November 25, 2007, 11:00 AM
WE ENTER INTO GOD’S PRESENCE
Preparation for Worship
Call to Worship –
Give praise to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations.
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Praise the Lord! (from Psalm 105)
*Song of Praise – 297:1,3,4 “O Come, My Soul, Sing Praise to God”
*God Greets Us
*We Greet Each Other
*Continuing Praise – “In Christ Alone”
“O Lord, You’re Beautiful”“Step by Step”Sacrament of Baptism – Charlise Annette Canary
In these words of Jesus, an invitation and a promise are offered to us all: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Our gracious God has always desired to hold his people in a covenant embrace. The Lord declares over and over, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Pursuing this deep desire, God called Abraham and Sarah to trust in him and gave a covenant sign to show that they belonged to him. In baptism God now claims us in Christ, marks us as his own people, and seals our membership in God’s covenant community, the church. Baptism is the covenant sign that God frees us from the power of sin and death, uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. By water and the Holy Spirit we are washed clean from sin. God’s grace in baptism calls us to give ourselves to him in trust, love, and obedience. From the beginning, God graciously has included our children in his covenant. All God’s promises are for them as well as for us. We are to teach them that they have been set apart by baptism as God’s own children so that as they grow older they may respond to him in personal faith and commitment.
Jim and Marcy, in presenting your child for baptism, you announce your love for Jesus Christ, your eagerness to participate in the life of Christ’s body, the church, and your commitment to live as Christ’s disciples in the world. With joy, we celebrate together the gift of God’s grace in Christ. Do you desire that Charlise be baptized?
We do.
With all God’s people throughout time and space, let us together profess our faith in the triune God.
The Apostles’ Creed
Since you have presented Charlise for baptism, we ask you the following questions before God and his people.
Do you profess your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and affirm the promises of God made to you and your child in his Word?
We do.
Do you promise to instruct Charlise by word and example, with the help of the Christian community, in the truth of God’s Word, and in the way of salvation through Jesus Christ?
Do you promise to pray for her and teach her to pray?
Do you promise to nurture her within a body of believers, as a citizen of Christ’s kingdom?
We do, God helping us.
Prayer
Baptism Hymn – 274:1-3 “O God, Great Father, Lord and King”
Our Lord said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
The Baptism
The Blessing
Brothers and sisters, we now receive Charlise into Christ’s church. I charge you to nurture and love her and to assist her to be Christ’s faithful disciple.
With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you into Christ’s church to share with us in his ministry, for we are all one in Christ.
Prayer
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Children’s Time
Scripture Reading – Jeremiah 32:1-15
Message – “Living Hopefully”
Prayer
WE RESPOND WITH THANKSGIVING
*Song – 573:1,3,4 “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”
The Offerings – First: General Fund
Second: Janine and Barth Chapman - TaiwanSharing Joys and Concerns
Intercessory Prayer
WE ARE SENT TO LOVE AND SERVE
Opportunities for Ministry and Fellowship
*God Blesses Us
*Closing Praise –446 “If You But Trust in God to Guide You”
Postlude
ANNOUNCEMENTSThis morning we share with Jim and Marcy Canary and their family as they claim the covenant promises of God for Charlise Annette Canary. God is certainly gracious and faithful. May her baptism encourage us all to hold fast to the promises of God extended to us.
The second offering this morning is for salary support for Barth and Janine Chapman as they continue serving as missionaries in Taiwan. Your generous financial support, as well as your regular prayers, encourages them as they serve.
Monday, 7:00 PM Education team meets
Tuesday, 7:00 PM Elders meet
Tuesday, 7:00 PM Deacons meet
Wednesday, 11:30 AM Women’s luncheon at ???
Saturday, 9:00 AM Sanctuary decorating
Saturday, 5:30 PM Parents’ Night Out
Thank you for bringing lots of food for our Thanksgiving baskets. The social workers from the Chenango Forks Schools distributed twelve bags of food to needy families in the area. In addition to the food you brought, each bag contained a gift certificate toward purchase of a turkey plus some devotional material for the families to use.
Parents’ Night Out is this Saturday from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. If you plan to have your children attend, please sign the sheet on the door as you leave today. Also, if you can help work one of the areas this time, please talk with Erin Peterson today.
We thank God for the healing experienced by several people in our congregation. Continue to pray for Beth Cunningham and Dick Crawford as they battle cancer. May the Ultimate Healer do a special work in their bodies.
The “giving tree” announcement from the deacons.
Advance notice: The annual winter congregational meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 5 at 7:30 PM. Plan now so that each family can be represented for the meeting.
Youth announcement about decorating church
Next Sunday, December 2, 2007
SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:45 AM Sunday School classes for all ages meet. The adult class will begin a brief series of Advent studies.
MORNING WORSHIP: 11:00 AM Pastor Gelder will lead our worship. This is the first Sunday in Advent and he will begin a series of messages that will tie in with music from The Messiah as we hear the words of the prophets calling us to prepare for the arrival of Immanuel, “God with us”.
