Online Maundy Thursday Service (April 9) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our April 9 (Maundy Thursday) online worship @ Athens First UMC!

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

Greeting From Pastor Robert

Call to Worship

L:  Return to the Lord, God of all mercies, for a feast of love has been prepared for his own.

P:  I will bless the Lord at all times.  His praise shall be continually in my mouth.

L:  O taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

P:  Happy are they who take refuge in God.

L:  O magnify the Lord with me,

P:  And let us exalt God’s name together.

Hymn                      Because Thou Hast Said

[This Charles Wesley hymn might not be as familiar as some of his other hymns but the melody is simple and easy to sing. His lyrics describe the mystical meaning of the Sacrament of Holy Communion which is our focus on this Maundy Thursday as we remember when Jesus was gathered with his disciples for the Last Supper.]

Welcome & Passing the Peace

[We are invited to share the words, “the peace of Christ be with you” to those who may be worshiping with us for this online service. If you are worshiping alone, know that the peace of Christ is with you on this Maundy Thursday.]

Prayer of Confession & Words of Assurance

L:  My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant.  

Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God's Spirit.  

 

[A brief silence for individual confession.]

 

All:  Most merciful God, 

we your Church confess 

that often our spirit has not been that of Christ.  

Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, 

where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips

and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray;

and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

L:  Who is in a position to condemn?  Only Christ.

But Christ suffered and died for us,

was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us,

and continues to intercede for us.

Believe the good news:

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

 

All:  In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Glory to God.  Amen.

New Testament Lesson - I Corinthians 11:23-26

[The Apostle Paul is informing the Corinthians Christian of why the Lord’s Supper is such an important meal.]

Gospel Lesson - John 13:1-17, 31b-35

[During the Last Supper, it is revealed that Judas Iscariot is the one who was about to betray Jesus.]

Special Music     Is it I, Lord? (from Shadows) -- Douglas E. Wagner

     Duet: Cathy & Jack Bigger

        

                                                         

Sermon    A Very Unique Meal   Rev. Robert McDowell  

                                                                

Hymn                Let Us Break Bread Together   

     

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

[Toward the end of the video, Pastor Robert will invite us to partake of the bread and the juice.]

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We thank you, holy God, for giving us this meal, shared in the Spirit, which sustains us with the food and drink of your life.  Grace our lives that we may at the last come to share in the heavenly banquet of your kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.                  

Benediction

L: May God’s peace be with us this holy night and remain with us until we meet again.

All: Amen.

Join us back here for our online Good Friday service (April 10) and for our Easter Sunday worship celebration (April 12.)

[For previous online worship services, click here]

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (April 5/Palm Sunday) Athens First UMC

[We are seeing a lot of creative ways for our church to continue to be the church during this time of social distancing and online worship. Some of our neighbors who live near each other organized this neighborhood Palm Sunday processional down their street. The stores were out of palm branches so they used these forsythia branches instead. For the Palm Sunday online worship service, click here. Join us for our online Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services this week as well!]

Like the disciple Peter, we want to trust you during this time of uncertainty and fear, Lord Jesus. You called Peter to trust you by getting out of the boat, but for us, you are telling us to stay in our boat to help stop the spread of this virus.

 

It doesn’t feel very heroic to just stay in our boats until the storm passes but if we do this together, we can help save lives. And so, help us to use this time to pray for those who are ill; those who who caring for them; those who are mourning loved ones who have died; those who are now without work; those who are disconnected from their sources of support, those who are missing out on graduation ceremonies or who have to reschedule other special events like weddings. If anything, Lord, this is a time for us to deepen our prayers lives during this much slower pace of life.

 

Help us to love those in our homes, in our neighborhoods and through our correspondences of phone calls, cards, emails, FaceTime, and Zoom meetings. When we become impatient and irritable during this long time of seclusion, as Dr. Amy Acton has been reminding us each day, remind us to always be kind to ourselves and to one another.

 

Thank you for so many stories of kindness that are happening all around us even though the waves are crashing against our boats. Stories like neighbors stepping outside their front doors to sing happy birthday to another neighbor. College students volunteering to clean around our church. A church member taking Holy Communion wafers and juice cups to church members who are alone or in assisted living. Lord Jesus, help us to not miss these moments of kindness that brighten our day like the cherry blossoms that are in full bloom along the bike path.

 

And so Lord Jesus, during this Holy Week, we will continue to stay in our boats and trust you through this storm even as we pray together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass 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.

Online Sunday Worship (April 5/Palm Sunday) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our April 5 (Palm Sunday) online worship @ Athens First UMC!

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

Greeting From Pastor Robert

Call to Worship

L: Our King has come, riding on a donkey.

P: The King is here. Shout for joy!

L: Our Savior has come amid waving palms and cheers of praise.

P: The Savior is here. Shout alleluia!

L: Jesus has come, riding on a donkey.

P: Jesus is here. Shout hosanna!

L: Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hymn                          All Glory, Laud, & Honor   

Welcome & Passing the Peace

[The Lee’s family dog, Bailey is joining us for our online Palm Sunday worship today. Bailey’s mommy and daddy are also participating in our service today by reading scripture lessons. Bailey invites you to greet one another, not by rubbing noses, but by simply barking out, “Hosanna!”]

Prayer of Confession & Words of Assurance

Lord Jesus, we celebrate your entry into Jerusalem on this Palm Sunday. We wave our palm branches because you are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This is a wonderful day but we also know that we are nearing Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. People might ask if we are one of your disciples. Give us the courage to say, “Yes.” Help us to get out of our boats of security and follow you wherever you may lead us. In your name, we pray. 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 Special Music                             

[This is a recorded video of our children singing for last year’s Palm Sunday worship service. Thank you, Laura Brown for directing this song with our children!]

New Testament Lesson - Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

                         Cathy Lee

[This Psalm is read on Palm Sunday because it refers to the Lord’s summons to “open the gates of righteousness so that he may enter” and the call for the people to “bind the festal procession with branches.” When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey with the crowds waving palm branches hailing him as King, we join the psalmist in shouting, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”]

Gospel Lesson - Matthew 14:22-33

                        Giles Lee

[This scripture recounts the story of when Jesus invited the disciple, Peter, who is the disciple we are focusing on today to get out of the boat and walk toward him. Even though Peter became fearful and began to sink because of the strong wind, Jesus reached out and saved him. This is a story that teaches us about faith.]

Special Music     Hosanna to the Son of David   Orlando Gibbons

                         Voices of Ascension, Dennis Kean, Conductor

[This YouTube performance is sung by the Voices of Ascension, a professional choir based in New York City. Our Athens neighbor and Director of Music at Richland Avenue UMC, Richard Crist, sang and recorded with this fine choir. Wait ‘till you see the unusual and engaging visual component in this video.]

Sermon        The Twelve Disciples of Jesus: Peter          
                                                                     Rev. Robert McDowell

Sermon Discussion Questions

When Jesus looked at Peter, he saw someone who would lead in the building of his church. What does Jesus see in us that he would trust us in building his church here on earth?

If Jesus would ask you who you think he is, how would you respond? Has your answer to that question changed over time? Be open to opportunities to invite people to offer their responses to that important question, “Who do ‘you’ say that I am.”

When has God prompted you to start anew in your faith? What is that like to know that God does not give up on us? 

When has Jesus invited you to step out of the boat to follow him? How can we encourage each other to step out of our boats and be followers of Jesus? 

Hymn             Only Trust Him           

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

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

[Toward the end of the video, Pastor Robert will invite us to partake of the bread and the juice.]

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Closing Hymn                     Jesus Calls Us   

Benediction

Closing Anthem  When I Survey the Wondrous Cross   arr. Gilbert Martin

                             Furman University, Hugh Floyd, conductor

Join us back here for online worship services on Maundy Thursday (April 9), Good Friday (April 10) & Easter Sunday (April 12)!

[For previous Sunday sermons, click here]

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (March 29/Lent) Athens First UMC

[This is a computer screen shot photo of our Leadership Board members participating on an online Zoom meeting this past Thursday. Not pictured are three of our members who were on a different screen. As we always do when we meet, we offered a prayer for God’s discernment, shared personal “Thin Place” moments, and shared several reports related to our church’s ministry. We especially focused on the new measures our church has taken regarding the coronavirus outbreak. Our church is so blessed to have these members serving on our board on behalf of the congregation. Technology can be so helpful when used appropriately! Speaking of technology, click here for Sunday’s online worship service.

O God, for many of us, this feels like the longest season of Lent we have ever experienced. We wonder if it felt this long for Jesus when he was secluded in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. When we began this season, we thought we’d just be giving up chocolate for Lent. We didn’t think we’d be giving up going to the church on Sunday mornings. 

 

But as we think about it, this is what this forty day season is meant to do. You call us to leave our normal and “business as usual” daily routine and be reminded of what is most important in our lives and in our faith. We are not only learning that we can live without some things for a while. We are also rediscovering what we can’t live without and that is your love. We can’t live without your love.

 

We can live without attending a church building on a Sunday morning. We can live without sitting down at our favorite restaurant. We can even live without a month’s supply of toilet paper. But we can never live without your love.

 

And it is your love that is with us here in this arid wilderness. It is your love that leads us to be creative with new ways of interacting with each other. It is your love that helps us to be patient and stay at home as much as possible to help flatten the curve of this virus. It is your love that reminds us that “we’re all in this together.”

 

In these next forty seconds to help remind us of the forty days Jesus was in the wilderness, I invite each one of us wherever we may be as we watch this online video to picture yourself in a very arid wilderness with lots of stones and sand, the kind of wilderness Jesus experienced during those forty days. And then picture yourself there with Jesus. Spend these next forty seconds that will feel longer than you might expect and at the end of that time, I will have us join together in praying the Lord’s Prayer. Let’s spend time with Jesus in the wilderness. [40 Second Pause]

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass 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.

March 29 Online Worship - Athens First UMC

Welcome to our March 29 online worship @ Athens First UMC!

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

Greeting From Pastor Robert

Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 130)

L: Let our souls wait for the Lord, more than those who wait for the morning.

P: more than those who wait for the morning.

L: Put your hope in the Lord!

P: We put our hopes in God’s steadfast love.

L: God has great power to redeem our lives.

P: We turn to God, who redeems us from all our iniquities.

L: Come, God invites us to the gospel feast!

Hymn           Come, Sinners to the Gospel Feast            

Welcome & Passing the Peace

[The Eckelberry’s family dog, Ruby did her part in last Sunday’s online worship service by serving as a pillow.  Ruby invites 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 Jesus, we confess that we have not been your faithful disciples. We do not always understand your ways. Instead of following you to the cross, we often choose a different path. Forgive us for when we have betrayed and denied you. As we continue to grow as your disciples, help us to stay on your path that leads to the cross and to the empty tomb. 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 (Noisy Bucket Sunday) Mike Bila                             

New Testament Lesson - Acts 1:15-26

[Our Acts scripture reading recounts how the apostles went about selecting a replacement for Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve disciples. They ended up selecting Matthias to take his place.]

Gospel Lesson - John 13:21-30

[This is the story of when Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him. That person ended up being Judas Iscariot, the disciple we are focusing on today.]

Special Music  Ain’t No Mountain High Enough   

                                                                   The Company of Praise

[Our special music is from this same week a year ago when “The Company of Praise,”a youth choir, sang during a school assembly at Morrison-Gordon Elementary here in Athens. They are from Pastor Robert’s home church, Stewartstown UMC located in south-central, PA. The keyboard player and director is his brother. During that week last March, they served at various mission sites in the area and sang for different events including our Sunday morning worship service. This song reminds us that with God, there “ain’t no mountain high enough” to help us overcome this challenging time of social distancing.]

Sermon The Twelve Disciples of Jesus: Judas Iscariot & Matthias              
                                                           Rev. Robert McDowell

Sermon Discussion Questions

Share a time when you felt like you were getting a fresh start in your faith. What circumstances or who helped you to get back on your feet again?

What are some reasons why we might be tempted to betray or give up on God? 

Share a “Thin Place moment” (a holy moment) of where you have experienced God at work through you/the church in building God’s kingdom here on earth. 

In what ways is God inviting you to share your faith with others?

The story of Judas Iscariot reminds us of how tempting it can be to fall away in our faith. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, knowing that following Jesus is not always easy was known to tell those early Methodists to “Watch over one another in love.”

Think of all the ways that we can “watch over one another in love.”

Hymn             A Charge to Keep I Have                   

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                     Grace Greater Than Our Sin       

Benediction

Join us back here next Sunday (April 5/Palm Sunday) for our online worship!

For previous Sunday sermons, click here.

Sunday Pastoral Prayer (March 22/Lent) Athens First UMC

[This past week, a member of our church took over a hundred Easter goodie bags to the residents of Lindley Inn Assisted Living and Kimes Rehabilitation Center. These goodie bags were made by our Sunday School children just before we had to cancel our worship services at the church due to the coronavirus. This is just one example of how our church is continuing to serve during this time of social distancing. For the March 22 online worship service, click here.]

O God, in this season of Lent, which is also becoming known as a season of Social Distancing, continue to help us find new ways of connecting with you and with each other. While we are unable to gather together in person for worship, for Sunday School, and for other ministries in the church, you are opening up new ways to help us grow closer to you and with one another.

 

Thank you for these online worship services that bring us together every Sunday morning to grow in our faith. While we miss the wonderful aroma of our church’s hazelnut coffee, sitting in our favorite pew, holding a bulletin in our hands, and hearing everyone say the words of our closing benediction as one voice, we also recognize that not even social distancing can keep us from being your church. As the hymn says, “We are the church. We are the church together!”

 

Just as your angels ministered to Jesus when he began his ministry by social distancing in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights, send your angels to each one of us during this time of separation. 

 

Send your angels to those who are losing their income during this pandemic. Send your angels to those worried about their loved ones who are isolated in nursing homes or in assisted living facilities. Send your angels to those who are ill and in need of medical care. Send your angels to health care providers, scientists working on a vaccine, and first responders. Send your angels to those who are in positions of power to make swift but also wise decisions. O God, send your angels to each one of us during this time of uncertainty.

 

As we continue our series on “The Twelve Disciples of Jesus,” help us to learn from them in what it means to follow you. Like James the Greater who learned that the cup from which you would end up lifting at the Last Supper, was not a cup of power and prestige, but was a cup of sacrifice and humility, teach us what it means to be servants in your kingdom. During this sequestered holy season of Lent and as we focus on the cross, remind us of your costly grace that offers us hope and new life.

 

We pray this in the name of Jesus who lived, who died, who rose again, and who taught us to say together…

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass 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.

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.]