Coffee Hosts:  Bob and Jan Talbott

ORDER OF WORSHIP

March 25, 2007                                                                                        10:00 a.m.

*Opportunities to stand

GREETINGS, CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH AND REGISTRY OF ATTENDANCE

PRELUDE                “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”                                  Paxton

BRINGING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THIS ROOM

*CALL TO WORSHIP

ALL:  (Hymn 210, verse 1)  Our God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our  shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.

ONE:  God fills our mouths with laughter; with our tongues we shout for joy.

ALL:  God has done great things for us!  We come now with songs of praise.

ONE:  With laughter and with joy, let us worship God!             (From Psalm 126)

*HYMN  487                 “When Morning Gilds the Skies”

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Eternal God, You have long sought us, and we have fled.  You have offered us an easy yoke, and we have tied ourselves down with cares and burdens.  You have forgiven us, and we have complained about our sisters and brothers.  Turn us around!  Guide us through the valley of the shadow of death, into the Light of Christ Jesus!

*SILENT PRAYER

*ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PARDON

*GLORIA PATRI (Hymn 579)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.

World without end! Amen, Amen.

RESPONSIVE READING 231                                                                        Psalm 118

READING FROM THE GOSPEL                                                                 John 12:1-8

READING FROM THE EPISTLE                                                      Colossians 3:4-14

ANTHEM                               “Behold the Saviour”                                          Englert

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Jesus loves me, this I know!  For the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to him belong, They are weak, but he is strong!  Yes, Jesus loves me!  Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so!

(Toddlers may go to the Nursery, older children to Children’s Church)

READING FROM THE PROPHETS                                                        Isaiah 43:16-21

SERMON      “Death and Dying – Grieving and Moving On”       Rev. Ann LaMar

(Click this link to read the sermon)

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

LITANY OF BAPTISM

ONE:  We are a people of the water!

ALL:  We worship God, whose love flows through water.

ONE:  Love, like a rain shower, awakens the sleeping seed within the soul and lures it to a blossom.

ALL:  We worship God, whose love flows through water.

ONE:  Love, like a hot shower after a long day’s work, cleanses us, reawakens us.

ALL:  We worship God, whose love flows through water.

ONE:  Love, like little drops, flows from hand to head. Through baptism, the Family of Faith makes room for more.

HYMN  498      “Child of Blessing, Child of Promise”

INTRODUCTION AND QUESTIONS

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH  (from A Brief Statement of Faith, 1991)

In life and in death we belong to God.  Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.  We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God, [who] proclaimed the reign of God.  We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father.  In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image.  We trust in the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life.  With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

THE BAPTISM

PRAYER

MINUTE FOR MISSION

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

A table with votive candles has been placed to the right of the pulpit.  During this time of silent prayer, you may come to the table and light a candle representing your prayer for a particular person or situation. Once you have lit the candle, you may return to your seat.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Page 16, Traditional)

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 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.

PRESENTATION OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY                       “Prayer”                                                             Eliot

*DOXOLOGY (Hymn 592) AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*HYMN INSERT       “In the Bulb There Is a Flower”

*THE CHARGE AND THE BENEDICTION

*CARRYING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

And the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts, shall keep your minds on Jesus Christ.