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25th Sunday after Pentecost November 19, 2023

3/6/2023

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Wherever and whenever we gather, we are the body of Christ… WE’RE GLAD YOU ARE HERE!
Settle in and engage the spirit. Here is some helpful information-
  • If you are new, we hope you feel connected to the community created here. Each pew holds an information sheet about our congregation, and details on service elements. If you need assistance for any reason, please ask an usher. 
  • Bold Type indicates you are invited to read, in unison aloud.  
  • This order of worship includes only the hymn numbers, grab a hymnal from the pew rack for the music, or check out the complete bulletin HERE
  • Offerings & Gifts are always welcome, for your use a plate is placed at either entrance to the sanctuary. 
  • Sign in If you are new, AND if you have been here many times, please write your name on a blue sheet, found in your bulletin. One side is for prayer requests.  The other side is to share your information. 
  • Jesus loved kids and loves yours, so we invite kids to be kids, whether they are wiggly, giggly or quiet. Activity bags, a changing table and rocking chair are available for your use at the back of the sanctuary to the left. Move, groove and be part of the spirit!
  • Communion is ALWAYS open to all here! The trays will be passed around for you to take as you are invited.  Bread is gluten and other allergen free, and all the cups are grape juice. Individual packages are available at the entry to the sanctuary if preferred.

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The Community Gathers…

Welcome
Opening Meditation                    Melody Beattie
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.      
                 
Prelude & Passing of the Peace

Call to Worship               Inspired by Psalm 90
One: Holy One, you have been our God from generation to generation. Before the universe exploded and the earth was without form, you have been with us.
Many: Creator, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
One: We enter your presence to worship and praise your holy name.
Many:  Mighty One, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
One: Teach us to count the days with joy and appreciation for all your marvelous works and steadfast love.
Many: Everlasting God, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
One: Generous God, you pour your Spirit into us. You bless us with your love. In your presence, there is fullness of joy, comfort for those in despair, and peace in the midst of chaos and confusion. You do not abandon us in time of need or of celebration. We turn toward you now seeking to receive your message, to give you honor, and to commune in your presence. Make yourself known among us, O God, make yourself known to us. Amen.

Hymn “Awake, My Soul, Stretch Every Nerve” #491

Prayer of Transformation
Sovereign God, we confess that life is hard. We don’t always make the best choices, and all too often we realize the options before us are lacking. We are overwhelmed with the enormity of the world’s problems. Sometimes, we turn away completely. Sometimes, we respond with our tribal allegiances first in mind. Bitterness and resentment are easy guides. Help us seek wisdom and clarity, compassion and presence, hope and peace over shallow victories, material gain, and violence of the mind, body, or spirit. Bless us to be peacemakers, hope sharers, and love spreaders in the world for our neighbors and for your glory. Amen.

Words of Assurance 
Friends, God is merciful and journeys with us as we navigate uncertain terrain. God is still at work in us and through us that we might have flourishing and abundant lives in community with one another. Receive the grace God grants to begin anew when our journey stalls or diverts from the path of the kindom. That grace is yours.

Hymn “Child of Blessing” v. 2 #325
Child of love, our love’s expression, love’s creation, loved in deed!
Fresh from God, refresh our spirits, into joy and laughter lead.

The Message for Younger Disciples           
Kids, families, those young at heart, are encouraged to come forward to the steps to spend a few minutes together.
 
Hymn “Child of Blessing” v. 4 #325
Child of God, your loving Parent, learn to know whose child you are.
Grow to laugh and sing and worship, trust and love God more than all.

 
To Share of Ourselves…
Prayers of the People
We pray for the families of...         —Wanda               —Joseph —David Ash 
—Paul Weidensaul
We pray for…     — Those serving in the armed forces, Linzy Carson
— Those serving in international medical mission, Lindsay Million
We pray for health and healing with…     —Baby Sariah, to get out of NICU
—Hillary, back injury —Tom Foster, hospice —Andrea, Leukemia
—Becki — Janet Landvater —Bobbie
—Addie Jacobs, recovering from bone marrow transplant —Shirley Murphy 
—Carol Ann Simpson, ovarian cancer —Ruth Whitehaus, concussion  
—Deb and Dave Johnson, health concerns —Tom Foster,  brain tumor
—Charlie and Pat Holmberg —Cecelia Shellhamer
—Lisa Williams —Pat Livezey —Tammy Smith
—Debbie —Jan Mindish — Debbie Husser
 
The Lord’s Prayer
People: Our Creator/Mother/Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
 
Announcing Missions and Ministry
 
Centering on Generosity
God trusts us with the resources necessary for all of us to be well and to have our needs met. The Holy One honors us by inviting us to participate in God’s reign with the generous sharing of gifts. Let us offer our time, talent, and treasure to the kindom of God.
 
Musical Reflection
Sung Response # 780
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God for all that love has done 
Creator, Christ, and Spirit, One.

 
Prayer of Dedication
Generous God, we bring the gifts of ourselves and our abundance. Magnify and multiply these offerings to meet the needs before us. Continue to cultivate the spirit of generosity among us and make us good stewards as we allocate the use of these gifts in your name. Amen.
 
Hymn “We Worship You, God” #26

To Open to Wisdom…
Hearing the Scriptures Matthew 25:14-30
For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. At once  the one who had received the five talents went off and traded with them and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents.  But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 
After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.  Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’  And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’  
Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter,  so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.  So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.  For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.  As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Psalm 123: Supplication for Mercy
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

Judges 4:1-9
The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died.  So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim.  Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.
At that time Deborah, a prophet, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel.  She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came up to her for judgment.  She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Position yourself at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun.  I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand.’ ”  Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.”  And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Sermon “Women’s Insight”           Pastor Beth Rogers

To Go Forth in Mission...

Closing Hymn “This Is My Song” #591

Benediction
As you go on your journey… trust in God. Use your talents. Multiply the impact of your gifts. Enter the Holy One’s joy.
 
Postlude                                
Today in Worship   
Liturgist: John Horn TECH:  John Horn
USHER:   Jim Landvater & Carole Hoover
​ acolyte:  Tylah Peterson
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  • Home
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    • Our History
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  • Worship
    • This Sunday's Order of Worship
    • Missions
    • Worship Service Streams
    • New?
    • Music
  • Calendar & Events
    • HUCC Rental
  • Pastor's Corner
  • Give
  • Resources
    • Alliance of Affirming Churches Hershey/Hummelstown
    • Church Directory!
    • Disciple Schedules