Bulletin for May 9, 2010. Click below to read more.

WORSHIP MAY 9, 2010
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

THE GATHERING Mary Miller Brueggemann
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.

THE PRELUDE Walter Huff, organist

* THE CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Blessed be the name of our God from this time forth and forevermore!
People: From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of God is to be
praised.
Leader: It is good to give thanks to God, and to sing praises to your name, O Most
High.
People: We declare your steadfast love in the morning and your
faithfulness by night.
Leader: With gratitude and praise, let us worship God!

* THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN 483 Sing Praise to God, Who Reigns Above

THE CALL TO CONFESSION

THE PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God, you have promised to receive us when we come to you. We confess
that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have disobeyed
your law. We have not loved you or our neighbors as we should. Forgive us, O
God. Grant that we may live and serve you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ
our Savior. Amen.

A MOMENT OF SILENCE (for examination of conscience and personal prayers of confession)

THE FIRST LESSON John 13:31-35 (page 102 in the pew Bible)

THE ASSURANCE OF PARDON

* THE CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (Hymn 473)
For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth, and
friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild, Lord of all to thee we raise this
our hymn of grateful praise.

* THE PEACE OF CHRIST
(Children ages 2-11 are invited to leave after the Peace of Christ for special classes. Three-year-olds are in
Room 208; Pre-K in 011; K - 1st grade in 001; 2nd - 3rd grade in 003; 4th - 6th grade in 005.)

THE CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH
(Visitors and members are invited to sign the blue friendship register pad and pass it down the pew.)

THE MINUTE MESSAGE Melinda Sandkam

THE FIRST LESSON John 13:31-35 (page 102 in the pew Bible)

THE ANTHEM Thy Perfect Love John Rutter
Jesu, my love, my joy, my rest, Thy perfect love close in my breast, that I Thee love and never rest; and make
me love Thee of all thinge best, and wounde my heart in Thy love free, that I may reign in joy evermore with
Thee. - text: 15th century

THE SECOND LESSON Acts 11:1-18 (page 122 in the pew Bible)

THE SERMON "Restraining God" Christopher Henry
But a second time the voice answered from heaven,
‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' Acts 11:9

* THE HYMN 298 There's a Wideness in God's Mercy

* THE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Declaration of Faith, 1985)
We believe our hope in God gives us courage for the struggle.
The people of God have often misused God's promises
as excuses for doing nothing about present evils.
But in Christ the new world has already broken in
and the old can no longer be tolerated.
We know our efforts cannot bring in God's kingdom.
But hope plunges us into the struggle
for victories over evil that are possible now
in the world, the church, and our individual lives.
Hope gives us courage and energy
to contend against all opposition,
however invincible it may seem,
for the new world and the new humanity
that are surely coming.
Jesus is Lord!
He has been Lord from the beginning.
He will be Lord at the end.
Even now he is Lord.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

THE OFFERTORY Hymn tune: O Waly Waly arr. Porter/Huff

* THE DOXOLOGY AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Hymn 592)

* THE HYMN 335 Though I May Speak

* THE CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

* THE CHORAL RESPONSE The Lord Watch Between Me and Thee Eddleman