October 19, 2014 Season of Pentecost God Makes All Special We Gather in the Name of Jesus Serving as Ushers today: Bob Shepheard, Bill Hudghton, Charles McCall, Dennis Berkey Greeters: Stephen & Paula Ross Prelude Gary Hostetler, Minister of Music Acolytes: Sydney Berkey & Sophia Spotts *Welcome & Call to Worship John Jackson, Lay Servant (please stand in body or spirit) Leader: The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! People: The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Leader: Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he! People: Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Psalm 99:1-4 *Opening Praise (p lease stand in bo d y o r spirit) Great and Mighty (words on screen) Step by Step (words on screen) Spirit of the Living God 393 (red Hymnal) Welcome & Children’s Blessing Pastor Bo Gordy-Stith We Proclaim & Respond to the Good News First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 John Jackson, Lay Servant Psalm 99 Setting A: The Lo rd is King, Enthroned in Might 620 (blue Psalter) Psalm Prayer: Holy are you, the Lord Almighty, God who was, and is, and is to come. Grant us strength and conviction to worship you with our actions as well as our lips, that at every opportunity we may bring glory to your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Good News: Exodus 33:12-23 Pastor Bo Gordy-Stith Key Verse (Exodus 33:19) in unison: And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Leader: This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Prayer for Illumination The Message: Go d Mak es All Special John Jackson, Lay Servant Pastor Bo Gordy-Stith We Give Thanks to God Offering: Great is Thy Faithfulness Asbury Choir *Presentation of Gifts (please stand in bo d y o r in sp irit) I’m Yours, Lord (words on screen) Prayers of the People The Lord’s Prayer (using “trespasses”) 1043 (blue Psalter) The Spirit Gifts & Sends Us Blessing Pastor Bo Gordy-Stith *Sending Song (please stand in bo d y o r spirit) Rejoice the Lord is King (verses 1-2) 715 (red Hymnal) Going Forth—Carry the Light and Peace of Jesus our Messiah Next Sunday’s Theme—Love All With Your All please read Matthew 22:34-46 (key verse Matthew 22:37-39) Worship Notes: Exodus 33:12-23 Exodus is the second book of the five books of the Torah, or Law, of our Old Testament. Sometimes it is called the Pentateuch, from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (used in Jesus’ and Paul’s time). It describes the pivotal moment in Israel’s history when the children of Israel became the people of God. The Lord rescued from the Pharaoh and 400 years of slavery in Egypt and led them across the desert to a land of promise—under the leadership of Moses. Moses stands as the key figure in the Old Testament, and he has many connections with Jesus. Both Moses and Jesus mediate the relationship between God and God’s people. Moses received the Law (the Ten Commandments) from God on Mount Sinai, and John calls Jesus the lo go s, or Word of God. Moses, an adopted prince of Egypt, freed God’s people from slavery to the Pharaoh on the first Passover. Jesus, whom Joseph adopted, became the Passover Lamb of God, who freed us all from slavery to sin and death. Moses’ successor was Joshua—Yeshuach in Hebrew—which is also Jesus’ name in Hebrew (Jesus is the Greek form of his name). In this passage, Moses has returned to the mountain after breaking the tablet of the Law when he saw the people in the valley below worshipping a golden calf (they had given up hope that he was still alive—and they craved a tangible image of God). It’s difficult to understand this impulse through the veil of ancient cultural practices, but we can understand well enough the frustration of God’s silence and invisibility. Apparently Moses also understands, as he asks God to “show me your glory—now.” God speaks the unspeakable name, but warns Moses that “no one can see me and live.” These deceptively simple words invite us to a journey of understanding the distance we experience in our relationship with God—and perhaps with each other. That distance allows us room to live and to grow. It can also make us lonely, though, and so we cry out for a word and we beg for God’s presence. God passes by, and we glow in God’s glory. THE GOOD NEWS AT ASBURY Bring your family and friends to Milburn Orchard on October 24 for our Bonfire Hayride. We will be gathering this week in the special designated parking lot by 7:45 pm. Bring a blanket if it’s chilly and a flashlight cause it’s dark!!! Everything else provided (hot dogs-cider-s’mores-apple donuts) Sign-up sheet on table in narthex. Or just show up! (Milburn’s rules: no pets-no smoking-no alcohol) Trunk or Treat Next Sunday, October 26, from noon to 2 pm! We’re inviting you to join us next Sunday to offer a safe and fun environment for the children in our neighborhood, childcare, and church family to celebrate All Hallows Eve (the night before All Saints Day, when we celebrate Christ’s power to resurrect us all to eternal life). The idea is something like a tailgate Trick-or-Treat, with kids going from care to car in our parking lot. You can decorate your car or yourself or not, but you’ll want to stock up on treats to pass out to the children from 1-2 pm. See the flyers on the back table and RSVP today in the pumpkin bowl—see Vickey Mohler or Amy Johns with questions. Our Lady of Fatima/Asbury Outreach Program Updated The outreach program, hosted by Asbury Church, is working out well. The collaboration between the two churches has helped in the community with our needy. They have greatly expanded their food closet and are thankful of the partnership we have established. At the exits of church are available sheets pertaining to the needs of the food closet and a volunteer sign up sheet with specific information about helping out with this program. Please feel free to take a flyer and let's see how we can make this program better than ever!!! Thanks, Marge Food Closet need for the month: cereal, packets of powered milk, canned meat, pasta sauce, pasta. Thanks, Elaine, Linda, Sandy World Thank Offiering UMW is having their World Thank Offering program today after the service around 11:45 a.m. This will be held in the Chapel. There will be a program and light refreshments after. Please bring your change jar. This is part of our 5 Star Unit of giving. We will be taking a Gift in Memory collection too, to remember the past UMW members. Thank You and see you there, Renie Sacks for Soldiers news: Many thanks to those of you who have already brought items, made hats, or donated money. Last day for donations is Sunday, Nov. 16th. 1. collection box for items is located in Copy Room. but I will try to have it in Narthex on Sunday mornings 2. collection basket for Hats for Soldiers is in Rm 5 on the white shelf; patterns for knitting and crocheting the hats are on table in Narthex with a sample of each. 3. Envelopes for donations for Santa Sacks for Soldiers are in the pew card holders and also on table in the Narthex. Just drop your envelope in the collection plate when it's passed. 3. If you'd like to help us fill the Santa Sacks for Soldiers, join us on Saturday, Nov. 22nd, in Fellowship Hall, from 9 a.m. to 11:00. All helpers are invited to stay for a pizza party afterwards to celebrate the completion of our mission. Please sign up on the sheet in the Narthex if you plan to stay for lunch, to make sure we have enough!!! Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 This Week We Pray for: Our Bishop Peggy Johnson Our District Superintendent, Derrick Porter Amanda MakowskiHetherington Shirley Ingram Louisa Sophy and David Elaine Wright Bill Chynoweth Megan Sherkey Russell Betty Freemark Pastor Bo and the Gordy-Stith family Darlene and Robert Lee Lindsay Mitchell Ryan Kachmar & Family Bill & Donna Crowder Howie and Kathleen Hewett Marti Munion—Surgery 10/23/14 Margie Shepheard Janet Schoonover Debbie Warren Jack & Ruth Walters Delaney Carter Rae Bothner Bud Lawrence Bob Patch Janice Kane Don Reynolds Ada Fortner Dale & Chris Paleschic Paige King, 351st Unit in Afghanistan Heritage at Milford — Sue Hopkins Manor Care Foulk Road — Lucille Shepheard Windsor Place — Dawn Reider Cokesbury Village—Ann and Del Burns Kentmere—Lois Whitmer We thank God for Answered Prayers in the Life of: Shannon Reeder Dial Daily Devotions Please dial 302-328-4141 to hear this week’s message. We wish to Thank Merle Ciesielski for the altar flowers in memory of Edith Arnold. This Week at Asbury (October 19-25) Today 8:45 a.m. 9:15 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 5:15 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Mon. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Tues. 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Wed. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Thurs. 11:00 a.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Fri. 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Sat. 7:45 a.m. Women’s Study Group (Room 5) Communion (Chapel) Hospitality (Memorial Lounge) Worship Celebration and Sunday School Youth Group (Chapel) AA Meeting (Room 20) Meals on Wheels (Linda Mumford) Sisters Group (Room 5) Meals on Wheels (Linda Mumford) Volleyball (Hall) Emmaus (Room 5) Meals on Wheels (Linda Mumford) Pastor’s Bible Study (Room 5) Meals on Wheels (Linda Mumford) Cub Scouts Choir Rehearsal Chapel Boy Scouts Food Closet (Front Office) Meals on Wheels (Linda Mumford) Milburn Orchard Hayride & Bonfire Men’s Fellowship & Coffee (Room 5) Next Sunday! Trunk-Or-Treat from noon to 2 pm! The flowers on the altar today are given in memory of Edith Arnold, who passed away earlier this year. Edith and her husband, Ken, were former members of Asbury church, who moved to Florida “temporarily” to care for Edith’s mother, Dorothy Rollins. A small graveside service was held recently at St. George’s Cemetery (in Delaware) for both Edie and her mom. Edith Arnold is remembered for her enthusiastic participation as a member of the Asbury Missions Team that dug the foundation (2001) and helped to build a church in Santiago, in the Dominican Republic. Crop Hunger Walk 2014 A cheerful crowd of walkers representing six churches and one garden club made the New Castle Area CROP Hunger Walk, on October 12th, a success. Asbury Church was represented by eleven walkers, including one “virtual walker” who was unable to leave his hospital bed, but was with the team in thought and raised money for the walk as well. Together, Team Asbury, raised more than a thousand dollars to help stamp out hunger. Thanks to all who walked and all who sponsored walkers. Thanks, also to Sandy Jablonski, who sat at the rest stop table provided by Asbury Church. Last Sunday, 109 gathered to worship. Average Weekly Budget Income is $3,567.00. Our Average Weekly Giving for September was $3,893.13. Contact Information 300 East Basin Rd. New Castle, DE 19720 asburynewcastle.net 302-328-5649 (Office) 302-328-5640 (Child Care) Admin. Assistant—Sandy Jablonski ([email protected]) Child Care—Angela Kirkley/Danielle Clemens ([email protected]) Finance/Operations—Bob Shepheard ([email protected]) Pastor—Bo Gordy-Stith ([email protected]) 302-373-5143 Music & Arts Minister—Gary Hostetler ([email protected]) 379-3732 Visitation Minister—John Jackson ([email protected]) 302-366-1538 Office Hours: M-F 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday Worship: 9:15 a.m. Communion (Chapel) 10:15 a.m. Main Worship (Sanctuary)