Evangelism:Transforming Congregations – Engaging Communities

Opening WorshipWednesday, November 2nd – 7 PM

Silent Meditation

God, You have brought us from around the country to gather to listen, learn and be

empowered, encouraged and excited about doing ministry in new ways. We have come to

focus on spreading Your word and growing closer to you. We are eager to hear

Your Still Speaking voice.

Gathering Music • Rev. Yvette Flunder and Gideon Lawson

What a Fellowship!

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

Leaning, leaning,Safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.•

What a Fellowship!O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!O how bright the path grows from day to day, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

Leaning, leaning,Safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.•

What a Fellowship!What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!I have peace complete with my Savior near, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!

Leaning, leaning,Safe and secure from all alarms;

Leaning, leaning, Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.•

Call to Worship• Leader: We have come from labors of home,

business and different modes of travel.• Congregation: We have used our hands to create

and assemble, focusing our minds on projects and plans.

• Leader: Now we clasp our hands in prayer, and attune our minds to God.

• All: We seek to serve in the Savior’s name, while awaiting the Spirit’s direction.

Invocation Lord’s Prayer – Kimberly Boyd Words of Welcome

Geoffrey Black

Moses -Todd Farley Mime

Place your Life Before GodResponsive Reading

• One: So here is what I want you to do, God helping you, take your everyday ordinary life- your sleeping eating, going to work and walking around life—and place it before God as an offering.

• All: Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for God. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.

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Place your Life Before GodResponsive Reading

• One: Readily recognize what God wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

• All: Do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

Place your Life Before GodResponsive Reading

• One: For everything created by God is good and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving.

• All: It is God who is at work in you enabling you both to will and to work for God’s good pleasure.

Gospel Scripture • Matthew 4: 18 -22 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,

Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Gospel Scripture• Matthew 9: 35 – 38• Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages,

teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’

MusicGideon Lawson

SermonJESUS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

Rev. Marian PlantAssociate Professor of Ministry Studies &

Schauffler Chair of Christian EducationCoordinator, Design for Leadership

Defiance College

You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore

You have come down to the lakeshore Seeking neither the wise nor the wealthy, But only asking for me to follow.

O Jesus, you have looked into my eyes, Kindly smiling, you've called out my name. On the sand I've abandoned my small boat; Now with you, I will seak other seas.

You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore

You know full well my possessions, Neither treasure nor weapons for conquest, Just these my fishnets and will for working.

O Jesus, you have looked into my eyes, Kindly smiling, you've called out my name. On the sand I've abandoned my small boat; Now with you, I will seak other seas.

You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore

You need my hands, my exhaustion, Working love for the rest of the weary, A love that's willing to go on loving.

O Jesus, you have looked into my eyes, Kindly smiling, you've called out my name. On the sand I've abandoned my small boat; Now with you, I will seek other seas.

You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore

You who have fished other waters; You, the longing of souls that are yearning; O loving Friend, you have come to call me.

Sweet Lord, you have looked into my eyes, Kindly smiling, you've called out my name. On the sand I've abandoned my small boat; Now with you, I will seak other seas.

Tonight’s MISSION:1 OfferingBen Guess

Tonight’s Offering is going to Gleaners Headquarters & Distribution Center Detroit, MI UCOM (United Church Outreach Ministry) Grand Rapids andNeighbors in Need Special Mission Offering Hunger Programs.

In the Midst of New Dimensions In the midst of new dimensions, in the face of changing ways.Who will lead the pilgrim peoples wandering in their separate ways.God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar. We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more

In the Midst of New Dimensions Through the flood of starving people, warring factions and despair,Who will lift the olive branches, who will light the flame of care?God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar.We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more.

In the Midst of New Dimensions As we stand a world divided by our own self seeking schemes,Grant that we, your global village might envision wider dreamsGod of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar.We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more.

In the Midst of New Dimensions We are man and we are woman, all persuasions, old and young,Each a gift in your creation, each a love song to be sung.God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar.We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more.

In the Midst of New Dimensions Should the threats of dire predictions cause us to withdraw in pain,May your blazing phoenix spirit, resurrect the church again.God of rainbow, fiery pillar, leading where the eagles soar.We your people, ours the journey now and ever, now and ever, now and ever more!

Benediction

Thursday Morning Schedule

• 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Transportation provided from the Hilton to Fellowship Chapel (You will be responsible for your own transportation if you are not on board the bus before 8:30 AM.)

• 8:45 AM – 9:15 Am Prayer and Praise Sanctuary Rev. Yvette Flunder & Mr. Gideon Lawson