Worship with us this weekend!
This week we start to get to the big part of the story and how Esther begins to outsmart Haman
Welcome to Worship!
This weekend, both online and in person, we’re in the book of Esther. We see what will always be evil’s downfall, and in person we begin to see how God is at work through individual people and how they outsmart the bad guys.
Our online worship, is a recording of our previous week's in person worship service. We do that so that we can share in a higher quality of worship together. Even though the service is recorded, Pastor John is down in the comments of the service every weekend.
You can find links to our YouTube Channel for the service, worship music, and a Spotify playlist for more music. You can click on the link to find our previous services too.
You can worship on Facebook, Sunday mornings at 9am, in person at 10:10am, or follow the service below at any time.
What comes next follows the same order of service that is used during in person worship.
Prelude – Break Every Chain
Breakthrough Prayer
Come Holy Spirit, come show us how we can be the spiritual heart of this community, Amen
Announcements
The announcements won’t appear on the video. Be sure to subscribe to our email list and watch our Facebook page for any new information or updates.
Sunday 8/15: 11:30 Youth meeting to go to Lake Nehai!
Monday 8/16: 3pm-5pm Food Pantry is open in the Fellowship Hall
Tuesday 8/17: 4pm Centering Prayer on live on our Facebook Page
5:00pm Prayer Group meeting in the downstairs Sunday School room
Wednesday 8/18: 4:30pm Worship Team meeting in the Fellowship Hall
Sunday 8/22: 9am Facebook Worship
10:10am In person worship in the Sanctuary
If you have something for the September Newsletter, please send it in
Click on the link to help serve a meal for Celebrate Recovery
You can check out our weekly emails, and radio broadcasts by going to marcelineumc.substack.com From there you can subscribe to get all of those things in your email!
Watch for more info on a special worship service coming up on Sept. 12!
Call to Worship
I'll say the words in regular type, and please reply with the words in bold
Leader: We look around and see that good people struggle
People: We are disturbed by the actions of evil men and women
Leader: We want to know how they can find so much
People: And how they get away with it
Leader: But they all suffer from the same fate
People: And we have faith that we persevere until that time comes
Opening Prayer
Patient God,
As we worship today, teach us what we need to know, so that when evil strikes we remember that you are with us. Help us to see that evil will always fall, and that through your love, grace, promise, and strength we won't fall to the same problems evil does and that we will see victory through you.
In Christ's name, Amen
Thine be the Glory--UMH 308
Children's Message—Eleanor Ravens
Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, Witness
As people of faith, we share who we are with each other. Below I invite you to share your joys and concerns, your prayer requests, and your offerings. You can use the link below, or in the comments
Share a joy, concern, and/or prayer request
Remember that you can mail in your offerings to:
Marceline UMC
321 N Kansas Ave
Marceline, MO 64658
You can also give online.
Take some time for some personal prayer, and take some time to give. This could be the time when you go online, or you write a check to the church, or when you make that commitment to give in a different way.
After the personal prayer, I'll say a prayer (if you're watching the video), and then join in saying the Lord's Prayer below.
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
Our scripture reading for worship is Esther 3:1-7
As you are able, please stand for the reading of God's Word.
1Sometime later, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, Hammedatha the Agagite’s son, by promoting him above all the officials who worked with him. 2All the royal workers at the King’s Gate would kneel and bow facedown to Haman because the king had so ordered. But Mordecai didn’t kneel or bow down. 3So the royal workers at the King’s Gate said to Mordecai, “Why don’t you obey the king’s order?” 4Day after day they questioned him, but he paid no attention to them. So they let Haman know about it just to see whether or not Mordecai’s words would hold true. (He had told them that he was a Jew.) 5When Haman himself saw that Mordecai didn’t kneel or bow down to him, he became very angry. 6But he decided not to kill only Mordecai, for people had told him Mordecai’s race. Instead, he planned to wipe out all the Jews, Mordecai’s people, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. 7In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan) in the twelfth year of the rule of King Ahasuerus, servants threw pur, namely, dice, in front of Haman to find the best day for his plan. They tried every day and every month, and the dice chose the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).
Leader: This is the word of God, for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God!
O God Our Help in Ages Past--UMH 117
Today's Message: Act 1: The Beginning
How do you know when you've jumped the shark? When you get snubbed by one person and decide to take your anger out on an entire group of people. This week we get the villain of the Book of Esther, and we start to see where he gets it all wrong.
Hymn of Promise--UMH 707
Benediction
Gracious God,
Lead us out into a world that has villains in so many places, and let us see that their ultimate victory is never promised. Help us to know that through our faith in you we can see their fall, and that you will be here to keep us from falling into their same mistakes. In turn, let us be an example for others that they will see you at work and find that same hope that we have. Lead us out from here in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Postlude-Goodness of God