Welcome to the Ida Grove Methodist Church worship service for Sunday, April 21st, 2024. | Welcome to the Ida Grove Methodist Church worship service for Sunday, April 21st, 2024. We are so glad that you are here! | By Ida Grove Methodist Church | Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Welcome to Ida Grove Methodist Church. I am pastor Louie and you have joined us this morning in person or you are joining us online or if it's your very first time to join us, we welcome you this morning in the name of Jesus Christ and so glad that you are worshiping with us today. We do have just a few announcements to go over before we begin our formal time of worship First tomorrow morning at nine thirty, KCQs will meet in the fellowship hall and then also tomorrow, information for the May Chimes is due in the office by noon. So, if you have any information, you would like to put in the chimes, please be sure to get that to the office tomorrow. On Wednesday, April twenty-fourth at 10 AM, excuse me, 10 AM, we will have our Common Grounds Coffee Hour and if you did not have the opportunity to join us this past Wednesday, we had an absolutely fabulous time at our Common Grounds Coffee Hour. We had several folks from the congregation come and join us for that. So, this week, Vicky's going to make cookies for us and so that's going to be wonderful and so we're going to have it again this coming Wednesday at 10 AM. So, please do, if you're in the neighborhood or if you want to be in the neighborhood, stop by Wednesday at 10 o'clock for a cup of coffee and a cookie and just some really good conversation because we had a really nice time last week. Also, on Wednesday at 7 PM, the scholarship committee will meet in the fellowship hall. Saturday the twenty-seventh, Methodist Men will meet at 8 AM. Um they'll will be meeting in the fireside room and this will be their last meeting until fall and of course, next Sunday at 9 AM, we'll have Sunday school and that will be our last Sunday school until September and then, followed by the worship service. Looking ahead, if you have signed up to be a part of the Bell Choir or you would like more information about Bell Choir, we are going to have our first Bell Choir meeting on Wednesday, May 1st at 7 PM. So, please come and join us for that. On Wednesday, May 15th at 6 o'clock, we have finance committee meeting followed by ad council at seven and then on Sunday, May 19th at 10 AM, we're to recognize all of our senior graduates at that meeting. Uh are there any other announcements that need to be made this morning? Okay, if not, then I invite you to please stand and join me in passing the peace of Christ. Friends, as we come back to our seats, I invite you to remain standing as you are able as we sing hymn three thirty-four, sweet, sweet spirit. Amen. Please join me for the call to worship. Loving Christ, you are our gentle shepherd. Keep us safe and secure in your compassionate hands. Lead us into the As you lead and guide us, touch our hearts and minds in this time of worship. May be refreshed Amen. Please join me in our affirmation of faith, the apostle's creed. I believe in god, the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe 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. Amen. Please join me in Gloria Pawtry. Amen. Would you pray with me please? Heavenly Father, we are welcomed into your presence this day by your gracious hospitality. Father, grant that we will lay aside our cares and anxieties to concentrate our thoughts on you alone. Open us to the teaching and guidance for living which we receive that will be that we will be strengthened to walk and follow you wherever you lead us. Through Jesus Christ, our lord and savior, we do pray. Amen. Friends, our next hymn is Come Christians Join to Sing Hym one fifty-eight. Amen. Thank you. Please be seated and at this time, I invite any and all children forward for Children's Church. Good morning, Maddie. How are you? Did you have a good week? Good. You know, and I think that you and I are probably, oh, the only two people in this building who have sandals on. That makes us pretty special, huh? I think so too. See, Maddie and I are just ready for real spring. Yes, so we're going to celebrate it regardless what the temperature is outside. right, Maddie? Yes, absolutely and if you could play soccer yesterday in that cold wind, then, you're pretty good Okay. So, do you know the story, the three little pigs? Do that? Me too. In fact, I love that story and so I thought today, I would tell it to you but I needed to be interactive. So, can you do me a favor? Each time I say peg, I want you to say oink. Can you see that? It's pig. Oink. Oink. Yes. And every time I say wolf, can you howl like a wolf? Ow ow. Very good. Okay and guys, if you want to do it too, you go ahead. Alright, you ready? Okay, here we go The story begins with a mother pig Sending her three little ones out into the world to make their own fortunes. The first little pig built himself a house of straw. The second little pig. Built a house of sticks. And the third little pig built a house of bricks. The big bad wolf. Ooh. Yes. Went to the first little pigs. House and knocked on the door. Little pig. Morning. Little pig. Let me in, he said. And the little pig answered, yes, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin. So then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in, replied the wolf. The first little pig hit his house of straw was not very strong. So the wolf easily blew it down. And the little pig ran to the safety of the second little pigs house. The wolf went to the second little pig's house and knocked on the door. Little pig. Pig. Little pig. Let me in. And the little egg. Answered, not by the hair of my tiny chin chin. Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in, replied the wolf. The second little pig his house of sticks was not very strong, so the wolf blew it down and the two little pigs ran to their brother's house. The wolf? Ooh. Went to the third little pigs, house, and knocked on the door. Little pig. Little pig. Let me in. And the little pig. Answered, what do you think he said, Matty? Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin. Then, I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in, replied the wolf. Oh no matter how hard he tried, the wolf Oh. Could not blow the brick house down. And the wolf, ooh, decided to go down the chimney. But the three little pigs, oink, had a pot of boiling water. Ouch, cried the wolf. Oh having outsmarted the big bad wolf, the three little pigs began to happily sing. That's a good story, isn't it? So, you know, there have been many stories written about the big bad wolf. Oh, and you probably heard some like Little Red Riding Hood and Peter and the Wolf and the Boy Who Cried Wolf but did you know that Jesus once told a story about the big bad wolf in the Bible? And here's what Jesus in the Bible. He says, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. What does sheep say? Bad. Bad, that's right. A hired ham will run away when he sees the wolf. Oh, coming because the sheep don't belong to him. And they don't really, he knows, they know, they don't, that he doesn't really care about them. So, when the higher hen runs away, the wolf will attack and scatter the sheep. But Jesus says I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Just as the father knows me. And I know the father. I will lay down my life for my sheep. So Jesus is our good shepherd, right? And we are his sheep. He knows us and he loves us and he protects us. And when anyone tries to hurt us spiritually, all we need to do is trust Jesus and we can say there is no need to be afraid of the wolf because Jesus is with us Wherever we go. Isn't that a great story? I love that story. Can you pray with me? Dear God, Thank you for sending your son to be our good shepherd. He gave his life for us. Help us to follow him. And to trust him to protect us. In all ways In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Well, thank you so much for helping me out today. Maddie, would you like some stickers? Okay. There we go. Thank you. Friends, at this time in the service, let us share our joys and concerns and what joys do we want to lift up today? I had the privilege of watching a very wonderful play last night. Tess starred in it and did a fantastic job. All those kids did. So, that was a real joy. Any others we like to lift up this morning? Very nice. Well, let's sing happy birthday to Anna. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Anna. Happy birthday to you Thank you. I have another joy. Tess gave me an invitation this morning because Tess is graduating which is a definitely a joy for her. And so her graduation is going to be at Ridge Ridgeview High School on May 19th at 2 PM. But she is also inviting everyone to her open house which is going to be on Saturday, May 18th from one to 4 at the State Theater in Holstein. And I'm told that there's going to be a free showing of Tessa's favorite movie on Saturday, May 18th from 4 to 6. And you're invited to come and join Tess and celebrate her and her accomplishments and so want to make sure that we get that announced to you and that will be in the PowerPoints as well for next week. So, that's a great joy. Thank you, Tess. Thank you for that. Are any other joys we like to lift up this morning? Concerns. Any kinds? Pray for Zion. Zion? Okay Okay. Um also, we want to remember those that are in our bulletin this week, Harlan Freeze, Deb Payne, Anna who's with us today and having a birthday. Brianna Moore, we want to remembers our missionaries, those in the care centers, and those in our military. Are there any others we'd like to lift up today? Okay, if not, then I invite you to join me in a moment of silence for personal prayer and reflection. Let's pray. Please pray with me. Gracious god, we give you thanks for this day and for the many ways in which you have blessed our lives. We thank you for your love and peace, your mercy, and your grace. We thank you for this community of faith and the privilege we have to worship you together. Loving god, today, we also give you thanks for the joys of of students coming together in a production that was so wonderful to watch, so entertaining. We thank you lord for them sharing their talents in the way they do. We thank you God for birthdays and for new opportunities to serve you each day and we give you thanks for Anna and the gift of her life. And dear God we give you thanks today for Tess who has invited us to come and celebrate her accomplishments with her. And how wonderful that is and will be for her. And we ask that you bless her in a special way as she moves forward in this next stage of her journey. And we thank you dear God for revealing to us your goodness, your faithfulness, and your love. And Father, as we lift up our joys, we also lift up our concerns. We ask that you be with all the countries in our world. Zion, Israel, all the countries dear god. We ask that you speak peace to them, father. And that they will hear and and apply that dear gods and and in ways that that it needs to be done. And father, we ask that you be with those among us who are in need, whatever that need might be. We ask that you to those who whose needs are in accordance with your holy and perfect will and we lift up those concerns that were not mentioned this morning but or perhaps mentioned only in our hearts. And we ask that you minister to those knees as well. Thank you for loving us Father. And for hearing our prayer which we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our savior. Who taught his disciples to pray and so now we are bold to pray. Our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 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. Amen. Friends, at this time in the service, we have the opportunity to share our our resources for the ministries of this community of faith and your gifts are very much appreciated and so we ask we thank you for giving generously as god has placed in your heart and now, I ask that you please add your voice to mine as we appropriately dedicate our gifts to god. Let us pray. Glorious god, your abundance is without measure and cannot be defined or contained. It spills out overflowing into our world and our lives. We thank you and praise you for the wondrous gifts of spirit and the blessings you give to us each day. In return for your goodness, we bring to you our gifts of tithes and offerings. May these gifts be multiplied and may they contribute to the peace and wholeness of your kingdom on earth. In the name of Jesus, our good shepherd, we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you. You please be seated and at this time, Shirley will come forward with our first scripture reading. The next day, the rulers, the elders, and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Anas, the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others of the high priest family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them. By what power or what name do you do this? Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them, rulers and elders of the people, if we are being called to account today, for an act of kind is shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed. Then know this, you and all the people of Israel. It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. That this man stands before you, healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Salvation is found in noone else. For there is no name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Amen. Friends, I invite you to stand as you are able as we sing him three eighty-one, Savior Like a Shepherd, lead us and I invite, please remain standing as you are able for the reading of the gospel. The good shepherd and his sheep. Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone of you who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in by some other way is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all of his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger. In fact they will run away from him. Because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. Jesus used this figure of speech. But the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again very truly I tell you I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me. Are thieves and robbers. But the sheep have not listened to them. I am the whatever sake I whatever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life And have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Just as the father knows me and I know the father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice. And there shall be one flock and one shepherd The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my father. May the Lord add his blessing to the reading of his holy word. For me in response to god's word by singing amen. Thank you. Please be seated. I am the good shepherd I know my own or I know my sheep and they know me. These are some of the words of Jesus which we heard read for us just a few moments ago from our gospel text and when you heard those words read by Shirley, I wonder what thoughts come to your mind. What mental images form in your mind and what might it look like to see a shepherd out in a field caring for sheep. And for those of you who have raided sheep that not be a very far stretch of the imagination but as we think about such an image, our thoughts oftentimes will tend to navigate toward our modern western idea of herding sheep. In our modern age, a sheep farmer might use a dog or even some kind of an equipment to herd his sheep and to move them from one place to another or from one field to the next. However, in the time of Jesus, during his time when he lived on the Earth, that was not the case. Sheep would have been led and and in many parts of the world still are by the sound of their shepherd's voice. They would hear the shepherd calling to them and then they would respond to that familiar sound. I have a story that I want to share with you. I and I've shared this story with you before but I I really love this story so much. So, I'm going to share it again. Before my mother passed away, one of the activities that she and I enjoyed together were watching cooking shows on TV. My mother loved to watch cooking shows and there was one particular program she and I would watch about two women who lived in the UK and they would drive around the the countryside on this motorcycle that had a sidecar attached to it and they would cook for different events that people were attending. But in one episode these women were traveling through a beautiful English countryside And they came upon this block of sheep. Just as that block sheep was crossing the road and so the woman who was right driving the motorcycle, she sat there and she was blowing her little horn at those sheep and she was calling out to them to move, to get out of her way but those sheep, they just stood there looking at that woman, happily munching on grass, and and didn't move at all. The sheep did not move until they heard the voice of their shepherd calling them. Only then did those sheep feel the need to move on. When the shepherd called those sheep, they followed him and then those two women were able to go on their way. I love sharing that story because I think it is such a good example of what Jesus is talking about as he speaks these truths to those who were and are listening that day to him as well as this day. Jesus is the good shepherd because of the way he loves and cares for his sheep and his sheep know him. They recognize him. When he calls to them. And of course we, his followers, those who bear that name Christian, we are the sheep to which Jesus is referring. So often when Jesus taught, he did so through the use of of parables. Jesus knew his audience and so the details of those parables would change depending on the region or the area where he was teaching. If Jesus were teaching in a fishing village, then his parable most likely would have been about fishing. If he was teaching in a farming community, then the parable would have been about planting seeds or or wheat. There again, that is what the people would have understood and so in this parable recorded in John's gospel, Jesus is speaking about about sheep because primarily that would have been what was understood in that region and it's the same with us, right? We often times have an easier time understanding something if we have some level of knowledge about the topic that is being discussed and in this teaching, Jesus is talking about sheep and I know that we have several sheep growers here in Iowa. So, this is a story for us still today particularly as we talk about the good shepherd. You've perhaps so you've heard me say this before. But there again, I'm going to say it again because it's relevant. In the time of Jesus, being a shepherd was not a highly sought actor occupation. No little boys grew up with dreams or aspirations of becoming a shepherd. Being a shepherd was often thought of as one of those jobs in which one might say, it's a dirty job but someone has to do it. And in truth, it was dirty. In fact, being a shepherd was a lot of things. For one, shepherding was extremely hard work and it was extremely dangerous work. The shepherd would navigate those fields by walking them and he would have walked a lot. And while there may have been some kind of of offense here or there, I'm sure they were not the nice kinds of fences that we would have today. Those fences most likely would have offered very little protection from editors. So, if a wild animal will attack a sheep, chances are, it will also attack a human And furthermore, people often would try to steal sheep and therefore, could cause harm to the shepherd of the process. So, the life of a shepherd would have been in potential danger as he cared for those sheep. And also being a shepherd was not an easy occupation. It was hard work. It was dangerous work and it was lonely work. So, Jesus tells us here in our gospel text that for this reason, a shepherd who is a hired hand, meaning that he does not own the sheep for which he's carrying, might up and leave at the first sign of trouble in the field. If there's a predator trying to attack the sheep, the hired hen might say, you know what? I really didn't sign up for this. And off he goes. He does not value the sheep over his own life. Some shepherds were than others and that some of them perhaps knew to expect trouble in the field at any given moment and so even though the the shepherd knows that a wild animal might get in the sheep pen and attack or that a robber might come in and actually try to steal the the sheep whenever there is trouble the shepherd always hopes to survive it. The shepherd anticipates that he will make it out alive even if that means he loses some of sheep in the process. Here again, the shepherd values his own life over that of the sheep. But Jesus says, however, that he will lay down his own life in order to save the lives of the sheep. Because he is the good shepherd. He loves and cares for the sheep that deeply. He would rather give up his own life, his very life. He would rather give up the the last breath left in his lungs. He would rather fives, the last beat of his heart than to see even one of his sheep lost. That brothers and sisters is a good shepherd. And our gospel text in verse eight, Jesus also states, all who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. At the beginning of this message, I share with you a story of two women who came upon a flock of sheep, crossing a road one day. And even though one of those women called out to those sheep to move, they just stood there, just staring at her, it wasn't until their shepherd called to them, that those sheep moved on. They knew his voice, because for those sheep that that shepherd was with them most of the hours each day. They recognized his voice and I believe those sheep knew they could trust that shepherd. Somehow, they instinctively knew that he was not going to lead them into danger or harm. They knew to trust the shepherd. When my children were were really little, when they were just babies, I worked outside of our home and I would often take my children to daycare every morning before I would go to work and when I would go back to here in the afternoon to pick em up. There were always many small children and several infants in the daycare where where my kids went and even so, when I would open the daycare door and if I heard a small child crying, I would know immediately whether or not it was one of my children. Did y'all ever have that experience too? I'm sure you did. And not only did I know if it was on one of my children but I could usually tell in some way, was going on in that moment just from the sound of the cry. I could tell if one of my children were hurt or frustrated or sleepy or hungry and I knew this because of the close relationship I have with them. Additionally, if we were in a crowded room, I could call out to my children even if they were not able to see me and they could follow the sound of my voice because they knew my voice when they heard it. Even if they couldn't see me. And they knew to follow the sound of my voice because my voice represented safety and love and comfort and home for them. Can we see what Jesus is talking about here? When he says his sheep follow him because they know the sound of his voice. Above all other voices, above all the confusion, above all the noise. Those sheep his sheep, follow him because they know the sound of his voice. Jesus is the good shepherd and he is the good shepherd because he loves us that much and with that much intention. During the time of Christ, a shepherd who was good at his job, did something very caring toward his sheep. At the end of the day, after the sheep had been outgrazing all day and they were being led back into the gate in the evening, the shepherd would Stand at the gate and he would count every sheep that walked through that gate and he would look over the sheep as they walk through and if any of the sheep had scratches or wounds on them, he would immediately take some oil and put oil on that wound in order to ward off infection and to help them wound heal. And then once the sheep were safe inside the gate, he and and attended to, the shepherd would often times lay down at the gate. So, that anyone who to enter that gate with the intention of leading the sheep astray would not be able to get past the shepherd Jesus is at the gate, friends. He is the shepherd who receives us as we pass through the gate. He is the one who binds our wounds and heals them. He is the one who cares for us and the ones who has laid down his life to save ours. He is the one who offers us salvation and who delivers us from the consequences of sin. Therefore, we know that he is the one true shepherd, our only shepherd and one of the best ways that we can truly learn his voice is is talking to him everyday through prayer and through making the intentional choice to walk with Jesus. Following him every single day because it is only through a relationship with Jesus that we are able to recognize his voice when he calls out to us. We can't recognize his voice if we never talk to him. If we never take the time to be still in his presence and listen to him. Jesus then says in verse seventeen of our text for this reason, my father loves me, that I laid down my life only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to take it up again. This command I receive from my father. So Jesus is telling us here that not only is he the good shepherd, but he is also a powerful shepherd, one with authority. In fact, he has so much authority that he is willing and able to lay down his life for the sheep but can and will take it up again. No wonder he is our shepherd but in order for Jesus to be our shepherd friends, we as the sheep must be willing to follow him. We must be willing to recognize and admit our need for the good shepherd. Sheep, as anyone who's ever raised, sheep, no, can get dirty and they do not have the ability to clean themselves. Our spiritual lives, like the wool of a sheep, can get dirty from all the temptations and the chaos in the world. We can get spiritually dirty and we do not have the ability to wash away that spiritual dirt and grime. If we did, we would be able to to have salvation by our own hand and the Bible is very clear that it's not possible. The only way we can become clean, spiritual clean is through Jesus Christ who cleanses us from all sins. The shepherd can restore us and cleanse us and make us new again and and this is something that we cannot do for ourselves. Second sheep are pretty defenseless when it comes to protecting themselves. There really isn't much they can do when a predator animal gets into their pen and attacks them. All they can do is try to run away or escape but Jesus tells us here that he loves us and cares for us so much that when something comes at us with the intent to cause us spiritual harm, he will not run away. As though he were some kind of hired hand. Instead, he will stand ground for us even to the point. Of lay his life in order to save ours and that is exactly what Christ has done for us. We may not be able to defend ourselves but when we have Jesus by our side, then no weapon formed against us will prosper. Even if something harms us physically, it cannot touch us spiritually because we belong only to Jesus Christ. And finally, sheep will not last long if they're left to fend for themselves. We know that if an animal gets in with the sheep and starts attacking them, the higher hand runs away, those sheep don't really have a chance of surviving. Furthermore if a sheep if they're put out to the field excuse me and they are not periodically moved from one pastor to another, then, those sheep are not going to do so well. Eventually, those sheep are going to suffer because they are not being cared for in the proper way. Jesus, the good shepherd, will not allow this to happen because he tells us that the hired hand might run away but the good shepherd will stay with the sheep because they are his sheep. They know He knows them and they know him. So, what Jesus is saying here friends is that if every person in your life gets up and walks out on you, he will still be right there by your side because you belong to him and he belongs to you and nothing on this earth, nothing above the earth, within the earth, or beneath the earth can ever separate us. From the love of god which is in Christ Jesus, our lord. Excuse me. Brothers and sisters, we have been given a wonderful shepherd in Jesus Christ. We belong to him and he belongs to us. We are united with other Christians all around this world and we belong to the good shepherd. He knows us and he calls us by name and we listen to his voice because we know him. How blessed are we as Christians? Therefore, I encourage us all. That regardless of what we may be going through in our lives, let's stay close to the shepherd. Let's listen to his voice when he calls out to us. Let's not try and do things on our own or in our own way because oftentimes, that's when things get really messed up. Instead, let's follow the shepherd, seeking his comfort and love and peace. Let's come to the shepherd and and the one who laid down his life for his sheep and allow him to love and care for us as only the good shepherd can. Friends, we live in a world and a society were at times being referred to as a sheep bears some negative connotations. Even so, I am so thankful and grateful to be a sheep in the field of the good shepherd because Jesus has carved a place in my heart that yearns for him. And for me, there is no other way except to follow Jesus. I pray this is also a reality for you. For all of us as we continue to follow after Jesus Christ, our good shepher Amen. Amen. Friends, I invite you as you're able to please stand and join me as we sing hymn four nineteen. I am thine, oh lord. We'll sing verses one, two, and four. Please receive this dismissal with blessing. Children of god, the seeds of gospel truth have been planted in you. Go now to share your faith in Jesus and your love for each other so that the gospel might grow in you and bear fruit throughout the world. May you be filled with the wisdom of god, the power of Christ, and the patience of the Holy Spirit now and forever. Go in peace. Amen. Our closing hymn is verse one of Sent Forth by god's blessing. Hymn six sixty-four. Amen. God bless you.