Worship on July 13
As the congregation gathered together for worship everyone’s eyes were drawn to the front of the sanctuary. Over the past week a small crew from our church had taken down the paneling on the walls of the inset behind the pulpit. The walls have been painted a much more modern color. A few green plants have been added. The front is much more attractive.
Steve Gottschalk led our opening announcement time. There were plenty of announcement and other information to be shared with the congregation. No one shared a prayer concern. This is not a good sign. We should be more interested in God’s movements around us.
The worship service began. Ginny McCabe was both the Liturgist and the Song Leader of the morning. Our opening hymns were “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” and “To God be the Glory.”
Following the time of prayer, Vanessa Doteson taught the children. She talked about a journal. She talked about all the various kinds of journals there are, such as a food journal, a sleep journal and a teenage girl’s journal. She talked about how we can record the events of our life in a journal. She talked about how the Bible is the best journal of them all. It is a collection of the stories of how God has worked in a variety of people’s lives.
The pastor took a few minutes while the children were being dismissed to children’s church. He talked about updating the front of the sanctuary is change. Change can be good. We can’t allow ourselves to be stuck in the same old ways. God is never stuck like that. He also pointed out that the speakers to the organ are hidden behind the wooden grate up front. Most people sitting around me didn’t know this.
Following the offering we sang “How Great Thou Art.”
The scripture lesson was from Hebrews 8:1-13.
The pastor talked about how worship in this world is only a shadow of what worship will be like in Heaven. When we worship here on earth we are practicing for the greater worship in Heaven.
The pastor asked if that was exciting or worrisome. If we don’t like worship on earth why would we want to spend eternity doing this? What can we do to better experience God in worship so we will better experience God in Heaven?
The closing hymn was “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”.
About 127 folks enjoyed our time of worship together.
