YOUR Church for All Seasons. YOUR Church for All Reasons!
The Higganum United Methodist Church is located on Route 154 between Haddam Elementary School and Higgies Restaurant. Please join us for worship and Christian fellowship on Sunday from 9:00am to 10:00am with a coffee hour following the service. Sunday School 9:30- 10:00 (During the school year). 248 Saybrook Road PO Box 475 Higganum, CT 06441 (860)345-4622 humcsecretary@att.net
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Directions for Joining: October 4, 2020
Topic: Worship Service (Higganum UMC)
Time: Oct 4, 2020 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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WORSHIP SERVICE ORDER
Higganum United Methodist Church
Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 9:00 AM
(18th Sun After Pentecost/World Communion Sun)
GATHERING
Greeting & Announcement
Calling for Prayers at 7:14 am
Memory Verse for this Week: To be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment-to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.(Ephe. 1:10)
Prayer Meeting / Bible Study Jeopardy will be held on Thursday, October 8 at 8:00 pm.
Faithful Giving Higganum UMC (℅ Betty Cernan), P.O. Box 475, 248 Saybrook Rd., Higganum, CT 06441.
Village Market Receipts: Save them and bring to church for the benefit of our church! See Mary Ellen!
World Communion Sunday is celebrated today!
Harvest Fair: Sat. Oct. 10 (10:00 am – 2:00 pm)
Laity Sunday will be celebrated on October 18 (*See Tom Thompson or Janet Lemond if interested.)
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: From dens of slavery, through burning deserts, people of faith came forth.
People: From lives encompassing both wealth and impoverishment, we come to this place of worship.
Leader: Hear the great lessons of faith, offered to you through the centuries. We have not hidden the struggles from you, but invite you to place yourselves on the pathways of hope.
People: Though our individual lives may differ, we all come seeking God’s loving guidance and forgiveness.
Leader: Welcome to this house of God, a place of continuing hope and courage.
People: Bless each one of us, O Lord, that we may fully receive your word and seek your will for our lives. AMEN.
Hymn “Lord of the Dance” UMC #261
(Sung by Kelly Burns)
Prayer of Confession
We keep slamming into walls, O merciful God, when we are left to our own devices. Throughout our faith history, your Son offered words of healing and hope to people who dwelled in darkness. In the brilliant light of his love, people grew and flourished. But now, Lord, we find that this world dominates our lives. We are troubled, angry, and fearful. We want to see your presence in the world, but we spend far too much time looking for the “big picture” rather than seeing the myriad of ways in which your love and healing power is shown. Forgive us when we grow impatient with you and with the course of things in our lives. Heal our wounds and put us back on pathways of peace and service. Enable us to speak your words of hope in this darkened world. We ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Silent Moment
Words of Assurance
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Epistle Lesson Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Leader: The word of God. People: Thank be to God.
Psalter Psalm 19 UMH #750
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;
sweeter also then honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
*Gospel Lesson Matthew 21:33-46
33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God!
SHARING OUR JOYS & CONCERNS
Happy Birthday or Anniversary to
Diane Franklin (10/4); Rob Zak (10/5); Sherry Boyaton (10/7)
Meila Zak (10/11)
Chris & Dawn Regan (10/6); Robert & Doris Johnson (10/7)
Richard & Mary Ellen Larson (10/10); Jeremy & Rachel Ames (10/10)
Prayer Request
Healing Audrey Roberts, Peter’s mother & sister, Peter Mascaro’s sister Shelley and his mother Judy, Paula Graves, Kacey Koch, Joshua, Susan Waide (Georgette, Tom, Grace, Maddy’s mom, Lynwood, Tim, Jordan Juback, Anders, Isaac); Rebecca Hicks
Recovery Diane Franklin, David Wilson, Brooke LaTouche, Darlene Larson, Jenny Evans, and Penny White
Well being Jack Cernan, Larry Scovill, Everett Spencer, Bill Franklin, Ben Turner, Greg Bosco, Douglas Foster, Clifford Skinner, and the isolated
Wisdom & Strength For leaders, essential & healthcare workers (Stephen & Shannon Zarger, Shannon Burkle, Craig & Jenny Evans, Joshua Meyer, Bethany); Victims of natural disasters
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
HOLY COMMUNION
GREAT THANKSGIVING UMH #17
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SHARING OF COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
RESPONSE
OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Sermon “Straining Forward!” Pastor Ahn
Hymn “Be Thou My Vision” UMH #451
(Sung by Kelly Burns)
Benediction
Postlude
God LOVES YOU!
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TAKE OUT ONLY CHICKEN BBQ
Saturday – October 3rd from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Adult tickets – $13.00 and Children 10 & under – $7.00 Meal includes – chicken, red potato, cranberry sauce, corn or green beans, homemade breads and desserts Tickets – 860-344-9592 or church office 860-345-4622
HARVEST OUTDOOR MINI FAIR
Saturday – October 10th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Rain date – Sunday October 11th from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Tables include – handcraft items, jams, jellies, pickles, baked goods, gift baskets, pumpkins (thank you Peter DiGioia), holiday items for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Grandma’s Attic, Thanksgiving Dinner basket, Holiday Baking basket and Autumn Harvest Lottery Tree
ALL Church services will be online as well as IN PERSON and a prayer/check in meeting each week. The links will be posted here for your convenience. Please stay well!
Psalms, Proverbs, Paul, and Revelation Jeopardy
Childrens Bible Study Jeopardy
The Books of the Bible Jeopardy
The Books of the Bible part two Jeopardy
Best New Testament TEST FOR Adults Childrens Bible Study
FINAL Church History TEST FOR Adults and Children (1)
The FINAL Old and New Testament QUIZ FOR Adults and Children (2)
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT HIGGANUM UMC
PLEASE STAY TUNE FOR UPDATES and CLOSINGS
Chicken BBQ, Saturday, October 3rd
Harvest Fair October 10th
Sunday school will resume in the future.
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