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.

Sunday July 20th Worship Service

(Image: “Martha and Mary” JESUS MAFA, 1973, Cameroon)

©Order of Worship for Sunday July 20, 2025

Sixth 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:……“Come and Find the Quiet Center”….…Greg D.
By Shirley Erena Murray © 1992 Hope Publishing Co.

Coming of the Light:

Greetings:…………………………………………….Pastor Liz

Announcements:……………………………………….Lorri B.

Call to Worship:…….“Jesus, Draw Me Close”…………….Choir
Words and Music: Rick Founds © 1990 Maranatha Praise, Inc.

Opening Prayer:…………………………………. Evan/Robbie

Our heavenly Father,
      we, your humble children, invoke your blessing on us.
We adore you, whose name is love,
      whose nature is compassion, whose presence is joy,
      whose Word is truth, whose Spirit is goodness,
      whose holiness is beauty, whose will is peace,
      whose service is perfect freedom,
      and in knowledge of whom stands our eternal life.
Unto you be all honor and all glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Opening Hymns:……….“Come Away with Me” #2202 TFWS
Words: Mary Nelson Keithahn Music: John D. Horman
© 1997 Abingdon Press, admin. By The Copyright. Co.

1. Come away with me to a quiet place,
apart from the world with its frantic pace,
to pray, reflect, and seek God’s grace.
Come away with me. Come away.

2. Come and pray with me on a gentle sea,
on top of a hill in the Galilee,
in gardens like Gethsemane.
Come away with me. Come away.

3. Come today with thoughts of the countless
ways that God’s steadfast love blesses all
all our days, and join with me in silent praise.
Come away with me. Come away.

4. Come and say, in the words whispered from
your soul, the feelings and actions you can’t
control. Your spirit needs to be made whole.
Come away with me. Come away.

5. Come away with me to a quiet place,
to God’s loving arms waiting to embrace
all those who come in hope of grace.
Come away with me. Come away.

“Together We Serve” #2175 TFWS
Words and Music: Daniel Charles Damon
© 1998 Hope Publishing Co.

1. Together we serve, united by love,
inviting God’s world to the glorious
feast. We work and we pray through
sorrow and joy, extending your love to
the last and the least.

2. We seek to become a beacon of hope,
a lamp for the heart and a light for
The feet. We learn, year by year, to let
love shine through until we see Christ
in each person we meet.

3. We welcome the scarred, the wealthy,
The poor, the busy, the lonely, and all
who need care. We offer a home to those
who will come, our hands quick to help,
our hearts ready to dare.

4. Together, by grace, we witness and
work, remembering Jesus, in whom we
grow strong. Together we serve in Spirit
and truth, remembering love is the
strength of our song.

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:…….“He’s Got the Whole World
                             in His Hands”…………………Rhonda B.
Traditional Spiritual, arr. By Moses Hogan © 2000 Hal Leonard Corporation

“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (The Doxology) #94 UMH
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
The Lord’s Prayer

Anthem:…………“Goodness of God”…………..Rhonda B.
Words and Music: Jenn Johnson, Brian Johnson, Jason Ingram, Ed Cash and Ben Fielding © 2019 Shout Music Publishing

Gospel Lesson:…………Luke 10:38-42………….…Evan/Robbie
Choosing the better part
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’s feet and listened to what he was saying.
But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me.”
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things,
but few things are needed–indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Hymn of Preparation:“Take My Life, and Let It Be” #399 UMH
Words: Frances R. Havergal, 1873
Music: Louis J.F. Harold, 1839, arr. by George Kingsley, 1839

1. Take my life, and let it be consecrated
Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my
days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the
impulse of thy love. Take my feet, and let
them be swift and beautiful for thee.

2. Take my voice, and let me sing always,
only, for my King. Take my lips, and let
them be filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite
would I withhold. Take my intellect, and
use every power as thou shalt choose.

3. Take my will, and make it thine; it shall
be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is
thine own; it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at thy feet
its treasure store. Take myself, and I
will be ever, only, all for thee.

Sermon:…………………………………………………Pastor Liz

Closing Hymn:…….“Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus” #349 UMH
Words and Music: Helen H. Lemmel, 1922
© 1922, renewed 1950 Singspiration Music

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his
Wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow
strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

Dismissal with Blessing:………………….Pastor Liz

Postlude:………………………………………………….Greg D.

For Online Giving, follow this link Avent Ferry Give . You can also mail checks to Avent Ferry UMC, 2700 Avent Ferry Road, Raleigh, NC 27606.

For additional AFUMC Announcements: See your AFUMC Announcements E-mail or Click Announcements Here

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Sunday July 20th Worship Service