15 Sep Worship Bulletin: 9/18/22
Welcome to Worship at the McPherson Church of the Brethren
We invite your active participation in the life of this congregation, as together we continue to grow in grace and seek justice for God’s creation.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 @ 10:15 a.m.
Gathering Hymn
Video Welcome
Sharing Joys and Concerns | LaMonte Rothrock
Prerecorded Moment in Mission | Paul Ullom-Minnich
Haiti Medical Project Ice Cream Social
Sunday, October 1 @ 4 p.m. | Lakeside Park Shelter #2
Centering Music | “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship” | arr. Lani Smith
Ellen Gilbert | organ
Opening | Jeremiah 8:18 – 9:1
Jeremiah’s Lament, the People’s Lament, God’s Lament
18 You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me.
19 Listen to the cry of my people from a land far away:[they call out, saying]
“Is the Lord not in Zion? Is Zion’s King no longer there?”
[The voice of God speaks;]
(“Why have they aroused my anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols?”)
20 “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”
21 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?
91 Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears!
I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.
Unison Call to Worship | written by Thom Shuman
We gather together to celebrate the joy in our lives.
God’s love fills our hearts to overflowing with laughter.
We gather, in God’s presence, to find comfort and hope for our pain.
God’s grace wipes away our tears and knits us together as one people.
We gather together, in God’s presence, to worship God in faith and truth. Alleluia! Amen!
Opening Song | “There is a Balm in Gilead” | #627
Story for the Children | Barbara Wagoner
Video Invitation to Give
Give online or send a check made payable to “McPherson Church of the Brethren,” 200 N. Carrie, McPherson, KS 67460
Musical Offering | “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” | arr. Tom Fettke
Cara Hudson, Becky Snell, Dan Lichty, Allan van Asselt | vocalists
Ellen Gilbert | piano
Scripture Focus | Luke 16:1-13
The Parable of the: Dishonest Steward – Shrewd Manager – Prudent Treasurer
16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this
I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now?
My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg – 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will
welcome me into their houses.’ 5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 “‘Nine hundred
gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ 7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And
how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ 8 “The master commended the
dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the
light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 “Whoever can be
trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been
trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will
give you property of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Prayer of the Day | written by Thom Shuman
Healing God . . . hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us;
Our Father, Mother, Creator – who is in heaven – holy is your name.
May Your reign come, may your will be done – on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not in temptation – deliver us from evil;
for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. AMEN
Message | “Cheap Grace” | Kathryn Whitacre
Please take a moment to contemplate the scripture and message.
Sending Song | “God of Grace and God of Glory” | #366
Sending Words
Sending Music | “Gavotte” | Georg Telemann
Ellen Gilbert | organ