September 17, 2022

Dear Beloved St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation Family,

Grace and peace to you, dear friends. As we continue our short journey this fall about treating one another with kindness and honor, we are reminding ourselves of the need to pray for others, especially those with whom we disagree. Of course this doesn’t come naturally or easily to us; it takes growth and discipline!

One of the ways we can grow and mature in our faith journey is through ongoing study and conversation. We are excited that this weekend we will resume our Sunday School classes for all ages (children, youth, and adults), as one of the ways you can grow in your faith. Why not attend a Sunday School class this fall to make that priority? Another way you can participate in an intentional way is to join our discussion group in person or online at 11:30 (see link below). No matter how you do it, we hope you will take the next step on our pathway as we continue to grow connected to God and to our neighbors, meeting, making, and moving together!

Here is our schedule for tomorrow, September 18th: 

9:00 AM

In-person Service of Word and Table in the sanctuary

9:00 AM

In-person Sunday School for children, youth, and adults



10:30 AM

Hybrid worship service in-person and livestreamed here.

*Please remember that since this service is filmed and live-streamed,

you or your family members may be on our worship recording,

which is streamed and archived on our YouTube channel.

11:30 AM

Discussion Group in-person and on Zoom

(Join by clicking here, or use Meeting ID- 859 0584 5591 and Passcode- stpauls)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember that masks are optional, and if you are feeling uncomfortable, or are experiencing any symptoms, you can worship with us via our livestream at 10:30 (see link above).

Grace | Peace,

Pastor Greg

Prelude: “Christians, We Have Met for Worship” (Joel Raney)

Mary Bahnfleth

Greeting

Pastor Greg Milinovich

Call to Worship – 

One: Gather us in, Lord, from our various places and spaces;

All: Gather us in, the grieving and the rejoicing, the weary and the ready.

One: In a new season, gather us in, into community and connection and mutual love;

All: Gather us in, as those committed to kindness, to learning, to serving.

One: Gather us in, God of grace, young and old, fearful and brave, here and there,

All: Gather us in, to worship and wonder, to practice resurrection!

Opening Hymn: “Gather Us In” (TFWS 2236)

Opening Prayer: Litany for Kindness (written by Fran Pratt)

©Fran Pratt franpratt.com; used with permission

Pastor Sarah Coker Voigt

God, make us attuned to your compassion,

To the kindness of your heart.

Transform our hearts and minds so that in kindness

We weep with those who weep.

In kindness

We rejoice with those who rejoice.

So that in kindness

We listen to the stories of others.

In kindness

We regard them as more important than our own.

In kindness

We allow ourselves to see hidden broken hearts.

In kindness,

We perceive a greater story.

In kindness

We care for the orphan and the lonely.

In kindness

We care for the sick and the prisoner.

In kindness

We care for those whose lives are just beginning and those whose lives are at an end.

In kindness

We care for those in crisis and in need of refuge.

In kindness

We care for those disregarded, disempowered, and marginalized.

In kindness

We consider how to maintain our hope.

In kindness

We consider how to serve our communities.

In kindness

We consider money and power as tools for good, not end-goals.

In kindness

We consider all humans to be made in your image.

The precious kindness of Christ,

Which firmly corrected and firmly forgave;

The precious kindness of Christ,

Which prevailed over death, violence, and empire;

Guide our hearts and mouths

And keep us in perfect peace. Amen.

Passing the Peace 

Children’s Message

Sally Herdman

Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Glenn Albert

Message: “Be Prayerful”

Pastor Greg Milinovich

Anthem: “Make Me a Channel of your Peace” (Temple, S, Holstein, J.)

Chancel Choir

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Offering

Closing Hymn: “This Is My Song” (UMH 437)

Benediction

Postlude: “Toccata” (Psalm 150:4; Douglas Wagner)

Mary Bahnfleth

Discussion Questions

• Our theme verse for this series is Romans 12:10, which says, “Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” How might we see this “outdoing” less like a competition against others, and more like a way of cooperating with others?

• 1 Timothy 2:1-7 urges us to pray for kings and leaders. How is this different from the nationalism that seems to be rampant in certain parts of Christianity in the United States today?

• The words “all” and “everyone” are used five times in these seven verses from 1 Timothy. What do you make of this emphasis? How are we being called to a kind of paradigm shift from “us and them” to “all?”