Gathering as the Body of Christ
Welcome and Sharing of Announcements
Mark Beatty
Call to Worship
Liturgist: In the beginning before time, before people, before the world began,
People: God was.
Liturgist: Here and now, among us, beside us, enlisting the people of earth for the purposes of heaven,
People: God is.
Liturgist: In the future, when we have turned to dust and all we know has found its fulfilment,
People: God will be.
Liturgist: Not denying the world but delighting in it, not understanding the world, but redeeming it, through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
People: God was, God is, God will be.
https://www.greeningthelectionary.net/442160223
Opening Prayer
God of the wild and wonderful – of arcing skies and miniscule, jewelled wings – set our worship free to explore beyond these walls. Re-ignite us, excite us and creatively delight us as your word comes newly alive through the colourful witness of your world. Re-tune our senses, sharpen our mind and quicken our spirit to your presence as we look, hear, smell, touch and taste more of your goodness and lead us out into greater adventures of discovering you and caring for all you have made.
http://thesanctuarycentre.org/resources/creative_prayer_idea_wild_worship_field_guide.pdf
Opening Hymn
“For the Beauty of the Earth ”
UMH #92, verses 1, 2, 6
Scott Hall, vocalist, and Matt Cron, organist
Scripture Readings
Genesis 1: 6-10
And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
Luke 6:12-13
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.
Mark 6: 30-32
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
Liturgist The word of God for the people of God.
People Thanks be to God.
Message
"Rest in His Presence"
Beverly Welsh
Message in Music
“It Is Well with My Soul”
Spafford & Bliss
Nancy Burns, soloist
Offertory Prayer
O great and holy God, we sing hymns; we offer prayers; we stand in awe of your creation; we are humbled by your love. When we come to you, we are often asking something from you. You have given to us even when we did not ask. Now, in these moments, we are not asking for anything but offering our appreciation for all your mercies. We offer our money. We offer ourselves. We pray that both these gifts and our lives will honor you in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Robert D. Ingram
Closing Hymn
“Breathe on Me, Breath of God”
UMH #420
The Blessing and Sending Forth
Bev Welsh
May the love of God surround you.
May the love of God uplift you.
May the love of God stand with you through the challenge ahead.
May the love of God convince you, in every situation, to love.
Go now to love others, even as Christ loves you.
Kwasi I Kena
Online Servers
Worship Leaders: Mark Beatty, Bill Kruger, Beverly Welsh
Liturgists: Pete Seymour
Video: Mark Beatty
