Thursday, July 22 at
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
THE APPROACH TO
GOD
The
Organ Prelude
The
Greetings and Announcements
Votum:
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who
made heaven and earth.
Call
to Worship:
L. O
LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?
P. Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is
right, and speak the truth from their heart;
L. who do not slander with their tongue, and do
no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
P. in whose eyes the wicked are
despised, but who honor those who fear the LORD; who stand by their oath even
to their hurt;
All: who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the
innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.**
Congregational
Response: (Sung) Alleluia!
The
Salutation
*The
Hymn #11 (Green Hymn Book)
“Be
Still, for the Presence”
Call to
Confession: L. Let us join in the prayer
of confession:
(unison)
How difficult it is to find balance, to be in harmony! Our lives so diminish when we lose the
connection between body, mind and spirit. Some of us have become so spiritual that we lose touch with the
marvelous planet on which we live. Some
of us have become so materially focused, that our work is equivalent to rearranging the deck chairs on the
Titanic; in order to prosper we are choking the life out of the earth our
children’s children will need. As Jesus
challenged Martha to choose the better part, so we are in need of perspective. Awaken us to the beauty that can come only
when we are rounded out, connected to you, your creation, including those
around us. Throw us into such
circumstances that our comfortable and unexamined perspectives may be
shattered, and we see you now and again and again in new and fresh ways,
viewing life each day as if for the first time!
“Lord,
Have Mercy Upon Us” #572 (Red Hymn Book)
Words of Assurance: If we confess our sin,
God is faithful and just to forgive our sin, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
Brothers and sisters, you are no longer judged and condemned by the
law, for in Christ Jesus, you are children of God through faith. You are
clothed with Christ. You are heirs of
the promises of God. Sisters and
Brothers, your sins are forgiven; be at peace.
Summary
of the Law
*”Glory
Be to the Father” #579
(Red Hymn Book)
Passing
of the Peace of Christ:
Time
for the Children!
Leader: We go now our separate ways.
Congregation: May God be with you
there.
Children: May God be with you here!
*Hymn #372 (Red Hymn Book)
“Lord,
I Want to Be a Christian”
THE WORD OF GOD
L. Ever-faithful
God, whose being is perfect righteousness: reconcile us in your Son with the
helpless and the needy, with those we would ignore or oppress, and with those
we have called enemies, that we may serve all people as your hands of love, and
sit at the feet of those who need our compassionate care. Amen.
From the First Covenant Amos 8:1-12
L. This is the Word of the Lord.
C. Thanks be to God!
From
the Second Covenant Luke
L. The Gospel of our Lord.
C. Praise to You, Lord Christ!
Sermon: CHOOSING THE BETTER PART
THE RESPONSE TO
GOD
The Worship of Giving
”Praise
God” #592 (Red Hymn Book)
Offertory Prayer
Prayers of Thanksgiving and
Intercession
L. The
Lord be with you.
P. And also with you.
L. Lift
up your voices.
P. We lift them up to the Lord.
The Lord’s Prayer: 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 as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
*Hymn #284
(Green Hymn Book)
“Go, My Children,
with My Blessing”
*Benediction
Postlude
*Indicates stand, if you are able.
**Revised Common Lectionary
News
Welcome to
First Reformed
If you wish to know more about us, or
to receive our mailings and newsletter, please drop us a note with your contact
information in the plate or email us at frcb@verizon.net. You may also visit our website: www.firstbethlehem.org.
. Our Sunday worship begins at
Many
thanks to our liturgist for this service, and to today’s ushers.
Pastor and
On Thursday we invite you to an informal
evening of games and fellowship. While we especially hope for children to
attend, all adults are certainly welcome, may prove themselves to be great
games players themselves. So, join us Thursday evening.
Creative Play
Preschool is facing a deadline
The
Creative Play Preschool is accepting registrations for the fall—and the
deadline for registering is July 31. The preschool needs to have at least 10-12
children registered to stay in operation; unfortunately, they are well short of
that number. Please continue to present the preschool as an option for children
3-4 years old in the community. Many thanks.
Thursday, July 22 at
There are
events planned for the children and
opportunities
for adult fellowship. The barbeque
main course
will be provided. You are invited to
bring a salad
or dessert dish,
and lawn
chairs/ blankets if possible.
And-…New
You can also pick up registration forms
for both vacation bible schools in the fellowship hall.
Volunteer
drivers wanted- Drive someone happy! Community
Caregivers, a mission which we support, is looking for drivers to bring clients to medical appointments, shop for
groceries and pick up prescriptions. Becoming a volunteer is easy! Attend a
brief meeting and fill out a volunteer form. You decide when and how often you
volunteer- learn how the program works and our staff will get you started
helping your neighbor. Call 456-2898 or email info@communitycaregivers.org .
The Matthew Project, an outreach of Covenant Community Care, a
faith-based program of the Grace
Covenant Church, is a program designed to assist in meeting the nutritional
needs of children in the
At Home With the Word. These daily bible readings from the Common
Lectionary are drawn from next Sundays’ lessons to help prepare for worship:
Monday Hosea
1:2-10
Tuesday Psalm 85
Wednesday Colossians 2:6-7
Thursday Colossians
2:8-15
Friday Luke 11:1-4
Saturday Luke
11:5-13
We
remember those in urgent need of our prayers this week: Ruth Geurtze
and Nicole Jordan. Please remember those
who need our long-term prayer and support: Marcia McCoy, Beulah Nasner, Carolyn Olshefsky, Gretchen Willi, Naomi Gushlaw, Gerald Lasher, Glenn
Rivenburg, Jayden McClellan, Doris Turner, Muriel Wood, Eleanor Sokil, Joan
Stahlman, June Milburn, Hazel Lovell,
Harold Joyce, Esther Jordan, Bill Weisheit, Eleanor Wiedemann, Bernice Carr,
June Dawson, Charlie Ripley, Ann Everingham, Ann Pastor, and Kristine
Tracey-Lindskoog.
We also ask that you keep Brandon Roth,
Sam Hafensteiner, Jeff Mills, Seth and Andrea Johnson, Scott Potter, and all
our service members, wherever they are stationed, in your prayers for their
safety.
We record most sermons on CD and are able to make copies upon request. Feel free to take one to a friend who may
have missed the service or to hear one that you may have missed. Contact the
church office if you are interested in getting a copy.
If you have a special occasion that you
would like to celebrate or remember with flowers in church – please mark our Flower Chart that is in the fellowship
hall. You may also contact
Gardeners- why not
share the bounty of your flowerbeds with us as we worship-a bouquet of home
grown flowers is a beautiful thing. Call
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Thursday, July 22- Picnic and Games
Night-6:30 pm.
Friday, July 23- Church Writer’s
Group 1 pm.
Monday, July19-Friday, July 23- All Hands
on
The
Reverend Harlan E. Ratmeyer, Pastor
Phones: Home
- 767-2686 Cell - 522-3627
Church Office
Hours – Mon. – Fri.
Church
e-mail: frcb@verizon.net & Website: www.firstbethlehem.org
Phone: 767-2243 Fax: 767-3310
Debra Ennis –
Director of
Tracey Waters
– Assistant Director of
Betty Poirier
- Secretary