Pastor: David Range
January 7, 2024
Miramar United Methodist Church
in the heart of Miramar, a place for gathering, healing, and sending out friends, helping to create a sense of family to find new life in Christ.
Part of the United Methodist family where we make disciples for the
Transformation of the world.
Order of Worship
January 7, 2024 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services
for Covenant Sunday
Please see the end of the bulletin for some additional important information
CALL TO WORSHIP
*HYMN 553 And Are We Yet Alive+
And are we yet alive, and see each other's face?
Glory and thanks to Jesus give for his almighty grace!
2. Preserved by power divine to full salvation here,
again in Jesus' praise we join, and in his sight appear.
3. What troubles have we seen, what mighty conflicts past,
fightings without, and fears within, since we assembled last!
4. Yet out of all the Lord hath brought us by his love;
and still he doth his help afford, and hides our life above.
5. Then let us make our boast of his redeeming power,
which saves us to the uttermost, till we can sin no more.
6. Let us take up the cross till we the crown obtain,
and gladly reckon all things loss so we may Jesus gain.
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord
WORDS: Charles Wesley, 1749 MUSIC: Johann G. Nageli; arr. by Lowell Mason, 1845
*PRAISE AND WORSHIP
Ah, Lord God
Ah, Lord God, Thou has made the heavens
And the earth by thy great power
Ah, Lord God, Thou has made the heavens
And the earth by Thine out - stretched arm
Nothing is too difficult for Thee
Nothing is too difficult for Thee
Great and mighty God
Great in counsel and mighty in deed
Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing
Nothing is too difficult for Thee
Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
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;
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. Give thanks, give thanks…
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace
1 Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your healing power,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
2 Make me a channel of your peace:
where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
3 Make me a channel of your peace:
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
O, Spirit, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Happy birthday to you, Jesus loves you it’s true,
May the Lord bless and keep you,
Happy birthday to you.
Happy Anniversary to you, happy Anniversary to you
Happy Anniversary dear friends, happy Anniversary to you
TODAY: You are invited to partake the Wesleyan Covenant service which includes Holy Communion. If you are worshipping at home, please prepare the elements and join with us. We hope you will visit us in-person soon.
TODAY: United Methodist Men’s group meets in the Fellowship Hall after the 11:00 a.m. service.
TODAY: Church Prayer meeting at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY: Trustees meet at 7:30 p.m.
TUESDAY: Creative Worship Team meets at 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY: Bible Study online at 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY: Choir practice 7:00 p.m.
SATURDAY: First Confirmation Class 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Although it is especially for our youth anyone can participate in these 10 weeks of class every other week.
NEXT SUNDAY: Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. with a New Member Session after each service in the pastor’s office.
MONDAY, January 15 Finance Committee at 7:00 p.m.
TUESDAY, January 16 Bold Justice Research Kick Off at 7:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, January 18 United Women in Faith meeting at 7:00 p.m.
FRIDAY, January 19, Children’s Club 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, January 20 Youth Group 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
MONDAY, January 22 Admin/Church Council 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY January 27 BOLD Justice Tree Giveaway.
MONDAY, January 29 Memorial Day Picnic Planning Committee 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, February 3 United Women in Faith Prayer Breakfast
For Sharing of the Spirit, please wave at the YouTube camera and say, “the peace of the Lord be with you,” and then wave at your neighbor in the sanctuary and say, “and also with you”.
Please stand for the reading of the Gospel of Mark 1:1-11
CHILDREN’S TIME
*HYMN 254 We Three Kings+
1 We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
2 Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
3 Frankincense to offer have I; incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising, worshiping God on high.
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
4 Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
5 Glorious now behold him arise; King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the earth and skies.
O star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.
WORDS: John H. Hopkins, Jr., 1857 MUSIC: John H. Hopkins, Jr., 1857 ccli #242496
RECEPTION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Please place your offering in the baskets at the 3 doors leading into the sanctuary on your way in or out.
The Mission Offering today is for Good Samaritan Fund
Next Sunday our Mission Offering goes to Apportionments
Prayer of Dedication
One minute musical interlude while worshipers prepare their offering. Instructions for giving online, by check or text are in the section after the Order of Service.
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise him all creatures here below,
praise him above, ye heavenly hosts,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
Sunday School children go out to their classes
Jesus Loves Me This I Know
1 Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
2 Jesus loves me, this I know, as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee, saying, "Let them come to me.“
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
3 Jesus loves me still today, walking with me on my way,
wanting as a friend to give, light and love to all who live.
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
WORDS: St. 1 Anna B. Warner, 1860; Sts. 2-3 David Rutherford MacGuire MUSIC: William B. Bradbury, 1862
TIME OF SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
(please email miramarpastor@gmail.com)
PRAYER HYMN 453 More Love to Thee, O Christ+
1 More love to Thee, O Christ, More love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee;
This is my earnest plea: more love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
2 Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be: more love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
3 Let sorrow do its work, come grief and pain;
Sweet are thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: more love O Christ to thee;
More love to thee! more love to thee!
4 Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: more love, O Christ, to Thee,
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!
WORDS: Elizabeth P. Prentiss, 1869; MUSIC: William H. Doane, 1870
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND 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, the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen.
SERMON Move along the saintly path today Pastor David Range
HYMN OF PREPARATION 606 Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine+
1 Come, let us use the grace divine, and all with one accord,
in a perpetual covenant join ourselves to Christ the Lord;
give up ourselves, through Jesus’ power, his name to glorify;
and promise, in this sacred hour, for God to live and die.
2. The covenant we this moment make be ever kept in mind;
we will no more our God forsake, or cast these words behind.
We never will throw off the fear of God who hears our vow;
and if thou art well pleased to hear, come down and meet us now.
3. Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let all our hearts receive,
present with thy celestial host the peaceful answer give;
to each covenant the blood apply which takes our sins away,
and register our names on high and keep us to that day!
WORDS: Charles Wesley, 1762 MUSIC: English melody; arr. by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1906
COVENANT SERVICE
Will the congregation please stand:
And now, beloved, let us bind ourselves with willing bonds to our covenant God, and take the yoke of Christ upon us.
This taking of His yoke upon us means that we are heartily content that He appoint us our place and work, and that He alone be our reward.
Christ has many services to be done; some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, other are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves, in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us.
Therefore, let us make the Covenant of God our own. Let us engage our heart to the Lord, and resolve in His strength never to go back.
Being thus prepared, let us now, in sincere dependence on His grace and trusting in His promises, yield ourselves anew to Him, bowing before Him in prayer:
O Lord God, Holy Father, who hast called us through Christ to be partakers in this gracious Covenant, we take upon ourselves with joy the yoke of obedience, and engage ourselves, for love of Thee, to seek and do Thy perfect will. We are no longer our own, but Thine.
I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt; rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for Thee or laid aside for Thee, exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it. And the Covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
We now share in the Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Before the mountains were brought forth, or you had formed the earth, from everlasting to everlasting, you alone are God. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on the earth. You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets.
And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, in whom you have revealed yourself, our light and our salvation. In his baptism and in table fellowship he took his place with sinners. Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
All are welcome to share in the meal, if others are at home with you please serve each other.
Hymns to be sung while Communion is being served.
Hymn 189 Fairest Lord Jesus
1 Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, O thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown.
4 Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be thine.
*HYMN 172 My Jesus, I Love Thee+
1 My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
2 I love thee because thou hast first loved me,
and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.
3 In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.
WORDS: Williams R. Featherstone, 1864 MUSIC: Adoniram J. Gordon, 1876
Hymn 357 Just As I Am
1. Just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
5. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
*HYMN 526 What A Friend We Have In Jesus+
1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer!
2 Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou will find a solace there.
WORDS: Joseph M. Scriven, ca. 1855 MUSIC: Charles C. Converse, 1868
The Spirit Song
Oh let the Son of God enfold you with His spirit and His love,
Let Him fill your heart and satisfy your soul;
O let Him have the things that hold you, and His Spirit like a dove
Will descend upon your life and make you whole.
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
O come and sing this song with gladness as your hearts are filled with joy.
Lift your hands in sweet surrender to His name.
O give Him all your tears and sadness; give Him all your years of pain,
and you’ll enter into life in Jesus’ name.
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
Jesus, O Jesus, come and fill your lambs
HYMN 599 Break Thou the Bread of Life+
1 Break now the bread of life, dear Lord, to me,
as thou didst break the loaves beside the sea.
Beyond the sacred page I seek you, Lord;
my spirit pants for thee, O Living Word!
2 Bless thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me,
as thou didst bless the bread by Galilee.
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
and I shall find my peace, my All in all.
WORDS: Mary A. Lathbury, 1877 MUSIC: William F. Sherwin, 1877
HYMN OF SENDING FORTH 530 Are Ye Able+
1 "Are ye able," said the Master, "to be crucified with me?"
"Yea," the sturdy dreamers answered, "to the death we follow thee."
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine,
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.
2 Are ye able to remember, when a thief lifts up his eyes,
that his pardoned soul is worthy of a place in paradise?
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine,
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.
3 Are ye able when the shadows close around you with the sod,
to believe that spirit triumphs, to commend your soul to God?
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine,
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.
4 Are ye able? Still the Master whispers down eternity,
and heroic spirits answer, now as then in Galilee.
Lord, we are able. Our spirits are thine,
Remold them, make us, like thee, divine.
Thy guiding radiance above us shall be
a beacon to God, to love, and loyalty.
WORDS: Earl Marlatt, 1926 MUSIC: Harry S. Mason, 1924
BENEDICTION
All music under ccli #24249
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We give God thanks for this opportunity to worship together in-person in our sanctuary as well as online. Please wear your mask and greet each with a wave, an elbow or fist bump. Please maintain social distance and sit at either end or the middle of the pew. In the pews we ask you to sit, in every other pew, spaced out as best you can. Seats are also available in the foyer and the fellowship hall if needed. Both have been set up with screens for the PowerPoint presentation and live video stream from the pulpit. We will continue to live stream the services on Twitter and YouTube for those who would like to continue to participate from home.
The offering will be received in the baskets at the three entry points of the sanctuary. No bulletins will be handed out, everything you need will be on the screens. No need to call or email ahead for a place to worship, you are invited to the sanctuary any time for in-person worship. Come as you are!
Remember there are two ways you can watch our services. One is on YouTube.com by typing in the search bar: Miramar UMC and then you should see the service live streamed. If you subscribe to our service through YouTube.com you can set up reminders for the day before or 15 minutes before, whatever you like.
The other way to “gather” in virtual worship is through the Twitter service available by going to our miramarumc.org website. Pass around the information so that others may join in worship by clicking on the Twitter bird icon on the home page. We will continue our 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. services (except when we have a fifth Sunday of the month 10:00 a.m. service.) If you lose the service for a few seconds do not worry it will probably come back, but if it is longer than a few seconds you might try clicking the refresh button in your browser window.
Please email your prayer requests for uplifting on Sundays by sending them to miramarpastor@gmail.com. It is best if you send them by Saturday NOON if possible.
Our church prayer meeting is online on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and you may contact Marvia Aitken or Vinessa Edwards mamaness@bellsouth.net for the link.
This week, Wednesday and Thursday there will be someone in the church office from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. each day, and you may make an appointment to see the pastor at these or other times. Please remember to enter from the south entrance near the Pastor’s office. No other doors will be open for church business. The preschool is open but you should still come in by the south entrance because the north entrance from the parking lot must be dedicated for the little children of the preschool. Please let friends with preschool aged children know that they can enroll the children in our preschool.
WAYS to give:
1. Online giving is available through our website miramarumc.org. On the home page the ‘Donate’ icon (a hand with a dollar sign above it) is located at the top left corner and on the right under “Contact Us” you will see the same icon along with “Donate Online.” Click on either location for instructions. If you need help call the church office at 954-989-4711. Thanks to all who have signed up for this. The regular tithes and offerings of the church are a great source of blessing.
2. You can also mail a check to Miramar United Methodist Church. If you have your offering envelopes you will see that the address of the church is printed for mailing purposes and your offering can be mailed in this envelope when you apply a stamp. You may also use a regular envelope and address it to: MUMC, 2507 Utopia Drive, Miramar FL 33023. Just put your check inside, mark which funds you would like to support, put a stamp on and let the United States Postal Service do the rest! Or bring it by after the Sunday services, someone will be in the church for one hour after the worship finishes as well as Mon-Thurs 1-5 pm. We trust God will keep us strong.
3. Also, we have the option of giving by text! Use 833-931-1791 to GivePlusText and when you text any amount, by putting that number in the message, you will be prompted to register, then fill out the details of your name, address and means of payment, and the contribution will go in! If you enter an email address you will get an immediate receipt. It is easy! If you have an Apple phone you may also get Vanco’s GivePlusMobile by downloading the app from the App Store. You may also look up YouTube videos to show how all this is done.
Thank you for your prayers! Grace and peace, Pastor David
