The COVID Cross

Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Dave Mason.
 
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Welcome and Morning Greeting

INTROIT: Hymn: “His Name is Wonderful” 

CALL TO WORSHIP: We seek a big enough God who has overcome all things. Jesus said, “If you would be my disciple, you must deny yourself and take up the cross.” We take heart knowing that “nothing can separate us from God’s love, which enables us to do all things.” This we do by the promise of faith guaranteed by God’s abounding grace. Amen.

INVOCATION

Hymn “When I survey the Wondrous Cross”

CALL OF CONFESSION: As Christians we are called to speak out clearly for the injustices of our world. But before we can do this with integrity, we must confess our own implications in these injustices. Please join in a prayer confession.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION: We want to believe, O God, that we bring our whole selves, our whole hearts, to You—but we don’t. You ask us to deny ourselves and follow You, but we don’t. You ask us to share the good news of the gospel - but we don’t. You ask us to put Your concerns above our worldly concerns - but we don’t. Forgive us for all those times when we fall short, when we doubt, when we are tempted to do otherwise. Help us to stand before You with our whole selves - trusting that it is You who ultimately redeems us from ourselves. Amen.

*Time of silent prayer.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Beloved, our Lord was rejected, taunted, beaten and crucified - and raised from the dead on the third day. Though we fall short, we believe and share the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! AMEN

Passing the Peace
L. The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. P. And also, with you.

CHILDREN’S SERMON

PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION 
SCRIPTURE LESSON Mark 8: 31 - 38

Jesus Predicts His Death
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

L: The Word of the Lord P. Thanks be to God!

SERMON: “The COVID Cross”

HYMN: “Take My Life and Let It Be Consecrated”  
APOSTLE’S CREED

THE OFFERING (Offering plates located near the door)
 
PRAYER OF DEDICATION

THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING 
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. 
It is right to give God thanks and praise.

CHURCH JOYS AND CONCERNS

Birthdays 
David Gill, Bryan Welling, Marlene McFeely, Mason Miklic, Steve Jackson

Anniversaries 
John & Rosemary Cole

Bill Stewart was added to our prayer chain last week. Skin cancer started on his neck, traveled onto his face; into his eye; and into his brain.

Continued prayers for Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ed Horne, Donna West, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Chuck Montecello, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Doug Ward, Mark Knabenshue, Rick McFeeley, Deron Wood, Susan Alberti, Bryan Dunn, Dana Wilson, Marge McWreath, Tim Knabenshue, Jack Burnfield, Debbie Rugg, Reba Flowers, Jamie Anderson, Jackson Corwin (3yr. old), Cody Clifford and Frank Baker.

PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER 

Postlude Hymn: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” 

Charge and Benediction

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If you need anything during this time, please email the church at north.buffalo.church@gmail.com, or contact a member of session. If you have announcements or requests for our prayer chain, please contact Linda Miller. If you need food from our food pantry, please contact Becky Phillips
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