9:15 AM         Light the Candles

9:25 AM         Welcome, Informal Moments, Announcements (Birthdays &

Anniversaries)  Welcome! Thank you for joining us today.

**CALL TO WORSHIP Responsive

L:   Give thanks to God!

P:  We thank God for joy, for laughter, for abundant blessings of every kind.

L:   Give thanks to God at all times and for everything!

P:   We thank God, when we can and as we can, for struggles, for solitude, for fears.

L: Give thanks to God at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

P:  We thank God that, in Christ, our joys as well as our pain, our losses as well as our 

      laughter, are in God’s heart and hands.

**OPENING PRAYER, Pastor Paul Thompson

Holy Spirit you are welcome here. We invite you into this place where we, your orators, your writers, your psalmists, and your worshipers are gathered. We praise you for the amazing gift you have bestowed upon us. May we never take it for granted that you chose us from the foundations of the world to be here at this time.  Help us to cultivate, nurture, and use the gift that you have placed in us for your glory and honor.  We are nothing

without you. We are the writing instruments in the hand of the most capable and creative

entity, the Great I am, the Ancient of Days, the Alpha and Omega.  Awaken within us your purpose and release us to new levels of knowledge of you and your kingdom.  Holy Spirit, come, you are worthy!  Amen.

OPENING HYMN:  UMH 451,  Be Thou My Vision

PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE  (SEE POWERPOINT)

PRAYER OF SILENT PETITION:  (SEE POWERPOINT)

Stand and greet those around you with the words, “Peace be with you!”

LORD’S PRAYER:  (SEE POWERPOINT) 

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20

Psalm 111 – Responsive Reading

Gospel Lesson: John 6:51-58

SERMON:  Be Careful Then How You Live

APOSTLE’S CREED Said by all

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead;
he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic** church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Closing hymn, UMH 140,  Great is Thy Faithfulness

BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH:

Go forth into the world trusting with your hearts
the wisdom God bestows upon all who seek to follow God’s will.
When called to lead, do so with humility and confidence in God.
Be in this world a sign of Jesus’ presence.
Share compassion with all whom you encounter.  Live wisely in God’s name,
and glorify God in all you do.  And may the grace, mercy and wisdom of God
be our support, guidance and strength from this day forward and for ever more. Amen.