The Real Little Brown Church in the Vale
Welcome to the First United Methodist Church of Grants
The service will start at 11:00
A large collection of links to music videos such as used in this service is available at
mounttaylor.com
Hymn 657
This Is the Day
Hymn 707
Hymn of Promise
Call to Worship
When the world is dark and full of hate and fear, when we cannot see God
we will turn on the light.
When we cannot find our way back to love and peace
we will turn on the light.
When our vision dims due to the darkness within
we will turn on the light.
Christ opens our eyes with the gift of sight.
The light of the world is Jesus Christ.
Come and worship the one who brings sight to the blind.
Hallelujah! Praise God, the light of the world!
Opening Prayer
Holy God, we confess that we want to be in control of you. We want you to follow our agenda. We don’t want to listen to Jesus. We want better food on our table, but are not concerned with those who don’t have enough food on theirs.
We want a promotion at work, but are not concerned that others cannot find employment to provide for their families. We want our kids to get into the best colleges, but don’t care that others are dropping out of high school.
We don’t like you disrupting our priorities by telling us we need to bring good news to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed. Change us, Jesus. Help us to care for the people you care about. Break our hearts for the things that break yours.
Help us to listen and obey. Give us the grace to repent so we might seek first your good, true, and peaceful kingdom. Amen.
Affirmation of Faith *
We are not alone, we live in God’s world. We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God. We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. Amen.
DOXOLOGY (stand, singing together)
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 301
Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross
Hymn 732
Come We that Love the Lord
(verse 1)
May the Lord bless you and keep you;�may the Lord make his face to shine�upon you and be gracious unto you;�may the Lord lift up his countenance�upon you, and give you peace.
You Do Not Walk Alone�(Hagenberg)