The Community Church

July 29, 2007

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    Prelude

 + Welcome and Parish Concerns     

    Opening Sentence

+*Opening Hymn             Alleluia! Hear God’s Story                         330

   *Call to Worship:                                   

Leader:         In the beginning, before time, before people, before the world began,

PEOPLE: GOD WAS

Leader:         Here and now among us, beside us, enlisting the people of the earth for the purposes of heaven,

PEOPLE: GOD IS.

Leader:         The In the future, when we have turned to dust and all we know has found its fulfillment,

PEOPLE: GOD WILL BE.  .

Leader:         Not denying the world, but delighting in it, not condemning the world, but redeeming it through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

PEOPLE: GOD WAS,

                  GOD IS,

                  GOD WILL BE.

*Prayer of Invocation: (unison)

GRACIOUS GOD, IN MYSTERY AND SILENCE YOU ARE PRESENT IN OUR LIVES, BRINGING NEW LIFE OUT OF DESTRUCTION, HOPE OUT OF DESPAIR, GROWTH OUT OF DIFFICULTY.  WE THANK YOU THAT YOU DO NOT LEAVE US ALONE, BUT LABOR TO MAKE US WHOLE.  HELP US TO PERCEIVE YOUR UNSEEN HAND IN THE UNFOLDING OF OUR LIVES, AND TO ATTEND TO THE GENTLE GUIDANCE OF YOUR SPIRIT, THAT WE MAY KNOW THE JOY YOU GIVE YOUR PEOPLE.  AMEN. 

 Special Music                                                

 Children’s Message

*Hymn                         Break Thou the Bread of Life                          321

(Children Dismissed to the Interest Center in Fellowship Hall

 and the Pre-School Program in the Nursery in Room #3)

 Prayer Concerns and Hymn of Preparation

                                    Surely the Presence of the Lord                    263

 Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer (debts and debtors)

 Response in Music

 Scripture Lesson                Psalm 119: 97-106                                        

 Sermon                                     Why I Read the Bible                      Rev. Nelson

 The Offering                       

 Offertory                  Please sign “Who’s Who in the Pew” during the Offertory)

*The Doxology and Prayer of Dedication                                                 46

*Benediction

*Departing Hymn                             Spirit                                               249

*Postlude

This Week at the Community Church

Tuesday       7PM, Media Group Meeting, Room #4

                       7PM, Women’s Tea Meeting, Fireside Room

Thursday     10 AM, Women’s Fellowship Workshop, Fellowship Hall

                       7PM, Grief Support Group, Fireside Room

Friday           4 PM, Tea Preparations, Memorial Hall & Fellowship Hall

Saturday      2PM, Annual Tea, Memorial Hall

Please take a look at the display for our new Fellowship Hall and Classroom roof and then give prayerful consideration on how you can support this project.  Information and gift envelopes are available on the Narthex table.  To date we have raised $36,827 in pledges (to be paid by August 31) of which $29,893 has already been paid.  Thank you!

Community Church of Sebastopol

Family Camp September 7-8-9 at Camp Cazadero!

It Takes a Village . . .

We all need nurturing, no matter what our age!

Family Camp Registration have been mailed out and additional forms are available in the church office.  Register now!  Call 823-2484 if you have any questions.

Continue the family tradition – or start a new tradition – join us for all the fun at

Family Camp!

Printed Sermons Please check the church entrance area for new sermons typed and ready to go!  Please help yourself. 

Grief Support Group   The Grief Support Group continues to meet Thursdays at 7 PM in the Fireside Room.  Call Harry or Susanna at 829-7769 if you have any questions.

Discount Coupons for Great America, Bonfant Gardens in Gilroy and Knott’s Berry Farm are avaialble in the church office – please help yourself. 

New Member Meeting On August 5, following worship, Rev. Nelson will meet in the Fireside Room with those interested in finding out more about church membership and the Community Church.  Please contact the church office at 823-2484 if you are interested in attending this meeting.  Childcare for this meeting can also be arranged by calling the church office.  If you are interested in church membership but are not able to attend the meeting on August 5, please call the office so other arrangements can be made.  New Members will be received into the Community Church on Sunday, August 12.

Today in the courtyard following worship, a special Tea Preview Sale!  An abundance of flowers, yard accents and specialty tea items will be available for purchase.  We just want to get you thinking about the wonderful Annual Tea coming up on August 4!

If you are not able to attend the tea, this is your opportunity to help support Women’s Fellowship and their many outreach projects with your purchases or donations.  Contact Margarette Murakami at 824-8665 or Marie Cotton at 823-3375 with any questions.