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?
HymnLord, 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 MusicBeneath 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.]
SermonThe 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.”
HymnGo 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 HymnMake Me a Captive, Lord
Benediction
Join us back here next Sunday (March 29) for our online worship!
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