Thanksgiving SENDING FORTH *TFWS Hymn # 2241 The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve *Benediction *Chimes Postlude The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve arr. Wilbur Held You are invited to be seated for the postlude. It is a wonderful opportunity to gather yourself as worship ends, before you go back into the world as part of the Body of Christ. 11:45 Chapel Communion will be celebrated this morning following worship. The Chapel is located on level 2 directly above Kenyon Hall. Flowers on the Altar are from Emily and Mike Schaumburg in memory of Clarence and Alice Kite and Pearl Cunningham.
Next Week at First Church July 30, 2017 8 th Sunday after Pentecost The message will emerge from reflection on the reading from Matthew. Genesis 29:15-28 In our sequential reading from Genesis, Jacob meets his match in his future father-in-law, the deceptive Laban. We encounter the cultural power of custom, here applied to women when it is deemed inappropriate to marry off the younger daughter Rachel before the elder daughter Leah. God makes no overt appearances in these events, though God s promise is at work even in the unlikely interactions of an exploitative father-in-law, two competitive sisters, and the compromised patriarch Jacob. Psalm 105:1-11, 45b A hymn of praise celebrating God s forming of a people through the generations. Romans 8:26-39 In this lection Paul expresses his great confidence that God is for us, making love known to humankind through the sacrifice of the Son and the help of the Spirit. The Spirit pleads with God for us, interceding when words fail. We learn that God works for good with those called according to God s purpose. Nothing, therefore, can separate us from the love of One who did not withhold from us the divine Son. Neither mortal distress nor supernatural power can separate us from such love. Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Our gospel is five of Jesus short parables: the mustard seed, the leaven, the hidden treasure, the priceless pearl, and the net. They suggest how the action of God s reign is realized. What seems insignificant is suddenly of great importance. It is like a marvelous gift which one seizes upon joyfully and for which all else is willingly sacrificed. The kingdom takes all kinds, and the sorting out must await the end. Wise servants will recognize treasure both old and new. (Introducing the Lessons of the Church Year, copyright, 2009 by Frederick Borsch. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)
Please sign the attendance form and place it in the offering plate. Children are invited to worship. Upon request, an usher can provide a worship packet for children who remain in the worship service. Sunday, July 23 9:00 AM Bell Choir Rehearsal... Sanctuary 9:30 AM The Grapevine... Spaghetti Works, 310 Court Ave. 10:30 AM Worship Service... Sanctuary Monday, July 24 12:00 PM FUMC Serves Connection Café... 600 6 th Ave. 6:00 PM Church Council... Room #110, Lower Level Tuesday, July 25 9:00 AM Staff Meeting... Conference Room 1 2:00 PM Coffee at Wesley Acres... Wesley Acres 4:45 PM Bridge Board Meeting... Conference Room 2 Wednesday, July 26 11:30 AM Theology of the Ordinary... Conference Room 1 5:30 PM Bible-Que... Kenyon Hall 7:00 PM AMOS House Meeting... Kenyon Hall Thursday, July 27 7:00 PM Foxhall AA Meeting... Fellowship Hall Friday, July 28 Saturday, July 29 Sunday, July 30 9:30 AM The Grapevine... Spaghetti Works, 310 Court Ave. 10:30 AM Worship Service... Sanctuary
This summer s Bible-Que meal and study will conclude on Wednesday July 26. The evening begins at 5:30 PM in Kenyon Hall with a potluck meal. The church will provide grilled meat and drinks. You are invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Please bring your own table service. After the meal there is be a 45 minute study beginning at about 6:15 PM. We will be using a DVD based study called Love Does: discover a secretly incredible life in an ordinary world. The study begins with the assertion that God s love is not just a bunch of stuff we have to agree with. God s love is different. It changes things. It s active. It works. It risks. God s love does. Each session features the stories of Bob Goff, founder of Restore International, a non-profit group fighting injustice committed against children in Uganda and India; lawyer in the Washington DC law firm of Goff & DeWalt; and adjunct professor at Pepperdine Law School and Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Goff is the author of the book Love Does, which is an accompaniment to the study. You can purchase or download the book if you d like to, but the book does not need to be read to participate in the study. Please call or email the church office (244-6209 or officemanager@dmfirstchurch.org) or check the attendance slip in order to sign up for the week or weeks that you plan to attend in order for us to know how much meat to prepare. Child care is available. AMOS House Meeting Scheduled for July 26 Those attending the July 26 th Bible-Que will have the opportunity to participate in an AMOS House Meeting immediately following the study. This event is an opportunity for you to share your concerns and help determine what issues AMOS should consider to work on to make our community a better place in which to live. This meeting will last 45-60 minutes. Child care will be provided, if needed.
Central Iowa Shelter Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed to help prepare and serve the evening meal at Central Iowa Shelter on Wednesday, August 2. If you would like to help, please contact Shirley Christoffersen at 276-3112 or check the box on the attendance slip and you will be contacted. Donations to help with meal expenses are always appreciated. Check it out! Soon First Church will be starting a partnership with the Mabaan Faith Community who came to the US from South Sudan. As a refugee community they have endured many hardships in their homeland and they continue to be in constant prayer for their friends and families who remain in Africa. In the church library there are 8 copies of the book A Long Walk to Water. It is a very easy read but it will help you understand more about what this community has experienced. Please check out a copy. Annual "Hiroshima and Nagasaki" Observance On Sunday, August 6 th, at 7:00 PM, in front of the Japanese Bell on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol (1000 block of E. Court Avenue, west of the Supreme Court building), there will be the annual "Hiroshima and Nagasaki" observance. The setting will include 1,000 paper cranes to symbolize building a world, in the vision of Pope Francis, without nuclear weapons ("beating our swords into ploughshares"). All are welcome to gather, pray, and sing for a world without war. For more information, contact Catholic Peace Ministry at 515-443-2074 or catholicpeaceministry@gmail.com. Please bring a chair for your comfort and garden flowers to lay at the Bell, if you wish. Note: A wheel chair will be provided to transport people from the parking lot to the Bell. Rain location is Wesley UMC, 800 E. 12th Street. Mission Project: Volunteer for Meals From The Heartland First Church family and friends, come join in the fun Saturday September 2 for a 2 hour volunteer Mission Project at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines for Meals From The Heartland. Our morning time slot will be announced later. This Annual Hunger Fight has grown to be the largest volunteer meal-packaging event of its type in the US. If you are interested in participating, please contact Cookie Major at cookster50@gmail.com or 306-8215 by Saturday August 6. Details will follow for those who wish to participate for this enjoyable and rewarding experience. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted! SPONSORED AS A UNITED METHODIST WOMEN MISSION PROJECT
First United Methodist Church PH: 515-244-6209 / FAX: 515-282-6106 E-mail: info@dmfirstchurch.org Web site: www.dmfirstchurch.org http://www.facebook.com/dsmfirstchurch Guest WiFi Password: Welcome! Preaching Liturgist Reader Organist Greeter(s) Information Desk Head Ushers: Ushers Worship Participants This Morning Receptionist Nursery Children s Church Coordinator Laurie Hoskins Bus Driver George Keagle Christine Anders Tom Glenn Dr. Tin-Shi Tam Judi Buxo & Arnie Brown Volunteers Welcome! Ned Johnson Dennis Kellar Mike & Emily Schaumburg Delvin Sadler (Balcony) Lucille Nichols Renea Losee First Church Staff Pastor Christine Anders Minister of Discipleship Michelle Mathews Finance Manager Lisa Karen Hankey Office Manager Tin-Shi Tam Director of Music Duane Harris Maintenance/Custodial Connie McFarlin Director at CCYC