3/22/20 Worship Online

Welcome!
Today’s service looks very different than what we’re used to. We’re glad that you’re worshiping today! While we worship online, my hope is that this isn’t a passive experience. Because of that there are a few recorded pieces, but also I’m inviting you to share in worship. There are places where you can offer a prayer, read scripture out loud, give your joys and concerns, and even sing. The great part of worshiping at home is that even if you feel weird and awkward while doing it, your family or the others that have gathered with you already know it. You aren’t going to surprise them with that, so give it a shot. Most importantly, since we can’t be together in worship, we can still share and participate in worship. And know that we are still the church, even if our pews look a lot like couches, and I look very tiny on your computer screen.

You can follow along this bulletin for the service. If you are on a computer, phone, or other mobile device, then you can click on each of the videos as they come up. If you are able, and don’t want to try and share a laptop with your family and you have a smart tv, roku, apple tv, firestick, chromecast, or other streaming device connected to your tv, we have good news! We have a YouTube channel. Go to the YouTube app on your TV, search for Marceline UMC. You can subscribe to our channel (which will make it easier to find in the future) and when you do, go to playlists. Every Sunday We’ll have a new playlist set up with prayers, songs, and a message. As you come to each of those in the service you can play that video. With a playlist, as soon as one finishes, the next video starts so that all you have to do is hit pause until you’re ready to play again.
My prayer is that even in this format, we can worship together, and still see God at work.
Peace,
Pastor John

The video that comes next is a welcome, has a few announcements, and an opening prayer.

Announcements
Continue to watch your email and our Facebook page for more information. We will be having opportunities to volunteer and different ways of supporting each other. We will still be doing some things, just in a different way. Watch your email for links.

Mon & Tues 7am-7pm Food Drive at Walsworth Community Center
Tues 5:30pm Online Prayer Group, check your email for a link to join, or a phone number to call in with
Wed 6pm Online Bible Study, check your email for a link to join, or a phone number to call in with

Sign-Up Sheets & Important Surveys
Help with the Food Drive
Answer the Church Phone for Questions
Community Support Survey

Please join in singing our first song for today, "O God Our Help in Ages Past"

Joys & Concerns
We will continue to share our joys and concerns, as well as our prayer requests. Simply follow the link below and fill out the form. If you need to add more, you can fill the form out again. These will be shared with the congregation via email on Monday morning.
Share a joy, concern, and/or prayer request

Prayer
Take a few moments of silent prayer. Please lift up our community as we enter into our first full week of cancellations and shut downs, and the challenges that it will bring. When you are finished, continue to the next video, and then join with Pastor John in the Lord's Prayer.

Children's Message
If your kids are with you, or you want to be a kid yourself, watch the following video, reflect on these questions, and say this prayer. If you are sharing this with your kids, ask them to pray with you and then repeat after you. Only say one line at a time before they repeat what you said. This video won't show up on the YouTube playlist due to YouTube's policies about children's content. They'll need to come to your phone, or you can try to find it on you tube on your TV.

Questions
1. What was Jesus Sermon called? (Answer: The Sermon on the Mount)
2. What was Jesus teaching us about? (Answer: How to love others)
3. How does Jesus show his love? (Answer: He healed people, calmed storms, helped others)
4. How can you show your love? (how can your kids help others, especially during this time)

Prayer
Dear God
Help us to love others
Show us how we can help
Help us to know you love us
Amen

Offering
Even though we aren’t meting together our offerings are still important. They are an important part of what we do as Christians, and not just what we do to keep the church open. If you are able to give, please use the envelopes that were sent out, or you can mail a check to the church at:

Marceline UMC
321 N Kansas Ave
Marceline, MO 64658

If you use online banking you can use your bill pay to send a check from your account directly to the church. You can even set it up so that it will be sent weekly or monthly. Your continued support will help us continue to be in ministry, even during this time.

If you can't contribute monetarily to the church, that's okay. We're entering into a very different time. There are still many ways that you can give that help build God's kingdom by reaching out to others. Look for different ways that you can make a difference.
 
Before going on to the scripture reading, read the following prayer out loud
Good and Faithful God: We bring our tithes and offerings to you this morning as part of our act of praise. The psalmist reminds us that you have filled our cup to overflowing, and we are convicted by the image that perhaps we have only offered to you what spills out of our full cup. In your grace and love, let us see it instead that your love and blessing will not be contained in any vessel, but will always overflow to reach and bless others. May we not only see it this way, but may we live it in lives of generosity. In the name of Christ who gave all and held nothing back. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING Matthew 5:1-12 (Click the link for the full chapter)
Read the scripture passage out loud to share with one another

1Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. 2He taught them, saying: 3 “Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.  4“Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. 5 “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth. 6 “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full. 7 “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy. 8 “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God. 9 “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children. 10 “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. 12Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.
 
Liturgist: This is the word of God, for the people of God
Congregations’ Response: Thanks be to God!

Please join in singing our next song "It is Well with My Soul" After the song, continue on to the sermon in the following video.

Before continuing on to the final song for today. Take a moment to pause and reflect on what has been said, and on where we are today.
What do you grieve over as we are in this current crisis?
How will you know when you've been made glad?

Please join in singing the final song "10,000 Reasons" after is it is finished, play the benediction.

Go in peace, and may God be with you through this next week, Amen.