May 18, 2008, 11:00 AM
WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
*Call to Worship – John 3:5-8
*Invocation
Wind of God, blow far from us all dark despair, all deep distress, all groundless fears, all sinful desires, all Satan’s snares, all false values, all selfish wishes, all wasteful worries.
Wind of God, blow into us your holy presence, your living love, your healing touch, your splendid courage, your mighty strength, your perfect peace, your caring concern, your divine grace, your boundless joy.
Wind of God, blow strong, blow fresh, blow now. Amen.
*Opening Prayer – 420 “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Each Other
*Continuing Praise –
241:1,3 “This Is the Day”
“Grace Alone”
“Amazing Grace”
Prayer of Confession
Spirit of God, you are the breath of creation, the wind of change that blows through our lives, opening us up to new dreams and new hopes, new life in Jesus Christ.
Forgive us for our closed minds, which barricade themselves against new ideas, preferring the past to what you might want to do through us tomorrow.
Forgive us for our closed eyes, which fail to see the needs of your world, blind to opportunities of service and love.
Forgive us for our closed hands, which clutch our gifts and our wealth for our own use alone.
Forgive us for our closed hearts, which limit our affections to ourselves and our own.
Spirit of new life, forgive us. Break down the prison walls of our selfishness, that we might be open to your love and open for service in your world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon –
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.
*Song of Assurance – 169:1 “I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – Acts 2:1-4; Ezekiel 37:1-14
Message – “Wonders of the Spirit: Wind”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
*Song – 426;1-3, 6 “O Holy Spirit, by Whose Breath”
The Offering – General Fund
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE DISMISSED TO LOVE AND SERVEOpportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*Closing Song – 517 “There’s No God as Great”
*God Blesses Us
Postlude
ANNOUNCEMENTSMonday, 7:00 PM Council meets
Tuesday, 7:30 PM Growth and Renewal Team meets
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.
This morning we have an opportunity to write letters to members of Congress as part of Bread for the World’s annual offering of letters. Take a few minutes after the service to write or do so in your small group or at home later today. Information on this year’s focus is available at the tables, along with some donut holes to provide the sugar fix to stir your hand and mind.
Congratulations to Michael Redfern on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. The Eagle Court of Honor will be held this afternoon at 5:00 PM at the Chenango Bridge United Methodist Church. Mike, we are all very proud of this special accomplishment and of your hard work.
Thank you to all who helped out at church yesterday for the annual spring clean-up day. When God’s people work together, we again see how much work gets done and how enjoyable it can be to do it. If you were not able to attend and wish to help out, check with Dave Huizinga for a list of projects that still need to be finished. (There’s always more that can be done.)
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 two Sundays they will leave following the sermon 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!!
There will be a practice on June 1 for the youth service that will take place on June 8.
NEXT SUNDAY, May 25, 2008
SUNDAY SCHOOL: Because of the Memorial Day weekend, classes do not meet. They will resume for one week on June 1 with a closing breakfast on June 8.
MORNING WORSHIP: 11:00 AM Pastor Gelder will be with us to bring a message “Wonders of the Spirit: Fire” based on Acts 2:3 and Luke 24:32. This is the second in a three-part series of messages about the signs and wonders demonstrated when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost.
