1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR YOUR HEALTH
The Awesome Power of Faith
THE ORDER OF WORSHIP
Transfiguration of The Lord
February 15, 2015 Altar Color: White
PRELUDE
Bill Kutz, Organist
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty – Piet Post
How Firm A Foundation – Anna Laura Page
CHIMING OF THE HOUR
*PROCESSIONAL (ANTHEM)
Chancel Choir
With Songs Of Rejoicing – Bach – Hopson
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*MOMENTS OF FRIENDSHIP AND OPPORTUNITY
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Surely the Presence
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;
I can feel his mighty power and his grace.
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings,
I see glory on each face;
surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
*OPENING PRAYER
*OPENING HYMN
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
*GLORIA PATRI
To God Be the Glory
328
98
The Apostles’ Creed
OFFERING
OFFERTORY (ANTHEM)
Canticle Of Hope – Joseph M. Martin
*DOXOLOGY
881
70
Chancel Choir
95
SILENCE & PASTORAL PRAYER – LORD’S PRAYER
CHILDREN’S SERMON
Sunday, February 15, 2015
9:45 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
Monday, February 16, 2015
5:00 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
1:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
SOLO
Walter Godfrey, Bass
It Is Enough (From “Elijah”) – Felix Mendelssohn
The Awesome Power of Faith
*HYMN OF PARTING
Centering Prayer (CR)
Christian Believer (CR)
Staff Meeting (CR)
Young Adult Small Group @ Tom &
Shannon Ashley’s Home
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
12:00 p.m.
Ash Wed. Service @ Episcopal Church
followed by Soup Lunch @ 1st UMC (FH)
5:00 p.m.
Activity for Children
5:30 p.m.
Snack Supper
5:45 p.m.
Bible Study for Children
6:05 p.m.
Jimmy Townsend Handbell Ringers
7:00 p.m.
Chancel Choir
Saturday, February 21, 2015
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Emmaus Training @ First UMC
Sunday, February 22, 2015
9:45 a.m.
Sunday School
11:00 a.m.
Worship
5:00 p.m.
Widows Group Meeting (CR)
ATTENDANCE:
SERMON
Sunday School
Worship
Finance Committee (CR)
Church Audit (CR)
UMYF Prayer Time
Contemporary Praise Service (Sanctuary)
John MacKeil
*PRAISE SONG
Sanctuary
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you.
Repeat
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 2: 8-9 [Pg. 950]; Hebrews 11: 1, 6 [Pg.977]
Rev. Alice MacKeil
Faith of Our Fathers
*BENEDICTION
*EXTINGUISHING OF THE ALTAR CANDLES
*CARRYING OUT OF THE LIGHT
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE
Shalom to You
Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends.
May God’s full mercies bless you, my friends.
In all your living and through your loving,
Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.
710
Acolytes
Acolytes
666
*POSTLUDE
Bill Kutz, Organist
Finale on “Ode To Joy” – Beethoven – Koelewijn
2/1
2/8
Faith is choosing and believing God’s dream for your life.
“God, by His mighty power at work within us, is able to do
far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of –
infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or
hopes.” Ephesians 3: 20 (LB)
2. Faith is being willing to risk failure.
“They risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” Acts 15: 26 (NAS)
3. Faith is expecting God to bless and use you.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of
what we do not see.” Hebrews 11: 11 (NIV)
4. Faith is never giving up.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Mark 9: 24 (NIV)
1.
S. SCHOOL
WORSHIP
44
39
105
89
INTERCESSORY PRAYER GROUP
We are now up to almost 40 people praying on Mondays at 1:00
p.m. in our new Intercessory Prayer Group. If you are interested
in joining, please contact Alice at church (984-7696) or Don
Hocker. Prayer is powerful!!!
LAY SERVANT MINISTRIES SCHOOL
The Greenwood District will be holding a Lay
Servant Ministries School on March 22nd and March 29th at
Johnston UMC, Johnston SC. Registration will begin at 2:00
p.m. and the sessions will end each night at 7:30 p.m. A light
meal will be served. They will be offering 4 courses: Basic Course taught
by Chris Dawson (which is required for those who wish to be certified as a
Local Church Lay Servant) – Cost: $32; and three advanced courses for those
seeking to become or continue as Certified Lay Servants or Lay Speakers: Go
Preach taught by Carl Insley – Cost: $22, Accountable Discipleship taught
by John MacKeil – Cost: $22 and Five Practices of a Fruitful Congregation
taught by Howard Thomes – Cost: $22.
If interested, please pick up a registration form located on the bulletin board
outside the church office.
HEALTH MISSION PROJECT
This year the Mission Committee, with the help of our
church members, will be assisting The Laurens County
Memorial Home with items that the residents are limited in
obtaining because of their restricted budget.
For the month of February we will be collecting boxes of Kleenex.
A box is located outside the Church Office in which to place your items.
LENTEN STUDY FOR ADULT/YOUTH
COMBINED SUNDAY SCHOOL
Beginning Sunday, February 22 we will be having an
Adult/Youth Combined Sunday School Lenten Study called
Final Words From the Cross by Adam Hamilton. We will
start with a Coffee Time with light refreshments at 9:45 a.m. in
the Fellowship Hall and then start the lesson at 10:00 a.m. In this follow-up
book to 24 Hours That Changed the World, Hamilton examines Christ’s last
hours – and his final words as seen and heard by those who stood near the
cross. Moving through each chapter, participants will begin to understand and
respond to Jesus’ final words at the cross, while learning about the people
who were eyewitnesses to the Crucifixion. In the final chapter, Hamilton
focuses on those days after the Resurrection to examine what Jesus said to the
disciples on the road to Emmaus, plus his final words to others who were
Resurrection witnesses. Please sign-up on the bulletin board by Sunday,
February 15 if you are interested in purchasing a book. The cost is $11.00
which can be paid when you pick up your book.
SAVE THE DATE
Vacation Bible School at First UMC
Sunday, July 12 – Thursday, July 16, 2015
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
MEMORIALS
In Memory of: Bobby O’Bryant
Given by: Bill & Margaret Ellison; Betty Faircloth;
Willie & Sue Jones; Harry & Penny Pabst;
Bruce Sumerel; Joanne Thomason;
Thomas Thompson; Mary Townsend; Dot Wilson
In Memory of: Bill Taylor
Given by: Betty Faircloth
HONORARIUM
In Honor of: Scott Bigham
Given by: Willie & Sue Jones
SERVING THIS MORNING: Sunday, February 15, 2015
Sunday School Greeters: Willie & Sue Jones; John & Merry Young
Ushers: Jim Stroud, Diane Allen, Tom Ashley, Toby Dillard
John MacKeil, Harry Pabst, Ron Spencer
Crucifer: Gabriel Hillmann
Acolytes: A.C. Blair, Katelyn Martin
Adult Helper: Randy Hillmann
Lay Liturgist: John MacKeil
Nursery: Melissa Tilden
Children’s Church: Gayle Hocker; Merry Young
Martha Franks Driver: Emil Finley
Flowers: The flowers are given in honor of Bill & Elizabeth Kutz and are
placed by Willie & Sue Jones.
Welcome Guests
We bid you a warm welcome and pray that you will know God’s
presence in worship with us.
If you are interested in joining First United Methodist Church please
speak with Pastor Alice after worship or call the Church Office at 984-7696.
Prayer Concerns
At First United Methodist Church
we challenge each other to be BOLD,
to step out in faith as disciples of Jesus Christ.
BIBLE VERSE FOR FEBRUARY
The plans I have for you are plans to prosper you,
not to harm you.
They are plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29: 11 NIV
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
& CHURCH AUDIT
Sunday, February 15th at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room
Church Audit begins at 2:00 p.m.
THE
FIRST
UNITED
METHODIST
CHURCH
LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. XXXIII
February 15, 2015
No. 07
343530262723N2221No.1010091006070351515515051
No.N484744342438393738373673637
CONTEMPORARY PRAISE SERVICE
Sunday, February 15th at 6:00 p.m.
First UMC Sanctuary
Message by Allan Burden.
Scripture: 2 Kings 2: 1-12 ; Sermon: “That’s What Faith Can Do”
Scott Bigham – undergoing Chemo treatments for Esophageal cancer
MINISTRY OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Shirley McIntyre – NHC of Laurens, 301 Pinehaven St. Ext., Rm. 115A,
Laurens, SC 29360
Nannie Roberts – NHC of Laurens, 301 Pinehaven St. Ext., Rm. 121,
Laurens, SC 29360
UMYF TIME CHANGE
We are reviving our youth Sunday school by moving UMYF to
Sunday mornings. UMYF will also meet at 5:30 p.m. for prayer
time on the Sundays we have our Contemporary Praise Service.
NEW GROUP FOR WIDOWS
God has put it upon Pastor Alice’s heart to offer a new
group for widows. To be healthy Christians we need
others to walk with us and watch out for us. If you are
interested in meeting weekly with other widows for
support and encouragement, please come to a planning meeting on Sunday,
February 22nd at 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Room to talk about when
and where to meet. This group will be open to anyone in our community.
CHICKEN STEW SALE
Saturday, February 28th
Ready for pick-up at 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $8.00 per Quart
** This may be the last stew made for the season. **
Place orders with any Mission Committee member
or call the Church Office @ 984-7696.
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
Wednesday, February 18th at 12 Noon at the Episcopal Church
followed by Vegetable Beef Soup lunch at First UMC
Cost for meal: $5.00
All are welcome!
FINANCIAL REPORT
February 10, 2015
MONTH TO DATE
YEAR TO DATE
Revenue - - - - - - $ 12,321.00
$ 29,119.68
Expenses - - - - - -$ 8,904.88
$ 30,715.33
Net - - - - - - - - - - $ 3,416.12
($ 1,595.65)
STAFF MEMBERS
Pastor
Financial Secretary
Director of Music/Organist
Church Secretary
Ministers
Alice MacKeil
Lucy Crowder
Bill Kutz
Karen Reeder
Entire Congregation
Church Phone Numbers
984-7696 or 984-2067
984-2969 (fax)
715-0430 (Parsonage)
864-420-0004 (Pastor’s Cell)
e-mail addresses
[email protected]
[email protected]
Web Page Address
firstmethodistlaurens.com
GETTING TO KNOW
FRANCES & CONWAY SIEBERT
For many years many probably saw Conway, who was
Sunday School Superintendent, walking the hallways of
the church handing out the attendance sheets and keeping
track of all the classes, and for a number of years, Frances
working in the Preschool program. Members since 1948,
both have served the church faithfully in a number of ways
mostly on the Education Committee. Conway recalls the
time when he was asked to temporarily fill in teaching the
5th grade and ended up doing so for 15 years. In addition to
participation at First UMC, he was first the Manager of
Dendy’s Grocery Store and then the owner of the West
End Grocery. He spent time working for Strietmann
Biscuit which would later become a part of Keebler’s.
Frances worked for CPW for some years as well as for
Earl Thomason Jewelers. They have a son Michael, 2
Grandchildren and 5 Great-Grandchildren. Now long
retired, they welcome visitors to their home to sit and visit.