Worship Connection for May 2, 2021

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.

• We anticipate continuing to worship outdoors through the summer, as the weather allows. The service will begin at 11:00 AM, for now, to allow the air to be a little warmer. We will likely move the service earlier as we get into the heat of summer.
  • Social distancing and mask use will need to follow state regulations. Currently, masks are required outdoors, when you cannot keep a 6-foot separation between yourself and others. However, this allows for a great deal more relaxation than we have been able to experience indoors. We also will be able to resume congregational singing. We are taking steps to be able to live stream worship from the pavilion and expect that to be ready by Easter Sunday. We also will have the radio broadcaster set up for people to be able to listen in their cars again.
  • Finally, if the weather is not cooperating, we will be able to move back inside again, on short notice if necessary, but continuing to observe state and CDC regulations. More details can be found at https://pleasantvalleyalive.org/wp/outdoor-worship-plan-starting-easter-2021/
• We are holding Youth and Children’s Sunday School classes on Sundays, at 10 AM.Classes will meet in their normal classrooms, but teachers can decide to move outside if they want to take advantage of beautiful weather.
  Logistical plans will be reviewed when the worship schedule shifts for the warmth of summer.
  • Social distancing and mask use will follow state Covid regulations, which include face coverings for all people 5 years and older. Masks are required indoors. Currently, they are also required outdoors, when you cannot keep a 6 foot separation between yourself and others.
• Adult Sunday School classes are setting their own plans of time and location for resuming meeting.
• The youth will be cooking and selling Chicken BBQ on May 15, 2021.
  • Look forward to some finger lickin’ good food! This is the first youth fundraiser we have had in over a year, and we could use your help! We will need help with cooking and wrapping the chicken at the Mt. Sidney Ruritan pit. We would love for some adults from the congregation to help out alongside our youth. We also need to borrow some coolers to transport chicken after it is cooked. If you can help out in any way, please contact Pastor Rebecca.
• The 2021 Church Directories have been published and are available for you to pick up.
• The Shenandoah District Disaster Auction Coordinating Committee has decided to hold in-person auctions at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds (4808 S ValleyPike,Harrisonburg) on May 21-22 in the Barn Complex. The recent change in outdoor gathering restrictions has now made it possible for the Friday evening livestock and Saturday morning auctions to take place, although with social distancing and mask-wearing required.
  • Unfortunately, the oyster and ham dinner and the Saturday morning breakfast and lunch offerings will not be available. However, the committee is evaluating ideas for making meals available outdoors using a drive-by method for pick up.
• Softball is coming! We are anticipating the season starting May 10 and practices are scheduled for 6 pm on April 18, 25, May 2, and May 9. Anyone that is interested can just show up to a practice or contact Kyle Meyers.
• The Disaster Kit committee is preparing to receive groups of volunteers to assemble buckets and kits for Church World Service. Congregations or groups are challenged to provide 10 to 20 volunteers to come at a pre-arranged time to fill buckets or kits with supplies. The assembly will take place in the Disaster Ministries building in Weyers Cave, where the roll-up doors will be open and proper spacing can be achieved. CDC guidelines will be followed, with temperature checks and mask-wearing. Each packing session should last about two hours.
  • The District hosts the region’s Church World Service depot, and a tractor-trailer is expected to arrive in late May to pick up buckets, kits and other supplies. The committee has set a goal to have at least half of the buckets filled before the truck comes to load items. People interested in volunteering may contact Sarah Long at the District office to connect with an upcoming opportunity for assembling buckets and kits. 

Please remember in your prayers the many in and around our congregation who have been fighting illness.

Blessed are those.
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed are those
whose sin God does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

How great is our God!

When we keep silent,
our bones waste away
groaning all day long.
Day and night
the weight bears us down
strength sapped
like struck by summer heat.
But, then we acknowledged our sin
and did not conceal our iniquity.
We turned to the Lord.
God heals the broken hearts,
saves those damaged by sin.

How great is our God!

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are our security.
You will rescue us from trouble
and fill our lives with songs of deliverance.

How great is our God!

Here In This Place

CCLI #1699256

Matthew 18:10-14 NRSV

‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Verse 1
Love divine all loves excelling
Joy of heaven to earth come down
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling
All Thy faithful mercies crown
Jesus Thou art all compassion
Pure unbounded love Thou art
Visit us with Thy salvation
Enter every trembling heart

Verse 2
Breathe O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast
Let us all in Thee inherit
Let us find Thy promised rest
Take away the love of sinning
Alpha and Omega be
End of faith as its beginning
Set our hearts at liberty

Verse 3
Come Almighty to deliver
Let us all Thy grace receive
Suddenly return and never
Never more Thy temples leave
Thee we would be always blessing
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing
Glory in Thy perfect love

Verse 4
Finish then Thy new creation
Pure and spotless let us be
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee
Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before Thee
Lost in wonder love and praise

CCLI #1699256

In March, the Church Board received news about a family in our community in need of a new vehicle. They had lost income due to Covid-19, and have a daughter confined to a wheelchair. They needed a vehicle able to transport her in her wheelchair. However, the potential cost was overwhelming. Thanks to your generosity, the Church Board was able to designate $5000 from our community needs fund to help this family out. This came together with other contributions from individuals, churches, and groups in our community, to almost completely cover the cost of the vehicle.

God has made us stewards of his loving grace. Thank you for your willingness to share.

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
And the power, and the glory forever,
Amen.

-Rev. Fiona J. Reynolds, Monifieth Parish Church in Scotland

When we breathe, God blesses.
When we work and rest, God smiles.
When we laugh and love, God celebrates.
Go, now, in the faithful blessing of God. Amen.