(Image: “Helping, Sharing, Caring, Harmony, Peace” 2017 Sculpture, free standing, Birmingham, UK
©Order of Worship for Sunday July 06, 2025
Fourth 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:……………“America the Beautiful”……….….…Greg D.
Words: Katharine Lee Bates, 1904 Music: Samuel A. Ward, 1888
Coming of the Light:
Greetings:………………………………………………..Pastor Liz
Announcements:……………………………………….Lorri B.
Call to Worship:…………………………………………….Lusi R.
Like the sun that is far away and yet close at hand
to warm us,
so God’s Spirit is ever present and around us,
Come Creator into our lives.
We live and move and have our very being in you.
Open now the windows of our souls. Amen. (BOW #473)
Opening Prayer:…………………………………………..Lusi R.
God of all nations and peoples,
your Son commanded his disciples
to preach and heal throughout the world.
Grant us, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
the zeal to proclaim the good news of peace and justice,
and gather all humanity into life with you. Amen.
Opening Hymns:……….“Welcome”…. W&S #3152
Words: Laurie Zelmand and Mark A. Miller Music: Mark A. Miller
© 2007 Abingdon Press, admin. By The Copyright Company
1. Let’s walk together for a while and ask where we begin
to build a world where love can grow and hope can enter in,
to be the hands of healing and to plant the seed of peace,
singing welcome, welcome to this place. You’re invited to
come and know God’s grace. All are welcome the love of
God to share ‘cause all of us are welcome here;
all are welcome in this place.
2. Let’s talk together of a time when we will share a feast,
where pride and power kneel to serve the lonely and the least,
and joy will set the table as we join our hands to pray,
singing welcome, welcome to this place. You’re invited to
come and know God’s grace. All are welcome the love of
God to share ‘cause all of us are welcome here;
All are welcome in this place.
3. Let’s dream together of the day when earth and heaven are one, a city built of love and light, the new Jerusalem, where our morning turns to dancing, every creature lifts its voice,
singing welcome, welcome to this place. You’re invited to
come and know God’s grace. All are welcome the love of
God to share ‘cause all of us are welcome here;
All are welcome in this place.
“Let Our Earth Be Peaceful” W&S # 3159
Words: Shirley Erena Murray Music: Carlton R. Young
© 2004 Hope Publishing Company (words)
© 2005 Abingdon Press (music)
1. Let our earth be peaceful, let our hearts be
hopeful, let our hands be gentle
for the love of God.
2. Let our ways be mindful, mending what is
hurtful, doing what is needful
for the love of God.
3. Let our live be fruitful, beautiful and
playful, every day be thankful
for the love of God.
Passing of the Peace:……………………………….Pastor Liz
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.
Giving of our tithes and offerings……………..Pastor Liz
AFUMC Online Giving Link: https://afumc.com/give/
Offertory:… “Show Us How to Love”……………..Samantha M.
Words and Music: Mark A Miller
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #94
The United Methodist Hymnal
Adapted © 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
Words by Thomas Ken, 1674, adapted by Gilbert Vieira, 1978
Music: Geistliche Kirchengesänge, 1623; harmony by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Prayer After Receiving:…………………………….Pastor Liz
Prayers of the People:………………………………Pastor Liz
Gospel Lesson:……..Luke 10:1-11, 16-20…………….Beverly B.
Jesus sends out seventy disciples
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go.
He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
Go on your way; I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.
Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.
Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’
And if a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on that person, but if not, it will return to you.
Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house.
Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you;
cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,
‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’
“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!”
He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.
Indeed, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Hymn of Preparation:“Gather Us In” #2236 TFWS
Words and Music: Marty Haugen © 1982 GIA Publications, Inc.
1. Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in the lost and forsaken,
gather us in the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of your name.
2. We are the young our lives are a myst’ry,
we are the old who yearn for your face,
we have been sung throughout all of hist’ry
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in the rich and the haughty,
gather us in the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.
3. Here we will take the wine and the water,
here we will take the bread of new birth,
here you shall call your sons and your daughters,
call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink the wine of compassion,
give us to eat the bread that is you;
nourish us well, and teach us to fashion
lives that are holy and hearts that are true.
4. Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, light years away, but
here in this place the new light is shining,
now is the Kingdom, now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever,
gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in all peoples together,
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
Sermon:…………………………………………..Pastor Liz
Service of Holy Communion:
CONFESSION & PARDON
Pastor Liz: Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All pray in silence.
Pastor Liz: Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
All: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
All: Glory to God. Amen.
THE PEACE
Let us offer one another signs of reconciliation and love.
All, including the pastor, exchange signs and words of God’s peace by crossing hands, wave to one another due to social distancing guidelines.
Pastor Liz: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Pastor Liz: Lift up your hearts. The pastor may lift hands and keep them raised.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor Liz: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Pastor Liz: And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
All: 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.
Pastor Liz: In union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
All: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pastor Liz: All honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.
All: Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn:…….“Send Me, Lord #497 UMH
Words and Music: Trad: South African © 1984 Utryck
1. Send me, Lord.
Send me, Jesus, send me, Jesus, send me,
Jesus, send me, Lord.
2. Lead me, Lord.
Lead me, Jesus, lead me, Jesus, lead me,
Jesus, lead me, Lord.
3. Fill me, Lord.
Fill me, Jesus, fill me, Jesus, fill me,
Jesus, fill me, Lord.
Dismissal with Blessing:………………….Pastor Liz
Postlude:…………………………………………………Greg D.
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Sunday July 6th Worship Service