Fairmont United Methodist Church • Raleigh NC

Bulletin for Sunday, October 2, 2022
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering

Welcome

Prelude           Greg Rice - Piano

*Call to Worship                  

God calls us from the ends of the earth
And every place and time.
We come to be filled to overflowing with the love of God
That is patient and kind.
We come to be filled with a love that never fails.
We come to feast together.
When we are troubled and divided,
O God, renew us and make us one!

Opening Prayer        

O God, we join with our sisters, brothers, and siblings around the world in remembering Christ's deep love for us. For the opportunity to eat and drink together and for the life we have received, we give you thanks and praise. Redeem, restore, remold us until we are made new. Transform our daily bread into the bread of life and the cup we drink into the cup of salvation. Amen.

Hymn UMH 374   Standing on the Promises

Scripture Lesson   1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

Anthem     Give Me Jesus   

Gathering of All God’s Children/Children's Church     Greg Kraus 

Scripture Lesson   2 Timothy 1:1-14

Message    The Greatest of These

Hymn UMH 452   My Faith Looks Up to Thee  

Prayers of the People                

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 trespasses,
        as we forgive those who trespass against us.
    And 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 the Offering

Offertory    Greg Rice

Doxology 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!  

Prayer of Thanksgiving  
     Gracious and giving God, we offer our gifts to you today. As we give, kindle in us a deeper faith and a stronger commitment. Thank you for the ones who kindled the flame of faith, hope, and love in us. Use these gifts to kindle that flame in others, that the world might be set on fire with your love. In Christ we pray. Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation
Leader: Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,
    who earnestly repent of their sin
    and seek to live in peace with one another.
    Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Confession and Pardon
All: Merciful God,
     we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
     We have failed to be an obedient church.
     We have not done your will,
     we have broken your law,
     we have rebelled against your love,
     we have not loved our neighbors,
     and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
     Forgive us, we pray.
     Free us for joyful obedience,
     through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: Hear the good news:
     Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
     that proves God's love toward us.
     In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
     Glory to God. Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Leader: It is right, and a good and joyful thing
     always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
     Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
     You have made from one every nation and people
     to live on all the face of the earth.
     You have invited all of us to come to the table of grace.
(All Sing) Come to the table of grace. Come to the table of grace.
     This is God's table; it's not yours or mine. Come to the table of grace.

Leader: 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.
Leader: 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.
     He commissioned us to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth
     and to make disciples of all nations,
     and today his family in all the world is joining at his holy table of peace.
(All Sing) Come to the table of peace. Come to the table of peace.
     This is God's table; it's not yours or mine. Come to the table of peace.

Leader: 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."
     This is Christ's invitation to them and to us, to feast at the table of love.
(All Sing) Come to the table of love. Come to the table of love.
     This is God's table; it's not yours or mine. Come to the table of love.

Leader: 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.

Leader: 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.
     Renew our communion with your Church throughout the world,
     and strengthen it in every nation and among every people
     to love one another faithfully in your name.
     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,
     at Christ’s table of joy.
(All Sing) Come to the table of joy. Come to the table of joy.
     This is God's table; it's not yours or mine. Come to the table of joy.

Leader: Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.
People: Amen.

Giving the Bread and the Cup
Communion Hymn Come to the Table of Grace
  1. Come to the table of grace. Come to the table of grace.
       This is God’s table; it’s not yours or mine. Come to the table of grace.
  2. Come to the table of peace...
  3. Come to the table of love...
  4. Come to the table of joy...

*Closing Hymn UMH 617    I Come With Joy 

*Benediction        

*Benediction Response      Peace to You All     Choir Ensemble

Postlude            Greg Rice

photos: Ken Dulaney

Sunday Night LIVE!
October 2

Special Music        Sam Harris

Welcome This is the Day the Lord Has Made

Opening Prayer

Serenity Song (tune: God Be With You ‘Til We Meet Again)

O God, grant us the serenity to accept the things that we cannot change,
the courage to change the things we can change,
and the wisdom that they’re not the same.
For serenity and courage and for wisdom, these three things we pray,
For these gifts of love and grace, may they come to us this very day.

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer

Special Music    Sam Harris

Scripture Reading    2 Timothy 1:1-14

Message    The Greatest of These    

Special Music      Sam Harris

Song UMH 143 On Eagle’s Wings

Benediction

Traveling Music      Randy Shepard