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.

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THE SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
World Communion Sunday
October 5, 2003

GREETING, WORDS OF WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Praise the Lord. The Lord’s name be praised.

PRELUDE       Faith of our Fathers       Hemy

CALL TO WORSHIP

What shall we return to the Lord for all the good things God has done for us?
We will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
O praise the Lord with me,
let us exalt God’s name.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

SHARING OF PRAYER CONCERNS

DEDICATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY   Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart    Atkinson

*DOXOLOGY AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

ANTHEM    Living Bread    Martin

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

GREAT THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, strong and faithful God. All your works, the height and the depth, echo the silent music of your praise. In the beginning your Word summoned light, night withdrew, and creation dawned. As ages passed unseen, waters gathered on the face of the earth and life appeared. When the times at last had ripened and the earth grown full in abundance, you created in your image man and woman, the stewards of all creation. You gave us breath and speech, that all the living might find a voice to sing your praise, and to celebrate the creation you call good. So now, with all the powers of heaven and earth, we sing the ageless hymn of your glory:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
All holy God, how wonderful is the work of your hands! When sin had scarred the world, you entered into covenant to renew the whole creation. As a mother tenderly gathers her children, as a father joyfully welcomes his own, you embraced a people as your own and filled them with longing for a peace that would last and for a justice that would never fail. Through countless generations your people hungered for the bread of freedom. From them you raised up Jesus, your Son, the living bread, in whom ancient hungers are satisfied. He healed the sick, though he himself would suffer; he offered life to sinners, though death would hunt him down. But with a love stronger than death, he opened wide his arms and surrendered his Spirit. On the night before he met with death, Jesus came to the table with those he loved. He took bread and praised you, God of all creation. He broke the bread among his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my body, given for you. When the supper was ended, he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to you, God of all creation. He passed the cup among his disciples and said: Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of the new covenant sealed in my blood for the forgiveness of sin. Do this in remembrance of me. Gracious God, as we offer you our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we commemorate Jesus, your Son. Death could not bind him, for you raised him up in the Spirit of holiness and exalted him as Lord of creation. Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Eternal God, let your Holy Spirit move in power over us and over these earthly gifts of bread and wine, that they may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ, and that we may become one in him. May his coming in glory find us ever watchful in prayer, strong in truth and love, and faithful in the breaking of the bread. Then, at last, all peoples will be free, all divisions healed, and with your whole creation, we will sing your praise, through your Son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

BREAKING THE BREAD AND POURING THE CUP

The bread we break is the communion of the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body for we all share in the one bread.
The cup of blessing for which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
We who are many are one body for we all share in the one cup.

COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
        Shall We Gather at the River; Come Thou O Traveler Unknown

*HYMN # 500   Become to Us the Living Bread O   Filii Et Filiae

*CHARGE AND BLESSING    God Be With You    Hymn # 540

*POSTLUDE    Allegro    Corelli

*All who are able may stand.

This worship service is broadcast on WKTS 90.1 FM at 12:30 p.m. today.

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THIS WEEK

TODAY – LUNCH

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY: BODY RECALL – 9-10 AM

TUES –	CIRCLE II (AT HELEN STEPHENSON’S) MEET AT CHURCH AT 12:30 PM
WED –	BELLS – 5:30 PM SESSION – 7:00 PM
THURS –	MISSION OUTREACH COMMITTEE – 7:00 PM