Order of Service Sunday March 29, 2020

ORDER OF SERVICE

Sunday March 29, 2020

Joys and concerns will take place later in the service. Take this time to insert yours in the comment section of the video. Remember the comment section is view able to the public.

CALL TO WORSHIP

God is our midst, forming us to be God’s own people. Though the way may be difficult, God will be with us. We need not fear, even if the territory feels foreign to us. In the Lord we will take our refuge, for God is our strength.

HYMN “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” #57 UMH Verses 1-3, 7

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

O God, in mystery and silence you are present in our lives, bringing new life out of destruction, hope out of despair, growth out of difficulty. We thank you that you do not leave us alone, but labor to make us whole. Help us to perceive your unseen hand in the unfolding of our lives, even amidst the troubles of our world. Help us to attend to the gentle guidance of your Spirit, that we may know the joy you give your people. May we receive that joy with thanksgiving in our hearts, and spread it to all those whose lives we touch, today and in all the days that follow. In Christ our Lord we pray, Amen.

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 137: 1-6

Luke 12: 4-7

HYMN ”His Eye is on the Sparrow” #2146 TFWS

SERMON: “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” Rev. David Nicol

SPECIAL MUSIC “Weather the Storm” Sung by Barbara Middaugh.

THE PEACE

Please send a heart on this video to show your brothers and sisters in Christ we are thinking of them.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Let Us Pray to the Lord Lord, have mercy.

Together, let us pray

for the people of this congregation...

for those who suffer and those in trouble...

for the concerns of this local community...

for the world, its peoples, and its leaders...

for the earth you have given to our care…

for the Church universal—its leaders, its members, and its mission...

in communion with the saints….

THE LORD'S PRAYER Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

As we forgive those who sin against us.

And Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever

Amen.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS tithes.hamburgumc.org/Give

BLESSING

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit

be with you all. Amen.

HYMN ” God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again” #672 UMH

Order of Service. Sunday March 22, 2020

ORDER OF SERVICE

Sunday March 22, 2020

WELCOME

Please write your Joys & Concerns for Prayers of the people in the comment section of the live stream. *Remember the video and comment section are public *

CALL TO WORSHIP

The Spirit is our midst, connecting us as the Body of Christ. Though the way may be difficult, God is with us. We need not fear. In the Lord we will take our refuge, for God is our strength.

HYMN “Tis’ So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” #462 UMH

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

New every morning is your love, great God of light,

and all day long you are working for good in the world.

Stir up in us a desire to serve you,

even when our lives are disrupted and uncertain,

and to devote each day to your Son,

our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.

Amen.

SCRIPTURE

2 Chronicles 6:12-14, 17-21, 28-30

James 1:2-4, 12-18

SERMON: “Even so, It is Well.” Rev. David Nicol

SPECIAL MUSIC “Precious Lord, Take my Hand” Jon Sentz & Howie Evert

THE PEACE

Please send a heart on this video to show your brothers and sisters in Christ we are thinking of them.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Lord, in your mercy Hear our prayer.

Let Us Pray to the Lord Lord, have mercy.

Together, let us pray

for the people of this congregation...

for those who suffer and those in trouble...

for the concerns of this local community...

for the world, its peoples, and its leaders...

for the earth you have given to our care…

for the Church universal—its leaders, its members, and its mission...

in communion with the saints….

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come,

Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

As we forgive those who sin against us.

And lead us not

into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory forever.

Amen.

HYMN ”It is Well With my Soul” #377 UMH

BLESSING

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit

be with you all. Amen.

HUMC COVID-19 Update

More Unusual Times

Dear Saints,

As I write this letter, the United States is in the midst of increasing response to the novel corona virus causing COVID-19. As I wrote regarding the state of the nation and The United Methodist Church in light of a presidential impeachment and the pending General Conference, unusual times call for unusual responses. I still believe that Hamburg UMC, as a Christian community, is gifted by God with all we need to effectively make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, because the Holy Spirit is at work in and through the people of this congregation. I still believe, with all my being, that the Holy Spirit will provide each of us with insight and clarity about the will of God for our life together. However, I am convinced we need act, and act prudently, in light of that faith in God’s grace for us.

As of this morning, Friday 13 March 2020, the World Health Organization has advised that the COVID-19 meets the definition of a pandemic. As of today, many private colleges and universities, as well as the SUNY system have announced a shift from in-person to online instruction. Governor Cuomo has placed a restriction on all gatherings of over 500 persons in the state of New York, and the Erie County Department of Health has advised the following:

1. Strongly recommends cancelling all events with 250 or more attendance

2. People seriously consider avoiding events with over 50 in attendance especially if those events include people traveling from outside Erie County and that those over 60 or with chronic medical conditions not attend such events.

We cannot follow Jesus alone for very long, nor can we know the way of Jesus apart from the Body of Christ, the Church. We need each other, however, in a time when social distancing, limiting travel, and decreasing large group exposure might not just preserve health but save lives, we need to take practical steps to engage in a faithful, evidence based response to the current pandemic. As of today, Hamburg UMC will have worship on Sunday, March 15 as planned, but we will be doing the following:

1. We will be asking each family unit to leave at least 3-6 feet between them and others in the sanctuary when seated;

2. We will be STRONGLY discouraging hand shaking and other physical contact;

3. Those serving communion will be washing hands thoroughly to serve you. I have been asked about shifting to individual cups for receiving the juice—while I am sympathetic to the desire to avoid cross-contamination, there is no scientific evidence this will be beneficial (as fingers tend to touch more than just the cup each individual takes from the tray). We will be insuring bread will be broken in large pieces and chalices filled so that touching either the cup or the juice with fingers should be avoidable easily. I will be preaching on Communion Sunday, and one matter I will include is a discussion of the doctrine of concomitance which says if you receive in only one kind (either bread or cup) you have received the full grace of the sacrament—if you remain concerned with intinction, please feel free to bypass the cup;

4. We will be receiving the offering without passing plates, at the front of the church, as we often do in the summer;

5. As your pastor, I strongly urge you if you are concerned for your health or believe you are at particular risk to infection to stay home, and if possible, to watch the live-feed of worship: https://www.facebook.com/HamburgNYUMC/

6. I will be meeting with key leaders to discern how we might respond to COVID-19 following worship Sunday, and then with the Church Council Monday night—I will be requesting that a significant amount of time be focused on developing both missional and administrative responses to the pandemic and clarifying our collective plan.

7. I will be asking the Missions/Outreach Committee to help coordinate a plan for providing resources and assistance to families impacted by food insecurity in the case of multi-day and potentially long-term school cancellations, as well as other folks who might be impacted by resource scarcity.

Christians throughout history have been identified, often most clearly, in the midst of major epidemics by two interrelated qualities. First, as resurrection people, we need not fear death; second, as people who serve the Lord Jesus, who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and proclaimed good news to the poor, we strive to do the same and stay to meet those needs even when everyone else flees for fear of death themselves. We can pray, we can care for our neighbors and share resources, and as a congregation we can coordinate our resources to meet the particular needs of those in our community most likely to suffer from isolation and cancellation of everyday activities.

Jesus told his followers that because he was returning to his Father they would do the kinds of things he did during his ministry and even greater things than these (John 14:12). I believe this is the moment, not for panic, but for us to embrace the call to be Christians by embodying Christ for a world that needs the kinds of things he has always done (here I am thinking especially of Romans 12:1-18 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-17).

In the words of the old hymn, “Sent Forth By God’s Blessing,” UMH 664, “the service is ended, O now be extended…” We have worshipped God together and now we are called to live out what we have learned.

In Christ’s Service, with you,

Pastor David Nicol