Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

Blessing of the Animals

Today’s service will be held outdoors at the woods stage. This will be an in-person service and also live streamed at this link. Please have your pets on leash.  Join us!   

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Gathering Music                                          Polly Dunford

Welcome and Announcements     Bonnie Marsden              

Opening Prayer  —  Prayer of St. Francis (in unison)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light; and

where there is sadness, joy.

O, God, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.   Amen.

Opening Hymn   “O God, Your Creatures Fill the Earth”        Handout

Words by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette; Tune: Forest Green, Traditional English melody

Text: Copyright 2011 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved

1)  O God, your creatures fill the earth with wonder and delight,

And every living thing has worth and beauty in your sight.

So playful dolphins dance and swim; your sheep bow down and graze.

Your songbirds share a morning hymn to offer you their praise.

2)  You made the pets we welcome in — they're wondrous blessings, too.

With paws and whiskers, wings and fins, they offer praise to you.

O Lord, you call us to embrace these creatures in our care.

May we show kindness, love and grace to all pets everywhere.

3)  You made the creatures on each farm; you know the things they need.

May they grow healthy, safe from harm, and safe from human greed.

Just as a shepherd loves the sheep, you know their joy, their pain.

Lord, bless the animals we keep; may all farms be humane.

4)  Your creatures live in every land; they fill the sky and sea.

O Lord, you give us your command to love them tenderly.

We're called to have dominion here — to care for them always.

By loving creatures you hold dear, we offer you our praise.

Scripture Lesson     The Creation Story    (Abbreviated from Genesis 1:1-34)

 

Sermon      “The Animals Who Increase our Faith” Dr. Keith Ray

Joys and Concerns 

  

Prayers of the People

Leader:  Let us give thanks to God our Creator for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us and for the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For the richness of the mountains, plains and rivers;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For all creatures that breathe, and move, and have life;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers and trees;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  For the trust you have shown in giving into our care these, our pets;

All:  We thank you, Lord.

Leader:  That each pet here may be treasured with care;

All:  We pray to you, Lord.

Leader:  That we may love and honor all your works, O God;

All:  We pray to you, Lord.

Leader:  That we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation;

All:  To the honor and glory of your name, now and forever, we pray to you, Lord. Amen.

Blessing of the Animals

 

Closing Hymn and Offertory                    “A Place in the Choir”               Handout

Words and music by Bill Starnes

1978. Mineral River Music. All rights reserved.

 

Refrain:  All God’s creatures got a place in the choir, some sing low,

some sing higher, some sing out loud on the telephone wire,

and some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they got now.

1)  Listen to the bass, it’s the one on the bottom where the bullfrog croaks

and the hippopotamus moans and groans with a big t’ do,

and the old cow just goes “Moo.”Refrain

2)  The dogs and the cats they take up the middle while the honeybee hums

and the cricket fiddles, the donkey brays and the pony neighs

and the old coyote howls.Refrain

 

3)  Listen to the top where the little birds sing on the melodies

with the high notes ringing.  The hoot owl hollers over ev’rything

and the jaybird disagrees.Refrain

4)  Singing in the night time, singing in the day the little duck quacks,

then he’s on his way.  The possum ain’t got much to say,

and the porcupine talks to himself.Refrain

5)  It’s a simple song of living sung ev’rywhere by the ox and the fox

and the grizzly bear, the grumpy alligator and the hawk above,

the sly raccoon and the turtle dove.Refrain

 

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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Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711.  All rights reserved.

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Calendar of Service -

October 20 - Dr. Keith Ray

October 27 - Service at South Main Chapel and Mercy Center

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Hurricane Helene Relief News:

• The United Way of Anderson County and AIM are teaming up to ensure that local needs are met in response to Hurricane Helene. Visit their special website at  https://www.unitedwayofanderson.org/helene to learn more about making donations, and volunteer opportunities for both food distribution and clean-up efforts (especially if you have chainsaws, tools, trailers, etc.).

• To donate money for the NC storm victims, visit these sites:
  Black Mountain Presbyterian Church www.bmpcnc.org
  Presbyterian Disaster Assistance www.pda.pcusa.org
  American Red Cross www.redcross.org

• Adrienne Lee is raffling a custom weaving to support Hurricane Helene victims, as well as contributing a portion of her regular sales proceeds to relief efforts. Visit paintedskytextiles.com or visit her paintedskytextiles page on Instagram for more details.

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Church Clean-up day is the 2^nd Saturday of the month at 9:30 am and usually takes no more than 90 minutes. The sign-up sheet is in the church.

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Don’t miss the upcoming performances of  The Rocky Horror Show at Market Theatre October 11 – November 2.
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The Imani Milele Choir from Uganda will be performing at Presbyterian College on November 13 at 7 pm. Learn more at https://www.campfellowship.org/imani2024
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Please join Presbyterian Earth Care (PEC) for this unique monthly opportunity for community and meaningful Bible study!  The study will run for 75 minutes each session. Dates: Oct. 27th, Nov. 24th, Dec. 22nd, Jan. 26th, Feb. 23rd, Mar. 23rd, Apr. 28th, May 26^th all at 7 pm. Study Leaders: Rev. M. Courtenay Willcox and Rev. Lucy Youngblood. For more info and Zoom link: https://presbyearthcare.org/bible-study-pw-2024-2025/
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Sarah Shumpert, AIM Board member, shares this update about the AIM Food Pantry: given the increased need in the community, AIM has increased the number of food boxes distributed to 55 per day (this is up from around 35 per day prior to COVID).  The increase in distribution means that the pantry empties much faster than it used to.  Please keep that in mind as you bring in food items. Also, the pantry is completely out of peanut butter and they would love to restock this item!
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You can go to scvotes.gov to look at a sample ballot, register to vote, and more. In addition to registering to vote online, you can also register to vote in person at your county board of voter registration.  Early voting is from October 21-November 2 from 8:30 - 6:00 and the general election is on November 5 from 7am-7pm.
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We are collecting underwear items for Undie Sunday to be delivered to South Main when we take lunch again on October 27. Candy donations are also greatly appreciated so that we can make treat bags for the South Main lunch.  Please bring in candy donations and put in the kitchen on the long counter.
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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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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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Remember in prayer:  Gloria Bennett and her family; Michael Little’s friend Becky; Shea Marsden; Linda McFall; Glennie Burns; Mary Alice Mundy; Latha and Cheryl Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of Ukraine; People of Israel and Palestine.