May 18, 2003

In the vineyards of life,
when our vines are growing wild,
God tends and prunes the vines
so they grow and become fruitful.
When we abide in Christ,
Love dares to grow and reach further
and further and further and further…
May 18, 2003

Gathering in Christ's name

Leader: We have come to worship the One who holds all things together.
People: Jesus is the vine; we are the branches.
Leader: We have come to worship the One who brings forth fruit.
People: Those who abide in Christ bear much fruit.
Leader: Come, let us worship and see the risen Christ.
All: The risen Christ is the true vine.

Prayer of invocation
Hymns How Great Thou art MH 535
What a friend we have in Jesus MH 337
Peace Minute
Children's Story
Hymn Jesus, Rock of Ages HWB 515
Baptism of Andy Orban
Membership by Confession of Faith for Charis Anderson & David Franz
Congregational Welcome HWB 777
Worship Songs

Proclaiming God's Word

Scripture John 15:1-18
Sermon "Who needs a vine?"
Hymn Thou True Vine HWB 373

Responding to God's call

Joys and concerns
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord's Prayer
Offering
Announcements
Hymn God of our life HWB 486
Benediction

Today

Worship Leader - Maren Hange
Sermon - Roy Hange
Music - Dottie , Libby & Michelle
Nursery -
Peace Minute - Kurt

Announcements

We welcome Sara and Ronald who have been worshiping with us the past weeks.

Brad will move to Harrisonburg over Memorial Weekend to take up a job in admissions at Eastern Mennonite University. Brad will continue to worship with us at least monthly.

Charlottesville Mennonite Church has received a continuing education matching grant of $250 from Mennonite Mutual Aid in support of Maren attending the Preaching Institute at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg and for her attending Pastors week at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Goshen, Ind. This grant is available from MMA because a large part of MMA is organized as a tax exempt fraternal benefit organization. Instead of paying taxes, this money can be used to help meet certain needs of member churches. For more information on this, please see Dottie Scott, the MMA advocate for our church.

Registrations for Virginia Mennonite Conference Assembly being held June 12-14 at JMU are due by May 26. Theme: "Following Jesus, Discerning the Times." To register: visit www.vmconf.org/assembly, mail in your form, or call the VMC office at 540-434-9727.

Prayers and Praises

VMBM: Willard and Melba Heatwole of Bridgewater, Va., are beginning the first phase of a missionary assignment for up to three years in Lushnje, Albania. Willard will oversee the community development program in the villages and together they will relate to the church planting efforts in the area. The Heatwoles are members of Dayton Mennonite Church.

Mennonite Mission Network: Praise God for the recent baptism of Beninese brothers and sisters who gave public witness to their faith, as reported by Christine and Phil Lindell Detweiler, Mission Network workers in Benin.

Pray for Love Inc. as they continue to rebuild their services to those in need in the community after a challenging fall and winter. Listen to God to see how we can be part of these efforts. Pray that they will find enough people for the furniture moving days May 19-22.

Let us pray for peace with justice where there is war, violence and oppression.