FEBRUARY 26 SERVICE

Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve

We invite you to sign the worship registry at the end of each row and pass it on to others in your pew, then pass the book back. 

Our Mission:  "To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

WORDS OF WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

ORGAN PRELUDE

+CALL TO WORSHIP

LEADER: I am a good Christian.
PEOPLE: What do you mean?LEADER: Well, I go to church every Sunday.
PEOPLE: That is not enough.
LEADER: Well, I rarely take the Lord's name in vain, and I almost

                 never lie, and even when I do, it's just a little one.
PEOPLE: That is not enough.
LEADER: I visit my parents.
PEOPLE: That is not enough.
LEADER: Well, I've never stolen anything, and I've certainly never

                 killed anyone.
PEOPLE: It's still not enough.
LEADER: What then? What is enough?
PEOPLE: You must love God. We must love God. With our

                 hearts. With our minds. With our bodies. With our

                 souls. We must love our neighbors. We must love

                 ourselves.
ALL:         Let us put our love into motion as we worship the One

                 who's taught us to love.

+OPENING HYMN        “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”           #384

PRAYER

Merciful God, you have called us to be imitators of your Son, who embodied the commandment to love you completely in heart, soul, mind and strength. Make our hearts tender to people whom you love, the “least of these” that we encounter each day. May the compassion of our souls well up within us and cause us to act on behalf of those who are marginalized, underage, infirm, poor, victimized and voiceless. Challenge us to use our intellect and education for the common good, not just for personal advancement. Grant us the strength to build, to meet needs, to encourage, to reach out, to give sacrificially and selflessly. Thank you for the example of Jesus and for the trust you have placed in us to continue to model the greatest commandment to the world. Amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC BY KAREN HOLLINGSHEAD

TIME WITH YOUNG DISCIPLES

HYMN                          “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian”               #402

SCRIPTURES              Mark 12:28-34  

MESSAGE

OFFERING

As forgiven and reconciled people, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.  

+DOXOLOGY #95

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

+ CLOSING HYMN       “Blest Be the Dear Uniting Love”                         #566

+ SENDING FORTH WITH BLESSING

+ POSTLUDE

(+) Those who are able are invited to stand.

CRAZY LOVE CHAPTER 6 QUESTIONS

1)      What if God loves you so much that He doesn’t want to see you with frustration, doesn’t want you to be shackled with guilt or fear, and doesn’t want you driven to try harder?   How does it affect you to think of Him like that?

2)      Think about Paul’s words in Galations 5:13-14.  How do love and freedom keep us away from sin?

3)      Consider the difference between serving God out of love versus obligation.   How does obedience to God change as our love for God grows? 

4)      Does the Christian life feel free to you?  Or do you feel bound to obey a system of moral commands?   Be descriptive in your answer. 

5)      Which is more difficult for you, relating to God with intimacy or approaching him with reverence?   Why do you think this is more difficult for you?  

6)      What baggage do you carry around with you?  How do you think this affects your relationship with God? 

7)      In the three possibilities of love relationships (with God, neighbor, and self) where are you the strongest?  The weakest?  What have you found that helps love to grow in each area?

8)   It’s time to stop talking about loving God and start spending time directly with Him.   Use everything you’ve thought through in this session as you approach God.  Be honest with Him about your lack of love for Him.  Tell him about your struggles and ask Him to produce more love in your heart.   It’s time to stop talking about loving God and start spending time directly with Him.   Use everything you’ve thought through in this session as you approach God.  Be honest with Him about your lack of love for Him.  Tell him about your struggles and ask Him to produce more love in your heart.   (You may find this prayer from Chapter 6 helpful:) “Jesus, I need to give myself up.  I am not strong enough to love You and walk with You on my own.  I can’t do it, and I need You.   I need You deeply and desperately.   I believe You are worth it, that You are better than anything else I could have in this life or the next.   I want You   And when I don’t, I want to want You.   Be all in me.  Take all of me.   Have your way with me”.

FEBRUARY 19, 2012 SERVICE

Enter to Worship, Depart to Serve

We invite you to sign the worship registry at the end of each row and pass it on to others in your pew, then pass the book back. 

Our Mission:  "To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

WORDS OF WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

ORGAN PRELUDE

+CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:   We have been called together as the body of

                 Christ.
People: We are one body, though we have many

                 members.Leader:   Each part gets its meaning from the body as a

                 whole, and not the other way around.
People: But not all members have the same function;

                 we have different gifts.Leader:   God calls us to use these gifts generously,

                 maturely and cheerfully to build up the body of

                 Christ.
People: Together we present ourselves in service to

                 God and each other.Leader:   Let us worship God!

+OPENING HYMN              “Be Thou My Vision”           #451

PRAYER FOR RENEWAL OF THE CHURCH   #574

Renew your church, Lord, your people in this land.  Save us from cheap words and self-deception in your service.   In the power of your Spirit transform us, and shape us by your cross.  Amen!

SPECIAL MUSIC BY VICKI KING

Time with Young Disciples

HYMN                        “*SANCTUARY”

v1.  Lord, prepare me to be a *sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a living *sanctuary for you.

v2.  *Testimony

v3.  *Missionary

SCRIPTURES          James 1:17-27

MESSAGE

OFFERING

As forgiven and reconciled people, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God.  

+DOXOLOGY #95

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

+ CLOSING HYMN        “Go Forth for God  ”                   #670

+ SENDING FORTH WITH BLESSING

+ POSTLUDE

(+) Those who are able are invited to stand.

CRAZY LOVE CHAPTER 5

QUESTIONS

1)      Would you say that you are guilty of serving “leftovers” to God? How so, or why not?

2)      What does it mean to take up your cross and follow Jesus? (see Matt. 16:24-25).   What do you think Matthew thought those words meant when he wrote them down? 

3)      Being as practical as possible, describe some of the ways that taking up your cross and following Jesus might play in your unique setting. 

4)      How would you explain the difference between living a perfect life and developing a posture of obedience to God?  Why is the distinction important?  

5)      Whether or not you’ve decided that you’re living the “lukewarm life” at this point in your life, write down some thoughts about the solution to lukewarmness (if you don’t need this right now, you will at some point).   How do you overcome apathy and increase your love for God?

6)      What does it mean to be, “quick to Listen” ^NRS/NIV/“lead with your ears” ^Message? How does this produce the “righteous” life that God desires?

7)      What is the point of the “mirror” image? How is this point reflected in “real” or “pure” religion (v. 26-27)?

8)      What aspect of God’s Word here will put into action?

9)      Spending some time with God.  As you do, meditate on the following questions.   Don’t answer quickly; just consider these things in God’s presence, and do whatever business with God is necessary:  Am I willing to say to God that He can have whatever He wants?   Do I believe that wholehearted commitment to Him is more important than any other thing or person in my life?   Do I believe that nothing I do in this life will ever matter unless it is about loving God and loving the people He has made?

FEBRUARY 18-19 ANNOUNCEMENTS

FEBRUARY 18-19 ANNOUNCEMENTS

IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

HOSPITALIZED:  Joyce McCarty. 

HOSPICE:   Alfred Jones (receiving hospice care at Park Lane Assisted Living).

ADDITIONAL PRAYERS:  Marjorie Andrews, Thurman Floyd, Myra Ockerman (Doran and Cora VanRheenen’s great granddaughter), Phyllis Barnett, Betty Tonda, Alberta McMulin, service people and families. 

CONTINUAL PRAYERS:  Bishop Julius Trimble, District Superintendent Reverend Bill Poland, District Outreach Minister Paul Smith, 1^st Church pastors, and church family.    

PRAYER CHAIN MINISTRY

Contact Dorothy Danner at 641-842-2557. 

E-PRAYER CHAIN

If you would like to sign up for the e-prayer chain to receive an e-mail any time a request is made for a prayer, please contact Heather at fumchurch@iowatelecom.net or 641-842-3712 with your name and e-mail information.  

THIS WEEKEND

DEDICATION OF STUDY TEAM

ROADMAP TO RENEWAL

(See the front page of the February newsletter)

WEBSITE:  WWW.KIFUMC.ORG

E-MAIL:  FUMCHURCH@IOWATELECOM.NET

FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/firstchurchknoxville  

NEW THIS WEEK!

THANK YOU

Thank you to those who delivered Valentine remembrances tour 37 shut-ins on Tuesday, February 14^th.  I appreciated your help very much.  Frances Kirkwood

Thank you to the UMW for the red carnation I received on Valentine’s Day.   Susan Scott

ALTAR FLOWERS

The beautiful altar flowers were given in memory of Gerald Orr by Harlan and Delaine Clark. 

OPEN HOUSE FOR FRANCES CASWELL

Frances Caswell’s 90^th birthday celebration is Sunday, February 26^th 1-3 p.m. at Park Lane Village.   Come celebrate with her!

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Geoff Shultz on his retirement from teaching!

LENTEN ACTIVITIES

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE –

Wednesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m.

ECUMENICAL LENTEN SERVICES (FUMC CHAPEL/WFH) (Message 12:00-12:30) (Meal 12:30-1:00) Wednesday, February 29 – Wednesday, March 28

LAY SPEAKER LENTEN DEVOTIONALS (WFH) (Meal 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.) (Devotion 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.) Wednesday, February 29 – Wednesday, March 28

There are Lenten devotional books from the Society of St. Andrew available in the church office or on the church office window ledge. 

BABY FOOD JARS

MSPS is in need of glass baby food jars to be donated. 

ONGOING NEWS… LECTIONARY:  February 26, 2012 Gen. 9:8-17 Ps. 25:1-0 1 Pet. 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 ATTENDANCE/GIVING February 11-12 Worship attendance:  191 Giving:  $6079.57 THIS WEEK… Sunday February 19, 2012 8:30 & 10:45a    Worship                            Services 9:30a                Sunday School 9:40-10:20a       Connect/                            Reconnect Class – Music Room 9:40-10:10a       Crazy Love Discussion   Group – Chapel Monday February 20, 2012 10:00a              Rowley’s Crazy Love Group – EFH 1:00-3:00p         NHN – Act Cntr 3:00-6:00p         Almost Free                              Shop 5:00-7:00p         Cub Scouts –                            WFH 6:30-7:30p         Cluster Mtgs  7:30-8:30p         Council on Ministry - WFH

Tuesday February 21, 2012 7:00-8:00a         Early Birds – Hardees 9:00a-Noon       Almost Free Shop 9:30-10:30a       Staff Mtg – Conf Rm 6:30p                Finance Mtg – EFH 6:30p                Rathmel’s Crazy Love Group –  Library Wednesday February 22, 2012 ASH WEDNESDAY Noon                Wings – Conf Rm 1:00-3:00p         NHN—Act Cntr 7:00p                Ash Wednesday Service with Columbia – FUMC 7:00p                Jr. Optimists – YR Thursday February 23, 2012 8:00a                Late Birds— Mr. C’s  Friday February 24, 20129:00a-4:00p            Almost Free Shop Saturday February 25, 2012 HEIFER PROJECT 8:00-9:00a         SHARE pickup – Act Ctr 5:30p                Chapel Service Sunday February 26, 2012 FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT HEIFER PROJECT 8:30 & 10:45a    Worship Services 9:30a                Sunday School 9:40-10:20a       Connect/Reconnect Class – Music Room 9:40-10:10a       Crazy Love Discussion Group – Chapel 11:00a-5:00p     Cub Scouts Blue & Gold Banquet – WFH and Kitchen

WELCOME VISITORS…

We welcome you and invite you to participate in all activities of the church.  Listed are all of the events taking place in our church this week.  We realize that newcomers may not be familiar with all the programs or people of the church so for explanations and more complete descriptions we encourage you to visit our website at, www.kifumc.org  and www.facebook.com/firstchurchknoxville, email fumchurch@iowatelecom.net, or call 641-842-3712.

We are family friendly with a well equipped nursery, a full play room, and bathroom for your use.  Please feel free to use our family oriented nursery.   These areas are sound proof from the sanctuary, but you can turn on the speakers and hear the service if you would like.  Large print bulletins are available for the 8:30 service.

Assisting with Services: 

8:30 - Liturgist:  Jim Butler

10:45 - Praise Band

USHERS:             

Saturday -  Larry Kline and Dawn Allspach

8:30 – Marvin Brooks, Jim Hicks, Roger DeYoung, Don Otto, Sam Rathmel, George Werts, and Pat Nathe

10:45 – Trey and Julie Purvis and John Sears

GREETERS:

Montgomery Street

8:30 – Sara Hopkins

10:45 – Roberta Orr and Delaine Clark

Fourth Street

8:30 – Dwight and Joy Vickroy

10:45 – Johnna Kincaid

COMMUNION:                   

8:30 – Larry and RoseAnn Rowley

HOSPITALITY:                  

8:30 – Jim and Sharon Young

SPECIAL MUSIC: 
8:30 - Vicki King