June 27 Livestream – Joyful Giving

We are blessed to welcome the Rev. Brenda Booth, Executive Director, Isaiah 58 Ministries.
Thank you, Brenda, for leading worship today. May Jesus Christ be praised!

We are blessed to welcome the Rev. Brenda Booth, Executive Director, Isaiah 58 Ministries. Thank you, Brenda, for leading worship today. May Jesus Christ be praised!

WELCOME – Linda Lowry

PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Linda Lowry
One: Sing praises to God; O faithful ones!
All: God hears our cries, and God knows our sorrows.
One: Where there was no way,
All: God leads us on a new path.
One: Where there was no mercy,
All: God surprises us with healing.
One: Where many tears were cried,
All: God invites us to try a new dance step!

*HYMN – Help Us Accept Each Other – #127

1. Help us ac-cept each oth-er as Christ ac-cept-ed us;
   Teach us as sis-ter, broth-er each per-son to em-brace.
   Be pres-ent, Lord, a-mong us and bring us to be-lieve
   We are our-selves ac-cept-ed and meant to love and live.
2. Teach us, O Lord, Your les-sons, as in our dai-ly life
   We strug-gle to be hu-man and search for hope and faith.
   Teach us to care for peo-ple, for all, not just for some;
   To love them as we find them, or as they may be-come.
3. Let Your ac-cept-ance change us, so that we may be moved
   In liv-ing sit-u-a-tions to do the truth in love;
   To prac-tice Your ac-cept-ance un-til we know by heart
   The ta-ble of for-give-ness and laugh-ter’s heal-ing art.
4. Lord, for to-day’s en-coun-ters with all who are in need,
   Who hun-ger for ac-cept-ance, for right-eous-ness and bread
   We need new eyes for see-ing, new hands for hold-ing on;
   Re-new us with Your Spir-it; Lord, free us, make us one!

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Linda Lowry
God of Self-giving Love; you call on us to share one another’s burdens, by allowing others to care for us in our times of need and by offering all that you enable us to give to others in their time of need. With the fullness of joy that you provide, God; we seek to offer your people food, shelter, kindness, mercy, and blessings of every kind.
Faithful Savior; you ask us to trust that you have power to bring to life new possibilities in situations where it had seemed that there was no hope.
Christ Jesus, come to us now during this time of worship.
Teach us to embrace the Way of Life which you continue inviting us to live.
May our desires become your desires;
may our work become your work;
may our community become your faith community where you above all are loved and served. We pray in your holy name, Jesus. Amen.

*RESPONSE – Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart – worship booklet, p. 42

Give thanks with a grate-ful heart,
Give thanks to the Ho-ly One,
Give thanks be-cause He’s giv-en Je-sus Christ His Son.
Give thanks with a grate-ful heart,
Give thanks to the Ho-ly One,
Give thanks be-cause He’s giv-en Je-sus Christ His Son
And now let the weak say “I am strong,”
Let the poor say “I am rich,”
Be-cause of what the Lord has done for us
And now let the weak say “I am strong,”
Let the poor say “I am rich,”
Be-cause of what the Lord has done for us.
Give thanks,
Give thanks.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Tara Lowry

GOD’S WORD – Matthew 25:31-40 – Brenda Booth

SPECIAL MUSIC – There Is a Balm in Gilead (McDonald) – Anna DiVesta and Sarah Heend

GOD’S WORD – Isaiah 58:6-12 – Brenda Booth

SERMON – Brenda Booth

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Brenda Booth
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)

*HYMN – Reach Out and Touch – #505

1. Reach out and touch a soul that is hun-gry;
   Reach out and touch a spir-it in de-spair;
   Reach out and touch a life torn and dirt-y,
   A man who is lone-ly if you care!
   Reach out and touch that neigh-bor who hates you;
   Reach out and touch that stran-ger who meets you;
   Reach out and touch the broth-er who needs you;
   Reach out and let the smile of God touch thro’ you
2. Reach out and touch a friend who is wea-ry;
   Reach out and touch a seek-er un-a-ware;
   Reach out and touch, tho’ touch-ing means lo-sing
   A part of your own self if you care!
   Reach out and give your love to the love-less;
   Reach out and make a home for the home-less;
   Reach out and shed God’s light in the dark-ness;
   Reach out and let the smile of God touch thro’ you.

*BENEDICTION – Brenda Booth

*POSTLUDE – Anna DiVesta

June 20 Livestream – In the Boat Together

A Happy and Blessed Fathers Day. We hope this worship experience renews your body, mind and soul.

WELCOME

PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pastor Dan
One: Over and over, Jesus comes down to the lakeshore.
All: All he’s asking is for us to follow.
One: The fullness of God is beyond us.
All: Yet, on occasion, we are given glimpses of God.
One: Jesus looks into our eyes and calls out our names.
All: God is with all people at all times.

*HYMN – Shout to the North (Martin Smith)

1. Men of faith, rise up and sing Of the great and glorious King. You are strong when you feel weak
   In your bro-ken-ness complete.
   Shout to the north and the south; Sing to the east and the west;
   Je-sus is Sav-ior to all, Lord of Heaven and earth!
   2. Rise up, women of the truth. Stand and sing to bro-ken hearts,
      Who can know the heal-ing pow’r
      Of our awe-some King of love.
      Shout to the north and the south; Sing to the east and the west;
      Je-sus is Sav-ior to all, Lord of Heaven and earth!
      We’ve been thru fire. We’ve been thru rain.
      We’ve been re-fined by the pow’r of His name.
      We’ve fal-len deep-er in love with you. You’ve burned the truth on our lips.
2. Rise up, Church with broken wings. Fill this place with songs again Of our God who reigns on high.
   By His grace again we’ll fly!
   Shout to the north and the south; Sing to the east and the west;
   Je-sus is Sav-ior to all, Lord of Heaven and earth!

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pastor Dan
We sing your praises, O God; for you are gracious to your children in the course of so many storms. When dangers threaten, you give us the strength to carry on. God of Peace, you are the One who enables us to give to the winds our fears. Because of you, we can trust and be un-afraid. You are a Compassionate God who fulfills each one of your promises.
We have come to worship you this morning, Eternal God. May we listen closely for your voice – the One True Voice, Merciful and Mighty; whom we frequently find difficult to hear. Like the wild and restless sea – may we be still; know that you are God; and obey you. Amen.

*PRAISE RESPONSE – God Will Make a Way – worship booklet, p. 44

God will make a way where there seems to be no way.
He works in ways we can not see,
He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide, hold me close-ly to His side,
With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way,
He will make a way.

GOD’S WORD – Job 38:1-7, 16-18 – Pastor Dan

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Sue Wilson

GOD’S WORD – Psalm 107:1, 23-30 – Pastor Dan

SPECIAL MUSIC – River in Judea –arr. Leavitt
Sarah Heend, Sue Wilson and Anna DiVesta, Vocalists
Aaron DiVesta, Saxophone

GOD’S WORD – Mark 4:35-41 – Pastor Dan

SERMON – Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Pastor Dan
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)

*HYMN – Spirit – worship booklet, pp. 82-83

Chorus: Spirit, Spirit of gen-tle-ness,
Blow through with wil-der-ness, call-ing and free,
Spirit, Spirit of rest-less-ness,
Stir me from plac-id-ness, wind, wind on the sea

You moved on the wa-ters, you called to the deep,
Then you coaxed up the moun-tains from the val-leys of sleep,
And o-ver the e-ons you called to each thing,
“A-wake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.”

Chorus: Spirit, Spirit of gen-tle-ness,
Blow through with wil-der-ness, call-ing and free,
Spirit, Spirit of rest-less-ness,
Stir me from plac-id-ness, wind, wind on the sea

You swept through the des-ert, you stung with the sand
And you gift-ed your peo-ple with a law and a land,
When they were con-found-ed with i-dols and lies,
Then you spoke through your proph-ets to o-pen their eyes

Chorus: Spirit, Spirit of gen-tle-ness,
Blow through with wil-der-ness, call-ing and free,
Spirit, Spirit of rest-less-ness,
Stir me from plac-id-ness, wind, wind on the sea

You sang in a sta-ble, you cried from a hill,
Then you whis-pered in si-lence when the whole world was still
And down in the cit-y you called once a-gain
When you blew through your peo-ple on the rush of the wind.

Chorus: Spirit, Spirit of gen-tle-ness,
Blow through with wil-der-ness, call-ing and free,
Spirit, Spirit of rest-less-ness,
Stir me from plac-id-ness, wind, wind on the sea

You call from to-mor-row, you break an-cient schemes,
From the bond-age of sor-row the cap-tives dream dreams;
Our wom-en see vi-sions, our men clear their eyes.
With bold new de-ci-sions your peo-ple a-rise

Chorus: Spirit, Spirit of gen-tle-ness,
Blow through with wil-der-ness, call-ing and free,
Spirit, Spirit of rest-less-ness,
Stir me from plac-id-ness, wind, wind on the sea

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE – Anna DiVesta

June 13 Virtual Worship – Flourishing

Are you flourishing? And are you helping others do the same? This week’s readings invite us to explore how Jesus describes the Kingdom of God as a seed, inviting us all to take part in helping it take root.

Here’s this week’s order for worship:

WELCOME

PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pastor Dan

We marvel at God’s miracles!

The Realm of God is like a mustard seed – at once, great and small.

Each enormous mustard shrub grows from a small mustard seed.

Faith is similar. Even a tiny amount of faith in God can do big things.

May we worship God with all the faith we have.

Then God will grow us – helping us to extend our branches,
so that the world may be shaded with God’s love.

*HYMN – For the Fruit of All Creation – #591

1. For the fruit of all creation, Thanks be to God.
   For his Gifts to every nation, Thanks be to God.
   For the plowing, sowing, reaping, Silent growth while we are sleeping,
   Future needs in earth’s safekeeping, Thanks be to God.
2. n the just reward of labor, god’s will is done.
   In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will is done.
   In our worldwide task of caring For the hungry and despairing,
   In the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done.
3. For the harvests of the Spirit, Thanks be to God.
   For the good we all inherit, Thanks be to God.
   For the wonders that astound us, For the truths that still confound us,
   Most of all, that love has found us, Thanks be to God.

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pastor Dan
Nourishing God, we do not know how faith grows any more than we know how seeds grow. We live in hopes that you, O God, will grow faith within us – first little blades of awakening, then ears of obedience, and finally the full grain of maturity into the likeness of Christ. As we prepare to worship you, till us as you would tend the soil. This is holy ground. Cultivate us in your fertile soil. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

*PRAISE RESPONSE Where the Spirit of the Lord Is – #142

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is peace;
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is love.
There is comfort in life’s darkest hour,
there is light and life, there is help and power
in the Spirit, in the Spirit of the Lord.

GOD’S WORD 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-7 – Pastor Dan

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Jo Ann Moody

GOD’S WORD – Psalm 84:1-3 – Pastor Dan

SPECIAL MUSIC – Bow the Knee (Sterling) – Anna DiVesta

GOD’S WORD – Mark 4:26-34 – Pastor Dan

SERMON – Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Pastor Dan
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)

*HYMN – We Are a New Creation – worship booklet, p. 91

1. We are a new creator Of Christ, the living Word.
   Our songs of jubilation Shall everywhere be heard.
   New life blooms fresh and glorious For those who heed the call
   Of Christ, ho reign victorious O’er sin and death and all.
2. We are a new creation Of God for this new day.
   As partners let us follow The life, the truth, the way.
   Christ bids us work together As colleagues, old and young,
   As women, men, and nations, God’s folk of every tongue.
3. We are a new creation For service here on earth.
   We live our faith in action nTo tell our Savior’s worth.
   Let love and justice blending Now show for all to see
   God’s grace is never ending. It reaches you and me.
4. We are a new creator By God’s own gracious hand,
   Old burdens cast behind us, A daring future planned.
   In ministry and mission, United let us live,
   In Christ a shining vision To God’s wide world to give.

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE – Anna DiVesta

June 6 Virtual Worship – The Will of God

Are you ready and willing to fulfill the will of God? Join us as we hear Jesus’ words as we look for guidance and direction from our Creator.

June 6 Virtual Worship – T h e W i l l o f G o d

WELCOME

PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pastor Dan
One: Praise God, who fills hearts with joy!
All: Glory be to God!
One: Praise God, who fills the future with promise.
All: O give thanks to God; for God’s steadfast love endures forever!

*HYMN – All Things Bright and Beautiful – #65

REFRAIN
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful; the Lord God made them all.

1. Each little flow’r that opens, Each little bird that sings,
   He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.

REFRAIN

2. The purple-headed mountain, The river running by,
   The sunset, and the morning That brightens up the sky.

REFRAIN

3. The cold wind in the winter, Then pleasant summer sun,
   The ripe fruit in the garden: He made them every one.

REFRAIN

4. He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell
   How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well.

*UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pastor Dan
God of steadfast love, we long for a clear understanding of your will. Our hearts seek you. Our ears listen closely for your voice. Guide us. May this time of worship draw us to you, Christ Jesus – blessing us with a sense of direction for our lives as vital parts of your whole Church. Renew us from within, we pray; so that nothing we face will frighten or discourage us. With amazement, we marvel at the splendor of your works, Creator God! Fill us with an ever-growing love for you. Amen.

*PRAISE RESPONSE – Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord; Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You, I want to see You, I want to see You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord; Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You, I want to see You.

To see you high and lifted up, Shining in the light of Your glory.
Pour out Your power and love As we sing holy, holy, holy.

REPEAT

Holy, Holy, Holy,
Holy, Holy, Holy,
Holy, Holy, Holy,
I want to see You.

REPEAT

GOD’S WORD – Psalm 130 – Pastor Dan

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Dottie Foster

SPECIAL MUSIC – By His Grace (Tornquist) – Anna DiVesta

GOD’S WORD – Mark 3:20-35 – Pastor Dan

SERMON – Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE – Pastor Dan
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)

*HYMN – One Bread, One Body – worship booklet, pp. 72-73

REFRAIN
One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.

1. Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man, no more.

REFRAIN

2. Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all.

REFRAIN

3. Grain for the fields, scattered and grown, gathered to one, for all.

REFRAIN

THE JOYFUL SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION
Responsive Invitation to Christ’s Table
One: Jesus Christ invites, “As you eat this bread, remember me.”
All: Through the broken bread, we remember the sacrifice of Christ.
One: Jesus Christ invites, “As you drink this cup, remember me.”
All: Through the communion cup, we remember the love of Christ.
One: The gifts of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God. Our Savior welcomes everyone to this table!

*HYMN – I Then Shall Live – #133

1. I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
   I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
   I know my name is clear before my Father;
   I am His child, and I am not afraid.
   So greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother;
   The law of love I gladly will obey.
2. I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
   I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving, too.
   I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
   I dare to see another’s point of view.
   And when relationships demand commitment,
   Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.
3. Your kingdom come around and thru and in me,
   Your pow’r and glory, let them shine thru me;
   Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
   And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
   The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
   And may You feed a hungry world thru me.

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE – Anna DiVesta

UPDATED: How to join us for worship

The world continues to change around us – but we want you to know you are always welcome at Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ. This is the core of who we are – and even as it seems like things are pushing us apart, we want it to be easy to bring everyone together.

We gather for worship every Sunday at 10 a.m. If you know Ivy Chapel, that sometimes means 10:02 a.m. or even 10:05. Check our Facebook page for updates – we’ll post there if there is a delay.

Here’s how to join us:

In person
You can join us in the sanctuary for worship each Sunday as long as the COVID-19 numbers do not spike again in St. Louis County. Masks are required while you are in the building and you will be seated in a socially distanced manner. Reservations are no longer required. You may join us anytime you want.

Online
We have recently started using a new AV system which changed how we stream worship. Worship will stream live on the Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ YouTube channel. You will find links at the top of this site and on our Facebook page.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. We’re ready to help you find a way to worship with us that works for you.