Today’s service may be viewed on Facebook Live Stream at this link in the comfort of your home or in person in the sanctuary.  Join us!

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Gathering Music                                          Polly Dunford

Welcome and Announcements   Lin Hagen and Diane Lee

Call to Worship

Leader:  With what shall we come to worship our God?
People:  Shall we come with lots of money for the offering basket?
Leader:  Shall we bring our carefully scripted words?
People:  Shall we sing on-key in perfect four-part harmony?
Leader:  With what shall we come to worship our God?
People:  With open minds set on justice.
Leader:  With clean hearts open to loving kindness.
People:  With feet striving to walk the path of Jesus. 

Opening Hymn            Potluck Hymn

Scripture Lesson Mark 7:1-8, 14-23 (NLT)

1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them. ” 17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) 20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Sermon     “An Act of Worship”             David Johnson

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn and Offertory           Potluck Hymn          

Benediction

Discussion

Shalom       (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

                            Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom.

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Calendar of Service -

September 8 - Dr. Keith Ray

September 15 - Dr. Keith Ray

September 22 - Remembrance Sunday; Dr. Keith Ray

September 29 - Dave Johnson

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We will be collecting school supplies for New Foundations Home for children through September 1. Place your items in the clear plastic bins in the sanctuary.
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Anderson County Public Library will be hosing a Meet the Author Event with Ron Rash on September 5 at 6 pm. Register at https://calendar.andersonlibrary.org/event/author-ron-rash
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Don’t miss Thor’s upcoming shows! How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Greenville Theatre, Sept. 5-22 and The Rocky Horror Show at Market Theatre Oct. 11– Nov. 2.

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The Cancer Association of Anderson’s Annual Concert of Hope and Remembrance will be “Folk Songs from the Heart.”  The concert will be on September 14 at 7:00 PM at Boulevard Baptist Church in Anderson.  For tickets contact KATIE-BETH@CAAANDERSON.ORG or call (864) 222-3500.

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GAMAC’s 3^rd annual Ray McGee’s Jazz Club fundraiser will be on Thursday, September 19 at 7 pm. See www.gamac.org/specialevents for more information and to buy tickets.
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Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families Support Group meets each Thursday from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church, 1501 Sandy Springs Rd., Sandy Springs, SC. This is a 12-formatted program.

For more information, call 864-844-7137. Please share this with anyone who may benefit from this group.

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Steve Hallowell is selling some furniture items. Please let him know if you are interested.

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Bible Study meets on Monday’s at 6:30 pm through Zoom and has begun the study of the book of Deuteronomy.  Contact Cynthia Warner at cynthiakwarner@mac.com or Dave Johnson at ampaw2t@gmail.com

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You may have noticed the new glass “tip jar” on the piano at church that serendipitously came about when someone didn’t claim a flower vase. Feel free to drop in a dollar or five when you like the music during the service. Dave and Polly will donate the “tips” to a cause related to music, such as bringing music to schools.
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If you would like to donate to the family of Eric Childs, who was tragically killed in a car accident, please use this link: https://gofund.me/6340eb47.  Eric’s wife Jessicka Spearman heads the PFLAG group that meets at NACCP.

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Women’s clothing is needed for women coming out of incarceration. Good, gently used items please. All sizes.
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Doug Booth encourages everyone to volunteer at PAWS – there is something for everyone, from socializing with the dogs on-site to taking a dog to lunch to hosting weekend visits. There are many dogs at the facility who crave human interaction.  Additionally, don’t forget to bring in any donations of blankets to the church.
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Karen highlighted that the Prayer Tree has been moved into the sanctuary. If you have a prayer request to add to the tree, write it on one of the provided tags and hang it on a branch.
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Joanne reminds us all to keep up the food donations for AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries)!  Bring your non-perishable items to the church.  This is an on-going need that can easily become part of everyone’s shopping routine.

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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP?  Would you like to make this community your spiritual home?  Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.

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