07 Aug Worship Bulletin: 8/10/25
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, August 10, 2025 @ 10:15 a.m.
Welcome Video
♫Gathering Music | “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken” | arr. Robert Hughes
Ellen Gilbert, organ
Sharing Time – Joys and Concerns | Kevin Jones
♫Centering Music | “Pastorale” | Frederic Archer
Ellen Gilbert, organ
Unison Opening Words | VT#1017(adapted)
God of all life –
help us learn to give in gratitude, rejoicing in the abundance of your gifts to us.
help us learn to give in faith, trusting that you will provide for our needs.
help us learn to give in hope, knowing you can use our gifts to spread your love in this world.
God of new life –
we pray we will freely give of ourselves; living with generous hearts and open hands.
♫Opening Song | “For Beauty of Meadows”
Sung to the tune “Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise”
Message for the Kids | Malia Pfeiff
Invitation to Give Video
Give online or send a check made payable to “McPherson Church of the Brethren,” 200 N. Carrie, McPherson, KS 67460
♫Musical Offering | “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship” | arr. James Curnow
Eric Goering, trombone; Ellen Gilbert, piano
Scripture Focus | Luke 12:32-40
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for God has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Provide purses for yourselves – that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven – that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Watchfulness
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 like servants waiting for the [owner of the house] to return from a wedding banquet,
so that when the [owner] comes and knocks you/they can immediately open the door.
37 It will be good for those servants [if the owner] finds them watching.
Truly I tell you, [the servant shall be dressed] to serve, and will have [the owner] recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
38 It will be good for those servants [if the owner] finds them ready, even if the [owner] comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak.
39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, [the owner] would not have let [the] house be broken into.
40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Humanity will come at an hour – you do not expect.”
♫Scripture Song | “We Give Thee but Thine Own” | #384
Message | “are you/we ready?” | Kathryn Whitacre
♫Sending Song | “Sing a New Church into Being”
Sung to the tune “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Sending Words
♫Sending Music | “Postlude in A Minor” | George Blake
Ellen Gilbert, organ
Join us this Fall as we fulfill one of the initiatives of our Strategic Plan
Partner for Social and Racial Justice:
Address one or more stained glass windows to portray Jesus as a person of color.
The Chancel Décor Team has spent months considering and addressing this initiative.
With the approval of Leadership Team and the support of Finance Team they began a process of purchasing images
matching the scripture of each of the BIG sanctuary windows.
These images will be hung in the blank wall space next to each corresponding window.
The new art represents a reimagining of these iconic scriptures with sensitivity toward a diverse world.
Beginning Sunday, September 7th worship will highlight one window per Sunday
focusing on the scripture, the original window history as well as the new image and artistry.
New artwork will be hung as each Sunday progresses, with a capstone introduction of the new artwork
for the Good Shepherd Foyer Window on ‘Give Thanks’ Sunday, November 23rd.
The windows include:
The Woman at the Well
The Madonna and Child
The Knock at the Door
The Empty Tomb
The Road to Emmaus
Jesus and the Children
Jesus Calms the Storm and Walks on Water
The Garden of Gethsemane
The Good Shepherd
Join us as we create a more inclusive environment where all God’s children feel welcomed.
Videography and Editing: Eric Goering
Music Coordinator: Ellen Gilbert
Choir Director: Becky Snell
Technical Crew: Eric Goering, Ryan Goering, Shane Kirchner, Steve Lolling & Chris Whitacre
Chancel Decoration Team: Jill Brax, Colleen Gustafson, Michele Johnson, Shane Kirchner & Lara Schoming