Living with Abundance, But Still Broke!

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Order of Worship

 Sunday, May 3, 2020

GREETING

WELCOMING WORDS

HYMN-#555 “Forward Through the Ages” 

“Forward through the Ages”

1. Forward through the ages, in unbroken line,

move the faithful spirits at the call divine;

gifts in differing measure, hearts of one accord,

manifold the service, one the sure reward.

Refrain:

Forward through the ages, in unbroken line,

move the faithful spirits at the call divine.

2. Wider grows the kingdom, reign of love and light;

for it we must labor, till our faith is sight.

Prophets have proclaimed it, martyrs testified,

poets sung its glory, heroes for it died.

(Refrain)

3. Not alone we conquer, not alone we fall;

in each loss or triumph lose or triumph all.

Bound by God’s far purpose in one living whole,

move we on together to the shining goal.

(Refrain)

LITANY OF RESPONSE (Call to Worship)

Bread and Justice

O God, just as the disciples heard Christ’s words of promise and began to eat the bread and drink the wine in the suffering of a long remembrance and in the joy of a hope, grant that we may hear your words, spoken in each thing of everyday affairs: Coffee, on our table in the morning; the simple gesture of opening a door to go out, free; the shouts of children in the parks; a familiar song, sung by an unfamiliar face; a friendly tree that has not been cut down. May simple things speak to us in Your mercy, and tell us that life can be good. And may these sacramental gifts make us remember those who do not receive them:

Who have their lives cut every day, in the bread absent from the table; in the door of the hospital, the prison, the welfare home that does not care; in sad children, feet without shoes, eyes without hope; in war hymns that glorify death; in deserts where once there was life. Christ was also sacrificed; and may we learn that we participate in the saving sacrifice of Christ when we participate in the suffering of His little ones. Amen

HYMN #618- “Let Us Break Bread Together”

Let Us Break Bread Together

1. Let us break bread together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us break bread together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me. (on me)

2. Let us drink wine together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us drink wine together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me. (on me)

3.Let us praise God together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us praise God together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me. (on me)

4. Let us praise God together on our knees, (on our knees)

Let us praise God together on our knees. (on our knees)

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy if you please. (if you please)

OPENING PRAYER: Leader-The Lord be with you

                                     People-And also with you

In these early days after the resurrection, we wonder what it all means. 

 O Lord, our Shepherding God, come close to us now come near us in our time of need.

Shepherding God, we need You in our time of anxiety. We need You in our time of economic uncertainty.

We need You in a time of a globe-trotting disease. We need You to bind our wounds, 

    and pour Your healing ointment on our heads.

Shepherding God.

you guide us with Your voice, help us to listen and follow no matter where Your voice leads.

Help us to trust You.

Shepherding God,

protect us from the hired hands

that do not really care for us 

and have neglected or abused us in the past.

Shepherding God,

thank You for Your son 

who lay down his life for those who follow Him 

and for those who are not in the fold yet.

Lord we pray for those who don’t know the Shepherd, 

whose life circumstances kept them from knowing the Good Shepherd. 

We pray that by our actions, our behavior,

and our reaching out into the community,

they may come to know You.

Shepherding God,

renew us, guide us with your love 

and renew us with Your peace. Amen.

~ written by Rev. Abi 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OFFERTORY: Praise God from whom all blessing flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below: Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: Leader-Lord in Your Holy Mercies

                                                  People-Hear our prayers

Hymn #543- “O Breath of Life”

Breathe on me breath of God

1. O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us,

revive your church with life and power.

O Breath of Life, come, cleanse, renew us,

and fit your church to meet this hour.

2. O Wind of God, come, bend us, break us,

till humbly we confess our need.

Then in your tenderness remake us;

revive, restore, for this we plead.

3. O Breath of Love, come, breathe within us,

renewing thought and will and heart.

Come, love of Christ, afresh to win us;

revive your church in every part.

READING OF SCRIPTURES:

(Acts 2: 42-47)

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds[a] to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home[b] and ate their food with glad and generous[c] hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

(1 Peter 2:19-25)

19 For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin,

    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, [a] so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds[b] you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Recorded Music

SERMON: “Living with Abundance, But Still Broke!”

COMMUNION

Hymn #369- “One Bread, One Body”

One Bread One Body in HD

One bread, one body, one Lord of all;

one cup of blessing which we bless,

and we, though many throughout the earth,

we are one body in this one Lord.

1. Gentile or Jew, servant or free,

woman or man, no more.

2. Many the gifts, many the works,

one in the Lord of all.

3. Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,

gathered to one for all.

Blessing of worship, Benediction-Dismissal

You are welcome to stay and fellowship via ZOOM after the service.