This “bulletin” lays out a way for us to worship together even when we have to be physically apart.  It is designed to be used at home, either on your own, or in conjunction with our planned streaming worship videos.  If you have internet access, you are invited to join us for worship on Facebook or this website  each Sunday.  We plan to pre-record and post early on Sunday morning, so you can attend worship whenever works for you.  After all, our God transcends time and space.  If you don’t have internet access, you can use this order of worship to worship with your family—or by yourself!  If you like, you can use this link to download a copy to print out.

GREETING: (adapted from Psalm 121:1b-2)

From where does our help come?
Our help comes from the Lord, Creator of heaven and earth.

OPENING PRAYER¹

Great God of love,
you know our joys and our deepest fears;
grant us your strength and your peace,
to carry us through these difficult days,
and help us to love you, our neighbors, and ourselves. Amen.

HYMN:  Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

(If you aren’t comfortable singing a capella, read the words out loud)

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast;
let us all in thee inherit;
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

SCRIPTURE  Mark 12:28-44

MESSAGE/REFLECTION (If you aren’t following the video stream, ponder these questions)

How can you love God in this time?

How can you best love others in this time?

How can you best love yourself in this time?

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

If you aren’t following the video stream, offer prayers for those in need.  You may want to use the Scripture and Prayers Sheet for ideas about who to pray for.

The leader ends each petition with “Lord in your mercy”.
The congregation responds with “Hear our prayer.” 

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen.

HYMN What Wondrous Love is This

 (If you aren’t comfortable singing a capella, read the words out loud)

What wondrous love is this,  O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul,  for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of life
to lay aside his crown for my soul,  for my soul,
to lay aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb  who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme I will sing, I will sing;
while millions join the theme I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on,I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on.

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING
Go in peace, in the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

¹ Written by Lorinda H. M. Hoover, © 2020 Glidden, Lanesboro and Lohrville United Methodist Churches. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.  Used by permission.