November 21, 2010
10:30 AM
WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
Welcome
Preparing Our Hearts – “We All Bow Down”  (Cheryl DeVoe)
*Call to Worship
O my soul, bless God.
From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God.
Don’t forget a single blessing!
He forgives your sins – every one.
He heals your diseases – every one.
He redeems you from hell – saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy – a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness – beauty eternal.
He renews your youth – you’re always young in his presence.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are –
everything and everyone made by God.
And you, O my soul, bless God!
(Psalm 103:1-5, 22  The Message)
*Opening Praise – 475:1-2 “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Others
*Continuing Praise
“
Call to Confession
Let us confess our sin before God and one another.
Prayer of Confession
Holy God, you have given us many good gifts.  Today we thank you for all of them, but we also confess that sometimes we love those gifts more than we love you.  We confess wanting more and more things:  food, clothes, toys, and money.  Forgive us for not being content and thankful.  Forgive our selfishness.  Help us to love you more than everything else.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.
*Song of Pardon – 571:1,2 “Jesus Loves Me, This I Know”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Prayer of Preparation
Scripture Reading – Ephesians 5:8-21
Message – “You Were, You Are, so Be”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Matthew 26:26-29
Psalm 34:8-10
*Song of Thanksgiving – 483:3,4 “How Great Thou Art”
The Offering – General Fund
Offertory Prayer
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*Sent to Serve
Live as children of light and do what pleases the Lord
We will be careful how we live, making the most of every opportunity.
We will understand and do what is God’s will.
Filled with the Spirit, we will give thanks to God for everything,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
*God Blesses Us
The God who created every good and perfect gift,
the Christ who gave himself for us so we might live forever,
the Spirit who turns our darkness into light,
be with you now and always.
Amen.
*Parting Song – 627 “Bless His Holy Name”
Postlude
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Worship this morning includes the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.  If you have made a public profession of your faith, either at Valley Church or another Christian church, and if you are seeking to live as a follower of Christ, this gift is for you.  Please receive the bread and cup as they are passed; then eat and drink after all have been served.

The deacons today will be packing the Thanksgiving baskets for distribution to families in our community.  Thank you for your generous provision of food items for these baskets, which will be distributed by the Chenango Forks Schools social workers.

The annual Chenango Valley area Thanksgiving service is this evening at 7:00 PM at the Ogden-Hillcrest United Methodist Church on Chenango St. in Hillcrest.  Take time to join your neighbors in a time of worship and music as we come together to give thanks for God’s many blessings.  The offering will be for CHOW.

Monday, 7:00 PM Council meets
Wednesday, 6:00 AM Men’s breakfast and Bible study at the Spot
        9:30 AM Women’s Bible Study at
       7:30 PM Thanksgiving Eve worship

The Valley Church family will come together Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM for a service of thanksgiving.  Come prepared to share your story of a thankful heart in what has been for many a difficult and trying year.

We extend our Christian sympathy to the Doller family on the death of Marcus’ sister Ruby Romanko last Sunday morning.  Services were held Wednesday in the Goshen CRC.  May God’s peace and promises of eternal life sustain them all in their grief.

Continue to pray for Beth Komaromi and her family.  We thank God that she returned home from Rochester on Wednesday, but remains in need of a heart transplant, with all that entails.  Thank you for the support already given.  There will be a special offering to help with all the added expenses they are incurring on Sunday, December 5. 

Take note on the table in the entry that there is a sign up sheet for ordering your 2011 calendars.  These are great gifts, and for every calendar you buy for $6.00 we will have another calendar to give out at the Live Nativity and to the people who come to our CHOW Pantry.  Also, there are some flyers and posters you can use to help advertise the Live Nativity to be presented on Saturday, December 18.

NEXT SUNDAY, November 28, 2010
SUNDAY SCHOOL:  9:15 AM  Classes do NOT meet this week.  Regular classes resume next Sunday for all ages.
MORNING WORSHIP:  10:30 AM  Advent begins.  Pastor Gelder will begin an Advent series of messages on “When Heaven Came Down.”  The focus this first week is on “When Heaven Walked the Earth”, the way things were meant to be, from Genesis 3:1-9.
There will be an opportunity after the service to help the youth group with decorating the church for Christmas.  The tree will arrive and be decorated on Saturday, December 4.