THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Neillsville, Wisconsin

Pastor Jacoba Koppert

Church 715-743-2147

Pastor's Office 715-743-21217

www.uccneillsville.org

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November 6, 2016 10:00 a.m.

All Saints Day

The Twentieth-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

All who are comfortably able are invited to stand at those

places in the service indicated by an asterisk*

We ask you to please turn off all telephones and electronic devices.

We Gather to Worship God

PRELUDE Eileen Zank

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

GATHERING MUSIC Senior Choir – Joe Anderson, Director

"Seek Ye First" (Karen Lafferty)

*CALL TO WORSHIP¹

Leader: On this All Saints Day

we remember and celebrate

faithful people who set their hopes on Christ and

who with their lives, praised God.

May our hearts and minds be open

to new realities in Christ.

We want to be counted among saints who

will inherit your kingdom.

People: May we, in this hour, commit ourselves

to living lives that are pleasing to God.

*HYMN "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" (Insert )

Seeking God’s Forgiveness We Confess Our Sin

*CALL TO CONFESSION

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Responsive)

God of our parents in faith, through the ages you called forth

people – courageous, faithful and steadfast. In faith they prayed

that you would make yourself known and answer their prayers.

As we pray, help us to express our true feelings, our hope and desires. Give us courage to ask you for what we need. Let your voice be heard. Forgive us when we refuse to listen to you. Forgive us when we become frustrated because you seem silent. Encourage us Lord, to accept your ways. In the name of Jesus, we ask for your compassionate love.

*SILENCE FOR PERSONAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON¹

Beloved in Christ, God has such love for us and knows the

intent of our hearts. Be assured that God cares and has

already forgiven whatever needs to be forgiven.

*PASSING THE PEACE

Pastor: When we trust in God fully, we will find peace.

People: Increase our faith Gracious Lord, that we might know the peace of Christ.

Pastor: May God’s peace offered through the life, death and

resurrection of Jesus Christ be with you my sisters

and brothers.

People: And also with you.

(All are invited to greet others with handshakes or hugs while saying to them

"The peace of God be with you" and responding "and also with you. ")

*OUR RESPONSE OF JOY "Hallelujah"

Halle, halle, hallelujah, Halle, halle, hallelujah.

Halle, halle, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! (Repeat)

We Listen for the Good News

THE CHILDREN’S TIME "All Saints Day!"

THE CHOIR SINGS “Thy Will Be Done” (Joyce Eilers)

SCRIPTURE READINGS Psalm 13

Psalm 40

SERMON "Prayer Response" Pastor Jacoba Koppert

We Respond to the Good News

THANKSGIVING LITANY FOR THE BLESSED ONES

Pastor: Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me, will never die. Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?

People: "Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more for the first things have passed away."

Pastor: The Lord is faithful in all God’s words and gracious in all God’s deeds.

People: The Lord upholds all who are falling down and raises up all who are bowed down.

Pastor: The Lord is near to all who call, who call from their hearts.

People: The desires of those who fear God are fulfilled; their cries are heard; they are saved.

Pastor: On this day of remembrance, let us recall and give thanks for those blessed ones who have gone before us.

The families and friends of those who have died in since November 2015 are invited to come forward when the pastor names the name of those who have died, light a candle and offer a sentence of remembrance.

Richard ‘Buck’ Sischo Jr. Patricia Wasserburger

Michael Finney Marcia Lewis

Herman Hediger Jr. David Lord Sr.

Ruby Kuhn Heron ‘Pink’ Van Gorden

Helen Acheson Joan Reil

Members of the congregation are invited to come forward, light a candle naming and bringing to remembrance their loved ones.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Pastor: Living God, we give you thanks for the lives of these blessed ones.

People: O God, keep them forever in your arms. May they stay forever in our hearts. Through their living teach us to live faithfully. Amen.

*HYMN "For All the Saints" #296 vs. 1, 2 & 4

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

RESPONSE “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” #289 vs. 1

INVITATION TO OFFERING

OFFERTORY Eileen Zank

*THE DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God for all that love has done;

Creator, Christ and Spirit One. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

The Sacrament of Holy Communion¹

The United Church of Christ practices open communion. People of all ages who confess Jesus Christ as Savior are welcome. Today we will come forward to receive the elements by Intinction.

INVITATION

THE COMMUNION PRAYER (Responsive)

We thank you, Almighty God, for creating the gift of life.

We thank you

for the life and ministry of Jesus and for the sustaining work of the Holy Spirit.

We thank you

for faithful living of saints for all centuries.

We thank you

for the witness of those who gave their lives in your service.

THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION

THE CONSECRATION

THE BREAKING AND THE POURING

THE LORD’S PRAYER

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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

SHARING THE ELEMENTS

We invite you to come forward using the center aisle to receive the bread and the cup. You may choose to take the bread and dip in one of the chalices and then eat it; or you may take the bread, eat it and then take and drink from one of the small cups. The small cups contain wine (dark color) grape juice (light color.) The silver chalices contain wine; the ceramic chalices, grape juice. Youth will receive your empty cups at side aisles as you return to your pews. Anyone who would like to receive the elements in the pew is asked to raise their hands as the servers come nearby

THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING¹

We thank you, Most Holy God, for refreshment at your table where along with your saints we receive all Christ’s gifts. Provide for your church on earth a strong faith and increased love for one another. Give us the grace to praise you with our lives in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

*HYMN "In the Bulb, There Is a Flower" (Insert)

*THE BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE "Lead Us from Death to Life"

Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth,

from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; let peace fill our hearts,

let peace fill our world, let peace fill our universe.

*POSTLUDE Eileen Zank

We Depart to Serve God in the World

¹Praise of Saints – When “Yes” is the Only Response: Service of Holy Communion for All Saints Day was written by Henrietta Stith Andrews, a

Copyright 2010 Local Church Ministries, Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ. Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education. All publishing rights reserved.

Announcements

We welcome you to this service of worship. We hope you will experience the love of God and your neighbors. You are invited to join us in the Fellowship Hall downstairs for coffee/refreshments and conversation. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

TODAY: Circle of Friends selling “greeting cards” downstairs in the card room;

3 p.m. Communion served at Neillsville Retirement Community; come and join us.

Note: You will find the attendance folders in the pews on the center racks of every pew - please take time to fill out the attendance sheet including your full address and return them to the side aisles, ushers will collect them during the last hymn. Thank you.

Announcements

Radio Broadcast Sponsors – Today the radio broadcast portion of our worship service is given by Phil and Donita Follen for the church family.

Calendar

Monday, November 6 - 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nar-anon (Meet in the Church Lounge.)

Tuesday, November 8 – Election Day VOTE !

Wednesday, November 9 – 9:30 a.m. Bazaar Workshop; 10 a.m. Called to Care session; 3:30 p.m. CD’s; (helping set up for the Holiday Fair) 3:30 p.m. Confirmation; 6 p.m. Bazaar Workshop.

Thursday, November 10 – 6:30-7:30 p.m. Praying In Color – led by Sue Vornholt; sign-up on bulletin board.

Holiday Fair Notes

Please bring your items you are donating to the “Holiday Fair” early in the week of November 7 so that we can price and display them. Items for “New to You Treasurers” please save for next year. We are filled up. Thank you for supporting us.

Needed for the Luncheon: Bars and dessert cakes. Bring to the kitchen on Saturday morning Saturday, November 12.

Bake and Goodie Shop: Bars – Please do not cut the bars. Cut around the edges when they are warm. This helps a lot.

Bring in your food items on Saturday morning November 12.

Canned goods can be brought in earlier.

Help is NEEDED in all areas. Please call Darlene Mueller at 715-743-2357 for the Bake Shop – Wendy Sigurdson for the “New to You Treasurers” 715-743-6138.

Kitchen: Jenny Romens Erickson – 715-937-4079.

General Information: Carla Marty 715-937-0077 or Emile Miller 715-937-4626.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTIN OUR “HOLIDAY FAIR”