St Jacob United Church of Christ, Blue Creek 8 amCombined Sunday School 9:30 am

St John United Church of Christ, Penntown 10:30 am

February 21, 2016

We extend a warm welcome to each of you!We lift in prayer those who are unable to be here

and all who join us for worship.Pastor Lynne: (812) 623-0354, (319) 830-4048, or

lynneb135@gmail.com

Welcome (Those who are able, please stand)Announcements*Prelude*Call to Worship (based on Psalm 27)

One: God is my light, my hope, my all in all: whom shall I fear? All: God is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? One: One thing I asked of God: let me live in the shelter of you,

in the beauty of your realm, in the wonder of your house. All: We seek your face, God! Do not turn aside! One: Teach us your way, God, show us your path through all that life brings. All: We shall see the blessing of God: come, Holy Spirit!

*Opening Hymn “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise” #243*Unison Prayer of Invocation

God, we are too well aware that life brings us pains, doubts, uncertainties.

We remember that Abram was filled with questioning, the early church surrounded by threats, Jesus himself confronted with fearful powers. In the midst of that awareness, we call upon you, our

everlasting refuge. Remember your people, God. We long for a way through the frights of the world; we pray

for your support. Come, Holy One; come, Spirit of Life. Come into this holy place and this holy hour, and fill us

again with assurance of your grace. We ask it in Jesus’ name, Amen.

*Passing of Peace (After the passing of peace, please continue to care for one another by passing the bottle of hand

sanitizer found in the back of the pews, near the center aisle.)Response “Through It All” #452

Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God; Through it all, through it all, I’ve learned to depend upon his Word.

Scripture Reading Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18 Philippians 3:17-4:1 *Luke 13:31-35 Gathering on the StepsSpecial Hymn “I Come to the Cross” #251

Meditation Standing Firm Pastor JoeMorning Prayer / Lord’s Prayer (sins/sin)Invitation to the Offering

Abram trusted, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. The Psalmist waited for God, while troubles raged. Jesus and Paul saw the enemies of faith around them. But by God’s grace, our world has more wonder than trouble. By God’s grace, we are gifted with hope and resilience. By God’s grace, love and life have triumphed and we are invited into the joyful communion of God and all God’s people. Let our tithes and offerings be a holy gesture of thanksgiving, a song of joy and blessing. Let us gather our gifts with grateful praise, and offer them to God’s purposes.

*Offertory Response “Doxology” #44*Unison Prayer of Dedication

God of all goodness, we thank you for your blessings: more numerous than the stars; more bountiful than the greatest of harvests; more steady than the beat of our hearts. Here we dedicate our gifts and rededicate ourselves to your vision of hope and

wholeness. May all that we do and all that we give be pleasing to you, and a testimony to your loving purposes. We ask it in Jesus’

name; Amen. *Closing Hymn “Face to Face” #535 vss 1-2*Benediction *Choral Response “Face to Face” #535vss 3-5Postlude

Copyright 2015 Local Church Ministries, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100. Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education. All publishing rights reserved.

St. John’s: Today Feb 28 Offering 2-14-16Front Door Greeter Bob & Carol Atkins Doris Hutson $1484.61Side Door Greeter Drake & Kim Mitchell Jenny Barnhart OCWM $25

Liturgist Karen Craig Jody Hutson Attendance 70Organist Sylvia Gesell Janet Wiedeman

Upcoming Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9

Cemetery Mowing: The 2-year contract for mowing the cemetery and church

grounds is up for renewal. If you are interested, please submit your bid to Carolyn or Butch Richter by March 13th.

Special Love OfferingThe Youth will be at the back doors after worship today and next Sunday with baskets to collect your Love Offering for Henry the Hero, Jane and Louie Werner's great-grandson.

Henry was diagnosed soon after birth with Polymicrogyria, or PMG. PMG is "several small folds in the brain" that hurts the nerve development while in utero. Henry will be having

speech, occupational, and physical therapy continuously to learn the basic baby milestones that for babies without PMG come naturally: holding and drinking from a bottle, hand/eye

coordination, sitting up, crawling, etc. Several of Henry's expenses are not covered by insurance such as a special stroller ($250), exercise equipment for the home and unknown

expenses that will come along as he grows.

Henry’s family moved this summer from California where Ronnie was in the Marines. Samantha and Ronnie are working and they have 3 other children: Ally (8), Brooke (8), and

Emma (2). They’ve applied for help but make just enough to disqualify them.

So please pray for Henry and his family and let's help one of our own. If giving with a check, make it out to St. John UCC (Henry in the memo field). You can read more about

PMG and Henry on Sam's blog page: https://henrytheheroblog.wordpress.com/ .

Sunday School News: Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, March 13 during

Sunday School! 

Toddler Egg Hunt, too! (This will be a Toddlers and Twos day!)

Due to Easter falling at the end of Spring Break, we will not be having our traditional Easter morning program.  Plans are in the

works for celebrating Easter in other ways!Won’t you help support Sunday School’s Lenten offering

to purchase Flocks of Chicks (Easter Chicks!) through Heifer International for families in Third World countries? 

Check out the display in the gathering area.  Sunday School families, please turn in your offerings beginning March 13

through early April.Our library is having a book sale which will also go for our Flocks of Chicks!  We’ve had more donations than we have shelving! 

Books and VHS tapes for a donation.  (Suggested donation of 25 cents per item-or 10 items for a $1!) Think of family and friends

you can share with!3RS – THE NEED FOR GOOD

COMMUNICATION

As we begin our 2016 Capital Campaign - Our 3Rs (Repair, Renovate, Renew) – we are preparing St. John’s Church for enhanced communication with a

new sound system and a new copier. We all know how important good communication is. Without it we wouldn’t know what is going on in the world, and without a way to do so, we wouldn’t know what is

going on with our own families.

It is important that St. John’s Church keep up with new technologies. Our office copier has just about had it

and the sound system definitely needs an upgrade. With a new sound system, we will be able to hear better the whole service, especially our Praise Team and Pastor Lynne’s sermons. And with a new copier we will be able to continue receiving a well-written newsletter and worship bulletins. Our church

family will be blessed by these upgrades.

$0 $10,000

$20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000

$60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000

$100,000 3R's Campaign

If you haven’t already done so, join us in making our $100,000 Capital Campaign a great success. We are almost at $60,000 and growing weekly.

Watch the thermometer in the narthex as it moves up to reach our goal!

Upcoming Dates:Feb. 25 – Bible Study: Embracing an Adult Faith continues at the Parsonage

Feb. 28 – Chicken Dinner at Sunman Legion 11am-2pm. See flyer for more info.

Mar. 1 – Bible Study: Hope for Our Journey continues. Sign up for soup supper!

Mar. 2 – Youth Group Pizza Night 5:30-7pm

Please help us adorn our altar areas with beautiful Easter flowers!

If you would like to purchase a Lily, please place this form and payment in the envelope on the bulletin board in the gathering

area at St. John’s or in the back of the church at St. Jacob’s.

Lilies will cost $8.25 (checks payable to St. John’s, please).

All orders and money are due by Sunday, March 6.

If you would prefer to bring your own flower(s), please note that below.

_____ for St. Jacob’s _____ for St. John’s

(circle one) In Memory of or In Honor of

______________________________________________________________

Please help us adorn our altar areas with beautiful Easter flowers!

If you would like to purchase a Lily, please place this form and payment in the envelope on the bulletin board in the gathering

area at St. John’s or in the back of the church at St. Jacob’s.

Lilies will cost $8.25 (checks payable to St. John’s, please).

All orders and money are due by Sunday, March 6.

If you would prefer to bring your own flower(s), please note that below.

_____ for St. Jacob’s _____ for St. John’s

(circle one) In Memory of or In Honor of

______________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Lenten Bible Study 2016 – Hope for Our JourneyWhen: Tuesdays February 16, March 1, 8, 15 6-7:30pm Where: The Parsonage with a light soup supper

Week 1 – Hope & Our Christian Journey: Living Today's Will of God (Mark 1:9-15)Week 2 – Hope for all People (Mark 9:2-9)Week 3 – Hope Overflowing: A Glimpse of Life at its Fullest (John 12:20-33)Week 4 – Hope Leads Us Forward (Mark 14:1-11)Through these stories, we are given the opportunity to look at life from another point of view and to

hope for a more just, equitable and humane society. Sign up in the gathering area.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our Grand Opening! We appreciate your kindness!

~Janet, Sandra, Scott and Stan, Wiedeman Heating & Electric, Inc.

See Roger Lang if you have a 4 drawer file cabinet that is fire proof.

Youth Group Yard Sale coming in June. Be on the lookout for items you can donate!

St. John’s Showcase is looking for women’s white gloves, older Easter hats/bonnets, men's dress hats (hide your name inside so I can carefully return). Thank you! --Connie

Prayer RequestsRyan Bruns (friend of the Ratliffs); Pastor Lynne, recovering from shoulder

surgery; Catherine Clark (Catrina Welch’s mom); Matt Davis (Sherri Walterman’s husband); Ed Eckstein (neighbor of the Langs); Charles Engle

(Amy Schwab’s husband); Lynsey Gesell; Viola Huber (Marvin’s sister); Shirley Huneke; Betty Koester (Jim’s mother); Junior

Ratliff; Kim Roberts (Julene Hornberger’s neighbor); Ruby Roberts (Sandy Lang’s mother); James Robertson; Ralph Schaefer; Rev. Tommie Wallpe, Heritage House, 410 Park Rd, Greensburg, IN 47240; Alvin Werner (Brenda’s father-in-law); and the family of

Allen Huber, who passed away on Feb. 4, 2016.