Quotes for Reflection:

Much of the history of Christianity has been devoted to

domesticating Jesus to reducing that elusive, enigmatic,
paradoxical person to dimensions we can comprehend,
understand and convert to our own purposes.
So far it hasnt worked.
Fr. Andrew Greeley

-We Gather as Gods PeopleHYMN

Morning Has Broken

UMH 145 22

CALL TO WORSHIP
Lowrie
We gather here as people who have faith
in a story that stretches far before and beyond us.
Its a story that tells us that what we know of life
is only a tiny part of the picture;
that here,
who we are is still unfinished.
Its a story of how Gods redemption and restoration
rewrites what we know of ourselves,
editing our lives with words of grace and forgiveness
and creating an ending that speaks only of love.
We gather here
to worship the God we meet in Christ.
PRAISE

Soon and Very Soon

Shout to the Lord

UMH 706
FWS 2074

PASSING THE PEACE

OPENING TO GOD
Lord, spare me from the comfort
that would sedate me,
from the certainty
that would dull me,
from the beauty
that would blind me to injustice,
from the peace
that would hide the world's grief from me,
from the security
that would frighten me from the edge of you.
Grant me the blessing
to be unfinished, discomforted, unknowing,

SG-H

to be homesick in this world

for the one within it,
to ache for your little ones,
to grieve with the Beloved,
to be powerless for your grace,
to empty myself into your heart.

-We Respond to Gods WordREFLECTION Jesus! I Wish He Hadnt Said That.

Part 9: Do You Also Wish to Go Away?
HYMN

Lord, spare me from my wishes,

that I may be free for you.
Spare me from my little self,
that I may be my divine self.
Spare me from my life, that, dying,
I may become yours.

Psalm 34

FWS 2218

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORDS PRAYER

OFFERING & DOXOLOGY

-We Listen for Gods WordPSALTER

You Are Mine

UMH 769, resp. 1

GOSPEL LESSON
John 6 selections
Jesus has been in the synagogue.
He had just finished teaching the disciples about
the bread come down from heaven...

-We Scatter to Serve the WorldANNOUNCEMENTS

BENEDICTION
RESPONSE

FWS 2129
I have decided to follow Jesus (3X)
No turning back (2x)

After hearing it, many of the followers of Jesus said:

'This is intolerable language.
How could anyone accept it?'
Jesus was aware that his followers
were complaining about it, and said...
'It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
'But there are some of you who do not believe'....

UMH 94

z
Birthdays & Anniversaries
August 23 - Wesley Bristol
August 28 - Al Rodgers,

August 27 - Eleanor Uckele

Joshua Knox, Kathy Albertson

'This is why I told you that no one could come to me

unless it is granted by God.'

After this, many of the disciples left and stopped going with Jesus.

August 25 - Kathy & Phil Albertson

August 26 - Fred & Marlene Hodgdon

So Jesus asked the twelve,

Do you also wish to go away?

Essex Eats Out Schedule

Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom would we go?

You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to trust and grown to know
that you are the Holy One of God.

Aug28 - EUMC
Sept 11 - Holy Family
Sept 25 - EUMC

Sept 4 - First Congregational

Sept 18 - St. James

Announcements

The Essex/Jericho/Underhill Food Shelf is in need of

Vegetables (no green beans please though!), Soup, Peanut Butter,
Tuna, Mac & Cheese, Baked Beans.

Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.

300 BARS of SOAP needed by Aug. 30. These will be part of 300
health kits being put together by Shelburne UMC for UMCOR. If you
can't bring soap in the next week or two, we will be assembling
another 300 kits in November, so keep the soap coming. (No Ivory or
Jergens, please, as they are too soft.)

Prayers in the Parlor - During the summer, we are having

prayers in the parlor at 8:00 am before the service at 9:00 am.

Calendar

Tue, 25 Aug: Office Hours

Church: 9-10:30am
Phoenix Books 10:40-noon
Bible Study 1:45-3:00 pm at Mansfield Place
Fri, 28 Aug:

Essex Eats Out 5:30 pm

Sun, 30 Aug Church Has Left the Building Sunday

Worship: 9:00 am
Kingdom Work: 10:00 am
1-6 Sep:

Pastor Mitch will be on vacation.

Wed, 2 Sep:

No Green Mountain Nursing Home Service

Sun, 6 Sep:

Worship Service Bill Bowman leads, 9:00 am

Tue, 8 Sep:

Administrative Board 7:00 pm

Ongoing Prayers, Cont.

Gloria
Anne
Michael Paradee
John Young IV
Brenda
Lenore
Scott

Ongoing Prayers
Judy & Diezela
Zachary Roy
John Bartlett
Bob Brooks (Hirst)
Michael Parker
Jill & Doug Griffin
Stan Komecki
Jenna Roy
Paul
Dick Shepard
Robin
Jaylene
Mary
Jake Greg
DJ
Chris


Jesus! I Wish He Hadnt Said That.

Part. 9:

Do you also wish

to go away?

Lifted Up Last Sunday

Nancy - Alan, healing after heart
attack.Thankful for Doctors &
staff
Barb - MaryLou, son murdered
Anne at Burlington Rehab



Thu, 10 Sep: Essex Eats Out Mtg, First Cong. Church 7:00 pm
Sun, 13 Sep: Invitation Sunday; Fall Schedule Begins
Worship 10:00 a.m. (note time change!)
The Totally Tubular Timothy Society
(Ecumenical Youth Group in Burlington)
informational/kickoff meeting, 4:30-6:00 pm
Tue, 15 Sep: Trustees, 7:00 pm
Sat, 19 Sep:

Chicken Pie Supper

Sun, 20 Sep: Sunday School Begins

Tue, 22 Sep: Staff-Parish Relations Committee, 7 pm
Mon, 28 Sep: Monday Companions Group Begins (tentative)

Essex Center United Methodist Church

essex_umc@comcast.net
tel. 878-8304
www.essexumc.com
Ministers: the entire congregation
Lay Leader: Joshua Knox
Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
cell tel. 881-3268 (feel free to call)
mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Heidi Evans
Organist: Kathryn Parker Pianists: June Packard, Ellie Uckele
Djembe: Barbara Lemmel
Guitar: Richard Randazzo
Song Leader: Dana Thomas Projection: Sam Evans
Greeters - Don & Norma Strickland
Usher - Bill Bowman, Judy Wright

Georges Rouault woodcut, Christ from The Passion,1934

Essex Center United Methodist Church

23 August 2015

13th Sunday after Pentecost

Church Has Left the Building Projects

Ellie
From approximately after church until - 3 p.m., Ellie's son Eric
will be directing the basement project We will be deconstructing
two rooms in the basement, removing any items still left in these
rooms, taking down sheetrock walls, and the flooring (which is
particle board over skids). There will be a dumpster outside for
putting in anything that cannot be burnt. Recommended that
you bring a hammer, a flat bar if you have one, and gloves. A
sawzall would be handy if anyone owns one. Ellie will provide
masks if you need one, pizza, and drinks. A team of 4 plus son
Eric would be wonderful. To get to Ellie's, go to 4 Corners, turn
left onto Towers Rd. At end turn right onto Old Stage. Make the
next left onto Brigham Hill Rd. Proceed 1.2 miles to 130
Brigham Hill Rd. on left. Park in driveway or on road.

Youth Center

Lewis Lawn and Garden Help