Sunday, November 26, 2023

WORSHIP

One: Praise and Thanksgiving are due to God this day; let us glorify our God together
All: God has feed us in the wilderness with manna; God has led us to this time of plenty and promise.
One: The year is crowned with God’s bounty; we have received abundance to be shared.
All: God visits the earth and waters it; God scatters blessings to nourish the poor
One: Surely God is touching and healing us; give thanks that we are called to God’s service
All: God will direct us in new ways of living; God will confirm to us our covenant in Christ

HYMN MEDLEY

• Day by Day (Chalice Hymnal #599)
• Jesu, Jesu (Chalice Hymnal #600, v. 1 and 2)
• Living for Jesus (Chalice Hymnal #610, v. 1)

Elders: Frank Hawkins and Marilyn Parks
Deacons: Lynn Lane and Dorrie Toth

DOXOLOGY (Tune: “All Creatures”)

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!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, November 26
8:45 am: Choir
10 am:  Sunday School
11:00 am: Worship (Diane Bales preaching)

Monday, November 27
6:30 pm: Worship Team Meeting on Zoom

Wednesday, November 29
6:30 pm: Advent Bible Study on Zoom

Sunday, December 3
First Sunday in Advent
First Sunday Food
8:45 am: Choir
10 am:  Sunday School
11:00 am: Worship (Teresa Bensch preaching)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ADVENT BIBLE STUDY: During Advent, you have the opportunity to attend all or part of a 4-session Advent study, titled “Advent through the Eyes of Those Who Waited.” The four sessions will be held on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm on November 29, December 6, December 13, and December 20 on the regular church Zoom link. You are invited to attend as many sessions as you are able to. If you are interested in attending (or just want to learn more about the topic), please pick up a packet of readings in the gathering space today. If you would like to receive the readings by email, please let Rev. Diane and Rev. Teresa know. We look forward to this special study as we wait for the birth of the Christ child!

CHRISTMAS GIFT CARDS FOR CHES FAMILIES: LFCC will be collecting gift cards for families of children at Cedar Hill Elementary School, in cooperation with the school counselors. You are invited to donate $25 gift cards for either Walmart or Target. The school counselors will distribute gift cards to families, so they can use them to buy gifts for their children. If you would like to help out, you can give cards to Rod Baker any Sunday at worship. If you would prefer to give cash, Rod will use the cash to purchase gift cards. The deadline to bring gift cards is Sunday, Dec. 3. Cards will be distributed to the school on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

LIVE NATIVITY SIGN-UP: The Live Nativity will be presented again this year on Sunday evening, December 17 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. If you want to be a character in the Nativity, help behind the scenes or help provide hospitality and welcome to our visitors, please talk to Beth Thompson. We will continue to sign up volunteers during November until all the slots are filled. Please grab a few Live Nativity postcards from the gathering space and use them to begin inviting your friends and family to the Live Nativity!

WEEKLY CALL TO PRAYER FOR OUR CHURCH: During this time of transition for LFCC, all of us are needed to participate in a time of intentional prayer for our congregation. Each Monday at 6 pm, you are encouraged to pause for a few minutes to pray for God’s guidance as we continue the work of discerning God’s path for our church. You can pray wherever you are, in whatever way feels most comfortable for you. If you are not able to pause and pray Mondays at 6 pm, please choose a different time to set aside for intentional prayer for LFCC. We need all of our prayers to guide our church forward. 

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 25: 31-46

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’