First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Michigan

in Downtown Birmingham, Michigan
Worship Service

The First Baptist Church

    of Birmingham      
An American Baptist Church

 

 

Welcome to Worship at First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Michigan

Welcome to Worship

Sunday, September 5, 2010



Prelude:                    “Introduction – Choral” (Boellmon)            – Jack E. Ellis

 

Call to Worship

 

Leader: We open the window of our sacred hearts,

People: that connects us one to another.

 

Leader: We open the window on our community,

People: ready to be set free to love and live for justice.

 

Leader: We open the window on the world,

People: and recognize the Spirit of God in all creation.

 

*Opening Hymn:                       “Rejoice Ye Pure In Heart”                              #34

 

*Opening Prayer

 

Leader: As you search for us, O God, we seek you. May our words be words of freedom, our lives be lived in justice, and may our worship be one of spirited truth.

 

Prayer of Confession

Leader: With the life of Jesus as a vision before us, we recognize the ways we have yet to be reflections of Christ. Resting in your loving grace, we consider our efforts…

People: may they be more committed to justice;

 

Leader: our concerns…

People: may they be more focused on the essentials;

 

Leader: our spirituality…

People: may we be more free to live in the way of Jesus;

 

Leader: our actions…

People: may they be more loving and compassionate;

 

Leader: our vision…

People: may it be more challenging for your sake.

Leader: Resting in your loving grace, we await a more complete transformation as we live out your expansive, unlimited love a little more each day.

Words of Assurance

 

Leader: God who searches us and knows us, who has formed us and loves us still, has promised to be with us always. Know, therefore, that your sins are forgiven. Go to live in the pathways set by our loving God.

People: Thanks be to God!

 

Response :                    “Have Thine Own Way, Lord”               #584, Vs. 1-4

 

“Have Thine Own Way, Lord! Have thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting yielded and still.

 

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! Search me and try me, Master today! Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, as in thy presence humbly I bow.

 

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! Wounded and weary, help me, I pray! Power  - all power- surely is thine! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

 

Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me!”

 

*Passing the Peace

            Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.

            People: May the peace of Christ be among us. Amen.

 

Celebrations and Concerns/Invitations to Involvement                                 

            A Moment for Mission: Bacone College and Covenant Ministries

           

            (Children up through fourth grade may now leave for Children’s Church.)

 

 

The First Lesson:                      Jeremiah 18:1-11

     The Old Testament, Page 720    

 

 

The Second Lesson:                  Philemon 1:1-21

– The New Testament, Page 215

 

 

The Presentation of our Tithes and Offerings

      Offertory: “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” (Thygerson)

 

 

*Offertory Response:     “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”     #213, Vs. 4

“Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small;

love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

 

*Offertory Prayer

 

(Please stand for the reading of the Gospel.)

 

*The Gospel Reading:               Luke 14:25-33    

 - The New Testament, Page 78

          

Sermon:                         “Turning toward Freedom”    - Rev. J. Wesley Babian

 


*Reading of the Church Covenant

 

 

Communion Offering           

Offertory: “Take My Hand” (Michael Shea)

 

(Today’s communion offering goes in support of

Bacone College and Covenant Ministries.)

 

The Celebration of Communion

   

 

 A Prayer of Blessing for the Bread                                                                   

            Distribution of the Bread

            Music for the Bread

 

       

 A Prayer of Blessing for the Cup

            Distribution of the Cup

            Music for the Cup

 

 

Closing Hymn:                  “Blest Be The Tie That Binds”                       #708

“Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love;

the fellowship of kindred minds is like that above.”

 

Benediction

 

Postlude:                                  “Tocatta Pontificale” (Gordon Young)

                 

           

          

      

* Please stand if you are able.

 

 

The flowers are given today in celebration of Katherine Stewart’s birthday by her mom, Harriet.

 

 

 

Depart to Serve

 

 

 

 

Pastor: J. Wesley Babian; Director of Music: Jack E. Ellis, M. Music

Sound: Scott Ritchie & Collin Trask & Will Olsen; Deacon Greeter: Jackie Earhardt

Scripture Reader:  Jeremy Nixon; Worship Leader: Kathy Charbeneau

Ushers:  David Drake, Harriet Stewart, Glenn Craig, Jim Poe, Robert Washburn,

Phil Babian, Leona Frost, Henry Nabors

Candle lighters: Grace Charbeneau, Brandon Charbeneau, Emily Bly, Katherine Stewart

 

 

 

E-Mail: firstbaptistbirm@sbcglobal.net  /  Website: firstbaptistbirmingham.org

 

 

 

 

 

Invitations to Involvement

 

The Week Ahead:

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Global Gift Shop is open today after services. New merchandise is delivered often! The shop is a mission of economical re-distribution for third world artisans.

Learning Community For Adults: Continue to be offered.

Join a class after services today!

 

Tuesday, September 7, Outreach Team meets at 7PM

 

Wednesday, September 8, 6:15 PM Bell Choir Meets

7:30PM Chancel Choir meets

 

Friday & Saturday, Sept. 10 &11

Evangelism Seminar

 

 

Sunday, September 12

Chancel Choir Practice, 9:30AM

Worship Service – 10:30 a.m., Children’s Learning Community – during Worship time after being dismissed from the service

All-Church Picnic at Springdale Park

 

Mark Your Calendars! Next Sunday, September 12, All Church Picnic after church at Springdale Park!!  Please bring a dish to pass and your place setting, the church will provide the grilled meats and beverages. A fun event every year! (North of Big Beaver Road (16 Mile Road), East of Woodward Avenue. When leaving church head north on Woodward, turn right, heading east on Big Beaver, and take a left onto Kensington Road. Park is right there.  We will be in the Picnic Pavilion.)

 

*******

Evangelism Conference Set for September. "Finding Your Way to Share the Good News" (a seminar for Pastors and lay-leaders) Date:  September 10 & 11, 2010; Place:  First Baptist Church of Detroit; Seminar Leader:  Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, National Coordinator for Evangelism American Baptist Home Mission Societies Sponsored and funded by The MDAABC More information will follow. Information packets are available in the Welcome Center.

The Chancel Choir fall rehearsals have begun. The group meets at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. We will return to our Sunday morning schedule on September 12 at 9:30 a.m.  The Bell Choir will resume rehearsals on Wednesday night September 8th at 6:15 p. m.  

 

 

The office will be closed on Monday, September 6 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

 

 

Pastor Babian continues to offer a fellowship group on Wednesday mornings at the Avenue Restaurant. 8AM.

 

 

Green Lake Conference Center brochures are available today in the Welcome Center. Many unique and inspiring offerings await you!.

 

 

Friendship House Request: Children’s Backpacks Needed for School Supply Give-away Day. Call the church office for more details.

 

 

Camp Lael will be hosting its Second Annual 5K Walk/Run Fundraiser at the camp on Saturday, September 11, at 11:00am until 3:00pm.

 

 

The Public Is Invited… The Race Relations and Diversity Taskforce invites the public to it program titled: Is Our Freedom Protected? Monday, September 13, 8AM. Are our constitutional rights more or less safe following the US and Michigan Supreme Court decisions of the past year 2009-2010? No charge. Presented by: Dan Korobkin, ACLU, Staff Attorney

 

 

Relief For Pakistan: Please consider a gift for the Pakistani Flood Relief effort being managed through Church World Service. The Church will accept financial gifts, and then send them on to CWS. Please note “Pakistan Relief” on your check.

 

 

 

Our B’Jazz Vesper’s 15th Seasons begins in September!

September 19, 4 to 6PM  (Note time change for this season)

 

A Salute to the 

Great Jazz Clubs of Detroit

Past and Present

Presented by The Scott Gwinnell Dectet

James Hughes- alto sax, Steve Wood- tenor sax, Keith Kaminski- baritone sax, Patrick Hession and Paul Finkbeiner- trumpet, John Rutherford- trombone, Brad Felt- euphonium, Scott- piano, Jordan Schug- bass, and Scott Kretzer- drums

 


The Lunch Ladies News: Our next venture will be on:  Tuesday Sept.21 at 11:45AM at Macy’s Restaurant at Oakland Mall. Can anyone say … “Maurice Salad?!” Come and join the fun!

 

Visioning @ FBCB: Vision Sunday on September 26, 2010 will give us all an opportunity to give creative expression to question of our vision for our future in mission and ministry.  This will include our vision for the congregation but also to consider our personal vision of God's call in our lives.  The scriptures for the day are particularly suited to lead us in this consideration.  Come prepared to "think outside the box" as we prepare to reach out to others with the love of God in Christ.  

 

Church member, Lyndsay Cannon will be married here on Saturday, October 9 at 3:30PM.  The congregation is invited to attend.

 

ABC-Michigan is offering an event for church leaders on October 22-23 titled “Change: How to Manage the Journey”. The event will be held at First Baptist Church of Charlotte. A special worship service will be held on Friday evening at 7PM. The featured speaker will be Rev. Brad Powell, author of Change your Church For Good, and ABC-MI Exec. Minister Mike Williams will make a presentation as well. The ABC-MI Annual Meeting will take place at 9:30 AM on Saturday. Registration packets are available in the Welcome Center. Register by October 8.