BULLETIN | Livingston UMC

Welcome to Livingston United Methodist Church! Whether you are here in person or watching online, an active member, or one-time guest, we hope you will take a moment to sign in to our online guest book.

* indicates an invitation to rise in body or in spirit, as you are able

Prelude

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

Arranged by James Koerts
Tune: ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR
by George Elvey

Chris Warner, Organist

Welcome

Pastor Angie

*Call to Worship

Noelle Russell

Leader: We come to a field that is not yet sorted—
All: Wheat and weeds, hope and fear, growing side by side.
Leader: Creation itself is groaning, waiting, not yet fully itself—
All: And we groan with it, longing for what we cannot yet see.
Leader: But we have received a Spirit of adoption, not of fear—
All: We are held as children, even in the waiting.
Leader: So we gather in the middle of the story—
All: Trusting the Landowner. Letting it grow. Thanks be to God.

*Opening Hymn

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

George Job Elvey and Henry Alford

1 Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

2 All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3 For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

The First Reading

Romans 8:12–25 (MSG)

Children's Moments

Jen Brizendine

Jesus Loves the Little Children

George Frederick Root and Clare Herbert Woolston

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Morning, evening, day, and night,
They are precious in His sight -
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Prayer Requests / Prayers of the People

Feel free to text any prayer requests to Pastor Angie at (614) 309-6645.

If you prefer your prayer request remains private, or for others to know only that you request prayer, please indicate such when sending your request.

Prayer Response - The Serenity Prayer

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.
Living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
taking, as Jesus did,
this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it,
trusting that You will make all things right,
if I surrender to Your will,
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with You forever in the next.
Amen.

The Offering

To support our ministries, Livingston United Methodist Church depends on the financial support of our members and friends of the church like you. Visit our Donate page to give your gift today.

Offertory Music

Offertory on “Londonderry Air”

Arranged by James Koerts
Unknown

*Doxology (Lasst Uns Erfreuen)

Thomas Ken and Ralph Vaughan Williams

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise God, all creatures here below:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*Prayer of Dedication

*Praise Time

So Will I (100 Billion X)

Michael Fatkin, Benjamin Hastings, and Joel Houston

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don't speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I

So will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I

If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures diappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You're the One who never leaves the one behind

In His Time

Diane Ball

In His time, in His time;
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me ev'ry day As You're teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say in Your time.

*The Gospel Reading

Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 (MSG)

Message

Let It Grow

Pastor Angie

*Closing Hymn

Creation Sings

Shirley Erena Murray

1 Creation sings! And we are in the music,
the movement of God's energy and art,
a liturgy that links our life to angels,
a litany that rises from the heart.
The Spirit sings! Through love and lamentation,
from Pentecost to joy of Easter Day
the universe is resonant with music,
the smallest creature dances to its play.

2 Creation groans at our discordant clashing:
the Spirit comes with music as our friend
to bring the harmony of peace and beauty,
to teach the textures of the way to blend.
O God, you draw the melody from silence,
you make of us the instruments of song!
We offer thanks in worship and in wonder
that such a gift to human souls belong.

Announcements

More information about upcoming events and mission/outreach opportunities can be found on our Announcements page.

*Benediction & Sending Forth

Postlude

Pro(Re)cession

Arranged by Van Denman Thompson
by Johann Kuhnau (1677-1722)

We encourage parishioners to remain seated and enjoy the talents of our organist during the Postlude.