Call to Worship
The Lord calls us today to be people of justice and mercy.
Our worship is hollow if it focuses only on our own gratification.
The Lord asks that our words of hope become actions of peace.
Thanks be to God who challenges and calls us.
Let our ministry together bring peace and justice.
Let our lives reflect God's love and mercy.
Amen
Offertory
One: Let us pray…
Creator and architect of the universe, we want to believe that your love for us means you will go before us on life’s path and clear the way, making it easy to travel, but our experience doesn’t always bear that out. We know you see a bigger picture than we do. As we bring you our offerings this day, we affirm your presence with us in the pits of despair as well as in the palaces of plenty. We give with gratitude, in Christ’s holy name. Amen.
September 3rd Sermon
1 Corinthians 11:17-22
Scripture Lesson
17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!