Education Ministries Kick-Off Sunday

August 21, 2016 10:30 a.m.

The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills 1

THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF VESTAVIA HILLS 201 So. Montgomery Highway Birmingham, Alabama 35216 205-823-1883 Fax: 205-823-4549 Web Site: www.vestavialutheran.org or lcvh.org WORSHIP: 8:00 AM AND 10:30 AM, Sundays SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:00 AM Church Office Hours: 9 AM to 1 PM Monday thru Thursday

PASTOR: The Reverend Michael D. Ahlemeyer –[email protected] (205 ) 201-8866 PASTOR EMERITUS: The Reverend Clifford Hellmers –[email protected] VICAR: Vicar Luke Watt –[email protected]– (402 ) 853-3514 DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRY: Ruth Johnson –[email protected] DIRECTOR OF MOTHER’S DAY OUT: Rose Phillips –[email protected] CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR: Leigh Walter– [email protected] CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR ASSISTANT: Abby Cahill- [email protected] BOOK KEEPER: Kaellyn Norby – [email protected] ADOPTED MEDICAL MISSIONARIES - Arianna and David Shirk, Madeline & Annabelle - [email protected] astor

TO OUR GUESTS: We offer you a warm welcome in the name of Jesus. Please sign the Friendship Register during the offering. If you do not have a church home, we would be delighted to have you become a part of our church family. Please feel free to speak with the Pastor about membership in our congregation. If you do have a church home, we pray that God will bless you as you continue your growth in faith and love. SUNDAY SCHOOL Christian education classes are offered for all ages at 9:00 AM.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH and NURSERY Following the Children’s Message, all children ages 3-7 are invited to Children’s Church downstairs. They will return to the sanctuary during the offering. A nursery attendant is provided for children ages birth to 3 years during our 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM services. COMMUNION We invite all baptized Christians who acknowledge their sinfulness, trust in Christ as their Savior, and who recognize the real presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in the bread and wine to join us at the Communion table. The practice of our congregation is to place the bread into the extended hand of the communicant. The wine is offered in both individual cups and the chalice. If you wish to receive it from an individual cup, please take one from the tray as it is offered by the Elder. The cups in the center of the tray are filled with non-alcoholic wine, in consideration of persons who should not drink wine. Also, children who have not received Communion instruction are invited to come to the Communion rail, fold their hands and receive a blessing.

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Education Ministries Kick-Off Sunday August 21, 2016 “Come to God’s Party—Celebrating our Awesome God” WELCOME INVOCATION & LITANY OF PRAISE Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong: Pastor: Cong:

In the name of our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen. For making the world and all that is in it good; Thank you, God. For making us and giving us wonderful bodies and minds; Thank you, God. For wanting us to be happy and to enjoy the world you made; Thank you, God. For the homes we have and the people who love and care for us; Thank you, God. For food to eat and people who prepare it; Thank you, God. For friends with whom we work and play; Thank you, God. For leading us to know you are our Friend and Savior; Thank you, God. For church and Sunday School where, together with our friends, we can worship and praise you; Thank you, God. For every blessing from above; Thank you, God. In Jesus’ name we pray; Amen.

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IT’S PARTY TIME The Puppetellas

OPENING HYMN: “Come, Christians, Join to Sing” 1. Come, Christians, join to sing Alleluia! Amen! Loud praise to Christ our King; Alleluia! Amen! Let all, with heart and voice, before His throne rejoice; Praise is His gracious choice: Alleluia! Amen! 2. Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia! Amen! Let praises fill the sky; Alleluia! Amen! Christ is our Guide and Friend; to us He’ll condescend; His love shall never end: Alleluia! Amen! 3. Praise yet our Christ again, Alleluia! Amen! Life shall not end the strain; Alleluia! Amen! On heaven’s blissful shore His goodness we’ll adore; Singing forevermore, “Alleluia! Amen!”

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WE CELEBRATE GOD’S WONDERFUL WORLD! God Creates the World

(Congregation responds words in bold print)

In the beginning, the earth had no shape, and the land was dark. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And it was very good. And God separated the light from darkness. God called the light Day and the darkness Night. And it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. Then God made a dome over the waters. God called the dome Sky. And it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. Then God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together in one place and let the dry land appear.” God called the dry land Earth and he called the waters Seas. And it was very good. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth plants.” And it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. Then God said, “Let there be lights to make day and night and seasons and days and years.” So God made the sun and God made the moon and stars. And it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. Then God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures and let the birds fly across the sky.” And it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 5

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of every kind.” And it was very good. And God said, “Let there be human kind in God’s likeness, male and female.” And it was very good. And God saw everything that he had made, and indeed It was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. The world was finished. On the seventh day, God rested. HYMN “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” 1. I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule by day; The moon shines full at His command and all the stars obey. 2. I sing the goodness of the Lord that filled the earth with food; He formed the creatures with His word and then pronounced them good. Lord how Your wonders are displayed where’r I turn my eye, If I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky! 3. There’s not a plant or flower below but makes Your glories known; And clouds arise and tempests blow by order from Your throne; While all that borrows life from You is ever in Your care, And everywhere that I may be, You, God, are present there. 6

WE CELEBRATE GOD’S MIGHTY POWER! Joshua and the Walls of Jericho

(Congregation joins in saying the Refrain)

“The city of Jericho will be your new home,” God told Joshua. “How can I take the people to live in the city of Jericho?” Joshua asked. “There is a great big wall around the city.” “Have the people march around the wall,” said God. Joshua trusted God and did what God told him to do. Joshua and the people marched around the wall. Refrain: The city of Jericho has a great big wall. Can’t go over it. Can’t go under it. Let’s march around it! “March around the wall every day for six days,” said God. Joshua trusted God and did what God told him to do. Joshua and the people marched around the wall every day for six days. Refrain “Now march around the wall seven times,” said God. “Have the priests blow on their trumpets. As soon as you hear the trumpet sounds, have all the people shout.” Refrain When the people heard the trumpets, they began to shout. The great big wall began to tremble. The stones began to crack. Then the great big wall fell down! 7

Final Refrain: The city of Jericho had a great big wall. We couldn’t go over it. We couldn’t go under it. But now we CAN go over it! ‘Cause the great big wall fell down!

SONG “Oh, Sing to the Lord”

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So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets. So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets. So dance for our God and blow all the trumpets. And sing to our God, and sing to our God.

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3.

O O O O

shout to our God who gave us the Spirit. shout to our God, who gave us the Spirit. shout to our God, who gave us the Spirit. sing to our God, O sing to our God.

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O O O O

sing sing sing sing

to to to to

the the the our

Lord, O sing God a new song. Lord, O sing God a new song. Lord, O sing God a new song. God, O sing to our God.

WE CELEBRATE OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD “Zacchaeus Finds a Friend” SONG “O, How I Love Jesus” 1. There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; It sounds like music in my ear, the sweetest name on earth. Refrain: O, how I love Jesus, O, how I love Jesus, O, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me! 2. It tells me of a Savior’s love, who died to set me free; It tells me of His precious blood, the sinner’s perfect plea. Refrain

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WE CELEBRATE GOD’S PROMISES “The Flood”

(Congregation sings verses of “Arky Arky” during the reading) 1. The Lord said to Noah, there’s gonna be a floody, floody, Lord said to Noah, there’s gonna be a floody, floody, Get those animals out of the muddy, muddy, children of the Lord. Refrain: So rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory. Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory. Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory, children of the Lord. 2. The Lord told Noah, to build him an arky, arky, Lord told Noah, to build him an arky, arky, Build it out of hickory barky, barky, children of the Lord. Refrain 3. The animals, the animals, they came in by twosies, twosies, Animals, the animals, they came in by twosies, twosies, Elephants and kangaroosies, roosies, children of the Lord. Refrain 4. It rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies, Rained and poured for forty daysies, daysies, Almost drove those animals crazies, crazies, children of the Lord. Refrain 10

5. The sun, came out, and dried up the landy, landy, Sun came out and dried up the landy, landy, Everything was fine and dandy, dandy, children of the Lord. Refrain GOD IS WORTHY TO PRAISE AND CELEBRATE! “A Psalm of Praise—Psalm 150” Praise the Lord, Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power: Praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet, Praise Him with the harp and lyre, Praise Him with tambourine and dancing, Praise Him with the strings and flute, Praise Him with the clash of cymbals, Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

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RESPONSIVE SONG OF PRAISE “To God Be the Glory” 1. To God be the glory, great things He hath done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the lifegate that all may go in. Refrain: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, Great things He hath done. 2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, to every believer the promise of God; the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus, a pardon receives. Refrain 3. Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher and greater will be our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. Refrain

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THE MESSAGE THE VOLUNTARY “Come Lord Jesus” 1. Oh, come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let your gifts to us be blest. Keep us forever in Your sight, and be our joy, our hearts’ delight. 2. Oh, come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let Your gifts to us be blest. Oh, may there be a goodly share on ev’ry table ev’rywhere. 3. Oh, come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let your gifts to us be blest. Come deep within our hears to dwell, that we may all your goodness tell. THE OFFERING RECOGNITION & DEDICATION OF SUNDAY SCHOOL STAFF PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

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THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by 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, the power, and the glory Forever and ever. Amen. CLOSING SONG: “Let All Things Now Living” 1. Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving to God the Creator triumphantly raise, who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us, who guides us and leads to the end of our days. His banners are o’er us, His light goes before us, a pillar of fire shining forth in the night, till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished, as forward we travel from light into light. 2. His law He enforces; the stars in their courses and sun in its orbit obediently shine; the hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains, the deeps of the ocean proclaim Him divine. We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing; with glad adoration a song let us raise, till all things now living unite in thanksgiving: to God in the highest, hosanna and praise! 14

BENEDICTION Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!

Please stay funafter afterthe the service! Please stayfor forfood food and fun service!

Puppetellas Anna Kate Lembke Mary Frances Lembke

Sunday School Teachers 2016-2017 Melissa Phillips Julie Decker Leigh Walter Lisa Whittington Keith Johnson Mary Lembke Sandra Heidecker Abbey Romp Stephanie Tunnell Hope Siebold 15