Greater Bethel
Exodus 3: 1-2, 7-8, 11-12
The Reverend, Doctor Toni Belin Ingram, Presiding Elder The Reverend Marben Bland, Pastor
Doxology
OrderOfWorship
September1,2024
TheFifteenthSundayAfterPentecost
“PraiseGodFromWhomAllBlessingsFlow”
CallToWorship:TheHolyGroundOfTheBurningBush Leader:CometothisplacetoseewhatGodhasdone.
People:Wearehereforburningbushesandholyground. Leader:HereyouwillfindGodonspecialdaysofcelebration andordinarydays,too.
People:WeseektheGodofourancestorsknowingwemay becalledtonewplaces.
Leader:ListenforGod’scallandknowyoudonotgoalone. People:WearereadytoworshipandseeGodinthisplace.
OpeningHymn
#520Come,WeThatLovetheLord(We’reMarchingtoZion) IsaacWatts/RobertLowry
1.ComewethatlovetheLord,Andletourjoysbeknown, Joininasongwithsweetaccord,Joininasongwithsweet accord,Andthussurroundthethrone,Andthussurround thethrone.Refrain:We’remarchingtoZion,Beautiful, beautifulZion;We’remarchingupwardtoZion,Thebeautiful cityofGod.
2.LetthoserefusetosingWhoneverknewourGod;But childrenoftheheavenlyKing,Butchildrenoftheheavenly King,Mayspeaktheirjoysabroad,Mayspeaktheirjoys abroad.
3.ThehillofZionyieldsAthousandsacredsweetsBeforewe reachtheheavenlyfields,Beforewereachtheheavenly fieldsOrwalkthegoldenstreets.
TheInvocationResponse
#520Come,WeThatLovetheLord(We’reMarchingtoZion)
SongOfPraise
Announcements–Pastor’sAidMinistry WorshipInGiving AMeditationOnTithingAndGiving
WrittenByTheReverendNathanielVeal
Leader:Pleasestandasyouareableandraiseyourseedto theLordandrepeattheselinesafterme— Lord,Ithankyouforwhatyouhavegiventome.
NowGod,Iamgivingbacktoyouatithe,atenth,oraportion ofwhatyouhavegiventome. God,Iamplantingmyseedintofertileground. Icannotexpectaharvest,ifIdonotplantanyseeds. God,Iamexpectingmyseedstoproduceaharvestthatis presseddown,shakentogetherandrunningover.
Leader:Now,whateveryouwantGodtodoforyouinyour life,crossitoveryourchestandclaimit.AndNowThankGod ForIt!Andletusallsay….Amen!
Leader:Now,letusgiveourofferingtotheLord
Following the offering the congregation will rise at the directionofthePastorandsing:
#588AllThingsComeOfThee
AllThingsComeofthee,OLord;andofthineownhavewe giventhee–Amen
WorshipInPrayer
TheApostlesCreed
IbelieveinGodtheFatherAlmighty,Makerofheavenand earth,andinJesusChristhisonlysonourLordwhowas conceivedbytheHolySpirit,bornoftheVirginMary,suffered underPontiusPilate,wascrucified,dead;andburied.The thirddayhearosefromthedead’heascendedintoheaven andsittethattherighthandofGodtheFatherAlmighty;from thenceheshallcometojudgethequickandthedead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communionofsaints,theforgivenessofsins,theresurrection ofthebodyandthelifeeverlasting.Amen..
Exodus3:1-2,7-8,11-12
TheMessageBible
31-2MoseswasshepherdingtheflockofJethro,hisfatherin-law,TheangelofGodappearedtohiminflamesoffire blazingoutofthemiddleofabush.Helooked.Thebushwas blazingawaybutitdidn’tburnup.
7-8Godsaid,“I’vetakenagood,longlookattheafflictionof mypeopleinEgypt.I’veheardtheircriesfordeliverancefrom theirslavemasters;Iknowallabouttheirpain. I’msendingyoutoPharaohtobringmypeople,thePeopleof Israel,outofEgypt.”
11MosesansweredGod,“Butwhyme?Whatmakesyouthink thatIcouldevergotoPharaohandleadthechildrenofIsrael outofEgypt?”
12“I’llbewithyou,”Godsaid.“Andthiswillbetheproofthat I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my peopleoutofEgypt,youwillworshipGodrighthereatthis verymountain.”
SummaryOfTheDecalogue
TheCongregation,RiseandSings:
“Fromallthatdwellbelowtheskies,lettheCreator’spraise arise;lettheRedeemer’snamebesung,througheveryland byeverytongue.”
TheMinisterSays:
HearwhatChristourSavioursaith,thoushaltlovetheLord thyGodwithallthyheart,andwithallthysoul,andwithall mymind.Thisisthefirstandgreatcommandment.Andthe secondislikeuntoit:Thoushaltlovethyneighborasthyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
THEGLORIAPATRI
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;Asitwasinthebeginning,isnow,andevershallbe, worldwithoutend.Amen.”
SongOfPreparation
Message
HeReady!
GodWantsYouToUseYourVoiceToExposeInjustice InvitationToDiscipleship
#221HowToReachtheMasses(LiftHimUp)
JohnsonOatman,Jr./B.B.Beall
1.Howtoreachthemasses,thoseofeverybirth,Forananswer Jesusgavethekey;“AndI,ifIbeliftedupfromtheearth,Will drawallmenuntoMe.”
Refrain:LiftHimup(LiftthepreciousSaviorup),LiftHimup(Lift thepreciousSaviorup),StillHespeaksfrometernity:“AndI,ifI beliftedupfromtheearth,WilldrawallmenuntoMe.”
HolyCommunion
TheCalltoCommuniontobemadebytheMinister Youthatdotrulyandearnestlyrepentofyoursins,andare inloveandcharitywithyourneighbor,andintendtoleada newlife,followingthecommandmentsofGod,andwalking fromhenceforthinhisholyways,drawnearwithfaithand taketheholysacramenttoyourcomfort,andmakeyour humbleconfessiontoAlmightyGod.
TheGeneralConfessiontobemadebytheMinisterandpeople AlmightyGod,FatherofourLordJesusChrist, makerofallthings,judgeofallpeople,we acknowledgeandbewailourmanifoldsinsand wickednesswhichwefromtimetotimemost grievouslyhavecommittedbythought,word,and deedagainstyourdivinemajesty,provokingmost justlyyourwrathandindignationagainstus.Wedo earnestlyrepentandareheartilysorryforthese ourmisdoings;theremembranceofthemis grievousuntous.
Havemercyuponus,havemercyuponus,most mercifulGodforyourSon,ourLordJesusChrist’s sake;forgiveusallthatispast,andgrantthatwe mayeverhereafterserveandpleasetheein newnessoflife,tothehonorandgloryofyour name,throughJesusChristourLord.Amen
PrayerofConsecrationtobemadebytheMinister AlmightyGod,ourHeavenlyFather,whoofyourtender mercydidgiveyouronlyson,JesusChrist,tosufferdeath onthecrossforourredemption,whomadetherebyhis oblationofhimself,onceoffered,afullperfectand sufficientsacrifice,oblation,andsatisfactionforthesinsof thewholeworld;anddidinstituteandinhisholygospel commandustocontinueaperpetualmemoryofthathis preciousdeathuntilhiscomingagain;hearus,Omerciful Father,wemosthumblybeseechyou,andgrantthatwe receivingtheseyourcreaturesofbreadandwine,according toyourson,ourSaviourJesusChrist’sholyinstitution,in remembranceofhisdeathandpassionmaybepartakersof hismostblessedbodyandblood;whointhesamenight thathewasbetrayedtookbread,andwhenhehadgiven thanks,hebrokeit,,andgaveittohisdisciples,saying, ‘Take,eatthisismybodywhichisbrokenforyou.Thisdoin remembranceofme.’(TheMinstersaystake,andeatthe bread,thebodyofourSavorJesus.)Likewiseaftersupper hetookthecupandwhenhehadgiventhankshegaveitto themsaying,‘Drinkallofit,forthisismybloodofNew Testament,whichisshedforyouandformanyforthe remissionofsins;dothis,asoftenasyoushalldrinkit,in remembranceofme.(TheMinstersaystake,anddrinkfrom thecup,thebloodofourSavorJesusChrist.)Amen.’
The Lord’s Prayer
To be made by the Minister and people
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
#321 Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross
Fanny J. Crosby/William H. Doane
Jesus, keep me near the cross; There a precious fountain, Free to all, a healing stream, Flows from Calvary’s mountain. Refrain: In the cross, in the cross, Be my glory ever, Till my raptured soul shall find Rest beyond the river.
The hand of God has been evident on the life of Bishop Michael Leon Mitchell since he was a young child. Born August 4, 1960, in Perry, Florida to the late Reverend Arthur L. Mitchell, Sr. and the late Mrs. Mary L. Mitchell, he is the ninth of their fifteen children.
Alife-longmemberoftheAfricanMethodistEpiscopal Church,BishopMitchellwasraisedinJacksonville, Florida,andisaproductofDuvalCountyPublicSchools. Whileinhighschool,heansweredthecalltotheministry preachinghistrialsermonatage17.
BishopMitchellgraduatedfromWilberforceUniversity, Wilberforce,Ohioin1982andreceivedaMasterof DivinityDegreefromTurnerTheologicalSeminaryatthe InterdenominationalTheologicalCenter,Atlanta,Georgia in1986.HereceivedaDoctorofMinistryDegreefrom United,TheologicalSeminaryinDayton,Ohioin2012.
Electedthe134thBishopoftheAfricanMethodist EpiscopalChurch,atthe50thQuadrennialSessionofthe GeneralConferenceinPhiladelphia,PA.BishopMitchell comestoGeorgiaafterservingsince2016the12th EpiscopalDistrictoftheAMEChurch,comprisingthe statesofArkansasandOklahoma.
BishopMitchellismarriedtoSupervisorCordeliaD. Mitchell,andtheyhavetwodaughters,Courtney,and Channing.
DuringourlastonlineBibleStudy,wereadGenesis.Attheendofthebook,Joseph ledhisfamilytosettleintherichlandsofGosheninEgypttoescapethegreat famine TheysettledthereasguestsofthekingbutovertimetheEgyptiansgrew concernedabouttheIsraelitesgrowingnumbers,thatintheeventofwar,they wouldrevoltagainstthem So,theyenslavedthem
For430yearsthedescendantsofJosephandAbrahamremainedslavesinEgypt. However,theLordhadpromisedAbrahamthatonedayhisfamilywouldoccupy thelandofCanaan
JoinPastorMarbenBlandandouronlineBiblestudycommunityasweexplorethe storyofhowtheLordkepthispromisetoAbrahamandhowthepeopleofIsrael witnessedthepowerandfaithfulnessofGod. OurstudywillbebasedonJohn MacArthur’sstudyofExodusandNumbers.OrderthebooktodayonAmazon.
Announcements
ClassLeader’sMeeting–Tuesday,September3rd,2024,-10:00AMOnZoom StewardBoardMeeting–Tuesday,September3rd,2024–3:00PMOnZoom TrusteeMeeting–Tuesday,September3rd,2024–7:00PMOnZoom OnlineBibleStudy–ExodusAndNumbers
FirstSessionThursday,September5th,2024,-7:00PMETOnZoom CommunityCanvas–Saturday,September14th,2024,-11:00AM–1:00PM StrategicPlanningMeeting–Saturday,September21st,2024-1:00PM-3:00PMIn-Person OfficialBoardMeeting–Tuesday,September24th,2024–6:00PM–InPerson TheForgeMovie-1:00PMSaturday,September28th,2024University16Cinemas OnlineSundaySchoolEverySaturday-4:00PM–5:00PMETOnZoom In-PersonSundaySchoolEverySunday 9:45AM–10:50AMFeaturingATastyBreakfastServedAt9:30AM
