United Methodist Church of Cadillac
1020 East Division Street • Cadillac, Michigan
775-5362 • Fax 775-6475
February
29, 2004
First Sunday in Lent
Sunday Worship at 11:00 a.m.
THE GATHERING TO WORSHIP
PRELUDE
BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST
WELCOME
PARISH NOTES
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Why
have we gathered in this place?
People: We come
in praise of the God of all life and in affirmation of Jesus Christ as the
truth and center of our lives. We
celebrate place where love is found in life and we give thanks for the gift of
new life that comes to us this Lenten Season.
*HYMN OF PRAISE #269
“Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days”
*SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
THE PEOPLE OF GOD PRAYING
PRAYER HYMN #526
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
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
Gracious and merciful God, we confess to you our
reluctance to enter the wilderness places where we are confronted with our true
selves - where we are tempted to put worldly values before our desire for you.
When our hunger for power and wealth is greater than our hunger for seeking and
doing your will:
Forgive us, O God, and increase our trust in you.
When we are tempted to use the gifts you give us to
benefit ourselves at the expense of serving others:
Forgive us, O God, and increase our trust in you.
When we are tempted to use bribery to influence and
control people:
Forgive us, O God, and increase our trust in you.
When we are tempted to manipulate you, O God, to
satisfy our own needs:
Forgive us, O God, and increase our trust in you.
A time of silence for personal confession
All: Merciful
God, save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. Forgive us our sins and fill us with the joy
and peace of your salvation. So
strengthen us with your Spirit during this Lenten season that we put our whole
trust in you as confidently as Jesus did.
This we pray in his name. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
As the Apostle Paul wrote: "...if you confess with your lips that
Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved." (Romans
10:9) The good news that in Jesus Christ we are
forgiven is contained in these words.
Thanks be to God!
PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER #895
THE READING AND PROCLAIMING OF THE WORD
CHORAL ANTHEM Chancel
Choir
“This Lonesome Valley” Arr. Price / Besig
TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN
SCRIPTURE LESSON N.T.
pg 76
Luke
13:1-13
MESSAGE Pastor
Dale Ostema
“The Passion Begins”
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
AFFIRMATION OF OUR FAITH #881
The Apostles’ Creed
OFFERTORY INVITATION
OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD
OFFERTORY
*DOXOLOGY
Tune: Old 100th
Were the whole realm
of nature mine
That were a present
far too small;
Love so amazing, so
divine,
Demands my soul, my
life, my all. Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (in
unison)
God of grace and mercy, we give thanks for Jesus' witness to the power
of your Spirit, guiding and strengthening him in times of testing. We offer
these gifts and the service of our lives as tangible signs of our thanksgiving.
As we embark on our Lenten journey, guide and strengthen us with the Holy
Spirit to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen
THE SCATTERING TO SERVE
*HYMN OF DEDICATION #2216
“When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise”
*COMMISSION AND BLESSING *POSTLUDE
*All who are able, please stand.
Reminder Next Sunday, March 7
Acolytes: Jesse Farmer and Ethan Hinkston
Greeters/Ushers 8:30: Linda Lancaster and Sue Smith
Greeters 11:00: Ron and Marilyn Truax
Ushers: Bill and Laura George, Cliff and Chris Redes,
Hazel
Jarvis and Lepha Engler
Nursery: Debbie Ferris
Sermontime: Bill and Sue Allen
Coffee Hour: Finance Committee
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 Dee Williams
Custodial Staff Dee
Piltz and NOC Work Crew
Snow Removal Paul
Helton
Our Chancel Flowers are presented this morning in honor of the 55th wedding anniversary of Dar and Faith Nystrom.
Opportunities for Ministry This Week . . .
Sunday, February 29, First Sunday of Lent
8:30 am - Worship Service
9:30 am - Church School all ages
9:30 am - Bell Choir Practice
11:00 am - Worship Service
Coffee Hour Fellowship follows each worship service
2:00 pm - Visitation for Pat Welsh
3:00 pm - Funeral Service for Pat Welsh
2:00-4:00 pm - Church Bowling Party at the Pines
Monday, March 1
7:00 pm - Boy Scouts
Tuesday, March 2
7:00 pm - Finance
7:00 pm - Missions
Wednesday, March 3
7:00 am - Community Lenten Breakfast
Cadillac Christian Reformed Church
8:00 am - 4:30 pm - Health Department Meeting - “Girls on the Run”
7:30 pm - Chancel Choir
Thursday, March 4
7:00 am - Promise Keepers
7:30 am - Habitat for Humanity Board
8:00 am - 12 noon - United Way
6:00 pm - FIA Parent and Children Group
Sunday, March 7,
Second Sunday in Lent
8:30 am - Worship Service
9:30 am - Church School all ages
9:30 am - Bell Choir Practice
11:00 am - Worship Service
Holy Communion at both services
Coffee Hour Fellowship follows each service
Info Source 775-4636 - Message #3152
Today’s Worship Ministry . . .
Pianist/Organist: Ann Hunt
Acolytes: Collin Christensen and Jacob Farmer
Greeters/Ushers 8:30: Junior Disciples
Greeters 11:00: Junior Disciples
Ushers: Junior Disciples and Jane Wightman
Nursery: Amy Hutton
Sermontime: Scott and Lisa Kassuba
Coffee Hour: Junior Disciples
Cadillac
Area Lenten Breakfasts
Sponsored by the Cadillac Area
Ministerial Association
7:00 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. each Wednesday
You are cordially invited to breakfast each Wednesday during Lent. The time together will include breakfast, special music, singing and a meditation. Breakfast begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends promptly at 7:50 a.m. so you may be to work on time or on to other business of the day. A freewill offering is received for the breakfast. The ENTIRE community (men, women and youth) is invited to attend. This week’s Lenten Breakfast will be held at the Cadillac Christian Reformed Church with Joe Schichtel as our speaker. Invite a friend to come with you to breakfast. It could be life changing!
Wesley Fellowship meets Thursday, March 4 at 6:00 p.m. for a potluck and program. Jeff Strong, president of the Genealogy Society of Wexford County will be the speaker for evening. Jack and Alice Fitzgerald and Ruth Peterson are our hosts. Bring a dish to pass and your own table service. Everyone is welcome.
We so appreciate your generous donations of food for a funeral luncheon or other functions, however, we find that there are many extra serving dishes and pans left in the church kitchen. Please check in the kitchen for yours.
Volunteers will hold three Yard Sales again this summer to benefit the work of Love In the Name of Christ. Although the snow is still flying, many of you are eager to start cleaning closets, basements and garages at the first sign of spring. Please keep Love INC in mind, as your donations are needed to make this effort a success. Call the Love INC office at 779-1888 or 877-633-0556 for drop off or pick up information.
First Sunday “Loose
Change” is designated for the “Give Ye Them
to Eat” a program of the Methodist Church in Mexico. Funds are used to combat hunger and poverty
in rural Central Mexico. Staple Food
and Paper Products are designated for the OASIS Shelter for women and
children in our area.
The Senior High Youth
Group took part in the “30 Hour Famine” from this past Friday
after school until Saturday evening to fight world hunger. They are seeking your support this morning
for their efforts. The Youth will be in
Fellowship Hall following both worship services to receive your donations.
Funeral Services for Pat Welsh will be this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in our sanctuary. Pat, Donna Welsh’s spouse, passed away on February 26. Visitation will be held at the church beginning 2:00 p.m.