We are an open and affirming member of the United Church of Christ and no matter who you are or where you are in life's journey, you are welcome here. Contact the Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Murray at 631-727-2621 for more information.
Announcements:
The Alley Cat Thrift Shop is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-2 and Saturdays 9- Donations only accepted when the shop is open. Volunteers always welcome.
Sunday School: Please call our church office if you would like your child to join. Sunday School is held during church services.
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Join Zoom Meeting:
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pwd=a0FZcDg5MnRqKz-JMQXRLVzIBTGZFQT09 to start or join a scheduled Zoom meeting.
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Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
A Service of the Word
November 24, 2024 10am
OPENING WORDS:
We open our hearts to the presence of God and worship together.
PRELUDE: More Love to Thee O Christ Weber
(Once the music begins we ask that you would please maintain respectful silence)
*CHORAL INTROIT:
We are here this day to share God's love;
We have come with burdens and cares,
For within this place, we are bound as one
In this fellowship, we share.
*CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: Be glad and rejoice, for God has done great things.
Our mouths are filled with laughter and shouts of joy.
Many: A harvest of abundance surrounds us.
We will eat in plenty and be satisfied.
One: Praise God for all the bounty we enjoy.
Give thanks for every good and perfect gift.
Many: We lay aside our worries and our fears.
God has dealt wondrously with us, and we rejoice.
One: Seek first God’s realm of righteousness.
Let God reign in all your thoughts and relationships.
ALL: We know God is with us here.
We trust God to supply what we most need.
*HYMN: We Praise You, O God No. 420
https://youtu.be/1wYMO9vPXtQ
WELCOME
PRAYER OF INVOCATION:
…How good it is to join in prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise! You have been good to us, gracious
God! For sunshine and rain, for the labors of all who harvest the grain, we pour out our gratitude. You have
dealt wondrously with us so that we have more than we need. Dwell with us now that we may not only be
inspired to share but also prompted to work for a more just world in which all your children have enough to eat
and reasons for joy…
CHILDREN’S TIME
PASSING OF THE PEACE
ANNOUNCEMENTS, CELEBRATIONS & CONCERNS
A TIME OF PRAYER:
❖ Pastoral Prayer:
…Caring God, whose attention is given impartially and completely to each and all your children,
and whose love is ever available, make yourself known to us now. Clothe us with faith, fill us with
knowledge of your truth and lift us up to new heights of godliness and dignity, that our
thanksgiving might be generously shared and joyously celebrated….
❖ Silent Prayer
❖ 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 debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, the glory,
now and forever. Amen.
OFFERING & OFFERTORY: Thanksgiving Hodie Martin
*DOXOLOGY AND BLESSING OF GIFTS:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, you heavenly host:
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS:
❖ Joel 2:21-27 OT Page 801
❖ Psalm 126 Hymnal Page 707
❖ 1 Timothy 2:1-7 NT Page 184
❖ Matthew 6:25-33 NT Page 5
SERMON: “The Provisions of our God”
Today is actually the last Sunday of Pentecost. Liturgically this is known as Christ the King Sunday or, in
more inclusive language, as the Reign of Christ Sunday. The Revised Common Lectionary readings for this
day focus on the exalted Christ reigning in heaven. However, given that some won't be able to make this
afternoon's service, and as we have such wonderful display up here, I opted to go with Thanksgiving
readings.
Most of the conversations this of the past week have included Thanksgiving plans: whom we’re expecting
and thoughts of food. My twin and I do it much the same way. We learned the art of Thanksgiving from my
parents. We still make the same stuffing as my mother did, do the gravy as she did, and even make many of
the same sides in much the same way. Additionally, just as I and my family long did around the table with
my parents, I and my guests pray -- give thanks -- before the meal. I’m sure all of us do. Yet that’s not
reserved for Thanksgiving at my house, as every meal is always preceded by prayer. Brothers, sisters,
parents, friends, food, warmth, love all around, all provisions of our God. Especially perhaps because I’m a
minister, it’s very easy for me to be wonderfully aware of our God who provides..
Although our American holiday is really rather young -- a little trivia: New York was the first state to
officially adopt the Thanksgiving holiday in 1817 -- thanksgiving, as in the act of giving of thanks, has a deep theological history in both Jewish and Christian traditions. As we’ve seen in our study of Psalms, there
is a very long tradition of giving thanks to God for creation, for the goodness of the earth, and for God’s
provision. It’s something we see through just about all the books of our Bible as God has long provided for
God’s people in a variety of ways, big and small: mana from heaven, quails in the wilderness, water from
the rock, bountiful harvest and the nourishment of rain.
Our religious forbearers knew well the importance of thanksgiving. When we give God thanks it grounds us.
It takes us, at least for a moment, away from our aches and pains and deepest concerns, and helps us to
rekindle our strengths. We focus on our blessings, and then as we share them, they become communal
blessings that strengthen and unite us all. As we give thanks and share our bounty, we follow in the footsteps
of the faithful, and become particularly mindful of the provision of our God.
Paul, too, knew well the importance of giving God thanks. He writes in Philippians, rites, "do not worry
about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made to
God. " And in 1 Timothy we read, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be
made for everyone.” Thanksgiving, and the awareness of God’s provision, was always a big part of Paul's
prayer life, even despite the suffering and shipwrecks that he experienced. Perhaps he was most able to
continue to fight the good fight because he knew to give thanks.
Jesus himself taught and modeled the practice of giving thanks to God. We off course are well familiar with
the rite of communion that Jesus instituted. That prominently features the giving of thanks before the sharing
of both the bread and the cup. Yet long before that Jesus is recorded as feeding the five thousand with just a
few loaves of bread and two fish. Before the miracle, Jesus gave thanks. Matthew’s Gospel is big on God’s
provision, and so we read about even God’s provision to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. And
we’re reminded: “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into
the oven, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying, 'What will
we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the gentiles who seek all these things, and
indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. And we give thanks to the many of our
many churches who with God well at work in them, provide such to many.
Thanksgiving. I for one am always glad to celebrate the provision of our God. With those of the ancient
days of our faith, I am glad to celebrate the bounty of the land from the hand of God, and happy that for
many years I have had a resident alien or two (or more) around my thanksgiving tables. (Of course, now
after the years several are citizens and many I count as my family.) With Paul, I am glad to make the giving
of thanks an integral part of my prayer, and when I take his advice about focusing on the praiseworthy,
pleasing and excellent, I know it does me well. With Jesus, I am happy to share my bread and happy for
others to eat at my table which I hope they come to see as theirs to which I hope they come to see as their too. All is a gift from God. A happy
Thanksgiving to you. Let us give thanks.
*HYMN: Now Thank We All Our God No.419
https://youtu.be/K7gMDXylzW8
*BENEDICTION
CHORAL BENEDICTION:
May the light of God shine on us today.
May the light of God shine on us today.
May it show us where to travel.
Lead us back if we should stray.
May the light of God shine on us today.
POSTLUDE: The Heaven’s Declare Marcello
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