First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
Worship for Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 19, 2020

2020 Photo from Dominick Giaquinto

Getting Centered

It may help to center yourself into worship by lighting a candle, as a symbol of God’s presence with you during the time of worship. You may also want to pay attention to lighting, the position of your body, and the availability of distractions.

Breath Prayer

“God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Breath prayers involve breathing in the first phrase, and breathing out the second.
You may wish to simply pray for a moment before starting, or you may wish to pray while listening to the prelude.

Prelude

“Aria” by Charles Callahan
Dominick Giaquinto – Organ


“He Listens to Him, in Our Church” by Sue Clark

Call to Worship

One: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Many: Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
One: O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
Many: and by night, but find no rest.
One: Yet you are holy,
Many: enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Hymn #139: Praise Ye the Lord

Connecting in Prayer

Shared Prayer

Our God, great, eternal, wonderful, utterly to be trusted: you give life to us all, you help those who come to you, you give hope to those who appeal to you. Forgive our sins, secret and open, and rid us of every habit of thought which is foreign to the gospel. Set our hearts and consciences at peace, so that we may bring our prayers to you confidently and without fear. Amen.

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

You are welcome to read this out-loud or silently.

Our God, in the complex interplay of life and death we so often find it easy to lose hope. Yet death is a part of life and we need to face its
reality. We need not, however, get lost in its finality. Our loved ones are always with us, their ways always influence us. May we learn to mourn in the context of love and thus live in the presence of all our loved ones. Amen.

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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Word and Reflection

Choir Anthem

As the Bridegroom to His Chosen – John Rutter

As the bridegroom to his chosen, as the king unto his realm,
As the keeper to the castle, as the pilot to the helm,
As the captain to the soldiers, as the shepherd to the lambs.
So, Lord, art thou to me.
As the fountain in the garden, as the candle in the dark,
As the treasure in the coffer, as the manna in the ark,
As the firelight in the winter, as the sunlight in the spring,
So, Lord, art thou to me.
As the music at the banquet, as the stamp unto the seal,
As refreshment to the fainting, as the wine cup at the meal,
As the singing on the feast day, as the amen to the prayer,
So, Lord, art thou to me.
As the ruby in the setting, as the honey in the comb,
As the light within the lantern, as the father in the home,
As the eagle in the mountains, as the sparrow in the nest,
So, Lord, art thou to me.
As the sunshine in the heavens, as the image in the glass,
As the fruit unto the fig tree, as the dew unto the grass,
As the rainbow on the hilltop, as the river in the plain,
So, Lord, art thou to me.

Scripture – Psalm 22:1-8

Mission Moment – Jan Huston

VIM in Nicaragua Memory
Please consider contributing a mission moment. It can be an experience, a poem, something meaningful that you recently learned, a brief book review, an insight, or maybe something else. Send your idea to me – Jan Huston.


Today’s mission moment is focused on a photo I took in Nicaragua in 2005. We were in the mountainous area of Matagalpa – a beautiful area where coffee was grown. Families arrived at 6 AM standing together in the back
of trucks so that they could spend the day picking coffee. That’s when I decided to try to always buy fair trade coffee. When we finished with our tasks for the day (some doing clinics, some doing construction), a few of the local children would come by our housing place to play or just see the North Americans. We were able to mend the dress of one little girl while she was still wearing it. I always think of those children when we are
singing verse 2 of hymn 2092:

1. Like a child love would send to reveal and to mend,
   like a child and a friend, Jesus comes.
   Like a child we may find claiming heart, soul, and mind,
   like a child strong and kind, Jesus comes.
2. Like a child we will meet, ragged clothes, dirty feet,
   like a child on the street, Jesus comes.
   Like a child we once knew coming back into view,
   like a child born anew, Jesus comes.
3. Like a child born to pray and to show us the way,
   like a child here to stay, Jesus comes.
   Like a child we receive all that love can conceive,
   like a child we believe, Jesus comes.

Children’s Time

Passing of the Peace

If you are worshiping with others, please pass the Peace of Christ.
Whether you are alone or with others, please take a moment to find God’s peace within, and then to share it with the world. You may want to reach out to speak peace to another during this week.

Hymn #581: Lord Whose Love in Humble Service

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:1-15

Sermon – “What Happened to Jesus?” – Rev. Bill Pattison

Responding

Offering

2017 Photo Show – “Prayers, Presence Gifts, Service, Witness” by Larry McArthur
If you wish, you are welcome to use this time to make a donation to the church online, or to put a check in the mail.
The time of offering is not only about our financial gifts to the church, it is about offering our lives to God and the building of the kindom. This is a time for reflection: What is being asked of us? What is being given to us? What are we able to offer? What do we need?

Offertory Anthem

“My Lord What a Morning” by Lois Land
The Phillips Quartet – FUMC

Prayer of Presentation

We share our resources so that others may be resourced. May God’s Spirit bless the lives of those we aid. Amen.

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say

Benediction

Jesus has gone before us in serving, love and enabling; may we follow in kind. Amen.

Postlude

“Trumpet Tune in D” by David N. Johnson