Sun Mar 14th

Welcome
What's the point of snakes? This weekend we'll see how a snake serves to give us some of the best help we can find.

From whichever platform your participating in worship today, let us know in the comments that you're here. Say hi! Its good to see you all there.

You can also sign-in and let us know you're here

We are worshipping online and in person. There are multiple ways that you can join in worship.

Youtube: Worship Service, Playlist (with music)
Facebook: Service starts at 9am
In person: 10:10am in the Sanctuary

And you can continue on in this post. Included in the service here is music and written announcements and other information.

No matter how you worship with us, know that you are in our prayers and we're glad to worship with you today.

Peace,
Pastor John

When you're ready, click on the first video to join in singing.

What follows is the order of service that you'll find in the video. You can read through it here, or scroll down to the video for the main part of the service.

Announcements
Sunday 3/14: After worship recording children's sermons
Monday 3/15: 4pm Worship Team meeting
Tuesday 3/16: 4pm Centering Prayer on live on our Facebook Page

Don't forget donations for the Pregnancy Resource Center! We're collecting diapers and formula
Still sign-up for Celebrate Recovery meals
Watch for info on Easter and Holy Week to come out later in the week

Call to Worship
Leader: At a time when humankind had exhausted its own efforts to know and be known by God, the Word became flesh and lived among us. Jesus came to us; God with us, revealing God to us.
People: Jesus came to us, the ultimate act of hospitality.
Leader: Jesus remained with us for a time, in spite of our dull understanding and willful acts against God. He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. He humbled himself and submitted to the humiliation of death on a cross.
People: Jesus came to us in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice.
Leader: Jesus came to us as the ultimate expression of love.
People: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life"

Opening Prayer
Gracious God, so often we have missed your presence because we are looking for you clothed in a particular way. Let this time of worship be an encounter with you that will enable us to behold you in all the people we meet and all the situations we greet. You are from everlasting to everlasting, so we are confident that you are here; help us to be aware of your holy presence. O Lord, enrich this act of worship with the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
~T. Anne Daniel, The Africana Worship Book for Year B, Discipleship Resources, 2007, p. 130.

Children's Message
Today our Children's message comes from Pastor John and asks a big question, "How Noah Knew What to Do"

Joy's, Concerns, Giving, and Prayers
I invite you, either in the comments to the Facebook video or in the YouTube video to share your joys and concerns. As we go forward I'll make sure they get shared with the rest of the church (and I'm looking forward to doing that, so share away!)

If you want to make sure we get a prayer request, but don't want to put it in the comments, please follow this link:

Share a joy, concern, and/or prayer request

During this time I invite you to give as well.  Thank you for your continued offerings to the church, and to the many other places around us that you’ve been giving of your time and your money.

Remember that you can mail in your offerings to:

Marceline UMC
321 N Kansas Ave
Marceline, MO 64658

You can also give online.

Your gifts and commitment to your faith help us reach out and tell Jesus’ story in so many different ways. 

Take some time for some personal prayer, and take some time to give. This could be the time when you go online, or you write a check to the church, or when you make that commitment to give in a different way.

After the personal prayer, I'll say a prayer (if you're watching the video), and then join in saying the Lord's Prayer below.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen

Scripture Reading
Our scripture reading for worship comes from Numbers 21:4-9
4They marched from Mount Hor on the Reed Sea road around the land of Edom. The people became impatient on the road. 5The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us in the desert, where there is no food or water. And we detest this miserable bread!” 6So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people and they bit the people. Many of the Israelites died.
7The people went to Moses and said, “We’ve sinned, for we spoke against the LORD and you. Pray to the LORD so that he will send the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8The LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Whoever is bitten can look at it and live.” 9Moses made a bronze snake and placed it on a pole. If a snake bit someone, that person could look at the bronze snake and live.

Leader: This is the word of God, for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God!

Today's Message: Look Up and Live
This is a message that reminds us that we don't have to get it all right, and that we can often box ourselves in. But with one simple step we can see the world in a new way.

Reflection Questions
1. Where do you find yourselves hiding?
2. What worries you about looking up?

When you're ready, join in our final song

Benediction
Let us rejoice: God so loves the world!
May God your Maker
send you back into the world with creative energies refreshed.
May Christ the Light
illuminate your darkest moments.
And may the Holy Spirit of steadfast love
guide you until we worship together again.
This day and forevermore. Amen!
~ written by Rev. Dr. Ginny Brown Daniel, in So Loved: Service Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.  Posted on the Worship Ways page of the United Church of Christ website. http://www.ucc.org/worship_worship-ways