The Service for the Lord s Day The 2 nd Sunday in Lent March 4, 2012 The asterisk ( * ) is an invitation to stand if able. ASSEMBLE IN GOD S NAME GATHERING Thula Klizeo Sweet Harmony Words and music by Joseph Shabalala Translation of Zulu lyrics: Be still my heart, even here I am at home. WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS PASSING THE PEACE OF CHRIST PRELUDE We Are Dancing Sarah s Circle Sweet Harmony Words by Carole A. Etzler, music African American spiritual We are dancing Sarah's circle, sisters, brothers, all. Here we seek and find our history, sisters, brothers, all. We will all do our own naming, sisters, brothers, all. Every round a generation, sisters, brothers, all. On and on the circle's moving, sisters, brothers, all. We are dancing Sarah's circle, sisters, brothers, all. CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsively) Leader: People: The hand of God waits to touch the world, surprising us with hope and joy. Open your lives, people of God. Wait for the healing and gifts to come and look, within and around you, to discover the miracles of love. We come together, lifting up our hearts to a new day! Muskegon, Michigan Page 2
*HYMN OF PRAISE Muskegon, Michigan Page 3
*CALL TO CONFESSION Leader: Our Lenten journey continues, and we long for renewal. While we admit there are many things we cannot change, there are some things we can and must change with God s help. Listen for God s voice about those things as we sing our confession together. *SUNG PRAYER OF CONFESSION (See Page 8, verse 1) Change My Heart, O God *AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Responsively) Leader: People: God s grace has no limits. As we give thanks for God s infinite mercy, may God extend the boundaries of our own mercy. May God enable us to forgive as we have been forgiven, in the love of Christ. Amen. PROCLAIM GOD S WORD A TIME WITH THE YOUNGER CHURCH Roxanne Deibel PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN RECOGNITION THE FIRST SCRIPTURE LESSON Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 [p. 13 OT] Leader: People: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God! MUSICAL MEDITATION We Are Sweet Harmony Words and music by Ysaye M. Barnwell THE SECOND SCRIPTURE LESSON Romans 4:13-25 [p. 155 NT] SERMON Mothers of Many Nations Pastor Jim Rausch Muskegon, Michigan Page 4
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD S SUPPER THE INVITATION AND GREAT THANKSGIVING SONG OF APPROACH (See Page 8, verse 2) Change My Heart, O God WORDS OF INSTITUTION DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTS COMMUNION HYMN PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION RESPONDING TO GOD S WORD PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord s Prayer OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR SUBSTANCE Registration of Attendance OFFERTORY I Love to Tell the Story setting by Emma Lou Diemer Muskegon, Michigan Page 5
* PRESENTATION OF GIFTS *PRAYER OF DEDICATION (In unison) Leader: People: O God, we have brought to you all that we have to give on this day. Bless our gifts as we seek to use them to usher in your reign. Amen. GO IN GOD S NAME *HYMN #343 Called as Partners in Christ s Service Beecher (Verses 1, 2 & 4) *CHARGE AND BLESSING Muskegon, Michigan Page 6
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE * POSTLUDE Vater Unser setting by Anne Krentz Organ Muskegon, Michigan Page 7
Muskegon, Michigan Page 8
ASSISTING WITH WORSHIP LAY LEADER: Tom Carl ACOLYTES: Nathan Clark GREETERS: Sherman Entrance Ron & Mary Rop Wickham Entrance Rodger Kroes USHERS: Russ & Barb Reckell Rodger Kroes & Carol Giblin AFTER WORSHIP HOSPITALITY: Mary Seieroe & Carol Burling COUNTERS: Mervin & Katherine Young ANNOUNCEMENTS MARCH 4, 2012 Care Centers: Nan Weatter, Lorraine Priefer, Harold Hines, Kathleen Joy, Mickey Paulsen Welcome Guests! We re so glad you joined our church family in worship today. Please join us following the worship service in the chapel for a time of fellowship. The sanctuary flowers this morning have been provided by Sarah and Elizabeth Circles. Thank you to Sweet Harmony for sharing your musical talents with us this morning. The group includes Jackie Fisher, Jen Fisher, Cathy Forrest, Karen Frederiksen, Eileen Grostic, Gail Kurdziel, Sue McIntire, Bev Schroeder and Suzi Velarde. Congas: Jennica Rausch. There will be a Women s Lenten Breakfast on Saturday March 31 st at 10 a.m. sponsored by Sarah and Elizabeth Circles. Food and beverages will be furnished. The speaker will be Jill Vande Zande. Please bring friends: all are welcome! There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the main hallway. Questions? Call Kay Ostrom at 798-2643. Many, many thanks to our congregation for your support of Church World Service Blankets+ Sunday. Twenty-four lovely blankets were delivered to Every Woman s Place and the Women and Children s Shelter of the Muskegon Rescue Mission and $958 was contributed to CWS to purchased 191 blankets for persons in need in our country and throughout the world. Muskegon, Michigan Page 9
There will be a Ladies Around the Town Luncheon on Thursday, March 22 nd - 11:30 a.m. at the Brownstone in the Muskegon County Airport. Please sign up on the sheet posted on the bulletin board in the main hallway. The Cents-Ability Offering, Presbyterian Hunger Program, will be collected in the bread pans this morning. The offering assists with a Feeding America food truck twice yearly, serves as our contribution to the MAP Supper House and assists with the Saturday Neighborhood Breakfast at First Congregational Church. The Bread for the World Bread Sale will be in the chapel this morning. Bread Sales provide our contribution as a Covenant Church to BFW. As a Covenant Church we serve as an advocate on behalf of hungry and poor persons in the United States and throughout the world. The Blood Pressure Clinic will be held following the worship service in Room 7. The service is available to anyone. A record of your reading can be given to you to take to your doctor if so desire. It is helpful for the nurses to know what medications you are taking to help monitor your blood pressure. We look forward to seeing you! The Youth INTERSECT Lock-in @ 3 Mile Project Youth Center in GR will be held on March 16-17, 10 pm Friday to 6 am Saturday. This is for all youth! Play reball (indoor paintball), video games, basketball, foosball, pool, swimming pool, do crafts, eat pizza, watch movies, and MORE! See Jill for more info! Lenten Reflections begin next Sunday during the church school hour. This year we are again blessed by the sharing of church members as they speak to the Lenten theme of Journey to Renewal. Want to hear MORE Sweet Harmony? SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, April 22 at 3:00 p.m. right here at FPC Sweet Harmony in Concert, a benefit for the Bringing Tanya Home adoption fund. Free will offering, refreshments and lots of great music! Jen Fisher, our youngest Sweetie and Jackie Fisher s youngest daughter, is in the process of adopting a sweet little 5-year-old girl with special needs from Russia and we are trying to help her raise the funds necessary to bring Tanya to her forever home. Our talented members will be singing group numbers and solos, dancing, playing piano trios and sharing all manner of musical gifts. Please join us for a wonderful afternoon. Thank you! http://bringingtanyahome.blogspot.com/ Muskegon, Michigan Page 10
March 4, 2012: Children 6 11: Youth 12 18: Adults: Your teacher this week is Vella Caruso. She ll meet you down in Creation Station. This week, we meet a man named Abram. You might know him as Abraham. He had a baby when he and his wife were 100 (Abraham) and 90 (Sarah) years old! Isn t that amazing? Your teacher this week is Jill Vande Zande. The covenant God makes with Abraham is found in Genesis 12, 15, and 17. What differences and similarities do you notice throughout these chapters? Your teacher this week is Libby Kara. Genesis 15 has many strange things going on. How do you make sense of these things? YOUTH GROUPS: Middle School: Come join Jill for youth group on Wednesday, March 7 at 6:30. We ll be asking the question, How do I know God is really listening to me? Have fun hanging out with your friends and eating while we discuss some awesome questions about faith in the coming weeks. Got a question? Ask, and we ll find answers together! High School: Meets today, March 4, at 4:00pm. We re going to be looking at the story of Joseph from the Old Testament. What do you think Joseph father was saying (with words or not) when he gave him the coat of many colors? Muskegon, Michigan Page 11
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 4, 2012 03/04 10:00 am Worship Sun 11:00 am Hospitality/BFW Bread Sale 11:00 am Blood Pressure Clinic 11:15 am Church School 4:00 pm Sr. High Youth Group 5:30 pm Marriage Encounter 03/05 1:00 pm Kerygma Mon 2:30 pm Prayer Shawl Ministry 3:30 pm The Bible in Depth Class 03/06 10:00 am Staff Meeting Tue 4:00 pm Gentle Yoga 5:30 pm Hatha Yoga 03/07 6:30 pm Middle School Youth Group Wed 7:00 pm Property Meeting 03/08 5:30 pm O&C Council Meeting Thu 03/09 Fri 03/10 Sat 03/11 10:00 am Worship Sun 11:00 am Hospitality 11:15 am Children s Choir 11:15 am Church School/Lenten Reflections 11:15 am Deacons Meeting 4:00 pm Sr. High Youth Group Muskegon, Michigan Page 12