August 4 – Bread of Life

Thank you for joining us on this day. It’s the first Sunday of August, so we will be celebrating open communion. If you are worshipping with us from home, please gather the elements so we may come together at God’s table as one.

WELCOME

PRELUDE — Blessed Assurance

*CALL TO WORSHIP — Jo Ann Moody
One: We gather in God’s presence.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all are welcome.
One: Come; stay a while.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all find rest.
One: Relax; and be renewed.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all receive strength.
One: Pray; and be filled.
All: We rejoice, overflowing with God’s forgiving love!

*HYMN — Morning Has Broken — #274

Morning has broken like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION — Jo Ann Moody
Gracious God, we give thanks for your presence among us. In the chaos of everyday life, you provide calm, healing, and sanctuary. Open us to new possibilities for being transformed by you as you bless us with your everlasting love and relentless presence. Your Spirit fills us and our surroundings as we gather in your name from pew to park and from sanctuary to sofa. May we be receptive to your Word as we worship you. Stir our imaginations! Enliven our hearts with fullness of joy! Guide us toward ever-growing participation in your Realm of eternal love and grace. Amen.

*PRAISE RESPONSE — Holy Ground — #83

We are standing on holy ground,
And I know that there are angels all around;
Let us praise Jesus now
We are standing in His presence on holy ground.

GOD’S WORD — Psalm 78:23-29 — Jo Ann Moody

SPECIAL MUSIC — I’d Rather Have Jesus

GOD’S WORD — John 6:24-35 — Pastor Dan

SERMON — Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER — Pastor Dan

*HYMN — Break Thou the Bread of Life — #175

Break Thou the Bread of Life, Dear Lord, to me,
As Thou didst break the loaves Beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek Thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for Thee, O Living Word.

Bless Thou the truth, dear Lord, To me, to me,
As Thou didst bless the bread By Galilee;
Then shall all bondage cease, All fetters fall,
And I shall find my peace My All in all.

Thou art the Bread of Life, O Lord, to me,
Thy holy Word the truth That saveth me;
Give me to eat and live With Thee above;
Teach me to love Thy truth, For Thou art Love.

Oh, send Thy Spirit, Lord, Now unto me,
That He may touch my eyes, And make me see;
Show me the truth concealed Within Thy Word,
And in Thy Book revealed I see the Lord.

THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION
As the United Church of Christ, we celebrate Open Communion. All who desire the bread and the cup are welcome to receive.

RESPONSIVE COMMUNION LITANY
John 6:24-35, “Bread of Life”
A communion litany based onJohn 6:24-35.
One Voice: In the beginning the Holy Three danced in the chaos just before creation. Out of their dance was formed All That-Is, and they looked at it and blessed it, calling it very, very good.

Many voices: One of the parts of that creation was humanity. That’s all of us! Created in God’s image, we sometimes believed that we, alone, were All-That-Is, and our arrogance drove us from the beauty and peace that The Holy Three wished for us.

One Voice: Many voices called throughout time, for humanity to return to our place in All-That-Is. But we did not always listen. When the time was right, one part of The Holy Three, that part called Christ Jesus, came to speak so that we could hear.

Many voices: Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. And the people replied, Teacher, give us this bread always.

One voice: And so, on the night before Jesus was killed by those who were threatened by his message of love and care for All-That-Is, he gathered with his closest friends and chosen family and he gave them g=bread saying, “This is my body, the living bread that gives life to the world.” After they ate, he passed them a cup and said “This is the cup of new life, that you might believe in the one whom the Holy Three has sent.” whoever comes to me will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Many voices: And so they ate and drank. And so we eat and drink and remember and rejoice.

One voice: Let us pray. Brother Jesus, we thank you that you have given us the bread that is your body, the cup that is the source of life. We eat and drink today in the strong name of the Holy Three- Creator, the Christ and the Redeemer. Amen.

*HYMN — O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing — #93

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease,
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come;
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread thro’ all the earth abroad
The honors of your name.

*BENEDICTION — Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE — Sweet, Sweet Spirit

August 1 Livestream – The Bread of Life

Today we gather to celebrate the sacrament of communion. If you are joining us online, we invite you to gather your own elements of communion and to share with us in the joyful experience at the Lord’s table.

WELCOME

PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pastor Dan
One: We gather in God’s presence.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all are welcome.
One: Come; stay a while.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all find rest.
One: Relax; and be renewed.
All: Through Jesus Christ, all receive strength.
One: Pray; and be filled.
All: We rejoice, overflowing with God’s forgiving love!

HYMN – How Great Thou Art – #16

1. O Lord my God, when I in awe-some won-der
   Con-sid-er all the worlds Thy hands have made,
   I see the stars, I hear the roll-ing thun-der,
   Thy pow’r thro’-out the u-ni-verse dis-played.

Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Sav-ior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Sav-ior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

2. When thro’ the woods and for-est glades I wan-der
   And hear the birds sing sweet-ly in the trees,
   When I look down from loft-y moun-tain gran-deur,
   And hear the brook and feel the gen-tle breeze.

Refrain

3. And when I think that God, His Son not spar-ing,
   Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in,
   That on the cross, my bur-den glad-ly bear-ing,
   He bled and died to take a-way my sin.

Refrain

4. When Christ shall come with shout of ac-cla-ma-tion
   And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
   Then I shall bow in hum-ble ad-o-ra-tion,
   And there pro-claim, my God, how great Thou art.

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pastor Dan
God of Compassion; in you, we find a love deeper than any love we can imagine. From you, we receive Living Water that wells up to life eternal. You watch over and love all people. As we come to you this day, help us to let go of our fears. Bless every soul who is thirsting for you, Christ Jesus. You are the Living Water. You are a precious wellspring of grace. Blessed Savior of all the world; come alive within us today. Cleanse us. Make us whole. Amen.

*RESPONSE – In The Name of the Lord #19

There is strength in the name of the Lord;
There is pow’r in the name of the Lord;
There is hope in the name of the Lord!
Bless-ed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

GOD’S WORD – Psalm 78:23-29 – Pastor Dan

SPECIAL MUSIC – Rain Down – Anna DiVesta

GOD’S WORD – John 6:24-35 – Pastor Dan

SERMON – Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)
– Pastor Dan

*HYMN – Come, Share the Lord – #260

1. We gath-er here in Je-sus’ name,
   His love is burn-ing in our hearts like liv-ing flame,
   For thru the lov-ing Son the Fa-ther makes us one.
   Come take the bread, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.
2. No one is a stran-ger here,
   Ev-ery-one be-longs.
   Find-ing our for-give-ness here,
   We in turn for-give all wrongs.
3. He joins us here, He breaks the bread;
   The Lord who pours the cup is ris-en from the dead.
   The One we love the most is now our gra-cious host.
   Come take the bread, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.
4. We are now a fam-i-ly
   Of which the Lord is head.
   Though un-seen, He meets us here,
   In the break-ing of the bread.
5. We’ll gath-er soon where an-gels sing,
   We’ll see the glo-ry of our Lord and com-ing King.
   Now we an-tic-i-pate the feast for which we wait.
   Come take the bread, come drink the wine, come share the Lord.
   
   THE JOYFUL SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION
   Responsive Invitation to Receive the Bread of Life
   One: Jesus Christ invites everyone, “Take; eat; and remember me.”
   All: As we eat this bread, we are reminded that God remembers us.
   One: Jesus Christ invites everyone, “Take; drink; and remember me.”
   All: As we drink this cup, we are reminded that God remembers us.
   One: The gifts of God for the people of God.
   All: Praise God for the bread of life!

*HYMN – I Have Decided to Follow Jesus #427

1. I have de-cid-ed to fol-low Je-sus,
   I have de-cid-ed to fol-low Je-sus,
   I have de-cid-ed to fol-low Je-sus,
   No turn-ing back, no turn-ing back.
2. The world be-hind me, the cross be-fore me;
   The world be-hind me, the cross be-fore me,
   The world be-hind me, the cross be-fore me,
   No turn-ing back, no turn-ing back.
3. Tho’ none go with me, I still will fol-low,
   Tho’ none go with me, I still will fol-low,
   Tho’ none go with me, I still will fol-low,
   No turn-ing back, no turn-ing back.
4. Will you de-cide now to fol-low Je-sus?
   Will you de-cide now to fol-low Je-sus?
   Will you de-cide now to fol-low Je-sus?
   No turn-ing back, no turn-ing back.

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE – Anna DiVesta