Younger Children’s Activity Pages
Older Children’s Activity Pages
Good morning! This page is intended to both serve as a continuing worship option for those participating in our worship service from home, and to serve in place of print resources during our in-person worship. Following the worship service on Sunday, one or more video recordings from the service will be placed on this page, including the sermon. This may take several hours, due to the time needed to process the videos. We will email the congregation when the recordings have been posted. If you would like to be added to our congregational email list, please contact pvcob.alive@gmail.com.
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The Women’s Retreat at Brethren Woods is March 25-26. Registration deadline is March 11. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Emily Ashby.
- It’s that time again! We are working diligently on our Church Directory for 2022. If you have any updates, please submit them to our office via email or phone by March 6. Thank you!
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Backpack Pals are accepting donations of Pudding Cups and Ramen Noodles! Pudding cups are especially needed. Please leave any donations in the blue bin located in the Narthex. Thank you!
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You are cordially invited to attend the Big Thank You Dinner being sponsored by the District Leadership Team! The event will take place here at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 26. If you are interested in learning more about our District’s Disaster Ministry, or would like to know more about being a volunteer, please contact
Brenda Diehl at brendadiehl@shencob.org or call 540-514-1343 to register.
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It’s that time again! We are working diligently on our Church Directory for 2022. If you have any updates, please submit them to our office via email or phone by March 6. Thank you!
We depend on the greatness of God, including the greatness of God’s love. We are reminded of that as we consider all the events in the world today. WE think about the places of caring, and the place of hatred, the places of healing, and the places of violence. One of our members, thinking about our plans to welcome refugees, has started compiling a book as welcome gift to them, sharing about places where we find God’s care and peace.
So I would invite us to continue to reflect on this, with the reading on the back of our bulletin. The refrain reads, “We welcome God in us and among us.” May this be a prayer for our lives and the lives of others, as well as a commitment.”
We gather together as those whom God has welcomed. As we likewise welcome each other,
we welcome God in us and among us.
As we welcome the prophets in our midst, whose words might unsettle us,
we welcome God in us and among us.
As we welcome those who are hurting, and as their suffering becomes our suffering,
we welcome God in us and among us.
As we welcome the peacemakers, and all those who work for justice and goodness on this Earth,
we welcome God in us and among us.
As we welcome those who are judged unworthy,
we welcome God in us and among us.
As we offer a cup of cold water in the spirit of God’s loving and compassionate welcome,
we welcome God in us and among us. Great are God’s promises! Great is our reward.
Lord of heavenly hosts,
God of earthly creation,
Master of our hope and salvation,
We call to you this morning.
We call for your presence and power.
We need you to fill our lives,
heal our hurt,
and redirect us toward the path of healing.
We pray for your presence here, in our living
and for your power to intercede in hearts across the earth.
May you reveal to us a new promise
as we remember that we are all children adopted in your love.
May we turn from every evil,
seen and unseen,
and find in you our new life.
Awaken us to your Spirit, Amen.
Matthew 6:1-6 NRSV
‘Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Psalm 51 was David’s prayer of repentance, seeking God’s grace and transformation in his life. Let us enter into prayer now, gathering around the words of David’s prayer. As you read sections from the psalm, we invite you into prayers reflecting on those sections
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to
your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.”
▪Address God in a way that is right for you. Share how you are feeling right now.
Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my
transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you alone,
have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight…
▪Tell God about your struggles with sin, at this time in your life.
“Yet you desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in
my secret heart.”
▪Ask God to help you be as honest as you can be as you pray. Share what is deepest in
your “secret” heart:
“cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter
than snow.”
▪Ask God to cleanse you and restore you.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within
me.”
▪Tell God what it would mean for you to have a “clean heart” and a “new and right spirit.”
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit.”
▪ What gets in the way of you being the person that you want to be, that God wants you to
be? What prevents your spirit from being a “willing” spirit? Talk to God and ask for the
help you need.
▪ What else do you need to say to God right now? Share whatever is on your heart. Then
close your prayer in a way that is right for you.
AMEN.
Year B: Season after Pentecost, Proper 13 (18)
© Scripture Echo LECTIONARY LITURGY
Lord almighty,
You are our God.
You give of yourself in every day to us.
You heal, encourage, and inspire.
You weep when we turn towards idols of wealth and violence.
You weep because we do not know what makes for peace,
But you also come to us to show us the way,
to heal the broken-spirited and lame-hearted,
to guide us toward wholeness and peace.
Help us to recognize and know the things that create division in our own lives.
Open our eyes to what creates fear and distrust in our own hearts.
Remind us that you have given us each glorious gifts to be able to share.
Lift our eyes to Jesus, and the grace that has been poured out for all of us.
May we follow in his example,
breaking bread for others and sharing your patience and loving kindness.
Give us the courage to be the people you desire us to be, as individuals and as a church.
Because you have given us all one baptism, one faith, and one hope:
You who are our God, above all, through all, and in all.
Lead us to grow up in you, who are our head, the head of the church.
from whom the whole body is joined and held together.
In Christ we pray, Amen.
As God renews the earth with rain, snow, and sun
May God’s Spirit also renew your spirit
May Jesus touch be upon you to heal you
that you may carry God’s love to others.
May you see, know, and share
God’s peace.
Amen.
