The Celebration of the Gospel

November 8, 2015 —24th Sunday after Pentecost

“All of them have contributed out of their abundance;
but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
— Mark 12.44

_______ We Gather as the Body of Christ_______

GREETING
PRELUDE    8:15: Barn Dance Memory  Jane Weidensaul (Elena Davids, harp)
10:30: The Lord’s Prayer    J. S. Bach

[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]

* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God of abundance, you provide every need.
All:    We give you thanks.
Generous Love, you shower us with grace.
We worship you.
Spirit of giving, you move in us.
We offer you our lives. Alleluia!

* SONG   Into My Heart Black hymnal # 2160

(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME

__________ We Attend to the Word____________

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor:   The grace of God be with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, let us confess our sin to God with one another.
God of love, we confess that we have not loved perfectly,
nor given fully of ourselves.
In the light of your mercy we confess the fears that hold us back.
By your grace, heal our fear, forgive our sin, and perfect your love in us.
SILENT PRAYER …   THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE      Bless the Lord   Black hymnal #2013

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Generous God, you give us all of Creation; you give us the gift of life; you give us the gift of your mercy and the mystery of eternal life. In Christ you give yourself to us. And so we give you thanks; and we open our hearts to you now, that as we hear your Word we may receive the love you give us. Amen.

NEW TESTAMENT     Matthew 6.25-33; 7.7-8
[Jesus encourages us to put our fears for our comfort in the context of God’s loving, faithful generosity, which never fails.]

I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Provider feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will God not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Provider knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the Realm of God and God’s harmony, and all these things will be given to you as well.
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* PSALTER Psalm 36.5-10        Blue hymnal, page 771
[A song of thanks to God, who shares God’s abundance with us, who are guests in God’s house. We “drink from the river of God’s delights.” God faithfully and lovingly creates and saves all living beings.]

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
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GOSPEL          Mark 12.41-44
[Jesus observes people offering their gifts at the temple.   When a poor widow offers a tiny amount, he commends her, for it is not the amount of the gift but the depth of the generosity that is most powerful. ]

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
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SERMON

SONG    Seek Ye First       Blue hymnal # 405

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

We trust in God, Creator of all, who gives us every good thing.
We follow Jesus Christ, the Loving One, who showed us God’s abundant love, and God’s unfolding plan to create the world anew in justice and peace. He gave of his heart and his being, giving even his life. Though he was crucified by our fear and our clinging, yet God raised him from the dead, and he lives among us still, calling us to lives of gracious love.
We live by the power of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to live lives of justice, forgiveness and generosity, sharing God’s grace with all Creation. We pray that always the Spirit of God’s love may lead us, give us courage, and enable us to be the Body of Christ for the world. Amen.

(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG   Largo from Violin Sonata No. 5 J. S. Bach (Julie Spring, harp)

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]

THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

PRAYER IN SONG    Solfegietto C. P. E. Bach (Julie Spring, harp)
PASSING THE PEACE

_____ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World______

OFFERING OUR GIFTS   Give Thanks  Henry Smith, arr. Fred Bock

* OFFERING SONG   Nothing Can Trouble   Black hymnal #2054

* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. You who have given us everything, we give ourselves to you, that you may give us to the world. We give of our hearts and our will, our time and attention, our passions and possessions, in your Holy Spirit of generosity, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

* SONG   What Gift Can We Bring   Blue hymnal # 87

* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.

POSTLUDE     (8:15) Praise to the Lord, the Almighty   arr. Ethel Tench Rogers
(10:30) Rondeau Allegretto, from Concerto for Harp   Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf

[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]