United Methodist Church of Cadillac

1020 East Division Street • Cadillac, Michigan

775-5362 • Fax 775-6475

August 24, 2003 • Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday Worship at 10:00 a.m.

THE GATHERING TO WORSHIP

PRELUDE

A TIME OF SINGING

BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

WELCOME AND PARISH NOTES

PRESENTATION OF THE SHINING LIGHT AWARD

*CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Looking for the king - Christ lives in the prisoner.

People: Whenever we see the captive and the lost,

we see Christ.

Leader: Serving in the palace - Christ lives in the homeless.

People: Whenever we touch the last and the least,

we touch Christ.

Leader: Listening for the powerful - Christ lives in the vulnerable.

People: Whenever we hear the frail and the lonely,

we hear Christ.

*HYMN OF PRAISE #577

“God of Grace and God of Glory”

*SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST

THE PEOPLE OF GOD PRAYING

PRAYER HYMN #121

“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

If you have a prayer joy or concern to be shared, please fill out

a prayer card and hand it to an usher during the Prayer Hymn.

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION & WORDS OF ASSURANCE

Holy God, we do not understand why you keep on loving us. We hurt our loved ones. We turn our backs on the needy. We seek revenge for petty wrongs in petty ways. We do not understand why you keep on loving us. Yet even as we speak these words, we know your Presence and your love. We are sorry, O God, for we know that sins against one another are sins against you. Make us strong and tender, we pray, that we may live more as you would have us live, following the example of Jesus. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE Joan Irvine

THE LORD’S PRAYER #895

READING AND PROCLAIMING OF THE WORD

MINISTRY OF MUSIC Shirley Petersen

TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN Alice Silvers

SCRIPTURE LESSONS Carol Whitt

Micah 6:6-8 • Matthew 25:31-46

MESSAGE

“Living in a Just World”

Bedonna Davis • Joyce Seward

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

OFFERTORY INVITATION

OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY #94

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 up lifts!

Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*PRAYER OF CONSECRATION (In unison)

Gracious God, we hear you call to ministry to the least of your children and offer our gifts in response. Make known your will to us as we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and visit the imprisoned. For the, we will have done these things even unto you. Amen.

THE SCATTERING TO SERVE

*HYMN OF DEDICATION “Justice is a Journey Onward”

Justice is a journey onward, upward even though the pain.

Journeys have their hills and valleys,

Still the dreams and goals remain.

We are people freed from bondage

by our Maker’s will and power.

We must now respond with action in this place and for this hour.

When we hear a cry for justice from the depths of human need,

Our response puts love in action, following our Savior’s lead.

When we see oppressive systems, people hungry, crushed by fear,

We must be the voice of justice, and the hand to help and cheer.

Empathy without firm action turns to empty sentiment,

But the call to free God’s people leads to self development.

When the structures need reshaping or our neighbor is downcast,

Let us seek a brighter future, fairer than the day gone past.

Justice is a journey onward, upward, outward, spreading still.

Christ has set us on this journey, claiming us for God’s own will

Let us share our neighbor’s burdens far away or face to face.

So may we, by taking action, be a partner through God’s grace

*COMMISSION AND BLESSING

*POSTLUDE

*All who are able, please stand.

Reminder Next Sunday, August 31

Acolytes: Jacob and Jesse Farmer

Greeters/Ushers 8:30: Ray and Betty Mayer

Greeter 10:00: Bob and Jackie Huff

Head Usher: Bill George

Ushers: Bill, Carol and Laura George, Inga and Garrick Fuller

Pat and Donna McCormick

Nursery: Randy and Carolyn Mitchell

Sermontime: Jane Wightman

Coffee Hour: United Methodist Women

CHURCH STAFF

Pastor Dale Ostema

Parish Assistant Judy Coffey

Coordinator-Children & Youth Ministries Debbie Ostema

Church Secretary Carol Sharp

Assistant Secretary Karen Elenbaas

Treasurer Tara McKibben

Chancel Choir Director Walt Stump

Bell Choir Director Tonja Hinkston

Organists Virginia Pulford, Ann Hunt

Pianist Darlene Ressler

Choir Accompanist Ann Hunt

Nursery Care Giver Wendy Garzon

Custodial Staff Dee Piltz and NOC Work Crew

Snow Removal Paul Helton

Opportunities for Ministry This Week . . .

Sunday, August 24, Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

United Methodist Women Sunday

8:30 am - Sunday Worship

10:00 am - Sunday Worship

Coffee Hour Fellowship follows each service

2:00 - 4:00 pm - Anniversary Reception in Fellowship Hall

7:00 pm - Annual Summer Hymn Sing - Prelude begins at 6:30

Monday, August 25

7:00 pm - Boy Scouts

Wednesday, August 27

11:00 am - Friendship Chain

6:30 pm - Forty Days of Purpose Team

7:30 pm - Chancel Choir Practice Resumes

Thursday, August 28

Scout Roundtable

6:00 pm - United Methodist Men

Sunday, August 31, Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

8:30 am - Sunday Worship

10:00 am - Sunday Worship

Coffee Hour Fellowship follows each service

For Changes in Activities for the Week

Info Source 775-4636 - Message #3152

Our Fall Worship Schedule resumes Sunday, September 7

with worship at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

Church School will be at 9:30 a.m.

Wanted: Gardeners to help work on the “Peace Garden” in front of the church. We need able-bodied laborers. Call Joan Irvine or the church office at 775-5362 to volunteer.

Thanks you for your help with the recent funeral meals. Please check the kitchen to see if any of the dishes left there belong to you.

The United Methodist Women are collecting socks for the Underwear Pantry at Zion Lutheran Church. Socks for men, women and children are needed. A “sock” for your donations is available in the church narthex.

Worship Notes

We welcome Shirley Petersen who is sharing her Ministry of Music with us this morning. Shirley is a composer, arranger and recording artist. Her recording company is Happy Hearts Music. We appreciate her willingness to offer her musical talents.

Chancel Choir Practice resumes on Wednesday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m in the sanctuary. If you love to praise God through singing, come on along. We can use voices in all sections. We will have a time of fellowship and refreshment following practice.

The School Supply Pantry is an important mission for our church. Each year school supplies are given to over 100 children. We have been open each Wednesday in August and have already served a large number of children. At this time we need LARGE back packs, scientific calculators, pencil boxes, paperback dictionaries, primary writing tablets, colored construction paper, pencils, small pencil sharpeners, erasers, glue sticks and folders. If you would like to donate some supplies, please leave them at the Church Office or in the box in the narthex. questions, please call Barb Tatarchuk. Thanks for your generous help!

United Methodist Men will be holding their August meeting on Thursday, August 28 at the Church. We will meet at 6:00 pm for our usual “outstanding” Potluck and will follow with a presentation by Dave Burrill on “long-term care insurance.” Dave is an expert on this most important subject; so come to be informed. Paul Moore and Jack Fitzgerald are hosts. Bring a friend and join us.

Items are still needed for the Love, In The Name of Christ Final Summer Yard Sale. It will be held August 29 & 30 in Tustin in the lot at the Covenant Presbyterian Church. Call the Love, INC office at 779-1888 or 877-633-0556 for drop off location or if you need items picked up.

Today’s Worship Ministry . . .

Liturgist: Clara Handy

Organist/Pianist: Ann Hunt

Acolytes: Jacob and Jesse Farmer

Greeters/Ushers 8:30: Donna Crance and Bev Campbell

Greeter 10:00: Carol Whitt and Virginia Major

Head Usher: Ethel Foster

Ushers: Bill and Sue Allen, Inga and Garrick Fuller,

Judy Murdoch, and Hazel Jarvis

Nursery: Kevin and Patricia Bruner

Sermontime: Dee Williams

Coffee Hour: The Simcock Family

Our Chancel Flowers this morning are presented in celebration of the 50^th Wedding Anniversary of Don and Marie Rennie

Flowers are also presented in honor of the birthday on August 21 of Chuck Crance.

Don and Marie Rennie will be celebrating 50 years of marriage on August 29. We hope you will celebrate with them during the Coffee Hour after the 10:00 a.m. service this morning.

This Week’s Prayer Focus: GOD’S PREPARATION

v Pray for the preparation of each person’s heart for what God desires to do in each life during the 40 Days of Purpose Campaign.

v Pray for the spiritual preparation of the Pastor and leaders – for their time for prayer and fresh times in God’s Word.

v Pray that the quietness of each person’s prayer time would be seen as the most important time of preparation for the Campaign.

“Give yourselves to God… surrender your whole being to God

to be used for righteous purposes.” Romans 6:13 (TEV)

Our church Website has a new look – take a peek at www.umccadillac.org. Our Webmaster, Dan Kinney, has updated the site. Lots of good information and many links. You can even get your own e-mail address off the site. The Sunday bulletin is posted. There is the online Cokesbury bookstore and CBD bookstore - check it out!!

The Prayer Tree for those serving in the military continues in the narthex for you to place a heart on with the name and service of a member of the armed forces that you would like remembered in prayer during these precarious days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. We invite you to remember these military personnel in prayer.

Please note the church has hearing assistance devices for use during worship. These can be used by persons with or without hearing aids. Also available are LARGE PRINT HYMNALS and LARGE PRINT BULLETINS.

Love, INC Prayer Requests

! A victim of sexual abuse

! The Reed City area as they lose so many jobs

! Praise for Love, Inc new office space.

The work of praying is prerequisite to all other work in the kingdom of God.

By prayer we couple the powers of heaven to our helplessness,

the powers which can capture strongholds and make the impossible possible.

Summer Hymn Sing

August 24 at 7:00 p.m

A Special Prelude will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Dr. Glenn Verbrugge on the organ

Dr. Saundra Blanchard playing the piano

with Randy Myers leading lots of great singing

A time of refreshment will follow.

United Methodist Church of Cadillac

1020 East Division

(just 2 blocks west of the U.S. 131 freeway at Exit 180)

All are invited to attend