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CHURCH SERVICES RESUME at the UNITED CHURCH of LUDLOW Service will be shared ELECTRONICALLY (contact [email protected] for more information) Church services have begun on site, again. The doors will open at 9:45 am, and worship will begin at 10:00 am. If you are comfortable attending in person, please join us. Procedures designed to minimize the risk of exposure are described later in this newsletter. Please read and follow these procedures for your own, and your fellow congregants’ safety. If you are not able to attend in person, the service will be streamed simultaneously using our church Zoom access to allow you to participate. When you live in the light of eternity, your values change. - Rick Warren A warm welcome to all visitors. If the Pastor or any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or Rev. Harpster at 802-875-8895. His email is [email protected]. Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the pastor, Rev. Harpster. Upcoming Meetings/Events
Weekly Offerings Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending July 26 were $675 The costs for each week are $1,118 (derived by dividing the annual budget by 52 weeks). Altar Guild Linda Alexander will do the Altar Guild duties for the month of July. Prayer Concerns Please pray for Margo Marrone and family on the passing of her husband, Tom. Also keep Pam Dundy who is in Dartmouth Hospital with pneumonia in your prayers. We continue to keep the following in our prayers: James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Carolyn Gauthier, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Annie Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. CHURCH REOPENING PROCEDURES The following procedures were developed to minimize the risk of attending services at the United Church of Ludlow. Everyone will enter and exit the church through the rear door. The new entrance is now complete, along with the new walkway from Elm St. The LULA is operational to facilitate access by those with difficulty managing stairs. Masks are required and should be worn when entering the church and at all times when moving about inside. We ask anyone who might need water or other refreshment to please bring your own, as the kitchen will not be available. Upon entering you will be greeted by a church member, offered a mask if you do not have one and instructed to sanitize your hands with the sanitizer located inside the doorway. You will be asked some questions about your health and your name and address will be recorded should contract tracing be required. You will then proceed immediately to your pew in the sanctuary. There will be no congregating inside the church building. Other than the sanctuary and bathrooms, all other areas of the church are off limits except to those participating in the service. Upon entering the sanctuary, please look for the cushions placed in the pews. These cushions indicate where seating may take place in order to maintain proper social distancing. They will be placed in pairs, but if any core family group is attending, please feel free to add space in your area, keeping in mind the location of those around you. While we encourage keeping masks on at all times, masks MAY be removed when you are seated in your pew. Keep in mind that masks should be worn any time you are talking with your neighbor, speaking aloud during the service, and moving throughout the building. If you wish to sing during the hymns, it must be done with the mask in place, and in a soft speaking voice. Announcements and prayers will be offered without microphones, so please stand and speak clearly wearing your mask. When communion is celebrated, parishioners may bring their own "bread and wine". Offerings will not be collected during the service. We ask that you continue your weekly offering by writing a check to The United Church and mailing it to Anne Oakes, 145 Merrill Rd., Ludlow, VT 05149. When services are over, everyone should leave the church building using the rear door. You should only stop if you need to use the rest rooms, which will be available at all times. If you wish to mix socially after services, please do so away from the exit so as not to make others leaving feel uncomfortable. Keep in mind, this is the first phase of reopening our church, and we are sure practices will need to be amended as time and circumstances dictate. We encourage anyone with thoughts, fears or suggestions to contact either our President, George Thomson, Rev. Harpster, Deacon Laura Lienhard or Trustee Dean Alexander. We look forward to worshiping together with all of you, whether in person or through the internet and pray that we soon will be able to return to a more normal worship experience together in God's house. Zoom Church Services to Continue at the United Church of Ludlow We will continue to offer access to our church service using Zoom. If you are not already in the “Zoom Community” it is not very hard. We would love to have you join us for Sunday worship. If you have used Zoom before and have it installed on your computer you are ready to go. If you have never used Zoom, please contact us before Sunday so we can help you navigate the program. For help send an email to: Laura Lienhard (L[email protected]) or Dean Alexander ([email protected]) PLEASE NOTE: You should only have one live microphone at any one location. Please DO NOT use your phone AND the microphone on your computer at the same time. Turn one off. When both are on, rather unpleasant feedback noise can be produced. _________________________________________________________________________ August 2, 2020 10:00 A. M. Service of Worship NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST PRELUDE (All are encouraged to use the prelude as a quiet time of meditation in preparation for the worship service which follows.) ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GREETING The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) And also with you. CALL TO WORSHIP* (Please stand.) Come, let us gather in the awareness of God’s love. God’s love has brought us to this place; it has made us a church. We can live with confidence and hope, in the assurance that we are forgiven and accepted by a power greater than ourselves. Because we are forgiven, we too can forgive. Let us praise this God of endless grace, and offer our hearts’ true worship. HYMN 383* This Is a Day of New Beginnings CONFESSION OF SIN If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1: 8-9) Let us confess our sins before God and one another. Most loving God, we can scarcely comprehend the scope of your forgiveness, we can hardly believe your amazing care for us. We confess that often we close ourselves off from your saving presence; and in our pride, we withhold forgiveness from other people. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, grant us the assurance of your love. May our hearts be filled with gratitude for your grace that overflows with love toward others. . . . SILENCE (Silence may be observed for reflection and prayer>) ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FOREGIVENESS God hears our cries and forgives all who are penitent and believing. God provides the resources for our rescue and redemption. Whoever trusts God will not be disappointed. Whoever reaches out to others in the Spirit of Christ will know the joy of God’s love. You are forgiven. You are accepted. You are loved. Share these gifts. READING OF SCRIPTURE PSALM 98 Hymnal, pages 818-819 GLORIA 70 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 12: 13-21 (Laura) SERMON “What Am I 'Here After' ”? PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. PRAYER RESPONSE Hymnal, No. 473 Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face. For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, That makest me dwell in safety OFFERTORY SENTENCE “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and prosper for us the work of our hands—O prosper the work of our hands!” Psalm 90: 17 OFFERTORY At the Presentation, Hymn 95* Old 100th Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, you heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. PRAYER OF DEDICATION* HYMN 599* Break Thou the Bread of Life INVITATION THE GREAT THANKSGIVING Lift up your hearts We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is meet and right so to do. We give thanks to you, O holy Lord. . . . With patriarchs and prophets, apostles and martyrs, with your church on earth and with all the company of heaven, we magnify and praise you, we worship and adore you, O Lord Most Holy: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Hymnal, page 21 WORDS OF INSTITUTION THE LORD’S PRAYER (“trespasses”) BREAKING THE BREAD AND LIFTING THE CUP THE COMMUNION PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Let us give thanks. We thank you, God, for inviting us to this table where we have known the presence of Christ and have received all of Christ’s gifts. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and let us show forth your praise in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. HYMN OF THANKSGIVING 451* Be Thou My Vision BENEDICTION AND BLESSING* BENEDICTION RESPONSE DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God POSTLUDE * All who are able may stand. Lyrics of the Hymns for the August 2 Service 383. This Is a Day of New Beginnings 1 This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on, time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that's gone. 2 For by the life and death of Jesus, God's mighty Spirit, now as then, can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again. 3 Then let us, with the Spirit's daring, step from the past and leave behind our disappointment, guilt, and grieving, seeking new paths, and sure to find. 4 Christ is alive, and goes before us to show and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new. 5 In faith we'll gather round the table to taste and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new. 599. Break Thou the Bread of Life 1. Break thou the bread of life, dear Lord, to me, as thou didst break the loaves beside the sea; beyond the sacred page I seek thee, Lord; my spirit pants for thee, O Living Word! 2. Bless thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me, as thou didst bless the bread by Galilee; then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall; and I shall find my peace, my all in all. 451. Be Thou My Vision 1 Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art-- thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. 2 Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; thou my great Father, I thy true son; thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one. 3 Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight; be thou my dignity, thou my delight, thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tow'r: raise thou me heav'n-ward, O Pow'r of my pow'r. 4 Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, thou mine inheritance, now and always: thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure thou art. 5 High King of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all.   Comments are closed.
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