WELCOME TO FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

MAY 27, 2007.

GOOD MORNING.

THIS IS PENTECOST SUNDAY.

HAVE SOME CAKE IN THE LOUNGE AFTERWARD.

ALSO IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WORSHIP THERE WILL BE A BRIEF MEETING FOR ALL THE MISSION TRIP VOLUNTEERS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO GO OVER SINCE WE ARE LEAVING NEXT SUNDAY.

ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ANYONE FEELS COMPELLED TO MAKE THIS MORNING?

PLEASE FILL OUT THE RED BOOK AND PASS ALONG TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.

IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS LET US PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR WORSHIP.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE RESPONSE.

O LORD YOU HAVE SEARCHED ME AND KNOW ME.

I PRAISE YOU FOR YOU ARE FEARFUL AND WONDERFUL.

SEARCH ME O GOD AND KNOW MY HEART.

TRY ME AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

IF ALL THE CHILDREN WILL COME FORWARD TO WIGGLE TIME.

CHRISTINE HAS WIGGLE TIME THIS MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

WHAT IS ONE COLOR YOU SEE IN OUR CHURCH THIS MORNING?

RED, WHITE.

SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW WHY THERE IS RED IN HERE AND WHY SOME PEOPLE WORE RED TO CHURCH TODAY.

FIRST I WANT TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING TO YOU.

IF I HAD A ROOM AND I HAD A BIG CAKE IN THE MIDDLE AND SOME CANDLES ON IT AND MAYBE SOME BALLOONS AND DECORATIONS AND SOME FIRE,  WHAT WOULD THAT BE?

WHAT WOULD WE BE DOING?

HAVING A PARTY.

WE WILL HAVE A PARTY TODAY BECAUSE TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY IN THIS CHURCH.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?

IT IS PENTECOST.

WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTHDAY OF THE CHURCH AND I NOTICED THAT CHUCK WAS SO KIND THAT HE PUT IN THE BULLETIN THAT OUR CHURCH IS 136 YEARS OLD.

A LOFT OF PEOPLE COME TO WORSHIP GOD AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

WE HAVE THE COLOR RED BECAUSE IT IS THE SYMBOL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BACK IN THE BIBLE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS YOU WILL FIND THE STORY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GOD SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE DISCIPLES AND THERE WAS A FLAME AND HE GAVE THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT.

IT IS LIKE WIND, YOU DON'T SEE IT, BUT IT IS ALWAYS AROUND.

SO TODAY WE WILL CELEBRATE BECAUSE WE CHEER AT BASEBALL GAMES, AND SOCCER GAMES.

WE HAVE BROUGHT PEOPLE TO GOD AND JESUS FOR 136 YEARS.

WHAT DO WE DO AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY, WE SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY SO WE ALL NEED TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

ALL YOU ADULTS SHOULD HELP SING, SO LET'S SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL THE CHURCHES EVERYWHERE.

LET US PRAY.

DEAR GOD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE HOLY SPIRIT AND LET US BE EXCITED ABOUT THE BIRTHDAY OF YOUR CHURCH AND TO HELP EVERYONE OUT THERE.  IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.

GOOD MORNING.

ARE THERE ANY JOYS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS MORNING?

 >> TUESDAY IS LEE ANN' S BIRTHDAY AND FRIDAY SHE GRADUATES FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

>>WELL THIS WEEK THE BROWN ACADEMY HAD A LUNCH FOR THE VOLUNTEERS.

MANY OF THE FACULTY WERE THERE.

REPRESENTATIVE TOMMIE BROWN WAS THERE.

THEY ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND I LEARNED FROM A CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF THE TEACHERS THAT THEY TALK ABOUT US IN THE SCHOOLS AND APPARENTLY ONE OF THE CHILDREN IN THE PROGRAM HAD TALKED ABOUT CHURCH AND THE CHRISTIANS AND THE BOY SAID THAT CHURCH OVER THERE ARE REALLY CHRISTIANS.

SO WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CHILDREN'S LIVES.

>>I AM JOYFUL TO HAVE MY GRANDDAUGHTER VISITING HERE FROM NEW YORK CITY.

WELCOME.

>>ANN AND I HAVE A JOY AND A CONCERN.   THEY ARE RELATED.

OUR JOY IS THAT TWO WEEKS AGO WE GRADUATED OUR SON JAKE FROM ALBION COLLEGE, AND OUR CONCERN IS THAT TWO WEEKS AGO WE GRADUATED JAKE FROM COLLEGE.

SO WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS.

PASTOR:  HE DIDN'T COME BACK HOME?

>>THAT'S ANOTHER JOY.

 >> ERIC SURVIVED A 12 HOUR SURGERY AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE VIGIL.

WHEN I TOOK HIM THE PRAYER VIGIL HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE HAD SO MANY FRIENDS.

SO HE IS RECOVERING SLOWLY AND WE ARE THANKFUL TO GOD.

 >> OTHER JOYS?

CONCERNS?

 >> LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION AS WE GO TO THE LORD IN PRAYER.

LET US PRAY.

WE COME TO YOU ONCE AGAIN GRACIOUS GOD  TO OFFER OURSELVES FULLY.

TO SHARE WITH YOU AND WITH ONE ANOTHER OUR JOYS, OUR CONCERNS, REMINDED ONCE AGAIN THAT WE ARE TO SHARE OUR LIVES WITH YOU AND WITH ONE ANOTHER.

AND THAT EACH SUNDAY WE BEGIN THAT JOURNEY ANEW.

GIVE US THE COURAGE TO SHARE OURSELVES.

REMIND US THAT YOU WILL TREAT US WITH GENTLENESS WITH KINDNESS, WITH MERCY, COMPASSION, LOVE.

[INAUDIBLE] TO AND FOR US.

OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH CHAOS.

BUT ALWAYS REMIND US THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORMS AND THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.

WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THIS DAY, THE BIRTH OF A NEW CHURCH.

BUT WE ALSO REMEMBER THE LOSS OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES.

HELP OUR GRIEVING HEARTS, REGENERATE OUR HEARTS AND MAKE US WHOLE AGAIN, LIVING ON WITH GRACE AS THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US HAVE.

HELP THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD SURGERY AND IN THE HOSPITAL SO THEY MAY CONTINUE TO DISCOVER YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR PEACE AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM.

WE THANK YOU AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR PEACE, REMEMBER EACH ONE OF US THIS DAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE CHURCH EVEN WITH ALL ITS WEAKNESSES, WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE OUT THE REALITY OF THE KINGDOM AND WE COME HERE FOR SUSTENANCE AND POWER SO THAT WE MAY GO INTO THE WORLD AND MAKE YOUR KINGDOM A REALITY.

HELP US TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER EACH DAY AND REMIND US THAT YOU CARE FOR US EACH DAY.

HELP US TO TOUCH ONE PERSON THIS DAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH IS LOVE.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THINGS, EVEN THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND FOR WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE IN ALL THINGS WORKING FOR GOOD FOR ALL.

REMIND US TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF GRACE, NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES NO MATTER WHAT THE PERSON OR GROUP, AS WE ARE CALLED TO BE YOUR PEOPLE.

WE ARE REMINDED OF THIS IN THE PRAYER THAT JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES, WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, SO WE PRAY BOLDLY TOGETHER:  

LORDS'S PRAYER BEING PRAYED.

NOW IS OUR TIME OF OFFERING TO REFLECT ON THE GOODNESS OF GOD  AND THE BLESSINGS OF GOOD THAT HAVE BEEN BESTOWED ON US.

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

(SONG SUNG BY BOB SAUSER)

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I SHALL NOT WANT.

HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES.

HE LEADETH ME BESIDE THE STILL WATERS.

HE RESTORETH MY SOUL.

HE LEADETH IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR HIS NAMESAKE.

THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL FOR THOU ART WITH ME.

THY ROD AND THY STAFF, THEY COMFORT ME.

THOU PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES. 

 THOU ANNOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL.

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER, MY CUP RUNNETH OVER.

SURELY, GOODNESS AND MERCY WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.

AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER, FOREVER.

THE READING FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT IS FROM ACTS 2, IN YOUR PEW BIBLE   ON PAGE 948.

LET US PRAY:

WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE GIFT OF YOUR SPIRIT THAT IT MIGHT GIVE US EARS TO HEAR YOUR WORLD THIS MORNING.

NOT ONLY THAT WE MIGHT HEAR BUT THAT WE MIGHT BE TRANSFORMED BY ITS POWER AND ITS TRUTH.

THAT IS OUR PRAYER, IN CHRIST'S NAME.

AMEN.

I GREW UP NOT TOO FAR FROM NEW YORK CITY, AND I HAD FRIENDS WHO LIKED TO GO TO THE CITY AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE AND LIKED TO GO TO SHOWS AND THEY PARTICULARLY LIKED TO DRAG ME TO MUSICALS, SO THAT IS WHY I STILL HAVE A FEAR OF MUSICALS. 

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THAT PEOPLE ARE SINGING INSTEAD OF TALKING ‑‑ THAT I JUST CAN'T FIGURE OUT.

BUT SO OFTEN WE WOULD HOP THE TRAIN AND GO TO NEW YORK CITY. 

AND ONE SUCH TIME THEY SAID, MEET US AT SUCH AND SUCH PLACE AND WE WILL HAVE THE TICKETS AND YOU WILL LOVE IT.

THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT IT WAS.

THEY JUST SAID, "YOU WILL LOVE IT."  SO WE GOT TO THE PLACE AND FINALLY I WENT LOOKING FOR THEM AND SOMEHOW I ENTERED THE BUILDING WITHOUT A TICKET AND I WENT AROUND AND GOT LOST AND I KEPT LOOKING AND I HEARD THIS NOISE FROM THE BACK ROOM AND A LITTLE CURIOUS I WENT LOOKING FOR THIS NOISE, AND I FOLLOWED THE SOUND AND I CAME TO THIS LARGE ROOM, AN OPEN ROOM, AND THERE WERE MEN AND WOMEN WITH THESE STRANGE THINGS IN THEIR HANDS, AND THEY WERE PLUCKING THEM AND MAKING NOISE WITH THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T SOUND TOO GOOD.

SO THEY DIDN'T SOUND GOOD SO I KEPT ON GOING AND FOUND MY FRIENDS.

AND THEY SAID, YOU WILL LOVE THIS, AND I SAID YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT I SAW!

AND WE GOT TO OUR SEATS AND NOT TOO LONG AFTER, 10, 15 MINUTES OR SO, HERE COME THE SAME MEN AND WOMEN.

THEY SIT DOWN IN THEIR SEATS QUIETLY, THEY HAVE THEIR INSTRUMENTS, THE VIOLINS AND THE CELLOS AND THE FLUTES AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS.

AND HERE CAME THIS LITTLE MAN AND HE HAD A LITTLE STICK, A WAND, AND HE CAME OUT AND HE TAPPED IT, AND HE STARTED, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS GROUP THAT DIDN'T SOUND   EARLIER LIKE THEY WERE ON THE SAME PAGE, THAT THEY EVEN KNEW THE SAME MUSIC OR THE SAME PEOPLE STARTED TO PLAY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MUSIC AT ONCE.

THEY UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER.

THEY KNEW WHAT EACH WAS SUPPOSED TO PLAY.

THEY WERE TOGETHER AS ONE.

THEY NOT ONLY KNEW THEIR NOTES THEY KNEW EACH OTHER'S NOTES AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY COULD PLAY ‑‑ WAS TOGETHER.

AND THAT  IS WHY IT SOUNDED SO BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK THAT IS WHAT OUR STORY THIS MORNING IS ABOUT IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.

ABOUT BEING ON THE SAME PAGE, ABOUT BEING UNDERSTOOD.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE EVER BEEN SCARED?

RAISE YOUR HAND.

SOME OF YOU THAT NEVER RAISED YOUR HAND WERE SCARED TO NOT RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT IS WHERE WE FIND THE DISCIPLES.

THEY ARE SCARED, THEY ARE IN THIS ONE PLACE TOGETHER.

WONDERING WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO NOW.

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO.

HERE WE ARE AT PENTECOST, A SEVEN WEEK FESTIVAL, THEN  ON THE LAST DAYS.

THESE GREAT WEEKS OF FEASTING, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COME TO THIS ONE PLACE FOR PENTECOST AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO A CONVENTION.

JUST RECENTLY WE HAD ONE WITH LOTS OF PREACHERS AND ON THE FIFTH DAY I WAS READY TO COME HOME.

SO ON THE LAST DAY PEOPLE WERE PACKING AND PREPARING TO GO HOME ON THE LAST DAY.

NOTHING REALLY BIG HAPPENS OFTEN THE LAST DAY.

SO IT WAS THE END OF THE FESTIVAL AND THEN YOU GO HOME.

HOME WHERE YOU BELONG.

BUT THERE HAD BEEN SOME RUMORS SWIRLING AROUND AT THIS PENTECOST.

THERE WAS A RUMOR ABOUT A MAN NAMED JESUS.

AND THAT RUMOR AND ITS TRUTH REALLY CHANGES THIS PARTICULAR PENTECOST THIS PARTICULAR DAY ‑‑  JESUS ‑‑ THAT FOLLOWS, THAT HUNG AROUND WITH SINNERS OF ALL KINDS, PROSTITUTES AND TAX COLLECTORS, THE POOR.

ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE HE HUNG AROUND WITH.

HE WAS ANTI‑RELIGIOUS LEADERS.

THIS RUMOR HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS GOD AND LOVE.

THERE WAS A RUMOR ABOUT HIS BEING CRUCIFIED BECAUSE OF LOVE AND BECAUSE OF THE LOVE OF HIS FATHER.  HE WAS RISEN.

SO MAYBE THIS  PENTECOST WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.

BUT HERE WE ARE ON THE LAST DAY OF THE FESTIVAL, PEOPLE ARE READY TO GO HOME, TOOTHBRUSH PUT AWAY.

DONKEYS, HORSES, SANDALS PREPARED AND READY TO GO HOME AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.

SOMETHING HAPPENS FIRST IN THAT ROOM IN THAT ONE PLACE.

SOMEHOW THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WAS BROKEN AND THEY COULD SPEAK THE TONGUES OF THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

SOMEHOW THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WAS BROKEN.

BUT IT WAS MORE THAN JUST A LANGUAGE BARRIER,  IT WAS MORE THAN UNDERSTANDING EVERYONE ELSE'S LANGUAGE,  THEIR RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE WAS FREE.

TO KEEP IN OUR OWN LITTLE CLUB?

IS THIS JUST FOR US?

BECAUSE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE BECOMES NARROW AT TIMES.

RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE AND ALL RELIGIONS BECOMES NARROW, BECOMES EXCLUSIVE.

IT TALKS ABOUT WHO IS IN AND WHO IS OUT.

WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THIS LANGUAGE BARRIER THAT IS BROKEN, THEY DISCOVER, THESE APOSTLES, THAT THIS JESUS IS NOT JUST FOR ONE GROUP.

THIS JESUS IS NOT JUST FOR ONE CULTURE, ONE RACE, ONE SEX. 

GOD WASN'T A GOD FOR ONE CLAN ANYMORE.

THE APOSTLE PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS AND HE WANTED TO REMIND US AND THE CHURCH AT CORINTH THAT IS WHY HE WROTE IN THIS LETTER IF YOU DO NOT HAVE LOVE, YOU ARE NOTHING.

BECAUSE IN LOVE LANGUAGE IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE SPIRIT AND THAT IS WHAT THOSE APOSTLES DISCOVERED.

THAT IS THE BARRIER THAT WAS REALLY BROKEN.

THEIR RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE WAS FREE.

AND SO WAS GOD.

GOD WAS NOT FOR ONE BUT FOR ALL AND THE LANGUAGE THAT BROKE OUT FIRST INTO THE DISCIPLES WHILE THEY WERE SCARED.

WHAT BEATS FEAR OTHER THAN LOVE?

AND A CHILD WHO HAD A NIGHTMARE AND THEY COME INTO THE ROOM OF THE PARENTS, I AM SCARED I JUST HAD A NIGHTMARE.

WHAT DESTROYS THAT FEAR?

THE LOVE OF THOSE PARENTS.

THE LOVE OF THOSE PARENTS.

THERE IS THIS NEW LANGUAGE THAT BREAKS OUT BUT NOT JUST FOR THE APOSTLES BUT FOR THE PILGRIMS, THE THOUSANDS OF THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS AT PENTECOST.

THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT IT COULD ONLY BE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED AND REVEALED THE HEART OF GOD AND THAT IS LOVE AND THAT IS MORE THAN WORDS.

HOW MANY OF US ‑‑ WHEN GOD'S HEART IS REVEALED TO US ARE WE WILLING TO GIVE OURSELVES TO OTHERS?

AND THE APOSTLES ARE WILLING TO LEAVE THAT ROOM, THEY WERE WILLING TO LEAVE THAT ROOM AND GIVE THEMSELVES TO OTHERS.

AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS THEN WE ARE WILLING TO RECEIVE OTHERS INTO OUR LIVES, ALL THE PEOPLE.

BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD KNOWS NO BARRIERS, SO STANDING BEFORE THE CROWDS ON THAT DAY OF  PENTECOST ‑‑ AT 9:00 A.M. SOME SAY.

THEY WEREN'T DRUNK. 

PETER PREACHED THIS GREAT SERMON OF INCLUSION AND EMPOWERED BY THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT HE TRANSFORMED THEIR FEAR INTO JOY.

AND HE ARMED THESE PILGRIMS WITH THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE.

THEY BECAME LIVING WITNESSES TO THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAD DONE.

JESUS SPEAKS OF GOD'S KINGDOM, JESUS AND THE CROSS, JESUS AND THE RESURRECTION, ONLY THINGS GOD COULD HAVE DONE.

PETER AND THE DISCIPLES DELIVERED THEM FROM FEAR AND WAS ALSO PART OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE.

THIS LARGE GROUP EXPERIENCED ALL THAT JESUS WAS AND THAT THROUGH THE SPIRIT JESUS WAS PRESENT WITH THEM RIGHT NOW.

UNDERSTANDING THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAD DONE.

SO MAYBE IT WASN'T ANOTHER PENTECOST DAY, MAYBE IT WAS NOT THE LAST DAY OF THE FESTIVAL.

THIS PENTECOST, JUST ANOTHER BIRTHDAY.

I AM NOT MUCH INTO BIRTHDAYS, MY OWN BIRTHDAY.

I MISSED MY OWN SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY ONE TIME.

IS IT JUST ANOTHER DAY OR AN AWAKENING HOW GOD'S POWER CAN WORK THROUGH US EVERY DAY.

REMINDING US OF THE GREAT THINGS GOD HAS AND IS DOING.

A FRIEND OF MINE SHARED A STORY ABOUT HIS HOME CHURCH.

THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DIED AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH WANTED TO BURY HIM IN THE CHURCH CEMETERY BUT THE PASTOR AND THE LEADERS SAID HE IS NOT A MEMBER AND SO HE CANNOT.

BUT THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SAID, WAIT A SECOND HE WASN'T A MEMBER, BUT HE WAS A BELIEVER.

HE DEMONSTRATED LOVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY SAID NO YOU CAN'T BURY HIM THERE.

BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CEMETERY THERE IS A LITTLE PLOT OF LAND SO YOU CAN BURY HIM THERE. 

SO THEY DID THAT, LATER THAT EVENING, THE COMMUNITY CAME AND DUG UP THE FENCE AND LIFTED IT UP AND MOVED IT OUTSIDE SO THAT THEIR FRIEND WOULD NOW BE INCLUDED IN THE CEMETERY.

THEY DUG UP THE FENCE, LIFTED IT UP OVER WHERE HE WAS BURIED TO MAKE SURE HE WAS INCLUDED.

EXPANDING GOD'S KINGDOM.

WE ARE CALLED TO BE FENCE MOVERS, EXPANDING  THE FENCES THAT KEEP PEOPLE OUT.

THE WORLD CONTINUES TO MARGINALIZE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF SEXUALITY, RACE, AGE, WE MOVE THE FENCE BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN US THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE WHICH BREAKS ALL BARRIERS.

WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LANGUAGE THAT WON'T ALLOW US TO KEEP ANYONE OUT.

IT IS MORE THAN A BIRTH DAY, IT IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER PENTECOST, THAT DAY THERE WAS AN AWAKENING TO HUMANITY, TO THE MOVEMENT OF GOD, THAT GOD IS ABOUT MOVING FENCES.

THAT GOD HAS COME TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE.

OUR ONLY QUESTION IS DO WE WANT TO MOVE WITH IT?

DO WE REALLY WANT TO BE FENCE MOVERS?

AND ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN SAID, AMEN.

I INVITE YOU IF YOUR WISH TO CLAIM THAT RELATIONSHIP OF LOVE WITH CHRIST THAT BREAKS ALL BARRIERS BY COMING FORWARD IF YOUR WISH, OR IN YOUR PEW, IT MATTERS NOT TO GOD.

JUST THAT YOU COME.

IF YOU WISH TO JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP OF FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH, THE CHURCH THAT IS MOVING FENCES EVERY DAY, I INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD AND JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCH.

LET US STAND AND SING.

NOW WE COME TO OUR TIME ON COMMUNION.

OUR LORD JESUS INVITES ALL WHO SEEK HIM TO THIS TABLE FOR IT IS HIS TABLE AND HE IS THE ONE THAT BREAKS ALL BARRIERS.

LET US OFFER OUR PRAYER OF CONFESSION SAYING TOGETHER:

(PRAYER PRINTED IN BULLETIN) 

LET US REMAIN SEATED AS WE SING OUR COMMUNION HYMN NUMBER 387.

FOR I RECEIVE FROM THE LORD.

THAT THE LORD JESUS ON THE NIGHT HE WAS BETRAYED TOOK A LOAF OF BREAD AND WHEN  HE HAD GIVEN THANKS HE BROKE IT AND SAID THIS IS MY BODY, DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

IN THE SAME WAY HE TOOK THE CUP AND SAID DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

 >> MOST MERCIFUL GOD, BLESS THIS SPIRITUAL BREAD WHICH WE EAT NOW IN MEMORY OF JESUS.

WE ASK YOU TO BE PRESENT WITH US AND FOR US TO HAVE A CLOSER WALK WITH YOU CONSIDERING THIS COMING WEEK.

LORD HERE WE ARE AGAIN AFTER ANOTHER WEEK OF STRIVING STILL SEARCHING FOR PEACE AND LOVE, UNDERSTANDING AND JOY.

AS WE JOIN IN THIS COMMUNION OF CUP, FILL US WITH YOUR SPIRIT COMPLETE OUR COMMUNION IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

OUR  COMMUNION THIS MORNING ‑‑  IF YOU CANNOT COME FORWARD THAT IS ALL RIGHT, WE WILL COME TO YOU IN THE PEW.

WILL YOU SHARE WITH ME THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING.

LET US PRAY.

THE HYMN IS NUMBER 236.

LETS US ALL STAND AND SING.

LET US GO FORTH IN POWER AND LOVE OF CHRIST BREAKING ALL BARRIERS AND WE DO SO BECAUSE WE ARE REMINDED OF THE WORDS OF JESUS: 

BE NOT AFRAID FOR I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END.

AMEN.