Welcome! Whether you are in the sanctuary or watching online, we are glad YOU are with us!

Here is what we are doing today:

WELCOME
PRELUDE: "Be the Centre" Michael Frye Arr. Carol Tornquist
*OPENING QUESTION: How do you know if you belong?
CALL TO WORSHIP
*LIGHTING THE CANDLE
The light shines in the darkness; and the darkness did not
overcome it! John 1.5
*HYMN: "As We Gather"
CHILDREN'S TALK
SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 28:19, Acts 2.37-42
MESSAGE: “Identify and Commit"
*SONG: "It Is the Cry of My Heart"
*CREED: The Apostles’ Creed #882
INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP
PRAYER AND THE LORD'S PRAYER
COMMUNION
SONG: “Ten Thousand Reasons”
OFFERING AND *DOXOLOGY
CHURCH NEWS
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE: "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665 Arr. Larry Shackley

*Please stand if possible

DISCUSS: How do you know if you belong?

*CALL TO WORSHIP
From the waters of Creation, the earth sprang forth.
From the waters of a womb, God’s blessed Son was given to us.
From the waters of a river, people were baptized and marked as God’s Children
Praise be to God, whose loving gifts and presence have called us together!
Let us shout our thanks to God for God’s abundant love!
Amen!

The light shines in the darkness.
And the darkness did not overcome it!

*HYMN: "As We Gather" (to the tune of 'Come Thou Fount')

As we gather at your Table,
as we listen to your Word,
help us know, O God, your presence;
let our hearts and minds be stirred.
Nourish us with sacred story
till we claim it as our own;
teach us through this holy banquet
how to make Love's victory known.

Turn our worship into witness
in the sacrament of life;
send us forth to love and serve you,
bringing peace where there is strife.
Give us, Christ, your great compassion
to forgive as you forgave;
may we still behold your image
in the world you died to save.

Gracious Spirit, help us summon
other guests to share that feast
where triumphant Love will welcome
those who had been last and least.
There no more will envy blind us
nor will pride our peace destroy,
as we join with saints and angels
to repeat the sounding joy!

INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP FOR TODAY

From By Water and the Spirit: A United Methodist Understanding of Baptism

“All persons do not experience this spiritual rebirth the same way. For some, there is a singular, radical moment of conversion. For others, conversion may be experienced as the dawning and growing realization that one has been constantly loved by God and has a personal reliance upon Christ.”

“The United Methodist Church has two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. John Wesley taught that 'a sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace, and a means whereby we receive the same.’… God’s presence in the sacraments is real, but it must be accepted by human faith if it is to transform human lives. The sacraments do not convey grace either magically or irrevocably, but they are powerful channels through which God has chosen to make grace available to us. Wesley identified baptism as the initiatory sacrament by which we enter into the covenant with God and are admitted as members of Christ’s Church.”

Baptism will be offered in worship at St James on Sunday, November 7. Talk to Pastor Richard today if you would like to find out more.

You can be received into membership at St James at any of our worship services. Anyone who is baptized and has placed their faith in Christ can be a member. Talk to Pastor Richard today if you would like to find out more.

You can email Pastor Richard at stjamestucson@gmail.com or call or text him at (520) 222-8690.

MESSAGE: Identify and Commit

Baptism is our initiation the church, the body of Christ. It is the natural next step for a person who believes on Jesus.

Why should I be baptized?
Jesus was baptized.
Jesus told us to be baptized.
It is the next step in becoming a disciple.
It is a means of receiving God's grace.
It is the historic practice of the Christian church for centuries.
It is a way I can obey Christ.

Why should I join the church?
To tangibly and actively identify with God's people
To tangibly and actively identify with God's work in the world
To make a commitment
To make public your commitment--just as publicly committing to a goal helps you reach it, so publicly committing to the church helps you fulfill that commitment.
To show you value the church.
To qualify for leadership
To make the church look good

*SONG: "It Is the Cry of My Heart"

It is the cry of my heart to follow You
It is the cry of my heart to be close to You
It is the cry of my heart to follow
All of the days of my life

Teach me Your holy ways oh Lord
So I can walk in Your truth
Teach me Your holy ways oh Lord
And make me wholly devoted to You

It is the cry of my heart to follow You
It is the cry of my heart to be close to You
It is the cry of my heart to follow
All of the days of my life

Open my eyes so I can see
The wonderful things that You do
You do wonderful things, God
Open my heart up more and more
And make it wholly devoted to You

It is the cry of my heart to follow You
It is the cry of my heart to be close to You
It is the cry of my heart to follow
All of the days of my life
It is the cry of my heart to follow You
It is the cry of my heart to be close to You
It is the cry of my heart to follow
All of the days of my life

*CREED: The Apostles’ Creed #882

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived
by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died,
and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYER
If you have prayer concerns, you can enter them in the comments in online worship, you can direct message the church through Facebook, you can email them (stjamestucson@gmail.com) or you can text them to (520) 222-8690.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is In heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION

God is here with us and with you!
God is also with you!
Let’s give our hearts, intentions, and thoughts over to God.
We give them all joyfully!
Let’s also give thanks to God who deserves everything!
Of course, God deserves everything! God made everything! Let’s show our thanks and honor God.

You’re so right! Giving God our thanks and honor is the best thing we can ever do! So, let’s do it: God, you created everything; every living thing was put on Earth by you. All people of every nation belong to you! So, together with all creation (everything on earth and in heaven) we give you praise and join in with the world’s eternal song of praise:
Holy, incredible, unimaginable God, full of power and strength, all of heaven and earth are full of the signs of your glory! You amaze us! And your Son Jesus whom you sent is equally amazing! We are continually amazed by you!

God you are amazing and so is your Son, Jesus Christ. Through your holy plan (Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection) Your Church was born. You saved us from the power of sin and eternal death and you made a new agreement with us through baptism and the Holy Spirit. Christ sent us to tell the whole world about his love and now we, his family, are joining together at his holy table. As a way to remember Christ’s perfect love and life we happily and thankfully give you back our lives as holy, living sacrifices. Receive this gift of our lives together with Christ’s gifts for us as we speak the Truth about our faith:
Christ has died; Christ rose to life; Christ is with us here and now; Christ is coming again.

Join me in praying God’s blessing over our holy meal: God, we ask you to pour your Holy Spirit on each person gathered for worship today and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ so that by taking them into our bodies you will make us the body of Christ for the rest of the world and everyone will know that sin is redeemed by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Renew us and help us remember we are Christ’s Church. Strengthen our faith and service in every nation and with all people so we can faithfully show and tell the world how much your love can do. Use your Holy Spirit to make us at one with Christ and at one with each other so we can care for the world until Christ comes again and we all join around his table as family in perfect love.
We proclaim to the world that you possess every good quality and you deserve all of our honor and obedience now and forever.
AMEN.

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem.
After they finished the ceremonial meal, Jesus took the bread, thanked God for it, and broke it and told his friends: “This is my body which I give to you. Take it and eat it and remember me.” Then he took the cup, thanked God for it and said to his friends: “This is my blood given to you as a new agreement between humans and God. Drink it and remember me.” Just as the grain that was used to make this bread was once scattered over the land and then gathered together to make this one loaf, God, gather your people together from all over the world into your one holy and eternal community. This is Christ’s dinner table. Christ welcomes everyone who wants to know him to come and eat with him here.

The bread we break is the Bread of Life. The cup we share is the Cup of Promise. These are the gifts of God for the people of God!
Thanks be to God!

SONG: “Ten Thousand Reasons"

The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes

Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find

Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore

Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise God all creatures here below!
Praise God above ye heavenly host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen.