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"Rasslin' With God"
9th Sunday After Pentecost, August 3, 2020
THE GATHERING
Song: “How Great is Our God"
Chris Tomlin | Ed Cash | Jesse Reeves
The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice
Chorus
How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see how great
How great is our God
And age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the End
Beginning and the End
The Godhead three in one
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
Chorus
Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
Chorus
© 2004 Sixsteps Music
CCLI License No. 2335186
GREETINGS / ANNOUNCEMENTS
We’re a community of worship, mission and discipleship in Alcoa, Tennessee, where we are In Mission. Inclusive. With God. In Love. And we hope once the church doors are open again, that you will join us in this mission of personal and community transformation.
SHARING OF PRAISES AND CONCERNS
If you have prayer concerns please email them to greenmeadowpastor@gmail.com. We circulate those on the Green Sheet, our emailed newsletter and other Circle of Prayer emails.
WORSHIP INVOCATION
O God, who wrestles with us, circle our hearts, center our minds, still our bodies, be present to us now. Amen.
CENTERING MOMENT
“Surely the Presence”
Lanny Wolfe
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power
And His grace
I can hear the brush of angel's wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
© 1977 Lanny Wolfe Musi
CCLI License No. 2335186
CALL TO WORSHIP: Bonnie West
One: Good Morning! Welcome to a celebration of God’s love for us!
Many: We surely need to see that love; stresses weigh us down.
One: You’ve come to the right place. This is a place where all of us can seek God’s presence and share our deepest inmost concerns with God.
Many: We are glad to hear that, for we wrestle with our faith far too often.
One: Don’t fear! God is with you always, loving and transforming your lives.
Many: Lord of mercy and compassion, be in our hearts this day. Help us to reach out with love to others.
All: Amen.
Unless otherwise noted, liturgy © 2020 Nancy B. Townley; excerpted from MinistryMatters.com
OPENING PRAYER
SONGS
“Holy Ground”
Christopher Beratty
This is holy ground
We're standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
This is holy ground
We're standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
These are holy hands
He's given us holy hands
He works through these hands
And so these hands are holy
These are holy hands
He's given us holy hands
He works through these hands
And so these hands are holy
© 1982 Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Publishing
Birdwing Music
CCLI License No. 2335186
Holy Ground
Geron Davis
We are standing
on holy ground
And I know that there
Are angels all around
Let us praise Jesus now
We are standing in His presence
On holy ground
© 1983 Meadowgreen Music Company
Songchannel Music
CCLI License No. 2335186
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION: Bonnie West
Holy God, Word made flesh, let us come to this word open to being surprised.
Silence our agendas; banish our assumptions; cast out our casual detachment. Confound our expectations; clear the cobwebs from our ears; penetrate the corners of our hearts with this word. We know that you can, we pray that you will, and we wait with great anticipation. Amen.
Original source undetermined
THE GOSPEL
SONG
“When Morning Gilds The Skies”
Edward Caswall | Joseph Barnby
When morning gilds the skies
My heart awaking cries
May Jesus Christ be praised
Alike at work and prayer
To Jesus I repair
May Jesus Christ be praised
The night becomes as day
When from the heart we say
May Jesus Christ be praised
The pow'rs of darkness fear
When this sweet song they hear
May Jesus Christ be praised
Public Domain
CCLI License No. 2335186
THE NEW TESTAMENT
THE MESSAGE: Buzz Trexler
“Rasslin' With God”
PASTORAL PRAYER
GIVING OF GOD’S TITHES AND OUR OFFERINGS
Offertory: “Peace (A Communion Blessing From St. Joseph's Square)”
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Gracious God, we bring our gifts to your altar, asking you to dedicate them to do the work of love and compassion in the world. We learned from Jesus, who had compassion on the crowds who gathered to hear him teach, that putting what we have in the hands of Jesus can bring abundance. Multiply these gifts with the love in which they are offered, that they might bring hope to those in need and might glorify and celebrate your love for all your children. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
© 2020 Discipleship Ministries; UMCDiscipleship.org
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
CLOSING SONG
“God Be With You Till We Meet Again”
Jeremiah E. Rankin
God be with you till we meet again
By His counsels guide uphold you
With His sheep securely fold you
God be with you till we meet again
Chorus
Till we meet till we meet
Till we meet at Jesus' feet
Till we meet till we meet
God be with you till we meet again
God be with you till we meet again
'Neath His wings securely hide you
Daily manna still provide you
God be with you till we meet again
Chorus
God be with you till we meet again
When life's perils thick confound you
Put His arms unfailing 'round you
God be with you till we meet again
Chorus
God be with you till we meet again
keep love’s banner floating o’er you
smite death’s threatening wave before you
God be with you till we meet again.
Public Domain
CCLI License No. 2335186
BENEDICTION
SENDING FORTH
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE ...
Whether you label yourself a "Christian," or are uncertain whether you believe in anything any more, you are welcome to worship at Green Meadow United Methodist Church. Single, married, partnered, divorced, gay, rich, poor, USAmerican, or immigrant, you are welcome here. Burned out on religion -- whether organized, or disorganized -- bedraggled and hungover, addicted or in recovery, just out of jail, you are welcome here. Have no idea about Holy Communion, hymnals, or when to stand or sit? Don't worry, the pastor didn't either when he first stepped into a United Methodist Church as an adult -- and he was welcomed, too.
We're glad you're here!
ABOUT OUR CHURCH
We are a United Methodist Community of Worship, serving in the Smoky Mountain District of the Holston Conference. Our mission is to be an open gathering place to nurture Christians in training who, equipped by the Holy Spirit, go into the world and share the light of Jesus Christ.
A MISSIONAL CHURCH
Whether it's building mission kits for flood victims, sending food buckets to Zimbabwe, working with Family Promise of Blount County, helping the Salvation Army's lunch ministry, or gathering peanut butter for the Community Food Connection, "Meadow Folk" are engaged in the missio Dei ... God's mission of love.
SUNDAY ACTIVITIES
Sunday mornings at Green Meadow are, in a way, much of what you would expect when you come to a United Methodist Church: we gather for Sunday School and we worship together. We also share a breakfast once a month, and in months where we have a fifth Sunday, we have a potluck dinner.