Discovering Our Blessings

Sharing Our Blessing with Others

Teaching the Disciples

4th Sunday After Epiphany January 29, 2017

Gathering Meditations: “A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Hap-py memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood.” Charlotte Kasl

“The whole point of the kingdom of God is Jesus has come to bear witness to the true truth, which is nonviolent. When God wants to take charge of the world, he doesn't send in the tanks. He sends in the poor and the meek.” N. T. Wright

*Denotes to rise in body or spirit

Prelude, Welcome and Ways of Discipleship

*Call to Worship: L: When we seek justice for the other, when we love kindness more than ever, P: we live as God asks us to live. L: When we walk humbly through life, when we offer mercy to those who hurt us, P: we are the blessing God hopes we will be. L: When we are willing to look foolish by following Jesus, when we choose weakness rather than power, P: we reflect the One who is in our midst.

*Opening Hymn#707 Hymn of Promise

Opening Prayer (Unison) Loving God, we come this morning seeking to abide in your presence. Open our minds to your spirit of wisdom, that we may know how to live as your people. Open our hearts to your spirit of truth, that we may love all your people with a love that speaks of justice, kindness, and radical grace. May this time of worship be authentic and pleasing to you. Amen.

Time with Our Young Disciples (Children please come forward to the Chancel. Afterwards you may go to Sunday school classes.)

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.

Ready to Praise God

Gospel Reading Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Blessed to Be a Blessing

Sharing our Prayer Concerns and Celebrations

Silent Prayer and Meditation through song, Blessing, by Laura Story Pastoral Prayer

Invitation to Stewardship Offertory

*Doxology #2036 Give Thanks Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks unto the Holy One. Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. (Repeat) And now let the weak say, "I am strong." Let the poor say, "I am rich. Because of what the Lord has done for us." (Repeat) Give thanks...

* Prayer of Dedication (Unison) O God, you bless us in so many areas of our lives—in places we often fail to recognize as blessing. Help us have eyes to see and hearts to understand the depth of your love and blessing. Today, we give out of that blessedness, dedicating ourselves to lives of justice and love, giving all that we are and all that we have to bring about your beloved commu-nity, here and now. Amen.

*Closing Hymn #2171 Make Me a Channel of Your Peace

*Benediction L: Those who live lives pleasing to God shall not be moved. P: Go now to embrace the kingdom values—values of love, justice, and truth. L: Go now with God’s blessing, to live those values through the power of our challenging, faithful, loving, empowering God. Amen.

*Postlude

Key Thoughts and Take Home Reflections:

When did you first notices blessings around you?

When did you first notice you were blessed?

How do you define blessings?

How does God define blessings? What is the difference?

Matthew 5:1-12 Common English Bible (CEB)

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples

came to him. 2 He taught them, saying:

3 “Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

4 “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.

5 “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.

6 “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed

until they are full.

7 “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.

8 “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.

9 “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.

10 “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the

kingdom of heaven is theirs.

11 “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false

things about you, all because of me. 12 Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great

reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.

Trinity United Parish

Briggsville UMC, Moundville UMC, Endeavor TUCC

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fr Sat

29 EUCC annual meeting after worship service today

30

Pastor Sue off

31 1

Youth Group @

Endeavor, 6:30—8

2 3 4

5 Worship times changes 8:30 Briggsville 9:45 Moundville 11:00 Endeavor

6

Pastor Sue off

7

BUMC trustees 6 pm

8

worship, 6:45 pm

Moundville

9

SPRC, 6 pm

at BUMC

10 11

12 Pancake Breakfast, 8:30—10:30, TUCC

Worship times changes 8:30 Briggsville 9:45 Moundville 11:00 Endeavor

13

Pastor Sue off

14 15

Youth Group @

Endeavor, 6:30—8

16

Service at

Heritage

House, 1-2

17 18

January & February 2017

www.trinityunitedparish.org tuparish@gmail.com

P.O. Box 36, Briggsville, WI 53920 (608) 981-2500; tuparish@gmail.com

Rev. Susan Oeffler

cell (608) 617 - 8149 home (608) 340 - 5340 preachersue@yahoo.com

Office Hours: Tuesday 8:30 -3; Thursday 8:30 - 2:30 pm

Worship Times:

Briggsville United Methodist Church, 8:30am Moundville United Methodist Church, 9:30am

Trinity Endeavor United Church of Christ, 10:45am

Your loose change offering

in January, February and March

supports HOPE HOUSE, whose mission is to prevent abuse and

provide support for victims of domestic abuse

and sexual violence in Adams, Columbia,

Juneau, Marquette and Sauk Counties.

One Heart Women’s Seminar Feb. 25 at Wintergreen Resort This year marks the 24th year for the One Heart Women’s Seminar, an interdenomina-tional all day event of worship, Biblical teach-ing and spiritual enrichment. The $25 cost includes morning coffee and lunch. Brochures about the event are available at each parish church. The day’s event starts at 8 am., and concludes at 3 pm.

2017 B’ville flower dedications

honor others, beautify sanctuary If you have a special date you would like to hon-

or or remember by providing flowers, please

make note of that date on the calendar in the ring

binder in the narthex at Briggsville UMC. If you

have questions about providing the flowers,

please contact Jane Severing at 340-6836.

Trinity United Church of Christ-

Endeavor will hold its

annual meeting on

TODAY after the wor-

ship service. POT

LUCK LUNCH WILL

BE SERVED. All members are en-

couraged to attend.

The SPRC has recommended to the Moundville and Endeavor church councils that the service times be

changed for the months of February, March and April.

This decision has been based on the weather and driving times for the Pastor. Each church Council

will be reviewing this decision in January.

The proposed times are as follows:

Briggsville – no change

Moundville – 9:45

Endeavor – 11:00.

Help save money for parish,

volunteer for painting crew One way you can help the parish save

money is by volunteering to help with the

finish work in the basement of the parson-

age. The repair and cleaning following the

March and May sewage back-up was com-

pleted this past fall, but now it’s time to

make the basement look

good again. If you have

some time to contribute to

the paining, trim and floor-

ing work, contact Kristen

Skolarz at 608-617-9366 to

let her know when you are available.