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[0:00] Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Welcome to worship at Pendleton Center United Methodist Church. I am Linda Barzikowski.

[0:12] I am a certified lay minister here. We have a few announcements. Friday night, we had 375 dinners sold at the Fish Fry. Woo-hoo!

[0:23] Thank you, everybody, who helped out with that. Perfect. Angel Wings is collecting coats for Clara's Closet. All sizes, children, adults, men, women, teenagers, they need winter coats.

[0:41] The fall festival is next week, Saturday. There's a sign-up sheet in the back. And Tuesday morning's Lord's Prayer Bible study with Pastor Scott needs to be postponed.

[0:55] So, Pastor Kathy's retirement celebration is coming up. So, you can sign up online.

[1:06] If you don't have internet access or not real adept with the internet, see Pastor Jennifer and she'll get you set up for that. Do we have any announcements that I missed this morning?

[1:19] All right. I have the honor of leading worship this weekend because today we celebrate Laity Sunday.

[1:34] And instead of me trying to explain what Laity Sunday is, we're going to see what Chuck from Chuck Knows Church has to say about it. Laity.

[1:45] If you're not familiar with the term... Nope. Nope. I said laity, not lady. Why would we be doing a Chuck Knows Church episode about ladies?

[1:56] I don't know anything about that. Can we... Do you mind if I just get back to talking over... You just... And I'll be... Get back on your break. Do what you need to do. Uh, Laity means all those who are not members of a given profession or other specialized field.

[2:11] In this case, those who are not clergy. The rest of us are, uh, lay people. Like you. Like you. You are laity. No, I did not call you a lady.

[2:22] I said you're laity. Seriously, what are you... What do you even do here? You know what? We're talking about laity on this episode of Chuck Knows Church. You. Why are you here?

[2:32] Why are you here? Why are you here? Why are you here? Why are you here? Why are you here? There is a long history of recognizing the contributions of the laity.

[2:54] Since Methodism first arrived in America, the laity of taking care of the local church. Back then, for example, it was holding down the fort, awaiting the arrival of the Methodist circuit riders.

[3:04] Now, fast forward to today, and lay people are integral to the daily ministry of the church. Uh, the workplace, the home, simply everywhere in the community.

[3:16] The Methodist archives show the earliest recorded observance of Laity Sunday as, uh, something called Layman's Day. Now, the first Layman's Day was in the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1929.

[3:28] And it wasn't until the 1972 edition of the United Methodist Church of the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline that Layman's Day was renamed. It finally became the gender-neutral Laity Sunday.

[3:40] That's a nice ring. Thank you. Laity Sunday. Laity Sunday is a time to recognize the work and mission of all laity. Uh, celebrated the third Sunday of October, not only within the walls of the church, but everywhere, every day of our life.

[3:56] Now, as the whole body of Christ, we must seek to become more vital congregations to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. If you'd like to learn more, be sure to ask your pastor.

[4:09] Tell them Chuck sent you. So this weekend is a time to celebrate you.

[4:21] And that means we're going to have cake after church. So stop into the fellowship hall and get yourself a piece of cake. And if you can't stay, take one with you.

[4:33] But whether you're in person or watching online this morning, we welcome you all. And may the peace of our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, be with you today and always.

[4:46] And also with you. Good morning, body parts.

[5:06] We are going to come together to praise the Lord with here I am, Lord. And if we are the body, I invite you to stand if you're able. Thank you. Thank you.

[5:31] By the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.

[5:45] All who dwell in darkness in my hand will say, I who made the stars of light, I will make their darkness bright.

[6:07] Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send? Here I am, Lord. It is our Lord.

[6:29] I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me.

[6:50] I will hold your people in my heart.

[7:01] I am the Lord of snow and rain. I have borne my people's pain.

[7:14] I have wept for love of them. They turn away.

[7:26] I will break their hearts of stone. Give them hearts for love alone. I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send?

[7:48] Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?

[7:59] Here I am, Lord. I have heard you calling in the night.

[8:10] I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

[8:31] I will hold your people in my heart. I am the Lord of wind and flame. I will tend the poor and lame.

[8:44] I will settle fees for them. My hand will save.

[8:55] Finest bread I will provide. Till their hearts be satisfied. I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send?

[9:16] Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?

[9:27] I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me.

[9:47] I will hold your people in my heart.

[9:59] I will hold your people in my heart. Truth. To my body in me in concern today, worship today as she stops in trying to fade into the places the girls teasing after in this family farther than they know farther than they know but if we are the body why are his arms reaching why are his words healing why are his words teaching and if we are the body why are his feet going why is his love not showing that there is a way there is a way the driver is far away long he sheds his phone quietly sings into the back row made of their judgmental glasses tells him that his chances are better out on the road but if we are the body why are his arms reaching why are his hands healing why are his words teaching and if we are the body why are his feet going why is his love not showing that there is a way

[12:31] Jesus Jesus may much still by the price for us to think and choose who should come we are the body of Christ but if we are the body why are his arms reaching why are his hands healing why are his words teaching why are his words teaching why are his words teaching why are his feet going why is his love not showing that there is a way Jesus is the way you may be seated and as we are celebrating ladies sunday today

[13:50] I asked a few people to come up and talk about what it's meant to them to partake in ministries within the church and first I'd like to call up Carl after Carl will be Elizabeth and then Becky Heidman good morning I just remembered an announcement it's a gathering band tonight so any of you come down for some music so I don't have to come up here twice I'm going to talk a little bit about the fish fry that we just had the three nights 1,070 dinners which is 100 or so more than we did last year so I would call that somewhat of a success and on behalf of the church I'd like to thank everyone who helped out and made a contribution on behalf of myself just personally thank everyone who helped out and made it a success and who continues to and will continue to make it a success my position running the fish fries has allowed me to have kind of a behind the scenes look

[15:16] I'm in the office and I see what other people are doing in the church see all the contributions that other people make that you know we don't see when we're coming just on Sunday all the programs here all the outreaches all the commitment that so many people make that again we don't see and it's it's watching them and seeing what they do that's inspired me we have so many heroes here doing things in the church programs here outreaches and if you you know you take the time to see wow that person's doing this and that person's doing that and just unfailing that's what gives me more faith and commitment to my faith when I see their commitment and what God does through them not just in the fish fry not just in my main ministry but in all parts of my life so but

[16:17] I think how the fish fry affects me the most in my faith is that night when I see all those people come in and most of them don't just come in have their dinner and leave we have people that get here 4, 4, 15 4, 30 and they're here until 6 they're here to fellowship they're here because they feel a welcomeness that we show all of us and it's that welcomeness that is a sign of our faith of all of our faith and that's that shows in my faith and that shows to me what we can do each of us individually and as our church thanks applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause applause

[17:18] Well following what he said it's a little pressure here mine's a little bit different because I've been here for a long time probably like 20 years now and when I first started wanting to volunteer in the church I said you know what don't give me anything that's like weekly or on a regular basis because you know I was working and just I didn't want to commit all that but over the years I've done scripture which I'll be doing today and I do communion and I'm part of the leadership team and I help with the fish fries and I also do angel tree and then journey's end so I get a wide variety of missions that I've really enjoyed working with and as Carl said there's a lot of behind the scenes you don't know the people that are on committees and help with these fellowship and mission things that you don't even know when I first started coming and you see all these people and they come on Sunday and then you don't see them again but then when you do these mission programs and all of these other outreach programs you see all the people behind the scenes who are really willing to give their time their effort their kindness to help out with all of these programs and for me that's what's been really rewarding the angel tree and journey's end have been the best for me because

[18:41] I feel very rewarded myself with doing these programs and helping the less fortunate than us who have nothing and all these people who come together to make this beautiful apartment for a family who have absolutely nothing and to me that's very rewarding it's very hard work I won't say that it isn't and even doing the angel tree for at Christmas time it's a lot of work and a lot of behind the scenes that you don't even know what goes into it but all the people that come together and help me do that it's just it's just wonderful I've made so many nice friends companions here at the church and as many of you know Carl and I are leaving and that's really hard to leave I'm looking out now at all these faces that I've grown very close to and it's just going to be very hard to leave a lot of this and my daughter is taking over angel tree though so she will be looking for help for that but anyway that's what I have to say good morning

[20:00] I'm Becky Heideman and many years ago and that would be over 20 so I guess I've aged you myself here I knew that I needed to find something more in my world so I volunteered Sunday school and then I got roped into angel wings I was just a volunteer that's what I thought and as I got going with angel wings there were people that I tagged and said hmm come help me come help me and those people have actually stayed for a good part of 15 years and in those 15 years I watched them grow and grow spiritually and emotionally but I never thought about me what did I do I was just there then the song who shall I send

[21:02] I am here and I went wait a minute God's talking to me and I had to do a double take and as soon as I realized that God started using me I started hearing him talk and with his messages one of them came through was Christ healing hands which some of you have had the privilege of experiencing it's like huh but it was a very strong voice and the people who joined to help out with Christ healing hands also heard it and have continued to volunteer then COVID wonderful COVID changed our world some ways much better in some ways not so much but with COVID angel wings had to take a back seat the women and men who helped me said no we're still going to do stuff and we did continue to meet but then God started talking and he was like screaming like I don't want to hear you

[22:15] I don't know if you've been that way it can't be God it's got to be me talking until I realized when I spoke to the volunteers helping they heard the same message now I don't know if that's powerful to you but to me it's okay I got the message like some of the people in the Bible I don't want to go I don't want to do but we did and angel wings started morphing into what's now called intergenerational angel wings and the people who are participating as volunteers were as excited and full of energy as those who attended so why do a ministry ministry because you'll find more about yourself you'll hear more from God than you ever expected to hear it's letting that quiet voice inside of you become a very loud voice and when you let that happen as we did only good things can happen and I believe that is true even for this church as well as every ministry that's going on

[23:35] God is speaking loudly throughout Pendleton Center and each and every one of you so I hope like myself who could finally say here I am God use me that you can do the same it is worth it to be in one of the ministries thank you thank you all for sharing a little of your story many of you know the story of the Israelites wandering the desert and Moses but many of you don't know some of the stories within those stories and today in our scriptures we're going to hear about advice that Moses received from his father-in-law Jethro and we'll also be hearing from a scripture in 1 Corinthians 12 but now I want to invite you to join me in our call to worship

[24:38] God our creator has given us life and called us by name thank you Lord all of us Jesus our savior has died for our eternal life thank you Jesus for his given courage the Holy Spirit our counselor has bestowed on us his gifts spiritual gifts thank you Holy Spirit for the glory for the glory of your Lord all of us who are and I and you are given us in us use us Lord to fulfill your work Amen as we go to our offering time this morning we do have a mission moment Hearts for the Homeless and we have a short video for that Hearts for the Homeless a faith based non-profit was founded in 1990 with a mission to serve the chronic homeless as well as other underserved populations

[25:44] Hearts is able to fund its mission through donor support and entrepreneurial ventures such as the thrift store operation and donated goods recycling program the red clothing donation bins provide items that are given away to those in need donated items are also turned into dollars which support outreach programs such as the mobile soup kitchen and food pantry Hearts for the Homeless continues to serve the local community by feeding the poor and homeless and helping the community at large I ask that you prayerfully consider giving to Hearts for the Homeless as well as offering our gifts tithes and offerings to the Lord that hound sily days remem

[26:47] Thank you.

[27:17] Thank you.

[27:47] I have this treasure. My God rings within me. And I am determined to live for the King.

[28:03] I have this treasure. I have this treasure. I have this treasure. I have this treasure.

[28:15] Till He has been His purpose in me And the things shall save me For I can never save me I am the children To the Lord of King To the Lord of King Till He has been His purpose in me And His purpose in me And the things shall save me And the things shall save me To the Lord of King And the things shall save me

[29:16] And the things shall save me I am the children And the things shall save me And the things shall save me Thank you.

[30:00] Thank you.

[30:30] Thank you.

[31:00] Thank you.

[31:30] Thank you.

[32:00] Thank you.

[32:30] Thank you.

[33:00] Thank you. Thank you.

[33:32] Thank you. Or lift up what's on your hearts this morning. Yes. For healings.

[33:42] For healings. Yes, amen. Yes, Lisa. 90th birthday of Lisa's mom yesterday. That's a blessing.

[33:53] Melissa. People with mental illness. Yes. Yes, Carl. A friend of mine lost her husband. She's a long girl.

[34:05] A friend of Carl's lost her husband after a long battle with cancer. So we'll keep her and Carl's friends, family, in our prayers.

[34:17] What else? Yes, John. Yes, a beautiful fall that we are having. The beautiful trees, the colors. Anything else?

[34:29] Yes. Yes. We came from the city. My daughter and I on Friday night. And we sat with another couple. And the man was raised in Martinsville.

[34:39] I knew my husband. It was a few years ago. And they went swimming in the pits together. We had a great time talking. And we were there eating fish, rice, salads, everything.

[34:52] Wonderful. Wonderful. So June was talking about that fellowship that we have at Fish Fries and other activities that we have at church. If you're looking for community, that's where you can get it.

[35:04] Anybody else? Okay. Let's talk to God together this morning. Dear Heavenly Father, we do give you thanks for this day and the opportunity to be together here in this place to worship you.

[35:21] Please help us set aside the busyness of our daily lives. Help us to simply be present here with you, your Son, and your Holy Spirit. As the Psalms implore us, help us be still and know that you are God.

[35:37] You are God of the universe, yet you want to hear personally from each one of us and from us in community as your church. So we use this time now to talk with you.

[35:50] First, we offer our prayers of thanksgiving for the many blessings you have heaped upon this church. As you've just heard, God, we are a blessed church and we are so thankful for that.

[36:02] We thank you for our pastors who serve us and lead us in your ways. We thank you for our worship team, our talented musicians who help us sing your praises.

[36:14] We thank you for our church staff. Today, we thank you for our lay people, our many volunteers, and our members who work to serve you in the community around us.

[36:24] And most of all, Father God, we thank you for loving us so much that you did send your one and only Son to save us and bring us back in relationship with you.

[36:36] Father, the worries, the cares, and the troubles of this world can be a heavy burden. But you tell us that we shouldn't be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present these requests to you.

[36:56] So we do present all of those concerns, Lord, that have been lifted up. You've heard them and you know the difficult concerns that sometimes are too hard to share.

[37:08] You know what's in our hearts. We humbly ask you this morning for your will to be done in the lives of those that we have named and in the lives of each one worshiping here and worshiping online.

[37:23] Finally, as we begin another week, Lord, help us to keep this feeling of community with you and with our fellow Christians. guide us each day to do your will and to be your lights in this world.

[37:38] In the mighty and powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Today's scripture is from Exodus chapter 18, verses 13 through 23, and 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 3 through 14, and 26 through 28.

[38:16] The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, What is this you are doing for the people?

[38:32] Why do you alone sit as judge while all these people stand around you from morning till evening? Moses answered him, Because the people come to me to seek God's will.

[38:44] Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions. Moses' father-in-law replied, What you are doing is not good.

[38:58] You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you. You cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me, and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.

[39:12] You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave.

[39:25] But select capable men from all the people, men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain, and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.

[39:40] Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you, the simple cases they can decide themselves.

[39:51] That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this, and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.

[40:04] Now from Corinthians. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, Jesus, be cursed. And no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

[40:18] There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work.

[40:34] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom. To another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit.

[40:48] To another faith by the same Spirit. To another gifts of healing by that one Spirit. To another miraculous powers. To another prophecy.

[41:00] To another distinguishing between Spirits. To another speaking in different kinds of tongues. And to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit.

[41:13] And he distributes them to each one. Just as he determines. Just as a body through one has many parts. But all its many parts form one body.

[41:24] So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit. So as to form one body. Whether Jews or Gentiles. Slave or free.

[41:35] And we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part. But of many. If one part suffers.

[41:46] Every part suffers with it. If one part is honored. Every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ. And each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church.

[41:58] First of all apostles. Second prophets. Third teachers. Then miracles. Then gifts of healing. Of helping. Of guidance. And of different kinds of tongues.

[42:11] This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. I know this was a really long scripture today.

[42:22] Almost as long as all my names. If you put them together. Because I'd technically be Linda Krompert Kerr Fallendorf Barzikowski. But anyway. Adrian actually helped me shorten the scriptures today.

[42:36] But I felt that they really spoke to the spirit of the laity in the church. In Exodus 18 we hear the story of Moses and Jethro. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, heard about the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.

[42:52] And all that God had done for them. So he decides to go visit Moses. And while he's there he sees Moses trying to judge over all the people. Not just a few.

[43:02] But everybody. You know how many Israelites were in the desert? There was a lot of them. It says appoint people over the tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands. So in Jethro's wisdom.

[43:14] And I bet a little bit of a nudge from God. He's like whoa dude. You can't keep this up. You're going to wear yourself out. Trying to handle everything yourself.

[43:25] Not good. For you or for them. So he suggests that if it be God's will. Moses should assign people to manage the smaller matters.

[43:36] And when I look at this story. I see how it relates to ministry in our churches today. I see Moses as our pastors. And those who manage the smaller matters or the small groups.

[43:49] Are the lay servants and the laity of the church. The pastors cannot and should not do everything themselves. Even in the smaller churches.

[44:01] They need the laity. They need our help. We are all called to ministry. To be in ministry together. Clergy and laity working hand in hand.

[44:14] Each one of us is called by God to do something within our churches. And the ministries that happen within or outside our church walls.

[44:25] Does not and should not be reliant solely on the pastors. Our pastors. Our pastors as I said cannot and should not do everything themselves.

[44:35] They should not lead every ministry within the churches. Yes. We need to work together. But the laity are the ones that need to step up and lead.

[44:48] Because you know what? I experienced it when I was serving in another church. The churches that depended solely on a pastor to do everything are lost.

[44:59] When they have a pastoral change or their pastor suddenly passes away or leaves. And as the United Methodist structure. It is itinerant.

[45:11] Which means normally pastors go every five to ten years. They switch churches. Pastor Kathy pointed out a few weeks ago that pastors will come and pastors will go.

[45:25] But the people of the church are here to stay. This is our church. It's the pastor's responsibility to feed us, empower us, and walk alongside us in ministry.

[45:40] But it's up to us to be the church. That's also why they have lay servant ministries at the United Methodist Church. There's quite a few certified lay ministers in our church.

[45:54] But in order to do that you have to first become a lay servant. And lay servants also help within ministries within the church. They just lay ministers just go a little further in their responsibilities.

[46:09] And there's also lay speakers who that's folks who feel called to preach but don't want to be a pastor and don't want to do it full time. They can be put on what is called a pulpit fill list.

[46:20] And if there's a pastor taking day off they can look at that list and say hey can you come fill in for me? But lay servant ministries encourages, equips, and empowers the laity of the church to take on the leadership roles in the church.

[46:41] And don't take this as gospel. This is just my humble opinion. But in Chuck Snow's church he talked about the circuit structure of the church where a pastor oversaw many churches.

[46:56] And the laity ran the weekly worship. We are really fortunate to have the pastors that we have. But in the United Methodist Church the number of pastors is dwindling.

[47:09] So I could kind of see us going back to the circuit structure someday. Not in the near future but maybe someday. But now I want to turn to our second scripture.

[47:24] The spiritual gifts. When Paul wrote this he was speaking to the church of Corinth. He was teaching them that when they became Christ followers.

[47:35] When God filled them with his Holy Spirit they were given gifts to help grow the church. There's a lot of people today that feel that these gifts only existed in biblical times.

[47:49] It was just so that they could grow the movement of Christianity. Spread the gospel of Jesus. But hello isn't that what we're supposed to do? My feeling is that if these gifts were for only the people of the time.

[48:06] God wouldn't have put them in the Bible. He wouldn't have made sure that they were there for us to hear about and learn about. And these gifts are alive and well in each of us today.

[48:18] We need to discover or in some cases rediscover our gifts. And we need to activate them. It's kind of like that debit card or credit card you have in your wallet. It's no good until you call that 1-800 number, right?

[48:32] Well it's the same with the gifts. You need to call on the Holy Spirit and accept Jesus to activate those gifts. Now verse 3 of the scripture.

[48:46] I want to read it from the message. In the message it says, In other words, it's only through the Holy Spirit that we can claim Jesus as our Lord.

[49:11] And if you remember a few weeks ago, the scripture even said that the demons know who Jesus is and they shudder. But that doesn't mean they follow him.

[49:23] They don't accept him like we do. And it seems that in the church of Corinth they were having problems with people cursing Jesus and claiming it was a spiritual gift.

[49:34] But the two cannot coexist. You can't curse Jesus and at the same time claim him as your Savior. And you're probably thinking, We don't have that problem today.

[49:46] But do you know any people who say that they're Christians, but the life that they lead does not go along with the way that Jesus taught us to live? Isn't that the same as cursing Jesus?

[50:02] Are we using our gifts in the way that God has called us to use them? Are we using them?

[50:37] Are we using them? Many of you have beautiful voices and musical talents that you've used through the years in the church. And there's many people in the world, though, that have beautiful voices, but they certainly are not using them to glorify God or to build the body of Christ.

[50:58] Some of the gifts mentioned today were wisdom and knowledge and faith and healing, discernment, helping. And there's other places in the Bible that talk about spiritual gifts.

[51:09] In Romans, it talks about teaching and serving, encouragement, leading, mercy. In Ephesians, it talks about apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors.

[51:21] All of these gifts work together in the body of Christ. And no one gift is more important than the others. Our scripture says, just like our body is one body, it has a lot of different parts, but all those parts make one body.

[51:42] God formed our body specifically with the different parts and their specific purposes. And they need each other to function.

[51:53] And that's how it is with the body of Christ. We need each member of the church and the gifts that you are given. God gave us these gifts and they fit together like a puzzle.

[52:08] Our gifts are interrelated and we're dependent on each other to function and be a healthy church. And you may think you don't have any special gifts or you haven't used your gifts, but hear this, you do and you have.

[52:24] I'm going to mention some of the things that go on in this church. And if you've ever helped with them, I want you to stand and stay standing. Have you ever helped?

[52:35] And you are watching at home, you can stand too. Get up and move. Have you ever helped with a dinner? Whether it's a fish fry, a funeral dinner, donated for a dinner, donated for the Seneca Street or Niagara Falls.

[52:52] Have you ever helped with the rummage sale? Have you helped with Operation Christmas Child? Have you packed a shoe box? Or helped pack those boxes into bigger boxes?

[53:05] Have you ever helped with any youth or children's ministries? The nursery, Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, S'mores, Youth Group? Have you ever served on any of the teams in the church?

[53:19] Finance, leadership? Have you ever helped with worship? Whether it's in the sound booth or serving communion, reading scripture?

[53:32] Have you helped with hanging of the greens? Have you ever served communion? What an honor that is. What a privilege to hand that piece of bread and offer it to someone.

[53:47] This is the body of Christ. How about the cantata or any of the music ministries? Have you ever taken part in those? I think almost everybody's standing now.

[53:59] That's awesome. Awesome. Have you ever prayed for anybody? We are the body of Christ.

[54:13] Look around. This is what the body of Christ looks like. All of us working together like a well-oiled machine. Before you sit down, give yourselves a round of applause.

[54:25] Woo! You can be seated. God has gifted each and every one of you with something.

[54:38] Each and every one of you is passionate about something. And each and every one of us is called to ministry. My gift and my ability to be up here and preach is no better than any of the gifts anybody else has.

[54:52] The person who leads Bible study is no more special or no more gifted than the person washing dishes in the dishroom after the fish fry. We need everybody.

[55:07] Each and every one of those gifts is needed to help in the life of the church. Each and every one is a different ministry.

[55:18] Ministry. And ministry does not mean you have to be a pastor. Ministry does not mean you have to get up here and preach. Ministry is sending out those cards to the folks who need to hear from somebody.

[55:31] Ministry is watching those babies in the nursery so the parents can worship in peace. But ministry also reaches beyond the walls of this building.

[55:43] A few things that I mentioned do go beyond the walls. Operation Christmas Child. The dinners at Seneca Street in Niagara Falls. But hear this.

[55:54] Ministry is also praying for the people that you work with. Ministry is treating everyone you meet along life's journey with love and respect.

[56:07] Ministry is reaching out to those who need Jesus. Ministry is being the hands and feet and heart of Christ. Whatever that may look like. And wherever you may go.

[56:18] So God gave us our gifts not just for this church. But to take into the world with us. Now let me ask you this.

[56:30] Are you a Sunday morning Christian? Or are you an all week long Christian? Do you live your faith throughout the week?

[56:41] Do your family and friends know the Sunday morning you? Do you share your faith? There is so much pain and hurt in this world.

[56:54] So much division. And we cry out for God to fix it. But when you leave here on Sunday mornings. Are you helping to fix it?

[57:05] Are you helping to further the division? Or are you going out to be the light of Christ? Are you going out to live a life that glorifies God?

[57:16] Or to glorify yourself? I know that a lot of you are on social media because we're friends. But what do you share on social media?

[57:29] Would the people that you are friends with in the virtual world. But mere acquaintances in the real world. Know that you are a Christ follower?

[57:42] Do you ever post anything that speaks to your faith? And when you do, do you fall into that trap that many of us fall into and post things that are judgmental?

[57:55] Or do you speak the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus? Do you ever post anything that speaks to the hope and promises that we have through Jesus?

[58:08] My challenge to you is if you are on social media, download a Bible app. Most of them give you a verse of the day that you can share on social media.

[58:21] I do that every morning, as some of you and many of you know. And I didn't really think it made a difference. But one time I had two people in one day say, Thank you. That just gives me that little lift I need in the morning.

[58:34] Does what you say and do point to Christ? Do your words and actions speak Jesus? When people look at me, I don't want them to see condemnation and judgment.

[58:52] I don't want them to see the finger pointing, I'm holier than thou, Pharisees and Sadducees. And believe me when I say there was a time in my life that I could point a finger with the best of them.

[59:03] But I still pray and I work on that. On having the humble heart of Christ. Because there are things in my past that if you knew about, you'd tell me I had no right to be here this morning.

[59:16] But it's through the love and mercy and forgiveness of Jesus that I can be here. And that is what it is all about. Being able to accept his forgiveness and share it with others.

[59:31] Every single person beyond these walls deserves a chance at Jesus. From the drug addict to the criminal, everybody deserves a chance to be saved.

[59:44] Just like that guy hanging on the cross next to Jesus. And if you remember, Jesus didn't come to hang out with the saints. He came to hang out with the sinners because they're the ones that needed saving.

[59:59] Sometimes we need to remember that church isn't a social group. He came for you. He came for me. And he came for those we don't think deserve him.

[60:12] Like our song earlier said, it's not up to us to pick and choose. And that, my friends, is what being a follower of Jesus is all about.

[60:24] Living a life that helps lead others to eternal life. I want God to use me to be the difference in someone's life. I want people who may not know me to look at me and say, there's something different about her.

[60:38] And I want people to look at me and see the love and light and forgiveness of Christ. I want everything I say and do to point to Jesus.

[60:50] What about you? Do you want to live like that? Let's pray. Lord, forgive us for having the judging hearts and eyes of the Pharisees.

[61:05] Give us your loving heart and eyes. Forgive us for living as Sunday morning Christians. And help us to live as every day of the week Christians.

[61:17] Lord, let us be your light in this dark world. Amen. Won't you join me in our great Thanksgiving?

[61:53] The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. And lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

[62:06] It is right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere. To give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

[62:19] And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.

[62:33] Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

[62:43] Holy are you. Holy are you. And blessed is your son, Jesus Christ. By the baptism and suffering and death and resurrection, you gave birth to your church.

[62:56] Delivered us from slavery to sin and death. And made us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took the bread.

[63:09] He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples and said, take and eat. This is my body which is given you. Do this in remembrance of me.

[63:22] And when the supper was over, he took the cup and he gave thanks to you. Gave it to the disciples and said, drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant.

[63:35] Poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. And so in remembrance of your mighty acts in Christ Jesus, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[64:01] Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of the bread and cup.

[64:14] Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood. By your spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

[64:35] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever.

[64:46] Amen. And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer that we were taught. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[65:00] 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 deliver us from temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[65:20] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen. As you may hear from me, Amen.

[65:32] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[65:43] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[65:53] Amen. Amen. Amen. Will those who are helping to serve please come forward.

[66:26] Thank you.

[66:56] Thank you.

[67:26] Thank you.

[67:56] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[68:08] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. the table is set all are welcome at the Lord's table there's gluten free on this side regular elements in the middle please come partake in the Lord pieces of plaque and a method and I hope it will continueでもいい yes ok

[69:16] Thank you.

[69:46] Thank you.

[70:16] One bread, one money, one Lord of all.

[70:30] One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth.

[70:53] We are one body in this one Lord.

[71:05] Many the gifts, many the worships.

[71:21] One in the Lord of all. One bread, one body.

[71:33] One Lord of all. One cup of blessing which we bless.

[71:47] And we, though many, throughout the earth.

[72:02] We are one body in this one Lord.

[72:14] One cup of blessing which we bless. One cup of blessing which we bless.

[72:30] And we, though many, throughout the earth. We are one body in this one Lord. One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth.

[72:42] We are one body in this one Lord. We are one body in this one Lord. One cup of blessing which we bless.

[72:56] And we are one body in this one Lord. And we, though many, throughout the earth. piano plays softly piano plays softly piano plays softly

[74:12] We use our gifts to build each other up. We use our gifts to build up the life of this church. And what struck me now both nights, because I'm here Saturday night as well, is that as we're preparing for communion, each week we hear the pastor say, may we be for the world the body of Christ redeemed.

[74:33] And in the song that Linda so beautifully set up for us, the bridge says, I want to show the world the love you gave for me. I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King.

[74:44] So if you would like to live like that, I am going to invite you to stand for our closing song with a title live like that. I want to say we take, See, when I put in LoveENst, think you should ¡ Cin Min Harang by Ben Bernert atmidantiare.com, give your fortune a memory when I'm home where my soul belongs Was I love when no one else would show up?

[75:31] Was I Jesus to the least of us? Was my worship more than just a song? I want to live like that and give it all I have so that everything I say will come to you because who I am and this is where I'll stand but that is the abandon never going back I want to live like that I want to live like that am I who if you are who you are the grace that really change your heart do I live like your love is true people people people ask even if they never know my name is there evidence that I've been changed when they see me if they see you they see you

[76:59] I want to live like that give it give it all I have give it all I have so that everything is saved and that's who I am and this is where I'll stand and this is where I'll stand I'll stand friendlessly abandoned never holding back never holding back I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that the glory of the king I want to live like that and give it all I have so that everything I save for you points to you

[78:13] I want to live like that Love is who I am This is where I'll stand Relentlessly abandoned Never holding back I want to live like that I want to live like that I want to live like that As you go out today, may you live your faith with reckless abandon.

[79:05] May the light of Christ show within you and out of you. And may you go in the peace of our risen Savior. Amen.

[79:41] Fallis tissue come in for us. Thank you.

[80:15] Thank you.

[80:45] Thank you.

[81:15] Thank you.