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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. CelebrationsThe 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. 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 August 31 were $420. The costs for each week are $1,118 (derived by dividing the annual budget by 52 weeks). Prayer Concerns Please keep Susan Kneebone in your prayers. You may write to Susan at Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community, 49 Cedar Hill Drive, Windsor, VT 05089 Please keep Marian Van Guilder who lives in Excelsior, MN, in your prayers. She is the mother of Pam McLaughlin of Mount Holly. 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, Anne Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. Celebrations Linda Thomson is celebrating a birthday on Monday, September 7. Wish her a Happy Birthday when you see her. 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 6, 2020 10:00 A. M. Service of Worship FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST LABOR SUNDAY COMMUNION SUNDAY 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 to Christ, the living bread who satisfies those who hunger and thirst for what is right. Come to Christ, who gives living water that you may never thirst again. Come to Christ, that being filled, you may minister to the hunger and the thirst of others. Come to God, to worship and praise through Jesus Christ who gives us life. HYMN 97 * For the Fruits of This Creation (tune of Hymn 688) INVOCATION CONFESSION OF SIN Gracious God, too often we take you for granted. When you call us to leave the situations that constrain us, we are too complacent to hear your voice, and too timid to leave what is familiar. Make us ready to go where you lead us. Amen. SILENCE (Silence may be observed for reflection and prayer) ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS READING OF SCRIPTURE PSALM 119 Hymnal, page 841 Response 3 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 18:15-20 OFFERTORY SENTENCE God gives to us continually. In each breath, we receive God’s spirit. Responding to God’s generosity, let us give to God in thanksgiving. 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* SERMON “We Need to Talk” HYMN 613* O Thou Who This Mysterious Bread Holy Communion Invitation Great Thanksgiving Words of Institution Elements are Received Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion (in unison) Gracious God, we thank you for this meal and for all of the ways you nourish us. Grow in us that we may nourish others. Sustain us as we press toward the goal of your call in Christ Jesus. Amen. HYMN OF THANKSGIVING 581* Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service 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 to the Hymns for the September 6 Service 97 For the Fruits of This Creation For the fruits of this creation, thanks be to God; for good gifts to every nation, thanks be to God; for the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth's safekeeping, thanks be to God. In the just reward of labor, God's will is done; in the help we give our neighbor, God's will is done; in our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God's will is done. For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God; for the good we all inherit, thanks be to God; for the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God. 613 O Thou Who This Mysterious Bread O Thou who this mysterious bread didst in Emmaus break, return, herewith our souls to feed, and to thy followers speak. Unseal the volume of thy grace, apply the gospel word; open our eyes to see thy face, our hearts to know the Lord. Of thee communing still, we mourn till thou the veil remove; talk with us, and our hearts shall burn with flames of fervent love. Enkindle now the heavenly zeal, and make thy mercy known, and give our pardoned souls to feel that God and love are one. 581 Lord, Whose Love in Humble Service Lord, whose love in humble service Bore the weight of human need, Who upon the cross, forsaken, Worked Your mercy’s perfect deed: We, Your servants, bring the worship Not of voice alone, but heart; Consecrating to Your purpose Every gift which You impart. Still Your children wander homeless; Still the hungry cry for bread; Still the captives long for freedom; Still in grief we mourn our dead. As you, Lord, in deep compassion Healed the sick and freed the soul, By Your Spirit send Your power To our world to make it whole. As we worship, grant us vision, Till your love’s revealing light In its height and depth and greatness Dawns upon our quickened sight, Making known the needs and burdens Your compassion bids us bear, Stirring us to ardent service, Your abundant life to share. Called by worship to your service, forth in your dear name we go, To the child, the youth, the aged, Love in living deeds to show; Hope and health, good will and comfort, Counsel, aid, and peace we give That your servants, Lord, in freedom, May your mercy know and live.   Comments are closed.
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