-We Listen for Gods Word-

Quotes for Reflection:

Christianity always flourishes most as a life-giving minority, not

as a powerful majority. It is through subversive, countercultural
acts of love, justice, and service for the common good that
Christianity has always gained the most ground.
Scott Sauls, Jesus Outside the Lines

-We Gather as Gods PeopleHYMN

In Christ There Is No East or West

UMH 548

CALL TO WORSHIP
One:
We come, just as we are, to worship.
Many: We come to this place and time to give
and to receive in Jesus name.
One:
A blank canvas of worship stands before us,
outlined perhaps by familiar hymns and ancient patterns.
Many: Yet we need to apply the colors, the textures,
the shapes of our lives to create worship
that truly honors you.
One:
Let your Spirit blow through us and our time together
to enliven all we offer now.
Many: And bring into being a painting
of Love, Truth, and Grace for your kingdom. Amen.
HYMN
SPIRITUAL

Draw the Circle Wide

W&S 3154

Im Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

FWS 2153

YOUNG PEOPLES MESSAGE & NOISY OFFERING

OPENING TO GOD
Body Prayer
Loving God, you ask us to love one another
(arms stretched out forward, palms up)
as much as ourselves.
(cross hands over own heart)
Sometimes we forget who is our neighbor,
(turn toward the center of the sanctuary)
And we forget about loving.
(fold arms tightly, bow head down)
Help us to love one another and to love ourselves
(join hands with one another)
as much as you love us.
(lift arms up high, keeping hands joined) Amen!
BAPTISM OF NOAH TYLER HEFFERNAN

HEBREW SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The days are surely coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
that I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt
a covenant that they broke,
though I was their husband, says the Lord.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my law within them,
and I will write it on their hearts;
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
No longer shall they [need to] teach one another,
or say to each other, Know the Lord,
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord;
for I will forgive their iniquity,
and remember their sin no more.
PSALTER

Psalm 146

GLORIA PATRI

UMH 858
UMH 70

GOSPEL
Mark 3:1-6
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a
withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him
on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man
who had the withered hand, Come forward.
Then he said to them, Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the
sabbath, to save life or to kill? But they were silent.
He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness
of heart and said to the man, Stretch out your hand. He stretched it
out, & his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out & immediately
conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

-We Respond to Gods WordREFLECTION

HYMN

Coloring Outside the Lines

Lord of the Dance

UMH 261

STEWARDSHIP TESTIMONY
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORDS PRAYER
OFFERING & DOXOLOGY

UMH 94

-We Scatter to Serve the World-

ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
RESPONSE

Shalom to You

UMH 666

z
Birthdays & Anniversaries

October 19 - Chris McDonald

October 20 - Alison Guile, Peggy Rodgers
October 21 - Kelly Allen
October 22 - Jacob Parker
October 20 - Barb & Gil Myers Anniversary

Essex Eats Out Schedule

Oct 23 - EUMC
Oct 30 - St Pius
Nov 12 - Holy Family Nov 30 - St. James

Nov 6 - First Congo

Nov 27 - EUMC

Announcements

Essex Eats Out on October 23. Dawn needs help from 2:30pm
onwards to reheat the left-overs from the Chicken Pie Dinner.
Please let Dawn know if you are able to help with this.
All Saints Day in Nov 1. If you would like to have the name of a
loved one, who has passed away during the last year, include in
the service bulletin please add the name to the list or you can
leave a message for Heidi in the office. The names will be read
out during the service and you can bring a memento of your loved
one to the altar.
The Holiday Bazaar is fast approaching (Sat, Nov. 7th). We will
be having the usual tables (crafts; sewing, knitting & crocheting;
candy; baked goods; cookie walk; plants; white elephant; and
lunch will be served beginning at 11 a.m. Any donations will be
greatly appreciated. Please contact Marilyn Almeida, Patty
Mitchell, Nancy Nye or Maureen Wiegner if you have questions.

The Essex/Jericho/Underhill Food Shelf is in need of

Vegetables (no green beans please though!), Soup, Peanut Butter,
Tuna, Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans.

Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.

300 BARS of SOAP needed by Nov 1. These will be part of 300

health kits being put together by Shelburne UMC for UMCOR. (No
Ivory or Jergens, please, as they are too soft.)
The Administrative Board is in need of a Secretary for monthly
meetings. If that is a special talent of yours, please see Mitch.

Calendar

Tue, 20 Oct: Office Hours

Church: 9-10:30am
Phoenix Books: 10:40-noon
Mansfield Bible Study, 1:45 pm.
Choir Practice 6:30 pm
Administrative Board 7:00 pm
21 Oct-23 Oct:

Pastor Mitch will be at Rollin Ridge Center in

Mass. interviewing candidates for Ministry.

Thu, 22 Oct: Church Life Meeting 7:00 pm

Fri, 23 Oct:

Essex Eats Outs at EUMC 5:30 pm

Sat, 24 Oct:

Generosity & Stewardship Event at Faith UMC,

South Burlington. 9 am -3 pm

Sun, 25 Oct: Theme: Love, Anxiety, and Fearlessness

Mon, 26 Oct: Monday Companions at Eves, 7:00 pm.
Read ch.1-3 of Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner.



Ongoing Prayers
Judy & Diezela
Zachary Roy
John Bartlett
Brooks Family
Michael Parker
Jill & Doug Griffin
Stan Komecki
Jenna Roy
Paul
Dick Shepard
Robin
Jaylene
Mary
Jake Greg
D.J.
Chris
Gloria
Anne
Michael Paradee
John Young IV
Brenda
Lenore
T.J.

Lifted Up Last Sunday

Ruth Bristol - continued healing,
rehab starting
Kirk - knee surgery successful
Irene & Nancy - thankful that
Irenes brain tumor is slow
growing
-thankful that Nancy is still cancer
free
Marilyn - Mattan & Davis family,
loss of Micha
Kathryn - nephew Matthew has new
baby son
- strength for B family, difficult
times
Marjorie - Judy McDonald, knee
issues, seeing the doctor this week

t
s
ju



Tue, 27 Oct: Trustees 7:00 pm

Pastor-Parish Relations Committee 7:00 pm
Sat, 31 Oct:

Pastor-Parish with the District Superintendent

Sun, 1 Nov:

All Saints Day and Annual Church Conference

Theme- Love Means More Than Saying Youre
Sorry: Confession & Transformation

Mon, 2 Nov: Monday Companions at Eves, 7:00 pm.

Sat, 7 Nov:

Holiday Bazaar 9-3 pm

Sat, 14 Nov: Worship Workshop with Marcia McFee Lebanon

NH UMC, 9 am- 3 pm.
Sun, 15 Nov:

Stewardship Sunday

Essex Center United Methodist Church

essex_umc@comcast.net
tel. 878-8304
www.essexumc.com
Ministers: the entire congregation
Lay Leader: Joshua Knox
Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
cell tel. 881-3268 (feel free to call)
mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Heidi Evans
Organist: Kathryn Parker Pianists: June Packard, Ellie Uckele
Djembe: Barbara Lemmel Guitar: Richard Randazzo & Mia Burnett
Song Leader: Dana Thomas Projection: Sam Evans
Greeter - Norm Thompson
Ushers - Joshua Knox & Melanie Brown, Jody Heffernan

Essex Center United Methodist Church

18 October 2015 21st Sunday after Pentecost

in the fire of your

love.
-from On Divine Providence, circa 1370

-from On Divine Providence, circa 1370

At 8:00 a.m. each morning, take a quiet moment (wherever you

are) to simply be in the loving presence of the Divine. After a few
minutes of quieting yourself, read this short prayer slowly, out
loud if possible. (If you are somewhere that doesnt allow you to
read, like driving a car, offer your own prayer.)

At 8:00 a.m. each morning, take a quiet moment (wherever you

are) to simply be in the loving presence of the Divine. After a few
minutes of quieting yourself, read this short prayer slowly, out
loud if possible. (If you are somewhere that doesnt allow you to
read, like driving a car, offer your own prayer.)

What thoughts or feelings arise as you pray this poem?

Does it lead you to want to do something?
Does it speak to you in an unexpected way?
Know that dozens of fellow faith-travelers are also praying with
you at the same time.
How does it feel to be surrounded by the prayers of others?

Prayer-Poem for the Week:

in the fire of your

love.

What thoughts or feelings arise as you pray this poem?

Does it lead you to want to do something?
Does it speak to you in an unexpected way?
Know that dozens of fellow faith-travelers are also praying with
you at the same time.
How does it feel to be surrounded by the prayers of others?

Prayer-Poem for the Week:

Prayer-Poem for the Week:

by St. Catherine of Siena

by St. Catherine of Siena

Eternal Trinity,
Godhead,
mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift
than the gift of
yourself.

Eternal Trinity,
Godhead,
mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift
than the gift of
yourself.

Eternal Trinity,
Godhead,
mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift
than the gift of
yourself.

For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed,

which itself consumes all the selfish love
that fills my being.

For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed,

which itself consumes all the selfish love
that fills my being.

For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed,

which itself consumes all the selfish love
that fills my being.

Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness,

illuminates the mind with its light,
and causes me to know your
truth.

Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness,

illuminates the mind with its light,
and causes me to know your
truth.

Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness,

illuminates the mind with its light,
and causes me to know your
truth.

And I know that

you are beauty and wisdom itself.

And I know that

you are beauty and wisdom itself.

And I know that

you are beauty and wisdom itself.

The food of angels,

you gave yourself to man

The food of angels,

you gave yourself to man

The food of angels,

you gave yourself to man

by St. Catherine of Siena

in the fire of your

love.
-from On Divine Providence, circa 1370

z
At 8:00 a.m. each morning, take a quiet moment (wherever you
are) to simply be in the loving presence of the Divine. After a few
minutes of quieting yourself, read this short prayer slowly, out
loud if possible. (If you are somewhere that doesnt allow you to
read, like driving a car, offer your own prayer.)
What thoughts or feelings arise as you pray this poem?
Does it lead you to want to do something?
Does it speak to you in an unexpected way?
Know that dozens of fellow faith-travelers are also praying with
you at the same time.
How does it feel to be surrounded by the prayers of others?