Bulletin – Sunday, October 13, 2019

Sunday, October 13, 2019
Seventh Sunday of Creation
Thanksgiving Sunday

Approach

Gathering Song – MV #46 – “Bless the Lord”

Welcome, lighting the candle and announcements

Call to Worship

One: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth.
All:  We bring our silence and our shouting, as introverts and extroverts.
One: Worship God with gladness; come into God’s presence with singing.
All:  We bring our songs and our stories, our struggles, and our sacrifices.
One: Know that it is God that made us, and we are God’s; we are God’s people, and the sheep of God’s pasture.
All:  God designed and created us, understands us and is intensely interested in us.
One: Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving, and God’s courts with praise. Give thanks to God, bless God’s name.
All:  We bring our gifts and our personalities, our strengths and weaknesses.
One: For God is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever, and God’s faithfulness to all generations.
All:  God is just and wise, honest and true, caring and compassionate, eternal and holy; let us worship God.
(adapted from David Hopwood)

Opening Hymn – VU #218 – “We Praise You, O God

Prayer of Approach and Confession

Loving God, our Provider, we worship you as the one who needs our needs, who grants our daily bread, who restores our humanity. We worship you as the God who knows human need from experience, who knows want, and thirst and humiliation. And worship you as your people, in a world where wealth is mixed with poverty; where we have all we need, but don’t know how to share. Where want, and hunger, and thirst, and humiliation are hidden from those with the power to offer challenge and bring change

So, open our eyes. Not only that we learn sad facts about the world. But open the eyes of our heart, that we may feel our place in this world, as your people. Where there is need, teach us to learn where our wealth lies, and help us to give. Where there is injustice, teach us to learn the causes, and help us to fight. Where there is brokenness teach us to learn of our own brokenness, and help us to bring wholeness. Help us to look to you, that we neither remain ignorant of the world, nor lose ourselves in despair at its brokenness. Show us how to worship you, the crucified God, the risen God, the God who provides. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Passing the Peace

Time for All Ages

Hymn – VU #236 – “Now Thank We All Our God”

The Word

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 4:4-9
John 6:25-35

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God!

Anthem – “All Praise and Thanksgiving”

Meditation – “To Really Give Thanks!”

Anthem – “I Thank You Lord”

The Response

Offering / Response: “In Gratitude and Humble Trust”

In gratitude and humble trust we bring our best today
To serve your cause and share your love with all along life’s way.
O God, who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ, your Son,
Teach us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done.

Prayers of the People

One: Lord, in Your mercy,
All: hear our prayer.
(adapted from Christine Longhurst)

Closing Hymn – VU #242 – “Let All Things Now Living”

Commissioning / Benediction

Response

Amen, Amen, Amen.