THE LOG CHURCH BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 21

The Log Church Bulletin

February 21, 2021

Opening Song

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place,

I can feel His mighty power and his grace.

I can hear the brush of angel’s wings; I see glory on each face.

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Call to Worship

We are entering the time of the year on the church calendar that is commonly called “Lent.” We may connect this world with the Bible, but it is not that it is a particularly Biblical word. It is simply a shortened form of the Old English word lencten, which means the “spring season.”

Nevertheless, for the Christian, it is a special word, because it signifies that we are counting down the days until the day of the great celebration – the day of the resurrection of our Savior. 

In the days leading up to the Resurrection, we especially concentrate our attention to the teachings of Jesus. We seek to follow, and we seek to understand. This morning we come to drink of the waters of knowing Jesus. 

Invocation Prayer

Dear God, we ask for your guidance in these days. After almost a year, we are still living under the shadow of the pandemic. None of us are happy about this, but it is serving at least one positive purpose. It is helping us to reassess many of our past daily activities and sources of entertainment. It is helping us to see that the fleeting pleasures of this life do not and cannot fulfill. Teach us to look to you.  Amen. 

Song of Worship  #13 – More Precious than Silver 

Announcements 

Selected Reading – John 7:37-39

On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’ ”

He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. 

Prayer of Confession

Dear Lord our Savior and Provider, this world has many ways which they tell us can satisfy our deepest thirst for life, but all of them fall far short of what is promised. After drinking from the waters of this world, our thirst remains.

This morning as we consider the waters of life that you offer, help each one of us learn to drink from your well. Teach us to seek your river of the waters of life. Amen 

Words of Assurance

Near the end of the book of Revelation we read of the River of the Water of Life, flowing as clear as crystal from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

These are the waters from which all who earnestly seek the living waters will drink.

These are the waters that the Spirit says to those, “Come!”

Let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely. 

The Lord’s Prayer 

Song of Faith – #29 – Grace Like Rain 

Scripture Reading

OT – Isaiah 49:8-12

This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances, to say to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ 

They will feed along the pathways, and find pasture on every barren hill. They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them.

For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.

Behold, they will come from far away, from the north and from the west. 

NT – Revelation 21:5-6

And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”

And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. 

Responsorial Reading: Isaiah 12:2-6

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.

For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song,

And He also has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation.

On that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name!

Make His works known among the peoples;

Declare that His name is exalted.

Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things.

Let this be known in all the earth.

Cry out and sing, O citizen of Zion,

For great among you is the Holy One of Israel.” 

Message  – The Fulfillment Principle and the Water of Life 

Song of Unity  #510 in the old hymnal – Shall We Gather at the River? 

Offering     A basket has been provided on the table at the entrance of the church to receive your offerings. Thank you and God bless each of you! 

Prayer of Intercession 

Dear Father, we thank you for your presence with us this morning. We thank you for what you are seeking to do in each of our lives. We also thank you for each person who you either place in our path during the week, or who you put on our mind. 

We pray for those of our Log Church who are going through some type of special trial this morning. Of some of these we may know, others we do not, but we ask you to minister to each need. Give healing where it is needed, encouragement where it is needed, and even in these days, food and clothing. 

We again pray for our country. We pray that we can turn to you and move ahead, not only in regards to our present difficulties, but also in regards to the virtues upon which our nation was founded. Our spiritual needs remain. We ask for your intervention. 

We pray for the children of the Log Church Orphanage of Kenya. We are thankful for how you have saved each of these children from a hopeless life and have given them a safe and loving place to live. Some you have even rescued from the doors of death. 

We are thankful for the monies that you have provided through your people to begin and construct the rainwater collection system to be able to irrigate the new garden. Please give us guidance as we begin to see how to build lives for these children so that they can have futures of productive service to you. 

Thank you for your gracious answer to all of our prayers. 

Thank you Father, for listening to the voices of all of your servants. Amen 

Closing Song    #17 – Shine Jesus Shine 

Benediction and prayer