(View this service: YouTube)
Call to Worship:
L: Praise to you, O God, you are the hope of all the earth. You visit the earth and greatly enrich it.
All: You provide the people with grain for so you have prepared it.
L: The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills bind themselves with joy, the valleys deck themselves with grain.
All: They shout and sing together for joy.
Song – Now Thank We All Our God – UMH 102
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mother’s arms has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
with ever-joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us still in grace, and guide us when perplexed;
and free us from all ills, in this world and the next.
All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
the Son, and him who reigns with them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Prayer:
(All) God of provision, you gave us life and you sustain us with your faithful presence. You feed and shelter us. You fill our thirsty souls with your grace. All good gifts come from you. Help us to acknowledge your goodness and provision in everything. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Scripture Reading – Mark 6:30-44
The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
L: For the Word of God in scripture; for the Word of God within us and for the Word of God among us we say:
All: Thanks be to God.
Our Offering to God – Out of gratitude for all that you have provided for us, may we be truly thankful, not giving from a sense of scarcity but from a place of abundance. Amen
Anthem – Choir
Doxology – Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow – UMH 95
Offering Prayer: We present these gifts, O God, in the confidence that healing, hope and wholeness will flourish through them and because of them. Amen
Message
Prayer of Confession:
Merciful God, open our eyes to see injustice in our world. Give us courage to resist the powers that oppress the poor. Open our ears to hear the cry of the needy. Teach us generosity for sharing the abundance of your creation. Open our minds to imagine an end to human strife. Grant us wisdom to pursue the ways of peace. Open our hearts to love our neighbors and our enemies near and far. Give us desire to embody the compassion of Christ. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Sharing our joys and concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Announcements
Song – Now Let Us from This Table Rise – UMH 634
Now let us from this table rise renewed in body, mind, and soul;
with Christ we die and live again, his selfless love has made us whole.
With minds alert, upheld by grace to spread the word in speech and deed,
we follow in the steps of Christ, at one with all in hope and need.
To fill each human house with love, it is the sacrament of care;
the work that Christ began to do we humbly pledge ourselves to share.
Then grant us courage, Father God, to choose again the pilgrim way,
and help us to accept with joy the challenge to tomorrow’ day.
Benediction
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Please keep in prayer: Ruth, Bridget, Sandy, Johnnie Kennedy, Susan L., Lydia, Tina, Blanche and family, Charles Crist, Kyle Keen and family, Kaye, Charline, Marion Gherke, Valerie Hoyt, Millie, Mary Baker, Roshier Bailey, Drema, Mary Jane Fizer, John Kelly, Louise and Mark Young, Jane Foster, Claire Such-Hutton, Marian, Carlos Kuvaszko, Al Firth, Margaret Franklin, Hallman family, Debbie, Lilli, Ollie, Linda, Chrissie, Toye, Wenona. The ministry of Cokesbury. Streetlight, Featherstone School students, teachers, staff, parents.
Prayer Shawls: You may have noticed the throws on the chairs in the narthex. These were made by our own Prayer Shawl ministry. These “shawls” represent prayer and hugs for people in need. If this describes you or yours, please take one.
Discernment: 859 Prayer
Please complete Gifts Survey and place in offering plate by February 27th . What talents, abilities, skills, training do you have?
Please pray about Community garden, English language classes, Flea Market.
Wednesday prayer service at noon beginning March 1st
Scripture Focus for Lent: Read Romans 12 every week.
The Way of Discipleship
Growing in Grace through study:
Sundays following worship. The Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas.
Growing in Grace through fellowship and more:
Welcome Table every Second Sunday 11:30 am. Come and share a meal and conversation.
Friday with Friends every Third Friday 11am in Narthex. Bring bag lunch.
Growing in Grace through intercessory prayer:
Prayer group meets Mondays at 5:30pm on Zoom. All are welcome to join in prayer. Please send or share prayer concerns with Pastor Gayle.
Growing in Grace through service:
A.C.T.S Food Pantry: Canned vegetables 15 oz size, low sodium canned vegetables, snack items, individually packed, Pop-top canned prepared meals suitable for our homeless clients, single serve prepared food suitable for our homeless clients, laundry detergent, dish detergent, cleaning supplies in general, toiletries and personal hygiene items, size 4T pull-ups, size 6 diapers, dog food.
Featherstone School: personal hygiene products: toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, soap, shampoo, conditioner, brushes and combs. Small and medium size sweatpants in blue, gray or black
Hilda Barg Shelter Meal – Next date: March 3rd. See sign-up.
Growing in Grace through worship.
Weekly service Sundays at 10am.
Choir practice on Saturdays. Children and youth at 2pm. Adults and youth at 3pm.
Sign ups for Liturgists, Ushers, Greeters, Altar Care, Communion Steward, Worship banners.