Women's Sunday Written by Liz Callaway TITLE Caution! Interruptions Ahead (Women s Sunday 2019) PURPOSE This is a full service for a Women s Sunday program. This year s theme reminds us that just as signs on the road are essential in our travels to help us reach our destination, God s road signs in the Bible help us to navigate and endure our journey through life. SCRIPTURE Proverbs 3:5 6 (New International Version) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths. PREPARATION NEEDED 1) DECIDE WHEN TO SCHEDULE THE PROGRAM. Traditionally, the last Sunday in September is Women s Sunday in Advent Christian churches, but coordinate this program with your church leaders. 2) DECIDE HOW MUCH MATERIAL TO USE. Included with this service are two special things to aid group in presenting the message. The program comes with four mini-skits that can be used before each four main headings to introduce each concept. The message also has an outline for preparing a PowerPoint presentation to go screen-by-screen with the message. Both the skits and the PowerPoint are entirely optional. If you have the woman power, it is definitely beneficial to use all or as much of the materials as possible. Music suggestions from the Hymns of Heritage & Hope. 3) DECIDE ON THE ORDER OF SERVICE. Line up the women you need to fill the roles you want to use. Practice a few times before the live service. Suggested Participants: Worship Leader shares announcements and invocation, introduces and concludes the message while running their portion of the PowerPoint slide show Song Leader leads in singing Skit Parts eight total parts, two women per skit Readers four total sections (will run their PowerPoint sections, forwarding to the next section as they leave) Ushers (optional) two to six (however many you typically have) Suggested Order Of Service: Prelude Lead On, O King Eternal #36 or Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah #23 Welcome and Announcements Worship Leader Call to Worship #22 Psalm 8 Invocation and Lord s Prayer Worship Leader Opening Hymn Trust and Obey #634 Collection of Tithes and Offerings Offertory He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought #25 Prayer Hymn Be Still My Soul #24 Prayer by Worship Leader or other appointed person (PowerPoint Slide 1) Special Music Women s solo or group Message Caution! Interruptions Ahead (Women s Sunday 2019) Hymn of Response All the Way My Savior Leads Me #640 Benediction (PowerPoint slide 31 or Hymns of Heritage & Hope page 753 Benedictions #5) Postlude All the Way My Savior Leads Me #640 57
Outline of Message: Worship Leader Intro Includes PowerPoint Slides Skit #1 Slow, Children at Play Reader #1 Slow, Children at Play Includes PowerPoint Slides Skit #2 Intersection Ahead Choices Reader #2 Intersection Ahead Choices Includes PowerPoint Slides Skit #3 Rough Road Ahead Change Reader #3 Rough Road Ahead Change Includes PowerPoint Slides Skit #4 Hospital Ahead Personal Crisis Reader #4 Hospital Ahead Personal Crisis Includes PowerPoint Slides Worship Leader brief conclusion and prayer Benediction PowerPoint Slide #31 Message: Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Slide 5 Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Introduction Worship Leader Includes PowerPoint Slides Proverbs 3:5 6 is familiar to most of us. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (New International Version). Maybe not quite as well known is Psalm 16:11, Thou wilt shew me the path of life. In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (King James Version) or Proverbs 16:9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps (New International Version). We have all paid close attention to road signs along the highway at one time or other. Green signs are informational with names of roads or towns on them. Yellow signs have cautionary messages on them. Bright orange signs warn us of road construction ahead or other situations requiring immediate attention. If you think about it, the Lord gives us all kinds of signs in the Bible that tell us how to plan our journey through this life. The Bible is like an atlas; it has all the information in it to direct us from this life here on earth to our final destination to be with the Lord for eternity. Some of our most common road signs serve as good reminders that point us to God. For instance: The stop sign reminds us to stop being so busy and to listen to God. Psalm 46:10 says Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations I will be exalted in the earth! (New International Version). The one way sign reminds us that Jesus is the one and only way to achieve eternal life. John 14:6 says Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to me except through me (New International Version). The yield sign reminds us to allow God to have his way in our lives. John 10:27 28 My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me (New International Version). There is always the road under construction sign. You may have seen this bumper sticker, Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet? Various times throughout the pathway of our lives, we seem to come upon interruptions that are not expected, not requested and certainly not desired. How do we view these interruptions? Do we look to the Lord in disbelief and cry out, Why me, Lord? or do we seek out the lesson that is to be learned and the growth that we ultimately see in ourselves and in our relationship to God the Father as we work through difficult times? Let s look at a few of these divine interruptions. Skit #1 Slow, Children at Play with Vivian and Michelle 58
Slide 11 Slide 12 Slide 13 Slide 14 Slide 16 Slide 17 Slide 18 Slide 19 Reader #1 Slow, Children at Play Includes PowerPoint Slides When children come into our lives, how do we see them? Do we see them as an interruption to our lives or do we welcome them with joy as Jesus did? We need to protect our children at all cost. We need to slow down our pace and give them the time and attention that they deserve. Our children are a heritage from the Lord, and our calling is to value them as he does. Mark 10: 14 16 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them (New International Version). Parents must instill within children the importance of building their future as God s servants. Nearly all parents plan for the secular futures of their children but how much emphasis is placed on preparation for their futures in the kingdom of God? While many encourage their children to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc., how many encourage their children to plan on being deacons, preachers and Sunday school teachers. Do your children see in you a high regard for service to God and the work of the church or do they see parents who are apathetic and uninvolved in the good works one is to be doing in Christ? Demonstrate to your kids at all times that God is the most important thing in your life. If we want our children to grow into faithful, active Christians, we must begin with our examples, reinforcing them with our teaching and encouragement and then continue, prayerfully, to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Skit #2 Intersection Ahead Choices with Kara and Ashley Reader #2 Choices Intersection sign Includes PowerPoint Slides Are you wrestling with a career decision, not sure which path to take? Are you wondering which direction the Lord desires you to go? If so, you are not alone! Many Christians struggle with making career decisions at various points in their lives. As Christians, we desire to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. We want to do his will in all aspects of our lives. Scripture does give us clear guidance regarding the moral choices we are to make as God s sons and daughters. The Bible does not, however, give specific guidance about many types of life decisions, including making career choices. Nowhere in Scripture will you find a verse that will specify whether you should become an accountant or an IT specialist. What should I do with my career? was not a burning issue in Biblical times. So what can we do to make wise career decisions that are within the will of God for our lives? Although the Bible is not a manual on career planning and decision making, it does teach some important principles that can assist you in becoming a wise decision maker. PRINCIPLE 1: Our first priority in life must always be to develop an increasingly intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. PRINCIPLE 2: God has created you with the aptitude for particular skills and abilities, and with the inclination toward particular interests. Your design is the most important factor to consider in making career decisions. PRINCIPLE 3: Being a Christian does not exempt us from the responsibility to become wise decision makers. Therefore, it is your responsibility to use your God-given mind to learn how to make good career decisions. PRINCIPLE 4: Living out God's will for your career and life will require that you take risks. God calls us to live courageously to take risks in order to use our gifts and bring salt and light to this hurting world. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain! 59
Slide 21 Slide 22 Slide 23 Slide 24 Slide 26 Slide 27 Slide 28 Skit #3 Rough Road Ahead Change with Jill and Kathy Reader #3 Rough Road Ahead Change Includes PowerPoint Slides When we are forced to accept change that we truly do not want to face, how do we react? Just when your life is settled and moving along well, something comes along and damages much that is steady and normal within it. The man who was supposed to stay, left. The place that was home, is suddenly no longer your address. The boss you showed your best work to, handed you a box to fill and showed you the door. We can fight change or we can fight our attitude about change. Your prayers go from. God, remove this change from my life to a new perspective, God, remove my attitude toward this change. In Genesis 12, when God asks Abram to leave his home for a new, unfamiliar land, he gave Abram a promise to hold onto during the weary transition, a promise to bless Abram through the change. You know what? God does the same for you and me as he did for Abram. If God is sending you to a new place, he s sending you with a promise of blessing. Perhaps the best thing you and I can do is, like Abram, obey God by leaning into the change rather than fighting it. Whether you experience transition under your feet, in your heart, or both, the Lord is using it for you, not against you. He is bringing you to a new place for the purpose of blessing you. We can trust change is not a life interruption, but a life occurrence acting as a stepping-stone toward God s best for us. It s more than okay to mourn the loss change brings. But as we do, may we also remember that change is not the end. Change is often the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. As we continue along our path of life we are delighted as we discover new blessings that come our way as a result of change. Skit #4 Hospital Ahead Personal Crisis with Celia and Brenda Reader #4 Hospital Ahead Personal Crisis Includes PowerPoint Slides Are you facing a personal crisis right now? Maybe you or a family member has a life-threatening illness. Maybe it s a foreclosure on your home or a loss in your investments. Maybe your marriage is falling apart, or you have a son or daughter who is struggling with addiction. Or maybe you re paralyzed by fear as you think about an uncertain future. When we re facing a crisis, we like to have a backup plan. Then we like to have a backup plan for the backup plan. Then we have a backup plan for the backup plan for the backup plan. But sometimes the Lord will allow us to be in a set of circumstances where there are no backup plans. There is no safety net. There is no way out but him. In Acts chapter 12, this is what we see the early church facing. Things were looking very bleak. Herod had put James to death, and then he arrested Peter. If God did not come through for him, it would be a complete disaster. So what did the believers do? They prayed. And they prayed, and they prayed some more. Philippians 4:6 7 tells us, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (New King James Version). God promises that he will give us a peace that passes all understanding, but not necessarily a peace that always will give you understanding. When you are overwhelmed, pray, pray and pray some more. Worship Leader Perhaps we are all partially guilty for not paying enough attention to either the actual road signs we see every day or the biblical road signs God gives on the path of life. We should all strive to take them more seriously in the future because we know that they are there for our benefit. This verse from Psalms is a good motto for us to remember: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. We thank you for being a part of our service today and may God bless each of you as you travel the path of life. Let us pray. 60
God, we thank you for all the road signs in our lives that point us to you. Help us to recognize and identify when you are instructing us. And when we are thrown off course by the interruptions of life, help us lean on you to get through each hardship and to learn from the lessons you provide. Help us to serve you by being an encouragement and a support for others as well. We thank you for all the many blessings we enjoy each day. We ask that you lead us, guide us and provide for us in Jesus name, Amen. Slide 30 Hymn of Response: All the Way my Savior Leads Me #640 Slide 31 Benediction Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20 21, New International Version). Chauffeur Liz Callaway lives in Lenoir, N.C. with her husband Chris and their Jack Russell Bogey. She has been a member of Tabernacle Advent Christian Church since 1971 and has held numerous positions there over the years including Sunday school teacher, Penny Crusade coordinator, choir member and church pianist, plus Liz is currently the president of the WH&FMS Betty Jo Walker Sonshine Circle. Published by Advent Christian General Conference Office of Women s Ministries PO Box 690848, Charlotte, NC 28227 (704)545-6161 www.acgc.us 61