United Methodist Church of Cadillac

1020 East Division Street • Cadillac, Michigan

775-5362 • Fax 775-6475


March 22, 2009 • Fourth Sunday in Lent

Sunday Worship at 11:00 a.m.


WE GATHER TO WORSHIP


PRELUDE


BRINGING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST


WELCOME AND PARISH NOTES


*WORSHIP ALERT

One:..On these days of Lenten journey,

All:.....Christ goes with us side by side.

One:..While we gather here for worship,

All:.....May our lives be focused with praise and care.

One:..As we sing, pray, and listen,

All:.....May God’s Spirit deep within us come alive.

One:..Prepare us now for this time of worship,

All:.....And may the power and promise of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us.

*HYMN OF PRAISE.........................................................................#384

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”


*SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST


THE PEOPLE OF GOD PRAYING


If you have a prayer joy or concern you would like shared

during the Prayer of the People, please hand it to an usher.


BELL PRAYER HYMN.................................................................................Bell Choir

In the Cross of Christ I Glory”


UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, our God, we confess that we have not always lived for you. You have invited us into new life, yet we have closed our eyes and ears and hearts against that invitation. You have shown us the way to love, yet we have chosen too often the path of uncaring. You have challenged us to generosity, but many times we would rather keep to ourselves. Enter our lives, God, once again. Release us from the bonds of self-centeredness. Create in us a renewed openness to your love, that we may share your love with others. Amen.

WORDS OR ASSURANCE

Pastor:..The Christ who taught us how to forgive continues to forgive us -- not once, but over and over again. The mercy of the Lord is everlasting. Friends, believe the Good News of the gospel.

All: ….....In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE


THE LORD’S PRAYER........................................................................................#895


READING AND PROCLAIMING OF THE WORD


SCRIPTURE READING.................................................................................NT Pg 73

Luke 11:37-52


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

Amazing Savior” Arr. Benjamin Harlan


TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN


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

Hearts of Stone”


WE RESPOND TO THE WORD


OFFERING INVITATION


OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

We will be receiving our morning offering and bringing our stones

to the front and place them on the tables. If you are unable to come forward, signal an usher and they will take your offering to the table.


OFFERTORY


*DOXOLOGY....................................................................................Tune: Hamburg

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

that were a present far too small;

love so amazing so divine

demands my soul, my life, my all. Amen.


*PRAYER OF CONSECRATION (in unison)

God, your heart is wide open to us. You have given to us freely and taught us to return to you a portion of what we have. Grant us glad and generous hearts; enable us be as open to you as you are to us. Help us use your gifts wisely and for the benefit of all your people. Amen.

WE SCATTER TO SERVE IN THE WORLD


*CLOSING HYMN...............................................................................................#292

What Wondrous Love Is This”


*BENEDICTION AND BLESSING


*POSTLUDE



I want to say thank you to my loving church family for your prayers and cards. I thank God for each one of you and to Pastor Tom for his call to pray with me before my surgery.

Love & Blessings, Marilyn Truax


Sunday Volunteer Ministry, March 29, 2009

Organist/Pianist: Virginia Pulford

Acolyte: 11:00 a.m. - Open

Nursery: Kathy Green

Sermontime: Clara Handy

Coffee Hour: 8:30 - Gary & Kathy Box

11: 00 - Open

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

Greeters and Ushers 8:30 a.m. - Dan & Shelley DeCoeur

Greeters 11:00 a.m. - Cathy Lily

Head Usher 11:00 a.m. - Tom Maxwell

Ushers 11:00 am- Donna Welsh, Hazel Jarvis, Judy Murdoch

Becky Dorrell


Opportunities for Ministry This Week . . .

Sunday, March 22 - Fourth Sunday in Lent

Coffee Hour Follows Both Worship Services

8:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship

9:30 a.m. - Church School

11:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship

4:00 - 7:00 p.m. - YOUth Broom Ball @ Wex

6:00 p.m. - Fourth Lenten Study and Baked Potato Bar


Tuesday, March 24

7:15 a.m. - Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 25

7:00 a.m. - Lenten Breakfast @ Cadillac Christian Reformed

7:00 p.m. - Education Committee

7:00 p.m. - Choir Practice

Thursday, March 26

11:30 a.m. - Prayer Group

6:00 p.m. - Methodist Men Meeting with Potluck Supper

6:30 p.m. - Grow Group in Wesley Room

7:00 p.m. - Worship Committee


Sunday, March 29 - Fifth Sunday in Lent

Coffee Hour Follows Both Worship Services

8:30 a.m. - Sunday Worship

9:30 a.m. - Church School

11:00 a.m. - Sunday Worship

6:00 p.m. - Fifth and Final Lenten Study and Pizza Dinner


IT'S BEEN A ROUGH WINTER!
Record snowfall, boiler failure, broken pipes, increased utility bills. Put this along with the weather causing decreased attendance and offerings on a few Sundays and our expenses are getting well ahead of our offering income. Take a look at the display board in the fellowship hall and grab an envelope. Prayerfully consider an extra gift to your church, of whatever amount you are able, to help offset the deficit we are experiencing. Help get your church out from under the mounting pile of unexpected & increasing expenses.

Thank you,

Finance Committee


Love to sing? Come and join in a gathered Community Choir for the Community Good Friday Service on April 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cadillac Christian Reformed Church. The choir will be under the direction of Dave McMahon. Practices will be held on Wednesdays, March 25, April 1 &, if needed, April 8 at our church at 8:00 p.m. They will be singing two anthems during the service - no auditions. All are invited to share in this musical offering.


In his passing, Harold Gekeler left behind two kitties, Tiger and Priscilla, who are looking for a new home, or homes. Tiger is a mellow 16 year old male tabby. He’s a “good ole guy” that lies around most of the time, but still plays. Priscilla is a middle aged, white and orange female, with a tail that wags like a dog (gotta see it.) Both cats are indoor/outdoor and litter trained. If you would like to consider adopting one or both of these kitties, please call Steve Gorski, Harold’s grandson,.


Wesley Fellowship will meet on Thursday, April 2 at 6:00 p.m. in the Corbin Room. We invite everyone to come join in the fellowship of a shared meal and the beautiful music of Easter, played by hand bell soloist Kristine Stout. Bring your own table service and a dish to share.

Escape the Stress of Poverty, a Community Forum, presented by nationally recognized expert on poverty, Donna Beagle, will be held on Tuesday, March 24 from 9:00 a.m. - Noon at the Cadillac Area Public Schools Community Auditorium. All members of the community are welcome. Admission is free.


Methodist Men will be meeting on Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m.. After our usual "great" potluck, we will have a short business meeting and our devotions. Our program will be a DVD, "Attack and Capture," the story of the heroic capture of German U Boat 505 during World War II. Dave Basset is our host for the evening. Bring a friend and join us.


TODAY’S WORSHIP MINISTRY . . .

Liturgist: 8:30 - Bedonna Davis

Organist/Pianist: Ann Hunt

Acolytes: 11:00 a.m. - Caleb & Carissa Mitchell

Nursery: Lisa Weaver

Sermontime: Darlene Fowler

Coffee Hour: 8:30 - Sue & Ben Smith, Evie Lux

11:00 - Trustees

Power Point: Create & 8:30 - Jeff Hinkston 11:00 - Clara Handy

Greeters/Ushers 8:30 a.m - Pat Schroeder

Greeters 11:00 a.m. - Jack & Betty Mitchell

Head Usher 11:00 a.m. - Randy & Carolyn Mitchell

Ushers 11:00 a.m. - Peggy Kirvan, Dee Brinks, Marie Rennie


The Flowers on the Lord’s Table are given by

Peg Kirvan in loving memory of Ronda Swanberg.


Come and join in the Lenten Video Study tonight at 6:00 p.m. We will begin with a Baked Potato Bar. Then, sing some favorite hymns and view the video “What Matters Most.” Great study, come along.


You are cordially invited to a Cadillac Area Lenten Breakfast sponsored by the Cadillac Area Ministerial Association each Wednesday during Lent from 7:00 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. A freewill offering is received. This week’s breakfast is March 25 at Cadillac Christian Reformed Church. Our speaker will be Jerry Lange, pastor of the 1st Covenant Church.


Cereal Sunday - On the first Sunday of the month our congregation collects non-perishable food items or paper products. One month it is delivered to OASIS, the local shelter for women and children. The alternating month it goes to the local food pantry, The King’s Storehouse at First Baptist. April is a shower of cereal for OASIS. As you shop this month, pick up a box or two. Join us in building a tower of cereal!