Sunday, July 15, 2007 – 10:30 a.m.
A Combined Summer Service for The United Churches of Medicine Hat.
Today’s worship leader is Jane Clarke, LPM
Prelude
Announcements—Time of Greeting
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: Come, neighbors and strangers,
All: prophets and seekers of justice,
One: those who need a helping hand,
All: and those who have something to offer.
One: Whether your faith is weak or strong,
All: come: let us be neighbors in this place,
One: and let us acknowledge the God within each of us.
Opening Prayer (Unison)
We are called to be people of compassion, to experience in our living the lives of others, to laugh with their joys and cry with their sorrows. In this time of community, may we be reminded again of what it means to be a neighbor. We pray in the name of Jesus, the ultimate neighbor. Amen.
Have we thought, “Who are our neighbors?” They are the family members and friends we know. We love them, we listen to them, we argue with them. They are the members and friends of our faith community. We worship with them, we work with them, we disagree with them. They live in our locality. We chat with them, we share news with them, we have common problems, and enjoy a joke with them. They live far from home and church; we do not know their names. We support them with our gifts, we speak and act with them for freedom, out of a living standard we take for granted. Jesus reminds us that there is a measure of neighborliness. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” How do we measure up? … (A time for silent reflection)
Words of Assurance (One)
Biblical Notes
Prayer of Illumination
Today’s Reading, from the Christian Scriptures – Luke 10:25-37.
Other lessons for your personal consideration from today’s lections are: From the Hebrew Scriptures – Amos 7:7-17 or Deuteronomy 30:9-14. From the Psalms – Psalm 82 or Psalm 25:1-9. From the Epistles – Colossians 1:1-14.
Our Church Tithes and Offerings
Offertory
Grant us, God, the grace of giving, with a spirit large and free,
that ourselves and all our living we may offer faithfully.
Prayer of Thanksgiving, Intercession & Lord’s Prayer
Let us go from this gathering to meet our neighbor with open hands and an open heart, giving and receiving the goodness of God’s love!
#884 “You Shall Go Out With Joy” (x2)
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
the mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
there'll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field
will clap, will clap their hands!
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands, (clap, clap)
the trees of the field will clap their hands (clap, clap)
while you go out with joy.
Postlude
South Alberta Presbytery
Your prayers this week are requested for Lutheran Churches.
Are you on PAR (Pre-arranged Remittances)? One monthly deduction for your church givings. It continues even if you are away. Applications can be filled out and put on the collection plate with a void cheque or contact Donna Scharf at 526-1555.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church, “Through the Garden Gate” 10th Annual Festival of Flowers, Saturday, July 21, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome!
“Adventures in Wilderness and Faith” for young adults ages 18 – 30 years. July 20 – 22, Camping and day hikes, Waterton National Park, and August 3 – 6, Canoe trip Lakeland Provincial Park. For more information, and brochure, see bulletin board by Memorial Hall.
Ladies Night Summer Book Read: “A Jest of God”, by Margaret Laurence. Enjoy the book over the summer, and join us in September for a discussion. There are multiple copies of the book available at the Public Library.
Summer Worship Schedule: Again this summer the congregations of Fifth Avenue Memorial and Westminster United Churches shall gather in shared worship. The services in July will be held at WUC and begin at 10:30 a.m. The services in August will be held at FAM and begin at 10:00 a.m.