We will be having VBS this year on Saturday, August 7, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, for kids in kindergarten through 6th grade.
This year’s theme is “Miracles Begin with Me.” We will be singing, acting, crafting, praying, and learning all about how we can make a positive different in our lives and in the world. Our primary Bible story will be when the little boy gave all he had to help Jesus feed the multitudes.
We will be outside or in the large, open spaces for the day. Children are encouraged to wear masks, but not required.
We’re also looking for adult and youth volunteers to make this happen!
We will need class leaders/assistants, activity leaders/assistants, registration workers, lunchtime helpers, etc. Some of the activities include outdoor games, craft projects, theatre skits, prayer time, and singing.
*Having some technical issues transferring the service video to YouTube that we hope to sort-out soon. Until then, there is a link directly to the Facebook Recording*
We have also included a separate link for the UM ARMY video from today
Prelude : “Morning Has Broken” (Trad./Kingmore) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome and Announcements : Rev Dyan Dietz
UM ARMY recognition and video
Congregational Hymn : “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Affirmation of Faith/Apostle’s Creed : Rock Mathis
Gloria Patri
Offertory Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Offertory Music : “I Can Only Imagine” (Millard) Gail Bowers, viola solo
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : Acts 18:1-11 Rev Dyan Dietz
1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers. 4 Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks. 5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that the Messiah was Jesus. 6 When they opposed and reviled him, in protest he shook the dust from his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 Then he left the synagogue and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the official of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul became believers and were baptized. 9 One night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people.” 11 He stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Sermon : “Paul in Corinth” Rev Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : “Praludium D” (Fuhrer) Dr Marcin Parys
Prelude : “Pastorale” (Sammartini) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome and Announcements : Rev Dyan Dietz
Report on Annual Conference : Dr. Herman Totten
Congregational Hymn : “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
Affirmation of Faith/Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Offertory Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Offertory Music : “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (Chisholm/Runyan) Rosie Alexander
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : Acts 17:16-28
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) 19 So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new. 22 Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. 23 For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. 26 From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, 27 so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. 28 For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’
Sermon : “Paul in Athens” Rev Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : “Praludium D” (Fuhrer) Dr. Marcin Parys
Prelude : “Offertory in E Flat” (Dubois) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome and Announcements : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : “Open My Eyes That I May See”
Affirmation of Faith/Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Offertory : “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” (Gabriel) Dr Marcin Parys
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : Acts 28: 11-31 Rev Dyan Dietz
11 Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. 12 We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; 13 then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found believers[a] and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 The believers[b] from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. 16 When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him. 17 Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 20 For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” 21 They replied, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.” 23 After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. 25 So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, 26 ‘Go to this people and say, You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. 27 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn—and I would heal them.’ 28 Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” 30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Communion Rail Offering for June : New Beginnings (video)
Congregational Hymn : “Sweet Hour of Prayer”
Affirmation of Faith/The Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Offertory : Keep Your Lamps (arr. Thomas) Trinity Chancel Choir
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : Acts 16:16-40 Rev Dyan Dietz
16 One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17 While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” 18 She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20 When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21 and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23 After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34 He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. 35 When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, “The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul replied, “They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; 39 so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40 After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed
Sermon : “Paul and Silas in Philippi” Rev Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : “Praludium G-Dur” (Fuhrer) Dr. Marcin Parys
Prelude : “Battle Hymn of the Republic” (Trad.) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome/Announcements : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : “I Need Thee Every Hour”
Affirmation of Faith/Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Offertory Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Offertory Music : “Let There Be Peace On Earth” Tawny Rybowicz
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : John 15:1-7 Rev Dyan Dietz
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Sermon : “No Greater Love” Rev Dyan Dietz
Reading of the Names
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : “Praludium” (Fuhrer) Dr. Marcin Parys
Congregational Hymn : “What a Friend We Have In Jesus”
Benediction : Rev Dyan Dietz
Postlude : “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” (Dykes) Dr Marcin Parys
Prelude : “Festival for Organ” (Mansfield) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome and Announcements : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
Affirmation of Faith/Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Offertory Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Offertory Music : “This Is Amazing Grace” (Wickham) Marlene Meernik
Doxology
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Scripture Reading : Acts 2:1-12 Rev Dyan Dietz
1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
Sermon : “Being Filled” Rev Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : “Jesus, Bread of Life, I Pray Thee” (Wagner) Dr Marcin Parys
Prayer/Lord’s Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : “Sweet, Sweet Spirit”
Benediction : Rev Dyan Dietz
Postlude : “Triptych : lll. Voluntary” (Barr) Dr. Marcin Parys
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying[a] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Sermon : Waiting on God, Rev. Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Prayer/ The Lord’s Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise
Benediction : Rev Dyan Dietz
Postlude : The Strife is O’er, the Battle Done (Johnson) Dr. Marcin Parys
Prelude : Consolation (Mendelssohn) Dr. Marcin Parys
Welcome and Announcements : Rev. Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : Great is Thy Faithfulness
Affirmation of Faith / Apostle’s Creed : Tawny Rybowicz
Gloria Patri
Children’s Moment : Marcy Mathis
Offertory Prayer : Rev. Dyan Dietz
Offertory Music Majesty : Dewey Christian
Doxology
Scripture Reading, John 21:1-24 Rev. Dyan Dietz
1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. 9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.” 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” 23 So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.
Sermon : “Forgiving Ourselves” Rev Dyan Dietz
Service of Holy Communion
Communion Music : Praludium #3 (R. Fuhrer) Dr. Marcin Parys
Prayer/ Lord’s Prayer : Rev Dyan Dietz
Congregational Hymn : Just As I Am, Without One Plea
Benediction : Rev Dyan Dietz
Postlude : Marching to Zion (Parker) Dr. Marcin Parys
