United Methodist Church of Cadillac

1020 East Division Street • Cadillac, Michigan

Phone 775-5362 • Fax 775-6475


May 3, 2009 • Fourth Sunday of Easter

Sunday Worship at 11:00 a.m.


PRELUDE


BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST..........by the Acolytes


WELCOME AND PARISH NOTES


CLIP BOARD MINISTRY FOR JUNE


*GATHERING WORDS

One:.....In the presence of God, we gather:

All:.....people burdened and looking for comfort;
folks whose spirits need a makeover.

One:.....Like little children, we surround God:

All:.....hoping for that touch which will refresh us;
longing to be embraced in arms of love.

One:.....We look, and find a feast has been prepared for us:

All:.....bread which will give us life anew;
the cup which overflows with grace and hope.


*OPENING HYMN..........#181

“Ye Servants of God”


*SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST


PRAYER HYMN..........#136

“The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want”


UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, We are so preoccupied with counting sheep that we forget how much we need a shepherd.


We are so occupied with numbers and statistics

that we forget to leave the counting to you.

You already know the sum of the hairs on the very heads that you have anointed.

You know our days, our challenges, our successes and our needs.

Today, we confess that our greatest need is for a shepherd.

And the lesson we have yet to learn is how to be your sheep. Amen.


Assurance of Pardon
Pastor:.....This is the good news: wherever we are, God is with us; whoever we are, God forgives us, and offers us new life.

All:.....Surely goodness and mercy are the companions we have been longing for, faithful friends as we continue our journey as God's people. Amen.


PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE


CHORAL ANTHEM..........Chancel Choir

“A Call to Trust” Arr. Williams/Martin


CHILDREN’S TIME


SCRIPTURE READING..........N.T. pg.121

Acts 4:5-12


MESSAGE..........Pastor Tom Ball

“The Kirk of Jesus Christ”


INVITATION • PRESENTING OUR GIFTS TO GOD • OFFERTORY


*DOXOLOGY..........Tune: Old 100th

Praise God for this great gift of life,

In Christ is ended death and strife,

We praise the Spirit for this day;

And seek to follow Christ’s true way. Amen.


*PRAYER OF DEDICATION..........(In Unison)

In thanks for the great gift of Jesus' life within us, we bring this offering to be used to spread the good news of his love. We bring our lives also to be blessed anew by God, praying that the power that raised Jesus from the dead will enliven our spirits and renew our dedication to witness to the gospel not just in word and speech, but in truth and action. Amen

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION


The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving


One: May God be with you.
All: And also with you.

One: Beloved of God, lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them to the One who leads us

where we need to be.

One: Little children, give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: Our praise is continually offered to our Heart,
our Shepherd, our God.


Holy God,
Planter of green pastures where we might be fed;
Pooler of waters which nourish us forever;
Shaper of paths which lead us into your presence:
all that you made is beautiful and good
and given to those created in your image.
Sadly, our wisdom leads us to choose hunger
over the feast you prepare for us;
we thirst in the deserts
when we could drink deeply
from your grace;
we stumble off those paths
leading to your holy presence.
Yet you continue to seek us out,
to bring us home to your kingdom,
preparing a feast for those who will respond
to your gracious invitation.

Therefore, we lift our voices to you day and night,
with those gathered around your throne
and with those who struggle to be faithful today,
singing your praise and our thanksgiving:

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of goodness and mercy,

green pastures and spring days are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.
 Blessed is the One who lays down his life for your children.

Hosanna in the highest.


Holy are you, Shepherd of all people,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior,
one with you in every respect.
For your name's sake,
he left the green pastures
to climb the garbage heap of Golgotha;
he waded out of the living waters
to be drenched with the abuse of the world;
he wandered the streets of the kingdom
covered with the dust of sin and death
to lead us into the kingdom of joy.

As we seek to follow the Good Shepherd
into all the places he would lead us,
we celebrate that mystery we call faith:

All: The Good Shepherd walked through the darkest valley;

the Good Shepherd prepares a Table for us;

the Good Shepherd abides in us.

Pour out your Holy Spirit
upon these gifts of the bread and the cup
you have prepared for your Table.
As the bread which is broken
makes us whole,
and the cup overflows with your grace,
so pour us out for others
so we may offer shelter
to those who have no home
so we may comfort those
whose hearts are broken by the world
so we may share food
with all who ache from hunger
so we may guide the thirsty
to the pools of life we have found.

And when our journey is ended,
when we are at home in the soft, green pastures,
resting by the still waters, we will find that Feast of grace, mercy, and hope you prepare for us,
and we will join with our companions
from every time and place, singing joy to you

and praying as Jesus taught us, Our Father . . .


The Lord’s Prayer..........#895

Sharing the Bread and Cup


Holy Communion is opened to all - all are invited and welcomed.

We will be serving by intinction this morning. You will receive

a piece of bread which can be dipped into the cup and received.

The Communion rail is opened for prayer.

Please come by the center aisle and return by the side aisle.


PRAYER OF THANKS FOR CHRIST’S PRESENCE (in unison)

Gracious God, we have been reminded of Jesus' sacrificial love for us as we have shared this meal together, and through the power of the Holy Spirit we have received his life in us. May we make our thanks visible by serving you and one another. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN..........#369

“Blessed Assurance”


*COMMISSION AND BLESSING


*POSTLUDE


*All who are able, please stand.


One of our Parish Nurses will be available in the Church Library on Sunday, May 17 (instead of the second Sunday, which would be on Mother’s Day) beginning at 9:30 a.m. to check your Blood Pressure or to answer any health questions you may have regarding a health issue. You are invited to stop in.


Sunday Volunteer Ministry, May 10, 2009

Organist/Pianist: Virginia Pulford

Acolyte: 11:00 a.m. - Timmy Coffey & Collin Hinkston

Nursery: Carolyn Mitchell

Sermontime: Darlene Fowler

Coffee Hour: 8:30 - Bill & Kit Rau

11:00 - Open

Power Point: Create & 11:00 - Lori Glynn 8:30 - Laurie Kinney

Greeters and Ushers 8:30 a.m. - Open

Greeters 11:00 a.m. - Open

Ushers 11:00 am- Open


Opportunities for Ministry This Week . . .

Sunday, May 3 - Fourth Sunday of Easter

Holy Communion served at both worship services

Coffee Hour Follows the 11:00 Worship Service

8:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship

9:30 a.m. - Church School

11:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship

Noon - 1:30 p.m. - JD’s meet

5:00 - 6:30 p.m. - SR. High meet


Monday, May 4

9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. - Early On Annual Luncheon

9:30 p.m. - UMW Executive Board

5:00 - 9 p.m. - BSA Troop #125 Court of Honor in Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, May 5

7:15 a.m. - Prayer Group

7:15 p.m. - Missions / Church & Society

Wednesday, May 6

6:00 p.m. - Staff Parish & Staff Appreciation Dinner @ McGuire’s

7:00 p.m. - Chancel Choir Practice

Thursday, May 7 National Day of Prayer

7:00 a.m. - Promise Keepers

11:30 a.m. - Prayer Group

Noon - 1:00 p.m. - National Day of Prayer @ Cadillac Pavilion

6:00 p.m. - Wesley Fellowship meets

6:30 p.m. - Sexual Abuse Support Group

Friday, May 8

6:30 p.m. - Mother/Daughter Banquet


Sunday, May 10 - Fifth Sunday of Easter- Mother’s Day

Teacher Recognition at both services

Coffee Hour Follows the 11:00 Worship Service

8:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship

9:30 a.m. - Church School

11:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship


Equal Exchange Coffee (decaf and regular) Sale will be held TODAY following both worship services.


TODAY is last day our YOUth will taking orders for Mother’s Day hanging baskets. You may choose from begonias, geraniums, fuchsias, impatiens and petunias. Baskets are again just $14.50. You may pick up your flowers at the Mother-Daughter dinner, May 8; Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 am. or Sunday, May 10 at church. Youth will be available in Fellowship Hall to take your orders or call Debbie Pant at 775-5362.


Wesley Fellowship will meet Thursday, May 7 at 6:00 p.m.. The program is “Show and Tell” and “You Are ‘It.’” Something old, something new. Something that is dear to you. A prized possession or a favorite poem. Everyone is welcome. Hosts are Frank, Jane and Alice.


Our Mother/Daughter Banquet will be held on Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m.. Pam Bowman will entertain us with the beautiful music of the dulcimer. TODAY is the last day to purchase tickets. Adults are $9.00; children ages 4-12 are $4.50 and children under 3 years old are free. See Mary Buehler after the early service or Betty Closson after the late service to purchase tickets.


THE ROUGH WINTER IS TURNING TO SPRING! Your response has been tremendous! For the $9,400 in extra/unexpected expenses that built up this winter, dozens of your have responded to give an additional $3,805 to help. We still have $5,595 in extra expenses, plus the lingering increase in monthly utilities. The display board in the Fellowship Hall is looking better. If you haven’t picked up an envelope, or have grabbed one and haven’t had a chance to return it, please continue to prayerfully consider an extra gift to your church, of whatever amount you are able, to help offset the current deficit. Your help to get your church out from under the mounting pile of unexpected and increasing expenses is deeply appreciated!!


TODAY’S WORSHIP MINISTRY . . .

Liturgist: Judy Coffey

Organist/Pianist: Virginia Pulford

Acolytes: 11:00 a.m. - Grace Myers

Nursery: Alice Silvers

Sermontime: Bridget Coffey

Coffee Hour: 8:30 - Pat Schroeder

11: 00 - Methodist Men and the Eidins Family

Power Point: Create & 8:30 - Dave Darrow 11:00 - Lori Glynn

Greeters/Ushers 8:30 a.m -

Greeters 11:00 a.m. -

Ushers 11:00 a.m. -


The Flowers on the Lord’s Table are given by the Logan Family in honor of Jennifer Logan’s birthday and by the Eidins Family in honor of Irma Eidin’s 90th birthday.


April showers bring May flowers. Our flowers are boxes of cereal for the King’s Storehouse, a local food pantry for all who need it. The King’s Storehouse is distributed from the First Baptist Church. Please bring boxes of cereal on the first Sunday in May.


Come celebrate Irma Eidin’s 90th Birthday TODAY during the Coffee Hour following the 11:00 a.m. worship. Birthday cake will be served by her family. Join in the celebration!!


May’s Loose Plate Offering will be designated to UMC Camp Scholarships for our own youth. Being able to go to summer camps and learn about our faith in a fun-filled atmosphere is an important part of growing up. These experiences enrich the lives of our children and enable them to form stronger friendships with children from our own congregation and, more importantly meet other youth from other congregations. Please continue to be generous in your giving.