This will be our order of worship for Sunday,  September 6.  You can download the order from this link, or you can follow along below.

An Order for Worship in the Home: September 6, 2020

Labor Day Weekend

This is our worship service for September 6, designed for home use.  If you have internet access, you are invited use this order of worship in conjunction with our worship video which will be posted early on Sunday morning to our website (www.gliddenumc.net) and to our Facebook pages.  If you don’t have internet access, this service is designed so you can use it to worship at home on your own. 

PREPARING FOR WORSHIP

Choose a place in your home to worship. If possible, place a candle where you can see it.  Have matches or a lighter handy.  If you don’t have a candle, consider using a cross or some other object that will remind you of God’s presence.  Set a Bible close at hand, perhaps already open to Deuteronomy 5:12.

GATHERING

Gather around the worship space you have created.  If you live alone—or even if you don’t—remember that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1).

Light the candle (if you are using one), remembering Jesus is the light of the world and is with us.  If you don’t have a candle, spend a few breaths focusing on the object you are using to remind you of God’s presence.

Name those you wish could be present with you in body but are not: these may be family and friends who are living or loved ones who have died and now live in God’s presence. 

Take three slow, deep breaths to help center yourself.

OPENING PRAYER¹ (from a church wall in Mexico)

Give us, Señor, a little sun, a little happiness, and some work.

Give us a heart to comfort those in pain.

Give us the ability to be good, strong, wise, and free,

         so that we may be as generous with others as we are with ourselves.

Finally, Señor, let us all live as your own one family.  Amen.

HYMN:  Lord of All Hopefulness²

SCRIPTURE Deuteronomy 5:12–14; Ecclesiastes 2:18–23 and 3:9–13

MESSAGE/REFLECTION

Questions for Reflection:  If not using the video reflect on these questions either on your own or—if you are more than one gathered—together.  You might want to journal on them.  If you are watching the video, you might want to return to the Scripture and these questions during your prayer time later in the week.

What are some of the best ways for you to rest and relax?

How did your family observe (or not observe) the sabbath growing up?

How easy or hard is it for you to take sabbath or rest time?

Growing up, what was your family’s attitude toward work?

How do you honor or connect with God during rest and relaxation?  During your work?

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

If you are using the video to guide your worship, respond to “Lord in your mercy” with “Hear our prayer.”

Pray for those in need.  You might include:

         Prayers for those who are sick

         Prayers for those who have lost loved ones

         Prayers for healthcare workers

         Pray concerns listed in this week’s Scripture and Prayers guide

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:  Sent Out in Jesus Name³

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 The United Methodist Book of Worship, ©1992 The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by Permission.

² ©1931, 1982 Oxford University Press.

³ 1991 Abingdon Press.

Scriptures and Prayers for September 6-12, 2020

	Scripture	Pray For	Give Thanks For
Sunday	Deuteronomy 5:12–14	Pastors and other church workers	Sabbath
Monday	Ecclesiastes 2:18–23	Firefighters	Water
Tuesday	Ecclesiastes 3:9–1	Retail workers	Shelter
Wednesday	Nehemiah 13:15–22	Hospital staff	Healing
Thursday	Amos 8:4–8	Restaurant workers	Service
Friday	Mark 2:23–28	Farmers and farm workers	Food
Saturday	Luke 13:10–17	Law Enforcement	Rules

Questions for reflection on the Scriptures

What does the passage say about Sabbath, rest, and/or work?

What words or phrases stand out to you?  Why do you think that is?

What do you think God is trying to tell you with this passage?

Prayer (feel free to use your own words instead!)

Gracious and loving God,

   we thank you for all the ways you provide for us, especially……

   we ask that you grant your mercy and your strength to all people, especially……

   hear all the concerns and burdens of our hearts…….

We ask all these things in the name of Jesus, who lived and died for us.

  Amen.

Announcements for the week of Sept. 6 to Sept. 12

Parish Announcements

Pastor Lorinda will be on vacation starting Tuesday, Sept.8 through Friday, Sept. 11. Pastor Terry Plocher of the First UMC in Carroll (319/240-8524) will be on call for her for pastoral emergencies.

Take a selfie with you (and your household) wearing your favorite mask(s) and send it to Pastor Lorinda (text to 319-330-2220, email to Lorinda.hoover@iaumc.net, or send it by Facebook Messenger).   These will be part of our worship experience on September 13.  Due to Pastor Lorinda’s vacation that week, please get them in by September 5 if at all possible.

“Have Chair Will Travel” continues: Cindy has been calling to arrange some visits, but if you would like Pastor Lorinda and her Chatting Chair to visit your yard for a chat, please call Pastor Lorinda (319-330-2220) to arrange a time.  No calls (except emergencies) on Mondays, please, as that is her Sabbath day.

Calendar Change: Pastor Lorinda and her chatting chair WILL NOT be at Lohrville on September 25; instead she will be there on September 23, 1:30-4:00 p.m.

Remember in your prayers:

Parish wide: Those affected by storms, family and friends of J H

Lohrville: D F, L W

Lanesboro: A B, J S, S B

Glidden: S D family and friends (sister of Renee Richardson); C S

If you  have prayer concerns you would like our parish to raise up, contact Secretary Cindy at: gliddenumc@windstream.net. Individual names will NOT appear in the version of these materials that are posted on our website or Facebook.