Sunday Morning Worship Service
July 29, 2007
TO OUR GUESTS, we extend a warm welcome. We invite you to participate in signing our Friendship Folder, adding your address and phone number if you'd like to receive our church newsletter or a pastoral call. When we pray the Lord's Prayer at Bethel, we say "sins...sin against us" rather than "debts..." or "trespasses..."; during "a time for sharing" we welcome prayer requests from the congregation. On first Sundays each month, all who put their trust in Christ and who have received baptism in any Christian church are invited to share his sacred meal. We are glad you are with us. Please come again.
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Healing and Wholeness Service
July 29, 2007
11:00 a.m.
GREETINGS, WORDS OF WELCOME, RITUAL OF FRIENDSHIP AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
This is Holy ground.
We’re standing on Holy ground
For God is present.
And where God is, is Holy.
Special Music There Is a Balm In Gilead Dianne Griffith
NEW TESTAMENT READING Luke 13:29
CALL TO CONFESSION
Surely, if we say there is no sin in us, we might deceive ourselves, but God knows the truth. Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
*UNISON CONFESSION OF SIN
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image; through Jesus Christ, the light of the world.
DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives you all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Leviticus 19:18
COMMISSIONING OF YOUTH AND TEACHERS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Great are the deeds of the Lord!
They are studied by all who delight in them.
His work is full of majesty and splendor.
And his righteousness endures forever.
He makes his marvelous works to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
Those who act accordingly have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
Your Bethel family loves you. I want you to remember that God’s love never stops.
Let’s all pray together:
Almighty God, you give wisdom and knowledge. Help us to study and to grow in all that is good. Support all who teach and all who learn, that together we may know and follow your ways; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
REPORT FROM TRIENNIUM Denise Martin & Crew
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
MEDITATION Sitting at Table Deb Hyder, Parish Nurse
OFFERING
*DOXOLOGY
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
SHARING OF PRAYER CONCERNS AND PRAYER
HEALING AFFIRMATION
“The body is not the measure of healing- peace is the measure” –George Melton
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Gracious God, source of all healing, in Jesus Christ you heal the sick and mend the broken. We bless you for this balm made from the fruits of the earth, given to us as a sign of healing and forgiveness, and to the fullness of life you give. By your Spirit, come upon all who are anointed with this balm that they may receive your healing touch and be made whole, to the glory of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray as He taught us to pray: Our father . . .
LAYING ON OF HANDS AND ANOINTING WITH BALM OF GILEAD
Those desiring the laying on of hands and anointing with oil come forward. You may make your request known to Rev. Bill Shenk or Debbie Hyder, Parish Nurse.
(Music from Cherokee National Youth Choir CD Cherokee Sunday Morning)
*HYMN #367 Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love Chereponi
*PRAYER
*CHARGE AND BLESSING – Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
*CONGREGATIONAL Let There Be Peace On Earth Miller/Jackson
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me,
Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father brothers all are
We, Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me; let this be the moment now. With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow. To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
*POSTLUDE
*All who are able may stand.
† † † † † † †
Flowers are provided today by Peggy Sheppard to glorify God and in honor of her nephew Ssgt. Stanley Lard, USAF, and all our servicemen and women.
A special thank you from Lucy Webb: “For all your calls, cards, food, flowers and prayers. They are much appreciated. I am walking, but not very well and the doctor tells me it will be a slow recovery. However I am looking forward to seeing you all at worship as soon as possible. God bless you, Lucy.”
Bethel offers Sunday school for children and four educational opportunities for adults at 9:45 A.M.
Childcare for babies and preschool age children is offered at 11:00 A.M.
Restrooms are located in our Educational Building on the first floor and the lower level.
Ushers can provide activity sheets for children and large print hymnals if needed.
The Liturgists today are Rev. Pat Harvey and Rev. Bill Shenk.
The organ is being played by Marilyn Gaffin.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
† The Worship Committee would like to thank everyone who has signed-up to usher, provide flowers, and provide special music this year. We also want to remind everyone that there are sign-up sheets in the back of the sanctuary for more volunteers. Please sign-up!
† If you are interested in providing Special Music, please coordinate your selection with the Pastor no later than the Wednesday preceding the service. The Pastor will identify the most appropriate place for your selection in the order of worship. Thank you for sharing your gift of music this summer while the choir takes a break!
† If you are interested in a unique way to provide decoration for the sanctuary, but would rather put your dollars into mission/ministry initiatives, please consider placing a single flower on the pulpit and making a designated gift to your chosen initiative. Just let the Church Office know no later than the Wednesday preceding the service what you'd like the bulletin to say.
There will be a Yoga class in the Fellowship Hall every Tuesday evening during the months of July and August from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Please contact Dianne Griffith at 376-7507 if you have questions.
The Annual Picnic will be held at Marge and Dick Hettrick’s, 200 Lake Street, Harriman (Swan Pond), next Sunday, August 5th. Games, which begin at 3, are for kids of all ages. Just bring a lawn chair & your favorite beverage. We eat Bar-b-que at 5:30. If you can also bring a finger food dessert to share with all if you like. Call Marge Hettrick, 882-6513, if you need directions to the house.
Jeremiah sent an e-mail to the church office. He said “I just wanted to tell everyone hi, and hope that Mr. Marc Sherrod is doing great. Tell all the Youth Group "Hello!"
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Wanda Carter
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Roberta Cash
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Christine Woods
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Al & Dot Davis
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Molly Garnett
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Anneke Oonk
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Doris Ann Parkinson
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Jan Rybka
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Bettie Shenk
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Marnie Shields
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Marc Sherrod
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Marci Smith
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Justin Trivette
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Margaret True
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Bill Ulrich
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Phyllis Baker
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Monica Wambugu
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Lucy Webb
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Jan Parker
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Danielle Gibson
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Meals for Muffin is an ongoing program to collect dried or canned cat/kitten and dog/puppy food for the Roane County Animal Shelter. They are also in need of cat toys, sanitation items for cage cleaning, paper towels, bleach, laundry powder, liquid hand soap, lemon Mr. Clean, dishwashing liquid and inexpensive (no scoop) cat litter. Please place all donations in the designated area in the Choir Room. Designated funds are also welcome.
THIS WEEK'S EVENTS
| Sunday |
July 29 |
Youth Group
Session Meeting
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2:00 P.M.
6:00 P.M.
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| Monday |
July 30 |
Seniorcize
Boy Scouts
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9:00 A.M.
7:00 P.M.
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| Tuesday |
July 31 |
Yoga
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5:30 P.M.
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| Wednesday |
Aug 1 |
Seniorcize
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9:00 A.M.
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| Friday |
Aug 3 |
Seniorcize
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9:00 A.M. |
| Sunday |
Aug 5 |
Annual Church Picnic - Games
Dinner
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3:00 P.M.
5:30 P.M.
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| Attendance Last Week – 116 |
| Average Attendance in 2007 – 114 |
| Undesignated Offering |
$3,999.40 |
| Building Fund |
$375.00 |
| Grace School |
$225.00 |
| Rent – Mid East |
$100.00 |
| Operation Kindergarten |
$20.00 |
| Memorial-Edith Gilliam |
$75.00 |
| TOTAL |
$4,794.40 |
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Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
July 17-22 2007
A contingent of 13 youth and adult sponsors from the Presbytery of East Tennessee just returned from the fabulous experience of the Presbyterian Youth Triennium, the once-every-three-years gathering of Presbyterian youth, ages 16-19, for five days of worship, small groups, dancing, singing, making new friends, and experiencing the love and grace of God in Jesus Christ! Our group joined some 4,000 youth and 500 adults in an amazing taste of the diversity and vitality of the Presbyterian Church USA and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Participants included youth from around the globe (Zimbabwee, Japan, Korea, etc) who reminded us that the Church is always much larger than any one nation.
Daily worship included ever-present energizers (who’ll forget the matrix move or “chat on line, pick up the phone”?), movie clips from Les Miserables, Rocky, Cars, Lord of the Ring, as well as five different preachers who spoke very powerfully on the Triennium theme “Hope is in our Midst.” A five-member band (drums and guitars) led us in an array of praise music, which lifted our spirits and our hands in worship to the Lord. Drama and liturgical dance drew us into the experience of worship in ways that most of us had never had before. We also filled the Elliot Memorial Music Hall with laughter as we enjoyed spoofs on the David Letterman Show and Saturday Night Live, including a rendering of the Top Ten Favorite Pick-Up Lines at the 2007 Presbyterian Youth Triennium (#6 “My un-airconditioned room or yours?” and #1 “Worship here often?”)
Probably the favorite worship service for members of our group was the Friday evening candlelit service in the style of Taize, outside in the amphitheatre at Purdue. This was a much quieter service than the ones we had been experiencing and one which not only included a funny and powerful message, but also specific prayers of hope for healing the pain that we as individuals have experienced as well as the pain felt by others around the world. As these prayers were spoken, a hammer was beaten upon a large candle-covered cross stretched out on the ground in front of the stage, the purpose of which was to audibly remind us of the pain we and the whole creation feels. As particular petitions were offered individuals, who desired prayer stood up in the congregation and those around were invited to lay on hands in a sign of solidarity and comfort. Following these prayers, the candles were removed from the cross and the cross was carried out, up the hill, into the congregation. Starting from the top of the hill, then moving down, candles held by each participant were lit as symbols of the hope we carry with and within us. The power of the moment was almost surreal, one that will shape all of us for years to come.
We estimate that 200-300 small groups formed, which enabled us to meet new people since no small groups included members of the same Presbytery. We met for several hours each day in our small groups. The theme of hope was discussed from a variety of perspectives as we looked at various Biblical stories including the Pentecost Story, the Noah story, and the Samaritan Woman at the Well. While each small group was different, community was formed and we each got to see Christ in the faces of people we had never met before.
Other special experiences included being entertained by the Soul Children of Chicago, communion with 4,700 other Presbyterians, a 70’s costume party on Saturday night, exhibits and booths featuring Presbyterian colleges and seminaries, and enough energy and enthusiasm to move mountains! Baskets to receive an offering were available outside each door upon entering the music hall, with monetary gifts given to Presbyterian Disaster Relief. Not including the final worship on Sunday morning, about $15,000 had been received.
Most of all, we got to know one another and realized that the Presbyterian Church, whether we attend one that is small, large or somewhere in between, is a place where we can trust in the hope God promises to us and to all people. This year’s participants were: Matthew Whitehead (West Emory), Jordan and Eden Sherrod and Ellen Daily (Bethel), Maggie Rust (Mars Hill), Lindsey Martin and Megan Paris (Farragut), Martie Fulk and Michelle Glover (Sequoah Hills), Nathan Garnett (Powell), and adult sponsors Denise Martin, Carolyn McNew, and Marc Sherrod (all from Bethel). Sadly, Carolyn had to leave Friday morning because of the death of her mother who had been a resident at the National Health Care Center in Oak Ridge.
We all are very grateful for the prayers and financial support given by PET, especially to Laura Tappan and Bill Kee, as well as others, who helped with the planning and arrangements. It’s not too early to begin encouraging your youth (currently ages 13-16) to think about attending the 2010 Triennium. Our Presbytery had about 30 slots that went unfilled. If you can go, we promise that you won’t regret it! Each member of our delegation will soon be receiving a copy of the official 2007 Triennium DVD, so ask to borrow that to get a wonderful account of what our five days were like. Or, better yet, ask a youth or adult who went to share their story of how they now realize that "Hope is in our Midst."
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