Download Have you ever felt insufficient, ill- equipped

Have you ever felt insufficient, illequipped, incompetent, or
outnumbered? Instead of hiding
from our weaknesses, this study
will help us all to find the Godgiven strength to face our fears
and do what God is calling us to
do, to see God in a much bigger
way, and tap into His power and
presence in a fresh way.
Leader:
Brothers and Sisters,
the extravagant love of God
has called us together.
People:
For long before we were even
aware of it, God knew us.
He had already chosen us to
be part of His family –
children of God!
Leader:
And having chosen us,
He called us;
and having called us,
He justified us;
and having justified us,
He gave us His glory!
People:
What extravagant love is this!
So come, let’s worship God
together!
Faith, While Trees
Are Still in Blossom
508
WORDS: Anders Frostenson, 1960; trans. by Fred Haan, 1972 (Heb. 11)
1. Faith, while trees
are still in blossom,
plans the picking
of the fruit;
© Ansgar Film & Bokproduktion
trans. © 1976 Hope Publishing Co.
faith can feel
the thrill of harvest
when the buds
begin to sprout.
2. Long before the
dawn is breaking,
faith anticipates
the sun.
Faith is eager
for the daylight,
for the work
that must be done.
3. Long before the
rains were coming,
Noah went and
build an ark.
Abraham, the
lonely migrant,
saw the light
beyond the dark.
4. Faith, uplifted,
tamed the water
of the undivided sea,
and the people
of the Hebrews
found the path
that made them free.
5. Faith believes that
God is faithful:
God will be what
God will be!
Faith accepts the
call, responding,
“I am willing,
Lord, send me.”
God our Father, in Your love You welcome us
as Your children, through Your care You have
shaped the universe, with Your mercy
You hear our prayers.
Hear us, Your children, as we come before
You to worship. Accept these prayers, accept
our worship, accept us,
through Your love. Amen.
Praise God, from Whom
All Blessings Flow
WORDS: Thomas Ken, 1674; adapt. by Gilbert H. Vieira, 1978
Praise God, from whom
all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures
here below:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
94
Praise God, the source
of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ,
whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit,
Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
I present Kevin O’Brien Jr. for baptism.
I present Carolyn Tamayo who comes
to this community from another
congregation.
To all candidates
Pastor:
On behalf of the whole church,
I ask you: Do you renounce the
spiritual forces of wickedness,
reject the evil powers of this world,
and repent of your sin?
Candidate: I do.
Pastor:
Do you confess Jesus Christ as your
Savior, put your whole trust in this
grace, and promise to serve him as
your Lord?
Candidate: I do.
To Parents and Sponsors
Pastor:
Parents, this child is a gift from God.
You do not own your child, God does.
God has redeemed God’s children
through the life, death, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, and has
given us new birth in baptism through
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor:
This is indeed God’s child, but God has
entrusted you to raise him. When you
consider all that you will invest in
future years to raise this child,
remember that the most important
investment will be in his faith.
Pastor:
Will you nurture your child in Christ’s
holy church, that by your teaching and
example he may be guided to accept
God’s grace for himself, to profess his
faith openly, and to lead a Christian life?
Parents and Sponsors: We will.
To those becoming members
Pastor:
According to the grace given to you,
will you remain faithful members of
Christ’s holy church and serve as
Christ’s witness in the world?
Candidate: I will.
Pastor:
As members of Christ’s universal
church, will you be loyal to Christ
through the United Methodist Church
and do all in your power to strengthen
its ministries?
Candidate: I will.
To the Congregation
Pastor:
Do you as Christ’s body, the church,
reaffirm both your rejection of sin and
your commitment to Christ?
Congregation: We do.
Pastor:
Will you nurture one another in the
Christian faith and life and include
these persons now before you in your
care?
Congregation: With God’s help we will
proclaim the good news and live
according to the example of Christ.
We will surround these persons with a
community of love and forgiveness,
that they may grow in their trust of
God, and be found faithful in their
service to others.
We will pray for them, that they may
be true disciples who walk in the way
that leads to life.
Pastor:
Pour out your Holy Spirit to bless this
gift of water and those who receive
it, to wash away their sin and clothe
them in righteousness throughout
their lives, that dying and being
raised with Christ, they may share in
his final victory.
Pastor:
Kevin, I baptize you in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit work
within you, that being born through
water and the Spirit, you may be a
faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Congregation: Amen.
Pastor:
Carolyn, the Holy Spirit work within
you, that being born through water
and the Spirit, you may be a faithful
disciple of Jesus Christ.
Pastor:
Members of the household of God, I
commend these persons to your love
and care. Do all in your power to
increase their faith, confirm their
hope, and perfect them in love.
Congregation:
We give thanks for all that God has
already given you and we welcome
you in Christian love. As members
together with you in the body of
Christ and in this congregation of
the United Methodist Church,
Congregation:
we renew our covenant faithfully to
participate in the ministries of the
church by our prayers, our
presence, our gifts, our service, and
our witness, that in everything God
may be glorified through Jesus
Christ.
Hear my prayer
and touch my heart
for you are God
Hear my prayer
and touch my heart
For you are God
THE LORD’S PRAYER
895
FROM THE RITUAL OF THE FORMER METHODIST CHURCH
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,
and deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and
the glory, forever. Amen.
Freely, Freely
WORDS: Carol Owens, 1972 (Mt. 10:8; 28:18-20)
1. God forgave my sin
in Jesus’ name,
I’ve been born again
in Jesus’ name,
© 1972 Communiqué Music, Inc.
389
and in Jesus’ name
I come to you,
to share his love
as he told me to.
Refrain
He said, “Freely, freely
you have received,
freely, freely give.
Go in my name,
and because you believe,
others will know
that I live.”
2. All power is given
in Jesus’ name,
in earth and heaven
in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name
I come to you,
to share his power
as he told me to.
Refrain
He said, “Freely, freely
you have received,
freely, freely give.
Go in my name,
and because you believe,
others will know
that I live.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God. All
things came into being through him, and
without him not one thing came into being.
What has come into being in him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness did not overcome it. There was a
man sent from God, whose name was John.
He came as a witness to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him. He
himself was not the light, but he came to
testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone,
was coming into the world. He was in the
world, and the world came into being
through him; yet the world did not know
him. He came to what was his own, and his
own people did not accept him.
But to all who received him, who believed
in his name, he gave power to become
children of God, who were born, not of
blood or of the will of the flesh or of the
will of man, but of God.
-Individual DNA
-Unique fingerprints
-Issued Identifiers –
name, Social Security #, phone numbers, addresses
-Cultural Classifications –
nationality, race, religion, gender
-Societal Characterizations–
family, career, position, title
-Identity by Posessions–
homes, cars, country clubs, adult toys, bank accounts
-Inner Identity– natural gifts, strengths, capabilities,
intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual character
-Sensory Preference– taste, touch, smell, sight
Before we belonged to anyone else,
before we had any other identity,
we belonged to God.
Hate sin
Strive for Righteousness
Love others
Praise and Thanksgiving
Be to God
604
WORDS: H. Francis Yardley, 1982 (Lk. 3:21-22)
1. Praise and thanksgiving
be to God our maker,
source of all blessing,
prodigal creator.
© 1982 H. Francis Yardley
Baptized and
made your own,
now we come before you,
while we adore you.
2. Not our own holiness
nor that we have striven
brings us the peace
which you,
O Christ, have given.
Baptized and set apart,
strengthen us,
O Savior,
with grace and favor.
3. Come, Holy Spirit,
come in visitation;
you are the truth,
our hope, our salvation.
Baptize with
joy and power,
give, O Dove descending,
life never ending.
4. Praise to the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit;
one Lord, one faith,
one source of every merit.
Here now renew
your church
through this water given;
grant peace from heaven.
Pass It On
WORDS: Kurt Kaiser, 1969
572
1. It only takes a spark
to get a fire going,
and soon all those around
can warm up
in its glowing.
© 1969 Communiqué Music, Inc.
That’s how it is
with God’s love
once you’ve experienced it;
you spread his love
to everyone;
you want to pass it on.