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“Community in Christ” July 12, 2020

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July 12, 2020

Preservice Song: “God of Our Fathers” (Instrumental)

Welcome & Announcements

Invocation & Call to Worship

Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation: Amen.

Pastor: Let us acknowledge the company in which we meet: the church on earth and in heaven; the faithful who worshiped here before us; the hundreds of thousands of every place and language who, on the Lord’s day, seek to set their lives within the atmosphere of renewing grace. As we think of them, let us take deliberate encouragement from our unity with them all.

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to Your name, O Most High, Congregation: to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night. —Psalm 92:1-2, NIV

Opening Song Set: “Praise to the Lord the Almighty”

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! O my soul praise Him, for He is your health and salvation. Let all who hear, now to His temple draw near; Joining in glad adoration!

Friendship Celebration Lutheran Church ~ Missouri Synod

765 E Chinden Blvd. Meridian, ID 83646 www.friendshipcelebration.org

Email: office@friendshipcelebration.org www.fclcpreschool.org

Church and Preschool Phone: 208-288-2404

Senior Pastor: Matt Henry Cell: 208-957-9364

Email: mhenry@friendshipcelebration.org

Founding & Kuna Mission Pastor: Tom Hausch Cell: 208-860-1274

Email: thausch@friendshipcelebration.org

Director of Christian Education: Brett Lindemood Cell: 208-982-1461

Email: blindemood@friendshipcelebration.org

Preschool Director: Lori Jensen Office: 208-288-2404

Email: ljensen@friendshipcelebration.org

Elders Serving: 9:00am Neal Lindemood ~ 11:00am Michael Bracke

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Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning. And as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining. Have you not seen, all that is needful has been Sent by His gracious ordaining?

Women Praise to the Lord, who has fearfully, wondrously made you, Health has bestowed and, when heedlessly falling, has stayed you. What need or grief ever has failed of relief? Wings of His mercy did shade you.

Men Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you. Surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, As with His love He befriends you.

All Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him. All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him. Let the Amen sound from His people again. Gladly forever adore Him!

Public Domain Words by Joachim Neander/Music (tune: Lobe Den Herren)

Used by permission CCLI #782217

“Everlasting God”

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord. Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord.

Our God, You reign forever. Our hope, our strong Deliverer.

You are the everlasting God, The everlasting God You do not faint, You won’t grow weary You’re the Defender of the weak, You comfort those in need You lift us up on wings like eagles.

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Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord. Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord.

Our God, You reign forever. Our hope, our strong Deliverer.

You are the everlasting God, The everlasting God You do not faint, You won’t grow weary You’re the Defender of the weak, You comfort those in need You lift us up on wings like eagles

(Piano Interlude)

Our God, You reign forever. Our hope, our strong Deliverer.

You are the everlasting God, The everlasting God You do not faint, You won’t grow weary You’re the Defender of the weak, You comfort those in need You lift us up on wings like eagles.

© 2005 ThankYou Music Words & Music by Brenton Brown & Ken Riley

Used by permission CCLI #782217

Confession of Sins

Pastor: Merciful God, Congregation: In baptism You promise forgiveness and new life, making us part of the body of Christ. We confess that we remain preoccupied with ourselves, separated from sisters and brothers in Christ. We cling to destructive habits, hold grudges, and show reluctance to welcome one another; we allow the past to hold us hostage. In Your loving-kindness have mercy on us and free us from sin. Remind us of the promises You make in baptism so that we may rise to new life and live together in grace.

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Assurance of Forgiveness

Pastor: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. People of God, all of us together have received God’s mercy in Christ. Congregation: In Christ we are forgiven, redeemed, and made to be a community united in faith. Thanks be to God.

—based on 1 Peter 2:9-10, NRSV

Old Testament Isaiah 55:10-13 ESV

9:00am: Lynn House 11:00am: Maelin Chandler

10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Epistle 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 ESV

17But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20For you are our glory and joy.

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3 1Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

6But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—7for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Holy Gospel Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 ESV

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears, let him hear.”

18“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the

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cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Profession of Faith

All: I believe that the Son of God, through His Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, protects, and preserves for Himself a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. And of this community I am and always will be a living member. The communion of saints—believers one and all—as members of this community, share in Christ and in all His treasures and gifts. Each member should consider it a duty and a privilege to use these gifts readily and cheerfully for the service and blessing of others.

Children’s Message

Sermon Song: “Yet Not I”

What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer There is no more for Heaven now to give He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus For my life is wholly bound to His Oh, how strange and divine, I can sing, "all is mine" Yet not I but through Christ in me

The night is dark but I am not forsaken For by my side the Savior He will stay I labor on in weakness and rejoicing For in my need His power is displayed

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me Through the deepest valley He will lead Oh, the night has been won and I shall overcome Yet not I but through Christ in me

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No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven The future sure, the price it has been paid For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon And He was raised to overthrow the grave

To this I hold, my sin has been defeated Jesus now and ever is my plea Oh, the chains are released, I can sing "I am free" Yet not I but through Christ in me

With every breath I long to follow Jesus For He has said that He will bring me home And day by day, I know He will renew me Until I stand with joy before the throne

To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus All the glory evermore to Him When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat Yet not I but through Christ in me

When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat Yet not I but through Christ in me Yet not I but through Christ in me

© 2018 CityAlight Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) Farren Love And War Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook]))

Integrity's Alleluia! Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing (Integrity Music [DC Cook])) Words & Music by Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, & Rich Thompson

Used by permission CCLI #782217

Sermon: “Community in Christ ” 1 Thessalonians 2 & 3 Community is integral for the Christian and the life s/he is called to live. How do we fulfill our calling in that area during a time of separation? What can and does community look like for the Christian within a pandemic with physical restrictions?

Anything Good from COVID?

Challenge: Being distant, but still together

What’s not good, even in a perfect world?

The Nature of God

Trinity is _______________! Perfect love and relationship Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female, he created them.”

Image of God = ___________

We were created for __________________ by design.

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Staying Connected

Heb. 10:25 “stirring up one another to love and good works…not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another…”

It’s coming together, eh?

“When I Could Bear It No Longer”

“torn away…for a short time…separated in person, not in heart” (1 Thess 2:17)

We all have our limits—Paul did too. But ________ does not!

Finding perfect community

Life Group Questions

Head (what?) What could Paul bear no longer? (3:1) Where can we find perfect community? What comforts Paul? (3:7) What is the image of God and what does it mean for relationships?

Heart (so what?) How often do you pray for the faith of others? When have you experienced a failed plan, which later on, God used it for good? Due to this pandemic, how consistent have you been about connecting with loved one?

Hands (now what?) How can the church come together in heart, if not in person? During this pandemic, what is God calling you to do to stay in community with one another? How can you avoid becoming upset when your plans don’t work out the way you want? What are you willing to give up in order to serve others?

Song of Response: “O Church Arise”

O Church, arise, And put your armor on; Hear the call of Christ our Captain. For now the weak can say that they are strong In the strength that God has given.

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With shield of faith and belt of truth, We’ll stand against the devil’s lies; An army bold, whose battle cry is love, Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war— To love the captive soul, But to rage against the captor; And with the sword that makes the wounded whole, We will fight with faith and valor. When faced with trials on ev’ry side, We know the outcome is secure, And Christ will have the prize For which He died-an inheritance of nations.

Come see the cross, Where love and mercy meet, As the Son of God is stricken; Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet, For the Conqueror has risen! And as the stone is rolled away And Christ emerges from the grave, This victory march continues till the day Ev’ry eye and heart shall see Him.

So Spirit come, Put strength in every stride, Give grace for ev’ry hurdle, That we may run with faith to win the prize Of a servant good and faithful. As saints of old still line the way, Retelling triumphs of His grace, We hear their calls And hunger for the day When with Christ we stand in glory.

2005 Thankyou Music/Adm. By worshiptogether.com songs, adm. Words & Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Used by permission. CCLI #782217

Offering You may give your offering by giving online through the church website

at www.friendshipcelebration.org, by signing up for automatic withdrawal which links to savings/checking account or debit/credit card (form is also available on church website), or by mailing your check to the church office.

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Prayers

Pastor: Loving and faithful God, we bless You for calling us to be a holy people, living for You in service to each other for the sake of your world. We pray that our congregation will experience a rich and free sharing of the gifts You have generously given us. Knowing that we are called to be saints, we humbly ask that You will work powerfully through us to accomplish Your purposes in the world. We pray for the courage, the patience, and the generosity of spirit that comes from imitating the love You have shown us in Christ. We long for Your Spirit’s power to make us more Christ-like in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Help us to think of others and their needs even now as we pray for creation, in its groaning . . . the world, in its suffering . . . our nation and city, in their need of healing . . . We pray in the name of Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Congregation: Amen.

Sending Pastor: Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Congregation: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

—Ephesians 4:1-6, NRSV

Blessing

Pastor: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may He so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Congregation: Amen.

—1 Thessalonians 3:12-13, NRSV

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Closing Song: “Let It Be Said of Us”

Let it be said of us That the Lord was our passion That with gladness we bore Every cross we were given. That we fought the good fight That we finished the course Knowing within us The power of the risen Lord.

Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song. By mercy made holy By the Spirit made strong Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song. ‘Til the likeness of Jesus Be through us made known Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song.

Let it be said of us We were marked by forgiveness We were known by our love And delighted in meekness We were ruled by His peace Heeding unity’s call Joined as one body That Christ would be seen by all.

Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song. By mercy made holy By the Spirit made strong Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song. ‘Til the likeness of Jesus Be through us made known Let the cross be our glory And the Lord be our song.

©. 1997 Maranatha! Music and Word Music Word & Music: Steve Fry

Used by permission CCLI #782217

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Friendship Celebration Announcements ~ July 12, 2020

The Elders have decided that if Ada County re-enters Stage 2, we will not have an indoor service. The 9am outdoor service will still continue, however. We highly encourage the use of facemasks in the indoor service, especially since singing propels particles further than normal speech in enclosed spaces. Facemasks are optional for the outdoor service.

Tech Team Sound Persons needed -- We are looking for another person or two interested in doing sound with the Tech Team. Training will be provided. If interested, please contact Karl Bokenkamp (208-870-5621) for more information.

Baby Bottle News! Thanks to all in FCLC who donated and took part in the virtual baby bottle drive with Stanton Healthcare from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day. We raised $1,085 in support of this wonderful pro-life ministry. Learn more at www.stantonhealthcare.org.

Got RV Space? An awesome retired couple from Pastor Matt’s former congregation is moving from Lacey, WA, to the Treasure Valley in July. They are looking for a place to park their truck and live in their fifth wheel for several months as they look for a house to buy. It is a 35’ fifth wheel with three slides and electrical hook-up is needed. They arrive July 17 and are happy to pay rent. If you have space they can use, please contact Pastor Matt for more information, mhenry@friendshipcelebration.org, 208-957-9364. Thank you!

Church Secretary Job Opening - FCLC is hiring for the position of church secretary starting in September. The job is part-time, 24 hrs./wk., 8:30 am-2:30 pm, Tu-Fr, and has an hourly wage of $13.50-$15.00, depending on experience. Disability and retirement (company paid) benefits are included as well as two weeks of vacation time annually. An updated job description is available on the Info Kiosk, church office or from Kayla or Pastor Matt. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Kayla Liehe, Office Manager, kliehe@friendshipcelebration.org by July 31. Thank you!

Summer Day Camps! We are excited to be able to offer our Summer Day Camps (with social distancing) again this summer. Day Camps began this past week and will run weekly through August 7th. We are working to insure that we provide a safe and fun environment for your children. We are working hard to make adjustments that ensure we are able to hold a camp that is as safe as possible during this time of C19. You will find the 2020 Summer Day Camp registration and more information on our website: www.friendshipcelebration.org. We hope you are safe and healthy during this time, and we hope to see you this summer! In Christ, Brett Lindemood – Camp Director

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FCLC’s Cookbook: “Breaking Bread in Friendship” Thank you for your many pre-orders We will accept pre-orders through Sunday August 2nd. Only a limited number of cookbooks will be available; so please pre-order if you are planning to purchase one. If you are interested in purchasing a cookbook or two (or more), please email Joan Hammerson at johammerson@msn.com. The price will be somewhere around $8-10 each depending on publishing costs.

Prayer Chain-Prayer Requests - Call Jenny Kandler at 208-362-5410 or e-mail bob54109@msn.com to request prayer chain or if there are updates. If you email, also please call to let her know you’ve sent a prayer request via email. In the event that Jenny Kandler can't be reached for prayer chain, please call/notify, Donnette House (208-297-0775) at donnette15@gmail.com.

Stay Connected! FCLC’s Friendly 411 is an e-newsletter that comes directly to your email inbox on Friday afternoons. If you are interested in signing up to receive the Friendly 411, please email the church office at office@friendshipcelebration.org and mark the subject “Subscribe 411”. You may also request a PDF copy of our monthly Friendly Findings newsletter. Just include “Subscribe FF” to the subject line in your email. Our newsletter is also available online at our church website. (www.friendshipcelebration.org).