07/30/25/2023 Service

Sources of Information for Today's Online Service
This page has links to information used or encountered in preparing this online service.

Bethel Worship Planning Documents
2023 Monthly Worship Calendar
2023 RCL 2 page Summary
Bethel Weekly Worship Planning worksheet
2023 Annual Program Planning worksheet

Guidance from UMC Discipleship Ministries
Weekly Worship Planning Series

Note: This material from UDM is not the basis for today's message
but is provided here for your personal study and reflection.

Click here for suggestions about how to use this material.

Worship Theme: "The Path of the Disciple"
from umcdiscipleship.org

During this lengthy Ordinary Time of the year, the UDM has chosen an overall theme: The Path of the Disciple for the "season" with several worship series of 2 or more weeks with a separate theme for each series.

A disciple is a follower. That means there must be someone to follow and that someone wants followers. Considering that, in the gospel accounts, Jesus said “follow me” more often than he said, “believe in me,” we can be confident that there is a call to follow laid upon anyone and everyone who seeks to draw closer to Christ. Yet even a cursory reading of the gospels will reveal that Jesus never undersold this call. He never tried to convince us that following was an easy or a simple thing to do.

Worship Series: "Imagining a New Reality"
from umcdiscipleship.org

There is optimism to the disciple’s path, a destination always in mind and heart as we move through the world. These aren’t rose-colored glasses that make things look better than they are, but a certainty that the church is still a force for good in the world, that justice is still within reach as hearts and minds and behaviors are changed. And that there is a God who will bring the new reality into being in and through us and sometimes despite us. That means we work for the winning side. Just think, what could we accomplish if we were certain we wouldn’t fail? What invitations could we issue, what hope could we offer, what joy could we share if we could see the new reality God has in store for all of creation? It all begins with the ability to imagine a new reality.

This is the Last service of a 3 service Worship Series from the Discipleship Ministries.
The graphics at the top of this page list the topics for the services of the Series.
(Click on another graphic to see that session's resource page)

This Service's Theme: "Hidden & Mixed Up"
Liturgical Resources

We prefer the obvious. We like to be sure. But faith is something else indeed. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that faith “is the conviction of things not seen.” Not seen? Like a treasure hidden in a field, or like yeast mixed in the flour, hidden and mixed in. That’s how grace works.

Worship Planning Notes
Preaching Notes

Lectionary Scriptures:
Genesis 29:15-28; Psalm 105:1-11,45b; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33,44-52;

Sources of Music for the following hymns are:

- UMH CD.....UDM - DM Accompaniment..... MM/DD/YY - Recorded Service

Hymns Considered For this week: