July 7, 2024

July’s monthly mission is Tesla Educational Opportunity School. For those of you who don’t know, Tesla in an alternative high school that is located across the street from our church.
Ninety-five of the students are at risk of not graduating, many through no fault of their own. Tesla gives the students who want to earn a high school diploma a second chance through opportunities for credit recovery and more individual time with teachers than is possible with traditional schools.

Tesla is not only a school for students who need credit recovery. The school also provides the opportunity for students to earn college credits and to graduate early from high school.
In the past, St. Paul’s has helped provide students with basic needs such as clothes and personal hygiene items. Every Spring we invite the students and faculty to our church for hamburgers and hot dogs. By supporting this mission our church can show Tesla students that the people at St. Paul’s care about them and want to support them as they seek to earn their high school diplomas. By supporting Tesla you can help change the lives of young people who want to be successful and productive adults.

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.

July
¨ 7/16 6:00 pm Church Council
¨ 7/18 11:00 am Worship Committee
¨ 7/18 6:00 pm Trustees

Prelude
Cynthia Hibbetts

Welcome
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Call to Worship
CLM Twinkle Gordon

Leader: Independence Day was this week.

People: We celebrate a time when our country declared its independence from foreign domination.

Leader: But many things dominate our hearts: fear, apathy, intolerance, anger.

People: May God hear our celebrations and also our cries for help.

Leader: Remember how God has blessed you, and be a blessing to others.

People: Lord, keep our hearts and minds open to your word and your way. AMEN.

Worship Song
America the Beautiful
UMH #696
 
1. O beautiful
for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain;
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
 
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
and crown thy good
with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
 
2. O beautiful
for heroes proved
in liberating strife,
who more than self
their country loved,
and mercy more than life!
 
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
till all success be nobleness,
and every gain divine.
 
3. O beautiful
for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years
thine alabaster
cities gleam,
undimmed by human tears!
 
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
confirm thy soul
in self-control,
thy liberty in law.

Passing the Peace of Christ

Mystery Box

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.
 

Invitation to Offering
CLM Twinkle Gordon

Offertory
Sanctuary Choir
 
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Rev. David Petty

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!

Scripture Reading
Mark 12:13-17
CLM Twinkle Gordon

Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere and show deference to no one, for you do not regard people with partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” And they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this and whose title?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.

Message
Pastor Donnie Sturgill

Communion
Pastor Donnie Sturgill
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
 
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts.
 
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
 
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Pastor: It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
People: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Pastor: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you
and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
 
People: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pastor: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.

All: Amen.

Communion Hymn
Let Us Break Bread Together
UMH #618
 
1. Let us break bread together
on our knees, (on our knees)
let us break bread together
on our knees, (on our knees)
 
When I fall on my knees
with my face
to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy
on me. (on me)
 
2. Let us drink wine together
on our knees, (on our knees)
let us drink wine together
on our knees. (on our knees)
 
When I fall on my knees
with my face
to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy
on me. (on me)
 
3. Let us praise God together
on our knees, (on our knees)
let us praise God together
on our knees. (on our knees)
 
When I fall on my knees
with my face
to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy
on me. (on me)
 
4. Let us praise God together
on our knees, (on our knees)
Let us praise God together
on our knees. (on our knees)
 
When I fall on my knees
with my face
to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy
if you please. (if you please)
 
Communion Hymn
One Bread, One Body
UMH #620
 
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
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.
 
2. Many the gifts,
many the works,
one in the Lord of all.
 
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.
 
3. Grain for the fields,
scattered and grown,
gathered to one, for all.
 
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.

*Sending Hymn
In Christ There Is No East or West
UMH #548
 
1. In Christ there is
no east or west,
in Him no south or north;
 
but one great
fellowship of love
throughout the
whole wide earth.
 
2. In Christ shall true
hearts everywhere
their high
communion find;
 
His service is
the golden cord
close binding humankind.
 
3. In Christ is neither
Jew nor Greek,
and neither slave nor free;
 
both male and female
heirs are made,
and all are kin to me.
 
4. In Christ now meet
both east and west,
in Him meet
south and north;
 
all Christly souls
are one in Him
throughout the whole
wide earth.
 
Postlude
Cynthia Hibbetts

Thank you to our June Volunteers!

Ushers and Door Greeters:
Lu Peterson
Linda Griffin
Clay Couitt
Dave and Terry Kitch
Marje Erickson
Diane Geoffroy
Carolyn Myers and Dick Woods

Parking Lot Greeter on June 23rd:
Diane Geoffroy

Fellowship Helper:
Jeff Green
Anna Arney
Alison Kirby

A/V Crew
Wenton Davis
Nathan Nors

Outdoor Worship Setup Crew
Jeff Green
John Fletcher
Mark Rankin
Brian & Jeanne Marsh
Bryan Critchlow
Amberly Petty