ABOUT TODAY

CALL TO WORSHIP

Reader:
God, come to my assistance.
All:
Lord, make haste to help me.

Reader:
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
All:
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

AFTERNOON PSALM

Psalm 150

All:
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

WORSHIP (Optional)

All:
(A short time of worship and thanksgiving, led or spontaneous. Alternatively a devotional song may be played and listened to.)

OLD TESTAMENT READING

Exodus 37:1-16

The Ark of the Agreement

Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood; it was forty-five inches long, twenty-seven inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. He covered it, both inside and out, with pure gold, and he put a gold strip around it. He made four gold rings for it and attached them to its four feet, with two rings on each side. Then he made poles of acacia wood and covered them with gold. He put the poles through the rings on each side of the Ark to carry it. Then he made a lid of pure gold that was forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide. Then Bezalel hammered gold to make two creatures with wings and attached them to each end of the lid. He made one creature on one end of the lid and the other creature on the other end. He attached them to the lid so that it would be one piece. The creatures’ wings were spread upward, covering the lid, and the creatures faced each other across the lid.

The Table

Then he made the table of acacia wood; it was thirty-six inches long, eighteen inches wide, and twenty-seven inches high. He covered it with pure gold and put a gold strip around it. He made a frame three inches high that stood up all around the edge, and he put a gold strip around it. Then he made four gold rings for the table and attached them to the four corners of the table where the four legs were. The rings were put close to the frame around the top of the table, because they held the poles for carrying it. The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were covered with gold. He made of pure gold all the things that were used on the table: the plates, bowls, cups, and jars used for pouring the drink offerings.

Reader:
The Word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.

Pause for Reflection……

PRAYER

(Take a moment to bring to God any issues that have arisen during the morning. You may like to end with the following prayer…)

Reader:
Lord Jesus we thank you for the many blessings of this day,
Give us eyes to see the path ahead,
And faith to reach towards the prize. Amen

GRACE (Optional)

Reader:

Lord God, we thank you for your gift to us of this food;
Produce of earth, sky, many living beings, and much hard work.

May we eat with prayerfulness, gratitude and moderation;
With renewed minds and spirit-controlled appetites.

May we eat with compassion for those who hunger today,
And in such a way that reduces the suffering of all creatures;
Healing and preserving our precious planet.

Use this food to strengthen our bodies, revive our spirits,
Nurture our family and nourish our resolve;
That we may continue to serve all that lives with all our life. Amen

Psalms in Bold – Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved

All other Psalms – Scripture quotations are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All other Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.