March 22 Online Worship - Athens First UMC

Welcome to our March 22 online worship @ Athens First UMC!

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

Greeting From Pastor Robert

Call to Worship

L: When Jesus called the disciples to follow him, he called them by name.

P: Lord, are you calling my name? 

L: Jesus called the names of Bartholomew, Simon, James the Lesser, Thaddeus, Andrew, Philip, James the Greater, Judas, Peter, John, Matthew, & Thomas.

P: Lord, are you calling my name? 

Hymn                       Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore

Welcome & Passing the Peace

[The Mangen’s family dogs participated in last Sunday’s online worship service. Maddie (left), Bailey (back), & Carley (front) invite you to greet one another, not by rubbing noses, but by simply barking out, “The peace of Christ be with you.”]

Prayer of Confession & Words of Assurance

Lord, we confess that we are finding it difficult to follow you. We don’t want you to go to Jerusalem. We’ve told you that it’s not safe there. You might get killed! Lord, we don’t always understand your ways. Forgive us. We so easily forget that the way of discipleship is costly. Thank you for loving us even when we would rather do things our way. During this Season of Lent, help us to continue to follow you all the way to the cross. Amen.

L: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

P: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

All: Thanks be to God!

Children’s Moments                             Kathy Mangen

New Testament Lesson - Acts 11:27-12:3

[Our Director of Congregational Care, Rick Seiter leads us in the reading of our Acts scripture which tells us about the death of our disciple for today, James the Greater.]

Gospel Lesson - Matthew 20:20-28

[Dr. Dick Gaskell, Athens County Health Department Commissioner leads us in the reading of our Gospel lesson from Matthew which offers us the story of our disciple focus for today, James the Greater and his brother, John who want to have a special place of authority next to Jesus in his glory.]

Special Music         Beneath the Cross of Jesus           Kevin Dael

[A big thank you to Kevin Dael, our Bell Choir Director for providing us with this bell arrangement of “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” that he presented last June in our church. It’s a very fitting anthem for the season of Lent and our journey to the cross.]

Sermon        The Twelve Disciples of Jesus: James the Greater               
                                                                     Rev. Robert McDowell

Sermon Discussion Questions

Why do you think Da Vinci portrayed James the Greater this way in the painting?

What are some ways that God might be calling us to let go of the things in our lives that are keeping us from being faithful disciples of Jesus Christ?

Meditate and discuss what this quote from a book written by German theologian, Dietrich Bonheoffer (1906-1945) means for you as you seek to be a follower of Jesus: 

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline…Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ living and incarnate.”

Hymn                                                Go to Dark Gethsemane

Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer

Church News

Offering Our Gifts

Thank you for your gifts!!!

“Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” – 1 Chronicles 29:12

Closing Hymn                            Make Me a Captive, Lord

Benediction

Join us back here next Sunday (March 29) for our online worship!

[For previous Sunday sermons, click here.]