May 26, 2024 Liturgy

Each month, our community comes together to extend our blessings beyond the walls of our church through the "Monthly Mission" offering. This special collection traditionally supports various organizations and causes, reflecting our commitment to support God's mission in our community.

This month, the mission committee has decided to direct our "Monthly Mission" offering to an exceptionally vital cause — our own church. This offering will help to address an urgent need within our church budget that ensures our ministries continue to thrive and our facilities remain a welcoming place of worship and service.

While this might be a shift from our usual practice, it is a reminder that maintaining the strength and stability of our church is equally crucial in fulfilling our mission. It allows us to continue providing spiritual guidance, community support, and a facility for the whole community. We are “putting our own oxygen mask on first” this month to make sure we can support this neighborhood for many years to come.

We ask for your continued generosity to our May monthly mission, knowing that every contribution will play a direct role in sustaining the church. Let us come together in this collective effort to support St. Paul's as our monthly mission.

Thank you for your steadfast faith and dedication to St. Paul's.

Each communion Sunday thereafter we will have a basket for those who feel called to give above and beyond their pledge. This "second-mile" giving will help fund the pastor's discretionary fund, which helps meet community needs as they arise, such as gas, lodging, clothing, etc. Feel free to bring your spare cash and change to help make a change in the lives of those in need.

June 9, We have a Youth Choir visiting us and they will be providing some of their music during the service. We want to say, “Thank You” and welcome them with a potluck right after the service. St. Paul’s will be providing the dessert so plan on bringing a main dish, side, or salad to serve 12(since we are hosting the youth and their adult advisors)

Getting your Ducks in a Row-June 8th: Whether financial and estate planning, keeping medical records, planning for emergency evacuations, or simply making our lives less stressful, we all know we should be better organized. Since we don’t know where to start, we procrastinate. Senior advisor Judy Rough has spent her career helping older clients organize their lives. Though she lives in Denver, she has offered to sponsor a free community seminar at St. Paul’s. The only cost will be for binder materials, available upon registration. The workshop is only a starting point; be prepared to devote some time to following her advice. We’ll enjoy a potluck brunch followed by a half-day workshop. So, sharpen your pencils, bring that egg casserole, and prepare to get your “ducks in a row.” Remember to invite all your friends, since this is a community outreach from St. Paul’s.
Contact Jeanne Marsh (719-229-1708) or the church office to register.

Prelude
On the Wind of the Spirit
Arr. Mark Hayes
Cynthia Hibbetts

Welcome
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Call to Worship
CLM Twinkle Gordon

Leader: The Holy Spirit is our faithful guide.
People: At all times and in all things, the Spirit of God remains at our side.
Leader: When we wander in places of wilderness,
People: the Spirit delivers us with a mighty hand.
Leader: When uncertain times make us weary,
People: the Spirit will lead us in goodness and truth.
Leader: Be still, and listen as the Spirit sweetly whispers,
People: “Follow me, wandering one. I will guide You home.”

Opening Hymn
Holy, Holy, Holy
UMH #64
 
1. Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning
our song shall rise to thee.
 
Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons,
blessed Trinity!
 
2. Holy, holy, holy!
All the saints adore thee,
casting down their
golden crowns
around the glassy sea;
 
cherubim and seraphim
falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and
evermore shalt be.
 
3. Holy, holy, holy!
Though the darkness
hide thee,
though the eye
of sinful man
thy glory may not see,
 
only thou art holy;
there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in
love and purity.
 
4. Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall
praise thy name,
in earth and sky and sea.
 
Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons,
blessed Trinity.

Passing the Peace of Christ
 
Mystery Box

Prayer Song
Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
TFWS #2193
WORDS: Ken Medema MUSIC: Ken Medema © 1973 Hope Publishing Co.

Lord, listen to your
children praying,
Lord, send your Spirit
in this place;

Lord, listen to your
children praying,
send us love,
send us power,
send us grace.
 
Prayer, Silent Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

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 trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
 
Lead us not
into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
 
For Thine is the Kingdom,
and the Power
and the Glory forever.
Amen

Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
CLM Twinkle Gordon

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the testimony of God to you with superior speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were made not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are being destroyed. But we speak God’s wisdom, a hidden mystery, which God decreed before the ages for our glory and which none of the rulers of this age understood, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual, Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.

 “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Prayer for Illumination

Leader: May the words of my mouth,
People: and the meditations of all of our hearts
All: be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our rock and our redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Message
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Invitation to Offering
CLM Twinkle Gordon

Offertory
O God Our Help in Ages Past
Sanctuary Choir

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Doxology
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
UMH #94
 
Praise God, from whom
all blessings flow; 
Praise God, all creatures 
here below: 
Alleluia! Alleluia! 
 
Praise God, the source 
of all our gifts! 
Praise Jesus Christ, 
whose power uplifts! 
 
Praise the Spirit, 
Holy Spirit! 
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Closing Blessing
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Closing Hymn 
Spirit of God
TFWS #2117
WORDS: Steve Garnaas-Holmes (Gen. 1:2; Matt. 3:16-17; Luke 3:22; Acts 2:1-4)
MUSIC: Steve Garnaas-Holmes © 1987 Steve Garnaas-Holmes
 
1. Spirit of God, bright Wind,
breath that bids life begin,
blow as you always do;
create us anew.
 
Give us the breath to sing,
lifted on soaring wing,
held in your hands,
borne on your wings.
 
Refrain
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
 
2. Spirit of God, bright Dove,
grant us your
peace and love,
healing upon your wings
for all living things.
 
For when we live your peace,
 captives will find release,
held in your hands,
borne on your wings.
 
Refrain
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
 
3. Spirit of God, bright Hands,
even in far-off lands
you hold all
the human race
in one warm embrace.
 
No matter where we go,
you hold us together so,
 held in your hands.
borne on your wings.
 
Refrain
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
 
4. Spirit of God, bright Flame,
send us in your holy name,
the power to heal,
to share
your love everywhere.
 
We cannot fail or fall,
or know defeat at all,
held in your hands,
borne on your wings.
 
Refrain
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
 
5. Spirit of God in all,
 we gladly hear your call,
the life in our
hands that sings,
the power of your wings.
 
Born of your grace we rise,
 love shining in our eyes,
 held in your hands,
borne on your wings.
 
Refrain
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
Alleluia!
Come, Spirit, come!
 
Benediction
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Postlude
Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Cynthia Hibbetts