October 10, 2010
10:30 AM

WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
Invocation
Christ, in this hour of worship lift us out of the routine of our daily lives and set us up on your holy mountain.  Let our worship come from our hearts, that it may be genuine.  Let our praises for you leap from our mouths, that we may be alive with faith and joy.  Make us fresh again!
Amen.
*Opening Praise – 410 “Crown Him with Many Crowns”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Others
*Continuing Praise
“Wonderful Counselor”
“God of Wonders”
“Majesty”
Call to Confession – Nehemiah 1:3-11
*Prayer of Confession (with hands stretched out)
O Lord, our great and awesome God, loyal to your promise of love and faithful to all who honor and obey you, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who live in poverty, we cry out for those who are denied justice and we weep for all who are suffering.
We confess that we have not always obeyed you.
We have neglected your commands and have ignored your call for justice.
We have been guided by self-interest and have lived in spiritual poverty.
Forgive us.
We remember your promises to fill the hungry with good things, to redeem the land by your mighty hand and to restore peace.
Father God, help us always to proclaim your justice and mercy with humility, so that, by the power of your Spirit, we can rid the world of the sin of extreme poverty.
As part of your global church, we stand with millions who praise and worship you.
May our words and deeds declare your perfect goodness, love and righteousness to both the powerful and the powerless so that your Kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
*Song of Assurance – 603:1,4 “Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – Ephesians 3:1-13
Message – “An Amazing Mystery”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
I Corinthians 11:23-26
With thanksgiving, let us offer God our grateful praise.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right for us to give thanks and praise.
With joy we praise you, gracious God, for you created heaven and earth, made us in your image, and kept covenant with us – even when we fell into sin.  We give you thanks for Jesus Christ, our Lord, who by his life, death, and resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.  Therefore we join our voices with all the saints and angels and the whole creation to proclaim the glory of your name.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.
Let us proclaim our faith.
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.
Lord our God, send your Holy Spirit so that this bread and cup may be for us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May we and all your people be united with Christ and remain faithful in hope and love.
Amen.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
The body of Christ, given for you.
Thanks be to God.
The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Thanks be to God.
*Song of Thanksgiving – 479 ‘I Will Sing of My Redeemer”
The Offerings – First:  General Fund
  Second:  Council of Churches CHOW
Offertory Prayer
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*Call to Service
Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
*God Blesses Us – Numbers 6:24-26
*Parting Song – 508:1,3,5 “Jesus, with Your Church Abide”
Postlude
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Today, 10/10/10, we will be joining with millions of Christians around the world in renewing our commitment to live justly and praying for the poor, while reminding world leaders of the promises they made in 2000 to work to halve global poverty by 2015.  The Micah Challenge is endorsed by the CRCNA.
This morning our worship includes the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  Jesus gave this gift to his church.  If you are a part of the body of Christ, having publicly professed faith in Jesus as your Savior, and if you are seeking to live for Jesus as your Lord, please receive the bread and cup as they are passed.  We will eat and drink together after all have been served.
The second offering this morning is for the Broome County Council of Churches, specifically for the CHOW warehouse.  Out CHOW pantry here at Valley Church benefits from the availability of bulk items from the warehouse, so our offering today will allow other pantries too to make a good variety of food items available to the people they serve.
There is a youth “No School on Monday” party this evening from 6-8:30 PM here at church.  See Erin Peterson for more information.
Monday, 7:00 PM Facilities team meets
Wednesday, 6:00 AM Men’s breakfast and Bible study at the Spot
        9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study at
      11:30 AM Women’s luncheon at Cracker Barrel
        7:00 PM Deacons meet

Advance notices: 
1. The annual CHOW Hunger Walk will be next Sunday, October 17 at Binghamton University.  Donation envelopes for anyone interested in walking are available in the entry.  As always, Betsy Gelder will be “riding” and will be glad to receive your contribution, and some of the youth group members will also be participating.  Give them your support too.

2. Reserve Monday evening, November 1, for a training session on Safe Church practices with Beth Swaagman, director of Safe Church Ministry for the CRCNA.  Members of council, Sunday School teachers, children’s church leaders, youth group leaders and nursery attendants are expected to attend if at all possible.  But this is open to the whole congregation and all are encouraged to come for this valuable training.  Council is committed to doing everything possible to make sure Valley Church is a safe place for all children and youth.

We extend our sympathy to the Stocum family on the death of Jim’s father on Tuesday.  May God’s comfort and the prayers of God’s people sustain them in their loss.

NEXT SUNDAY, October 17, 2010
SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:15 AM  Classes for all ages from pre-school through adult are meeting.  You are encouraged to join a class appropriate to your age and interest.  The adult class continues a video-assisted study of “The Gospel in Life” by Tim Keller.
MORNING WORSHIP:  10:30 AM   Pastor Gelder will lead our worship, continuing the series of messages from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  We will be focusing on Ephesians 3:14-21 “Beyond Measure.” 
Operation Christmas Child is gathering small toys for the shoeboxes – dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, slinkies, anything small enough to fit in a shoe box.  Also, we can use more shoe boxes, either the plastic ones with covers or regular shoe boxes.  It will be helpful if you can cover the regular boxes with Christmas wrapping paper when you bring them in.