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Sample Bulletin for Morning Worship

This service includes the celebration of the Lord's Supper.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month.

       GOD'S PEOPLE ARE GATHERED FOR WORSHIP

Prayer of Preparation

        My Lord is the source of Love; I the river's course.
               Let God's love flow through me.  I will not obstruct it.
               Irrigation ditches can water but a portion of the field;
                       the great Yangtze River can water a thousand acres.
               Expand my heart, O Lord, that I may love yet more people.
               The waters of love can water vast tracts,
                       nothing will be lost to me.
        The greater the outward flow, the greater the returning tide.
           I am not linked to Love's source, I dry up.
           I dam the waters of Love, they will stagnate.
           I compare my heart to the boundless seas?
           abandon not the measure of my heart, O Lord.
           the waves of your love still billow there!
        (Wang Weifen, "My Lord is the Source of Love" in Bread of Tomorrow)
 
PRELUDE

WELCOME
 

• PREPARATION FOR THE WORD OF GOD

*CALL TO WORSHIP
        O Come, let us sing to the Lord,
           us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
        Let us come into God's presence with thanksgiving,
           us make a joyful noise to God with  songs of praise!
        The Lord, our God is a great God.
           a great King above all Gods.
        In God’s hands are the depths of the earth;
           the heights of the mountains are God's also.
        O come, let us worship God, our Maker.

*HYMN OF PRAISE, NO. 446  "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken"

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
        Streams of living water spring from your eternal love and supply us with
more than we could ever want, O God. Flow on and let us be the river's
course that waters the world with your outpouring love. Let us never stop
the flow, nor cease to be channels overflowing with the sweet water of your
grace.
        Yet, we confess we are dry river beds. We distrust our neighbor, we guard
our giving, we serve our own interests, we slant the truth, we fear
commitments to each other. Our marriages stagnate, our families splinter,
our communities break apart, our leaders lie, our nation stumbles.   Your
love is reduced to a trickle, O God, and we long once again for the living
water you offer in Christ. Forgive us and heal us. Draw us to the deep well
of your grace and fill our cups again. Hear now our confession yet to be
spoken:

RESPONSE, NO. 395  (Refrain Only)
        Have mercy, Lord, A sinner cries to Thee.
        Have mercy, Lord, Have mercy Lord on me.

*ASSURANCE OF GRACE
        Friends: believe the good news of the gospel.
           Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

*RESPONSE, NO.579  "Glory Be to the Father"
        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.

*PASSING OF THE PEACE
        (Let us now share the signs of our reconciliation and love with each other.)
 
 

        PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD OF GOD

MISSION UPDATE  "Bread for the World”  Carla Quinn
        (During this time please sign the attendance pads. Cards requesting
prayers to be spoken later in the service are in the attendance pads. During
this time fill them out and pass them to the aisle so the ushers may collect
them.)

ANTHEM  "Lord For Thy Tender Mercy's Sake"

THE WORD OF GOD
        Gospel John 4:1-42

THE WORD OF GOD INTERPRETED    Rev. Kent Miller
        "Getting More Than You Asked For"
 
        RESPONSE TO THE WORD OF GOD

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH   Romans 5:1-11
Since we are justified by faith,
        we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope
of sharing the glory of God.
And not only that, but we boast in our sufferings,
        knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character,
and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us because God's
love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been
given to us.

OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS
        Offertory

OFFERING OUR PRAYERS (prayers for ourselves and others)

*DOXOLOGY, NO.  593 (Use the words printed below).
        Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
        Praise Christ, all people here below;
        Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
        Praise Triune God, whom we adore.  Amen.

INVITATION TO THE LORD'S TABLE

HYMN NO. 513  "Let us Break Bread Together"

THE GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
        The Lord be with you.                  And also with you.
        Lift up your hearts.                       We lift them to the Lord.
        Let us give thanks to the Lord.      It is right to give our thanks and praise.

        ...therefore we praise you, joining our voices with choirs of angels and
with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory
of your name:
               (Sing to tune 140)
        Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty;
        And we lift our hearts before You as a token of our love,
        Holy, holy, holy, holy.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

SHARING IN THE FEAST OF GOD
 

        GOD'S PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED IN SERVICE

*HYMN NO. 350  "Fill My Cup"

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*ORGAN POSTLUDE

        *All who are able may stand

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