First United Methodist Church of Wilmington

February 2, 2003                                     10:15 a.m.

ORDER OF WORSHIP

As you prepare your hearts and your minds for worship, reflect on these words:

We gather this morning as a community of God’s people to offer ourselves afresh in adoration to God, to conform our minds more nearly to the mind of Christ, to receive the renewing gift of the Holy Spirit.

ENTRANCE

Prelude and Lighting of the Altar Candles  Acolytes

*Processional Hymn No. 64  “Holy, Holy, Holy!  Lord God Almighty”            

Introit           “The Lord Is In His Holy Temple”           Chancel Choir

 

Call to Worship:

Leader:  Good morning!

People:  Good morning!

Leader:  Praise the Lord!  I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

People:  Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.      

Leader:  Full of honor and majesty is his work,

People:  and his righteousness endures forever.

Leader:  He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds:

People:  the Lord is gracious and merciful.

Leader:  He provides food for those who fear him;

People:  he is ever mindful of his covenant.

Leader:  He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.

People:  The works of his hands are faithful and just; and his precepts are trustworthy.

Leader:  They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.  He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever.

People:  Holy and awesome is his name.        

Leader:  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

People:  His praise endures forever.     

                 

Invocation   (Unison)

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden.  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

CONFESSION AND AFFIRMATION

Silent Meditation

 

Call to Confession    (Pastor)

 The Lord is near; have no anxiety, but in everything make your requests known to God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  Then the peace of God, which is beyond our utmost understanding will keep guard over your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus.

 

Prayer of Confession      (Unison)

Most loving and gracious God, forgive us our sins:  Those we commit knowingly, and those we do without perception of how we have hurt others.  Open our heart to hear your truth, to understand our failure, and to reach a new level of wisdom, that in all we do and say, we may bring glory to your name and love and compassion unto our neighbor.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

 

Assurance of Forgiveness    (Pastor)

Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through Jesus Christ we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.  Thanks be to God.

 

*Gloria Patri                                            No. 70

 

Time With the Children

FRIENDSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

Parish Life

 

Pastoral Prayer                                        Choral Response                           

 

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

 

Offertory Invitation

“What an abundance of gifts we have to offer.  All these gifts, and others which bear our personal marks, are symbolized in our offering for the work of the church.  Let us commit ourselves in service as we worship God with our offerings.”

     

Offertory

 

Offertory Music No. 640         “Take Our Bread”          Chancel Choir

 

*The Doxology                                                No. 95

 

*Offertory Prayer

 

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

Scripture                                                 I Corinthians 8:1-13

 

Anthem               “While I Sup With Thee”    Chancel Choir

 

Meditation:  “When Freedom Becomes Dangerous”   Rev. Neil Platon

   

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION

The Great Thanksgiving

Leader:  The Lord be with you.

People:  And also with you.

Leader:  Lift up your hearts.   

People:  We lift them up to the Lord.          

Leader:  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People:  It is right to give our thanks and praise.

 

Leader:  It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every-where to give thanks to you, almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.  You formed us in your image and breathed on us the breath of life.  When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.  You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, brought to us a land flowing with milk and honey, and set before us the way of life.  And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn. 

 

People:  Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.

 

Leader:  Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.  By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. 

On the night in which he gave himself up for us He took bread, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:  “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:  “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgive- ness of sins.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

 

People:  Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Leader:  Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ.  By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.  Through your Son Jesus Christ, with your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.

People:  Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Leader:  And now, with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

People:  Our Father…..

 

Receiving the Sacrament

 

(During the receiving of Holy Communion, the congregation is invited to sing the following hymns)

 

Communion Hymns  

    1.  No.   87  Verse 1 and 2...…6.  No. 140 Verse 1

    2.  No. 110  Verse 1 ……….…7.  No. 158 Verse 1

    3.  No. 117  Verse 1, 2 & 3…  8.  No. 170 Verse 1

    4.  No. 131  Verse 1 and 2 ...9.  No. 189 Verse 1 and 4

    5.  No. 139  Verse 1 …….….10.  No. 354  Verse 1

 

Prayer After Communion     Unison

Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet in your eternal kingdom.  Send us out in the power of the Holy Spirit to live and work in your praise and glory, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

SENDING FORTH 

          

Hymn No. 452     “My Faith Looks Up To Thee”   

(1^st – 3^rd Stanzas)

 

(Those who wish to rededicate themselves to God, or give thanks to God for His many blessings are invited to come forward by the second stanza of this hymn)

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving     (Pastor)

 

*Hymn No. 452      “My Faith Looks Up To Thee”            4^th Stanza

 

*Benediction      (Pastor)

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Benediction Response      “A Parting Prayer”       Chancel Choir

 

Carrying the Light Into the World

 

Postlude

 

* If you are able please stand

ASSISTING IN THE SERVICE

Liturgist:        Lauren Sagun   

 Pianist:     Trini Yadao 

Acolytes:        Heather Cadlaon & Julie Viray

Ushers:  Jessie Kendrick   (Head Usher), Alvarino Aquino, Ben Jacusalem, Ruben Pascua and Augie Rojas         

 

Ushers Next Week:  Jake Pascua   (Head Usher), Rizal Ancheta, Isaiah Dacio, Efren Ramil and Romy Guerrero     

 

Communion Stewards:  Betty and Fred Slover  

Communion Servers:     Josel Dauz, Pamela DeVivar,

J.P. Cadlaon and B. J. David

   

                  Financial Report – January 26, 2003

                  Regular Envelope Offering    $ 1,495.00

                  Loose Offering                                     40.90

                  All Sunday Schools                               7.99

                                  T O T A L                      $ 1,545.89

Financial Secretary:  Rolando and Jane Mangaoang

 

Offering Steward Schedule

                  February 2        Harold and Jewel Cowan

                  February 9        Isaiah and Marietta Dacio

                  February 16        Joel and Josie Dauz

                  February 23        Bienvenido and Josefina David

 

T O D A Y!

Pastor’s Forum – 9:30 to 10 am – Sanctuary – Sermon passage     

 

Sunday school for children – theme “Exploring Faith”

 

Sunday school for adults – Ilocano and English

 

Choir Practice after church upstairs in choir room

 

HELP is needed to clean communion cups.  See Betty Slover today.

 

The Dorothea Anderson Memorial new choir robes balance is $733

 

Pastor Neil’s church office hours Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 - noon.

 

Friday Bible Study - Young Adult 7:30 pm – Youth 8:30 pm

 

 Midweek (Thursday) Bible Study on Prayer of Jabez at 10:00 am February 6 at the Tabios home

17638 Rainsbury Avenue, Carson

 

NEW – Everybody’s Birthday for January and February celebrants on Sunday, February 9.

 

Mother and Daughter Banquet February 15, 7:30 pm

Cost $5 per person. 

Speaker is The Reverend Diane Rehfield of
Torrance Rivera UMC

 

Long Beach District United Methodist Men gathering on February 19.  Deadline for registration is on February 12.

   

Church Web Site – www.wilmingtonfumc.org

 

Sunday Worship Attendance Report