November 3 — Wherever You Go — Totenfest

Welcome to Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ. We are commemorating All Saints’ Day in worship this morning, offering God thanks and praise for our loved ones who have passed on to life eternal during the past year.

May Living God be with all of God’s people throughout the world and throughout the United States of America during this highly significant national election.

As our United Church of Christ denomination has been encouraging us for many months, let us VOTE with LOVE.

(Note that thanks to a YouTube glitch, this video has the wrong title. But it’s from Nov. 3)

WELCOME

PRELUDE — Lied — Young

*CALL TO WORSHIP — Jan Wirtz
One: Come; behold the goodness of God!
All: God is gathering us together here on holy ground.
One: Come; accept God’s invitation.
All: At this sacred altar, God offers everyone Christ’s grace.
One: Come; open up all of your senses.
All: As we worship, may we learn to love as Christ loves.

*HYMN — They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love — #119

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side.
We will work with each other, we will work side by side.
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love

All praise to the Father from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION — Jan Wirtz
God of everlasting life; we worship you! God of abundant blessing; out of pure love, you set people free! We praise you as an Uplifting and Faithful God. All people are in your care, and you are alive among us! As our nation’s election day draws near; we bring to you, Loving God, our anxieties and our fears concerning the way that these voting results may enormously impact large numbers of human lives. Breathe upon us and fill us with your peace which will endure whatever the outcome of this election. Dear God, hold us together as your Beloved Community supported by Christ’s love.
We come now seeking your guidance, God. Reveal to us ways that we may faithfully offer people support and blessing. In your life, Christ Jesus, we see unselfishness and kindness that we want to emulate. Guide us to follow you by offering genuine love and care to all. Amen.

*PRAISE RESPONSE — I Love You, Lord — #228

I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You;
O my soul, rejoice!
Take joy, my King, in what You hear;
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.

GOD’S WORD — Ruth 1:1-18 — Jan Wirtz

TOTENTEST — Thanksgiving for Loved Ones

SPECIAL MUSIC — The Old Rugged Cross — Wolaver

GOD’S WORD — Mark 12:38-44 — Pastor Dan

SERMON — Pastor Dan

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER — Pastor Dan

*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 SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
We celebrate open communion, for we believe Christ’s Table is open to all people. All who desire the bread and the cup are welcome to receive God’s gifts at this communion table.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING — Pastor Dan

*HYMN — I Sing a Song of the Saints of God worship booklet, pp. 52-53

I sing a song of the saints of God,
patient and brave and true,
who toiled and fought and lived and died
for the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
and one was a shepherdess on the green:
they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.

They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,
and God’s love made them strong;
and they followed the right, for Jesus’ sake,
the whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,
and one was slain by a fierce wild beast:
and there’s not any reason, no, not the least,
why I shouldn’t be one too.

They lived not only in ages past;
there are hundreds of thousands still;
the world is bright with the joyous saints
who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;
for the saints of God are just folk like me,
and I mean to be one too.

*BENEDICTION — Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE — Trumpet in Dialogue — Clerambault