13th Sunday After Pentecost “CHRIST (LOVE) IS THE ANSWER”

August 30, 2020

WELCOME AND GATHERING Today is the 13th Sunday after Pentecost. Welcome to worship! We are blessed to have Sharon Bismark preaching today in person at Sandstone UCC and we will be joining Spirit of Hope UMC in Golden Valley on-line. My love and prayers go out to each and every one of you! Be safe! Stay connected! Know how much you are loved! Blessings, Pastor Penny Bonsell Call to Worship Almighty God, we gather in this space to praise your name. Help us lay aside our worries, our fears, our frustrations and our anxieties, that we may be free to worship you. Through the power of your Spirit empower us to seek your ways, walk in the footsteps of Christ, come before you with our whole heart, and live as your faithful servants. We seek your help this day, O God, that the world may know your abundant love and your amazing grace. In the name of Christ, we pray. AMEN,

SANDSTONE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL 210 N. Commercial Avenue P.O. Box 642 Sandstone, MN 55072 Ph. 320-216-7529 www.sandstoneucc.org Worship Service: 11 a.m. Pastor: Penny Bonsell Organist: Virginia Schaefer Mission Statement: To love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. United in Spirit and inspired by God's grace, we welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.

FINLAYSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2197 Highway 18 P.O. Box 183 Finlayson, MN 55735 Ph. 320-216-7529 www.finlaysonumc.org Worship Service: 9 a.m. Ministers: The Congregation Pastor: Penny Bonsell Organist: Mary Lucht We welcome all members of the Community to our Worship Services and to our Church Gatherings. Mission Statement: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Opening Prayer God of radiant Light, shine into our lives, and disperse the darkness that dims our vision; shine into our world, and cast out the fears that long have chained us; shine into our worship, that we may be a people of your hope and promise. Opening Hymn LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING UMH 384 NCH 43

THE WORD EXODUS 3:1-15 Moses at the Burning Bush Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” The Divine Name Revealed

13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”[a]He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[b] the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’ This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.’ PSALM 26 26:1-8 Plea for Justice and Declaration of Righteousness Of David. 1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind.3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.[a]4 I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; 5 I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord, 7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.8 O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides. ROMANS 12:9-21 Marks of the True Christian 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.[a] 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;[b] do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God;[c] for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. The Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God.

Message CHRIST (LOVE) IS THE ANSWER Sharon Bismark RESPONSE TO THE WORD Hymn IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST UMH 548 NCH 395 Offering Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (UMH # 95) Prayers of the People Christ, our shepherd and gate, we would rather chart our own course, than be shepherded like sheep; we would rather find our own way, than see you as the Way; we would rather be shepherds than sheep, who are vulnerable and exposed. You are the one who anoints our head with oil, the one who feeds us while our enemies look on, the one who delivers us from evil, invites us to live in the house of the Lord forever. Keeper of our souls, help us to return to your loving embrace. And in the prayer Christ gives us . . . The Lord’s Prayer 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 sins as we forgive those who sin 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. Hymn THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS TFWS 2223, 1-3 Sharing our Peace, our Shalom Shalom (UMH #666) Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends. May God’s full mercies bless you, my friends. In all your living and through your loving, Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom. Sending No matter how the world has treated us, whether we are powerful or powerless. God renews our vision and energy, calling us to works of transformation by reflecting God's love and justice.

CONTACT INFORMATION Visit our website and Facebook pages for updates, prayers, comments, pictures and information about what is going at www.finlaysonumc.org and www.sandstoneucc.org. Pastor Penny Bonsell: pastorpenny.finlaysonumc@gmail.com, Ph. 320-216-7529. Prayer List: Karry White, Dennis and Grace Eiffler, Marty and Joyce Bleiweiss, and George Collova, and baby Alanna Grace. Media and Videography: Tom Hollenhorst and Pastor Penny Bonsell Communications: James Hunt Please send information for the October newsletter by 4 p.m. on October 22, 2020, to James Hunt at jhco-fumc@earthlink.net.