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CHURCH SERVICES at the UNITED CHURCH of LUDLOW Service will be shared ELECTRONICALLY (contact [email protected] for more information) Church services continue at the United Church of Ludlow. The doors open at 9:45 am, and worship begins 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. Send an email to [email protected] to get information about Zoom access. “Forgive others as quickly as you expect God to forgive you.” - Anonymous 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 Executive Board Meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 7:00 pm. Weekly Offerings Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending September 6 were $690. 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 September. Prayer Concerns Please keep Anne Matulonis in your prayers as she continues her recovery from a broken hip. We continue to keep the following in our prayers: Dean Alexander, James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Carolyn Gauthier, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Anne Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. Celebrations Linda and Dean Alexander are celebrating an anniversary on Sept. 13th. Beth Almond is celebrating a birthday on Sept. 13th. 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 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. ________________________________________________________________________ September 13, 2020 10:00 A. M. Service of Worship FIFTEENTH 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.) May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. May you have the power to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Now to the One who is able to accomplish far more than all we can ask or imagine. To God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Let us worship God! HYMN 98* To God Be the Glory OPENING PRAYER* PRAYER OF CONFESSION 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. God of forgiveness grant us your favor as we make our confession. You call us to excellence: we fall short of your confidence in us. You grant to us grace: we abuse your gifts. You expect our decisions to match your desires, our love to be genuine in obeying your will: yet we trust our appetites rather than relying on your goodness. We look to our comfort rather than our neighbor’s need. In Christ, have mercy on us and forgive our sin. . . . SILENCE (Silence may be observed for reflection and prayer.) ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS Paul assures us of God’s reconciling graciousness when he writes, “You know the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet for your sake he became poor, so that by the poverty you might become rich.” In Christ we may dwell in the richness of God’s favor, and rest assured in the fullness of God’s redeeming forgiveness. READING OF SCRIPTURE PSALM 103 Hymnal, pages 824-825 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 Matthew 18: 21-35 SERMON “Underlined For All Eternity!” HYMN 121* There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord be with you. And also, with you. Let us pray. LORD’S PRAYER (“trespasses”) 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 “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20: 35 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 348* Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling 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. “Forgive others as quickly as you expect God to forgive you.” - Anonymous Lyrics to the Hymns for the September 13 Service 98. To God Be the Glory To God be the glory, great things he hath done! So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in. Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he hath done! O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. (Refrain) Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. (Refrain) 121. There's a Wideness in God's Mercy There’s a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea; there’s a kindness in God's justice, which is more than liberty. There is welcome for the sinner, and more graces for the good! There is mercy with the Savior; there is healing in his blood. For the love of God is broader than the measure of our mind; and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. If our love were but more simple, we should rest upon God's word; and our lives would be illumined by the presence of our Lord. 348. Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; see, on the portals he's waiting and watching, watching for you and for me. Refrain: Come home, come home; you who are weary come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling, O sinner, come home! Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me? Why should we linger and heed not his mercies, mercies for you and for me? [Refrain] Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing, passing from you and from me; shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming, coming for you and for me. [Refrain] O for the wonderful love he has promised, promised for you and for me! Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me. [Refrain] _____________________________________________________________________  Comments are closed.
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