Avent Ferry United Methodist Church

Avent Ferry United Methodist Church is a Christ centered community of faith that is committed to reaching out to and embracing all individuals. With open hearts, open minds, and open doors, we are making intentional efforts toward celebrating diversity and being genuinely welcoming and inclusive of all individuals. As a Reconciling United Methodist Church, we follow Jesus Christ by loving and accepting: All Ages, All Races, All Abilities, All Cultures, All Ethnicities, All National Origins, All Education Levels, All Gender Identities, All Sexual Orientations, All Socio-Economic Statuses, All Family or Marital Statuses.

Join Us for Worship, Sunday June 7th!

Order of Worship June 7th, 2020, Peace with Justice Sunday
A Service of Lament and Hope

For the Avent Ferry UMC Worship Video Click Here
The worship video will be available at 11:00am.
Text for hymns are below each hymn. Click on the hymn hyperlink to view sheet music version.

Prelude..……………………..Gregory Dixon, Pianist/Music Director

Greeting……………………………………………………..Pastor Gina

Opening Prayer

Opening Hymn:     Precious Lord, Take My Hand            #474-B
        (Thank you, Phillip for joining Greg in leading our singing today.)

Words and Music: Thomas A. Dorsey, 1932
© 1938 Hill & range Songs, Inc., renewed Unichappell Music, Inc.

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
precious Lord, linger near.
When my life is almost gone,
hear my cry, hear my call,
hold my hand lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
lead me home.

When the darkness appears
and the night draws near,
and the day is past and gone,
at the river I stand,
guide my feet, hold my hand.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
lead me home.

Prayers of the People: Please comment with your prayer concerns and especially offer up those things that cause your soul to be in a place of deep lament this day

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 7:12-29……………………..Pastor Gina

A Companion Litany to Our Social Creed

God in the Spirit revealed in Jesus Christ,
calls us by grace to be renewed in the image of our Creator,
that we may be one in divine love for the world.

Today is the day
God cares for the integrity of creation,
wills the healing and wholeness of all life,
weeps at the plunder of earth’s goodness.
And so shall we.
Today is the day
God embraces all hues of humanity,
delights in diversity and difference,
favors solidarity transforming strangers into friends.
And so shall we.
Today is the day
God cries with the masses of starving people,
despises growing disparity between rich and poor,
demands justice for workers in the marketplace.
And so shall we.
Today is the day
God deplores violence in our homes and streets,
rebukes the world’s warring madness,
humbles the powerful and lifts up the lowly.
And so shall we.
Today is the day
God calls for nations and peoples to live in peace,
celebrates where justice and mercy embrace,
exults when the wolf grazes with the lamb.
And so shall we.
Today is the day
God brings good news to the poor,
proclaims release to the captives,
gives sight to the blind, and
sets the oppressed free.
And so shall we.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church – 2016. Copyright 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission

Hymn of Preparation:        I Love the Lord                #3142-G
Music: African American spiritual; arr. By Richard Smallwood
Arr. © Century Oak Publishing Group / Richwood Music, admin. by Conexion Music Group, Inc.
Here’s a little bit of background information for “I Love the Lord”:

I love the Lord; he heard my cry,
and pitied every groan.
Long as I live and troubles rise,
I’ll hasten to his throne.

I love the Lord; he heard my cry,
and chased my grief away.
O let my heart no more despair,
while I have breath to pray.

Sermon ………………………………………………………Pastor Gina

Giving of our tithes and offerings:
     Offertory:    I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me    #2153-B
Words: African American Spiritual
Music: African American Spiritual; arr. by Wendell Whalum
Arr. © Estate of Wendell Whalum

1. I’m gonna live so (live so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!
I’m gonna live so (live so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!

2. I’m gonna work so (work so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!
I’m gonna work so (work so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!

3. I’m gonna pray so (pray so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!
I’m gonna pray so (pray so)
God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!

4. I’m gonna sing so (sing so)
God can use me,
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!
I’m gonna sing so (sing so)
God can use me
anywhere, Lord, anytime (anytime)!

Prayer after receiving:

Closing Hymn:    We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations #569-R

1. We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
that shall turn their hearts to the right,
a story of truth and mercy,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

2. We’ve a song to be sung to the nations,
that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
a song that shall conquer evil,
and shatter the spear and sword,
and shatter the spear and sword.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

3. We’ve a message to give to the nations,
that the Lord who reigneth above
hath sent us His Son to save us,
and show us that God is love,
and show us that God is love.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

4. We’ve a Savior to show to the nations,
who the path of sorrow has trod,
that all of the world’s great peoples
might come to the truth of God,
may come to the truth of God!
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
and the dawning to noonday bright;
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

5. We’ve a story to hear from the nations,
that shall turn our lives upside down,
a story of strength and struggle,
a story of peace and light,
a story of peace and light.
Our arrogance shall turn to sharing,
and our blindness to full clear sight,
and Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth,
the kingdom of love and light.

**Additional stanza:*
We’ve a story to hear from the nations that shall turn our lives upside down, a story of strength and struggle, a story of peace and light, a story of peace and light
(refrain)
For our arrogance will turn to sharing, and our blindness to full clear sight, and God’s great kingdom will come to earth, a kingdom of love and light.

Announcements………………………………………..Lorri Bingham

Dismissal with blessing…………………………………Pastor Gina
(Benediction given by Bishop Woodie White at the 1996 General Conference, Denver Colorado.)
And now, may the Lord torment you. May the Lord keep before you the faces of the hungry, the lonely, the rejected, and the despised. May the Lord afflict you with pain for the hurt, the wounded, the oppressed, the abused, the victims of violence. May God grace you with agony, a burning thirst for justice and righteousness. May the Lord give you courage and strength and compassion to make ours a better world, to make our community a better community, to make our church a better church. And may you do your best to make it so, and after you have done your best, may the Lord grant you peace.

Postlude……………..Oh, Happy Day……………… Gregory Dixon

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Edwin Hawkins
Oh, Happy Day lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network

Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (oh, happy day)

Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (oh, happy day)

Oh, it’s a happy day (oh, happy day)

He taught me how,
to watch, fight and pray, fight and pray,
and live rejoicing everyday, everyday.

Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)

He taught me how,
to watch, fight and pray, fight and pray,
and live rejoicing everyday, everyday.

Oh, happy day (oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day

*Additional stanza and refrain by J. Lockward, K. Masters and L. Katzenstein Additional stanza and refrain © 2011 General Board of Global Ministries, t/a GBGMusik, 475 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10115. All rights reserved. This song may be reproduced for worship services and noncommercial use only. You must include the copyright notice on all copies. For any other use, you must contact the copyright owner.

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Join Us for Worship, Sunday June 7th!