May 11, 2008, 11:00 AM
Pentecost Sunday

WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
*Call to Worship – Acts 2:1-4
*Invocation
God in heaven, you surprised and amazed your disciples at Pentecost with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We praise you for the spirit who still fills our lives and hearts.
Send your mighty Spirit on us as we worship; fill us with joy and excitement.
Amen. 
*Opening Praise – 416:1-3 “For Your Gift of God the Spirit”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Each Other
*Continuing Praise –
                  “The Heart of Worship”
           634 “Father, We Love You”
           424 “Spirit of the Living God”
Call to Confession
The Spirit of the Lord fills the world and knows our every word and deed.  Let us then open ourselves to the Lord and confess our sins in penitence and faith.
Prayer of Confession
Come, Holy Spirit!  Rain upon our dry and dusty lives.  Wash away our sin and heal our wounded spirits.  Kindle within us the fire of your love to burn away our apathy.  With your warmth bend our rigidity and guide our wandering feet.  Amen.
Assurance of Pardon – Romans 8:1,2,11
*Song of Assurance –
           419:1,5 “Spirit of God, Who Dwells within My Heart”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – John 14:15-21, 25-27
Message – “No Longer Orphans”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
         John 14:16, 26; 15:26; Matthew 28:20; I Corinthians 11:23-26
*Song of Thanksgiving – 566 “In You Is Gladness”
The Offerings – First:  General Fund
                         Second:  Valley Youth
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE DISMISSED TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*Closing Song – 416:4,5 “He, the Mighty God, Indwells Us”
*God Blesses Us
Postlude

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day the church celebrates the ongoing presence of the living Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Pentecost is often considered the “birth day” of the church.  It is also appropriate that we are observing the Lord’s Supper today, which is another way in which the living Christ shows himself to his people in the elements of the bread and the cup.  If you have publicly professed that Jesus is your personal savior and are living a thankful life for that gift, please receive the elements as they are passed and eat and drink together after all have been served.

Today is also Mother’s Day.  As we thank God for family and specifically for the mother who gave us birth, we will be presenting a flower to each of the women who are present at worship this morning.  May God bless you all this year, whether you have children of your own or not.
 
The second offering this morning is for the youth projects of the Valley Youth groups.  Our younger members are vital to the future of Valley Church.  Let’s encourage them with a generous offering.

Wednesday, 11:30 AM Women’s Luncheon at Country Roads
Saturday, 8:00 AM  Spring Clean Up Day

Please take note of the sheet on the exit door where you can list all the members of Valley Church who are graduating from high school or college this year.  We will be honoring them on June 29 and want to make sure all who should be noted will be recognized. 

Youth Announcements:
The Youth Team and leaders are excited to try out a new worship activity for middle and senior high teens that they are calling “The Download.”  For the next two Sundays they will leave following the sermon (and Communion this week) to have a short time with adult leaders to discuss the content and response to the morning sermon.  We’ll be hearing more about this in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned!!

NEXT SUNDAY, May 18, 2008

SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:45 AM  Classes for all ages.  The adult class will continue the series on discipleship titled “Called”.  All are welcome to participate.  Also pastor Gelder continues a class for youth interested in publicly professing their faith

MORNING WORSHIP:     11:00 AM   Pastor Gelder will be with us to bring a message “Wonders of the Spirit:  Wind” based on Acts 2:2; John 3:8; and Ezekiel 37:9.  This is the first in a three-part series of messages about the signs and wonders demonstrated when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost.

We will have an opportunity to write letters to members of Congress as part of Bread for the World’s annual offering of letters.  Plan to take a few minutes after the service to write or do so in your small group or at home later that day.  Information on this year’s focus will be available at this time.