Sunday September 17th Worship Service In Person or Online

(Image: “The Unforgiving Servant” JESUS MAFA, Cameroon Africa, 1973)

©Order of Worship for Sunday September 17, 2023
16th Sunday after Pentecost

For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here (Link opens in a new window)

The worship video will be available live at 11:00 am

Prelude….………“Unbounded Grace”……………………Greg D.
By Don Wyrtzen © 1971 Singspiration
 
Coming of the Light:………………………………….Michael C.
 
Greetings:…………………………………………………..Phillip J.
 
Opening Prayer:………………………………………….….Elizabeth B.
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the way of peace.
Come into the brokenness of our lives and our land
with your healing love.
Help us to be willing to bow before you in true repentance,
       and to bow to one another in real forgiveness.
By the fire of your Holy Spirit, melt our hard hearts
and consume the pride and prejudice which
separate us.
Fill us, O Lord, with your perfect love, which casts out our fear,
and bind us together in that unity which you share with
The Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen
 
Opening Hymns:….“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” #121 UMH
 
1. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like
the wideness of the sea;
there’s a kindness in God’s justice,
which is more than liberty.
 
2. There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good!
There is mercy with the Savior;
there is healing in his blood.
 
3. For the love of God is broader
than the measure of our mind;
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
 
4. If our love were but more simple,
we should rest upon God’s word;
and our lives would be illumined
by the presence of our Lord.
 
“Freely, Freely”  #389  UMH
Words: Carol Owens, 1972 Music: Carol Owens, 1972
© Communique Music, Inc.
 
1. God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,
I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
And in Jesus’ name I come to you,
To share his love as he told me to.
 
He said, “Freely, freely you have received,
freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe,
others will know that I live.”
 
2. All power is given in Jesus’ name,
In earth and heaven in Jesus’ name,
And in Jesus’ name I come to you,
To share his power as he told me to.
 
He said, “Freely, freely you have received,
freely, freely give.
Go in my name, and because you believe,
others will know that l live.”
 
Passing of the Peace:…………………………………Phillip J.
Let us offer signs of reconciliation and peace to one another
 
Gloria Patri:     “Glory Be to the Father” #71 UMH
Words: Lesser Doxology, 3rd-4th century
Music: Henry W. Greatorex, 1851
 
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen. Amen.

Announcements:………………………………………….Lorri B.
 
Giving of our tithes and offerings:…….
You can do this with no ok fee through your bank’s online bill pay option. It is easy to set up for automatic monthly giving. Or, you can use this link: Online Giving
 
Offertory………….“Grace Alone”…………..Melanie B.
Words and Music: Scott Wesley Brown and Jeff Nelson
© 1988 Maranatha! Music, admin. By The Copyright Co.
 
Offertory Response:  “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #95
The United Methodist Hymnal 
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674
Music attributed to Louis Bourgeois, 1551
 
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.
 
Prayer After Receiving:………………………………..Phillip J.
 
Prayers of the People:………………………………….Phillip J.
 
The Lord’s Prayer:…..#3068 W&S
Words based on Matthew 6:9-13; Music by Albert Malotte
© 1935 G. Schirmer, Inc. (BMI)
 
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.
Amen. Amen.
 
Anthem:……….“I Have Decided Medley”…………….Choir
Arr. by Russell Mauldin © 1997 New Spring Publishing (ASCAP)
 
Gospel Lesson:…….….Matthew 18:21-35……….Lorri B.
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
 
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.
 
So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’  And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
 
But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
 
When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.  Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.
 
So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
 
Hymn of Preparation:…..“Lord, I Want to Be a Christian” #402 UMH
Words and Music: Afro-American spiritual adapt. and arr.
By William Farley Smith, 1986 © 1989 The United
Methodist Publishing House
 
1.Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart,
in my heart; Lord, I want to be a Christian
in my heart. In my heart, in my heart, Lord,
I want to be a Christian in my heart.
 
2.Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart,
in my heart; Lord, I want to be more loving
in my heart. In my heart, in my heart, Lord,
I want to be more loving in my heart.
 
3.Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart,
in my heart; Lord, I want to be more holy
in my heart. in my heart, in my heart, Lord,
I want to be more holy in my heart.
 
4.Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart,
in my heart; Lord, I want to be like Jesus
in my heart. In my heart, in my heart, Lord,
I want to be like Jesus in my heart.
 
Sermon:……………………………………………….Lusi R.
 
Closing Hymn:“Shalom to You”, #666 UMH
Words: Elise S. Eslinger, 1980
Music: Traditional Spanish melody; harmony by Carlton R. Young, 1989
Words © 1983 and harmony © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
 
Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends.
May God’s full mercies bless you, my friends.
In all your living and through your loving,
Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.
 
Dismissal with Blessing: ……..…………………….Lusi R.
 
Postlude:……….“Wonderful Merciful Savior”………….Greg D.
Words: D. Rodgers and E. Wyse © 1989 Word Music, LLC/Dayspring
Music, LLC
 

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