PASSING THE PEACE brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the

Quote for Reflection: blowing of rams’ horns.

In this space,
 YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE
But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal,
all of who we are is welcome,
 the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When
and all of who we are is needed. TAIZÉ With You, O Lord W&S 3024
she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she
So in the silence, name to yourself
what you bring to the table: your strengths, your failures
 was filled with contempt for him.
OPENING TO GOD Walter Brueggemann
your capacity, your weakness They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside
let those things sit alongside all that your neighbor brings. We arrange our lives as best we can,

the special tent David had prepared for it. And David
and let it become part of the gift we can be. to keep your holiness at bay,

sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.
with our pieties, our doctrines, 

Cheryl Lawrie When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people
our liturgies, our moralities, our secret ideologies,

in the name of the Lord of Hosts. Then he gave to every
Safe, virtuous, settled.
Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake
We Gather as God’s People And then you –
 of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to
you and your dreams, you and your visions,
 their homes.
HYMN Lord of the Dance UMH 261 you and your purposes, you and your commands,

When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal,
you and our neighbors.
CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 150 the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in
We find your holiness not at bay,
 disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today,
Praise the Lord? It’s so early. but probing, pervading, insisting, demanding. shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any
Praise the Lord! vulgar person might do!”
(what if i’m really not feeling praise-y today?) And we yield, sometimes gladly, sometimes resentfully,

Praise God in the sanctuary;
 sometimes late… or soon. David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord,
praise God in the mighty firmament! who chose me above your father and all his family! God
We yield because you, beyond us, are our God.

(sanctuary and firmament might have appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so
We are your creatures met by your holiness,

to handle it themselves, thanks.)
 I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even
by your holiness made our true selves.
Praise God for mighty deeds;
 more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!”
praise the Lord for God’s surpassing greatness! And we yield, Amen.
(what if God’s mighty deeds seem absent to me?
what if surpassing greatness isn’t on my radar screen?)
We Respond to God’s Word
Praise God with trumpet sound;

praise God with lute and harp!
We Listen for God’s Word
REFLECTION Dance Like No One’s Watching
(my hearts is just not in it.)
 HEBREW SCRIPTURES 2 Samuel 6
Praise God with tambourine and dance;

praise God with strings and pipe! Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 HYMN Here I Am, Lord UMH 593
(dance? what if someone is watching?) in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of
Praise God with clanging cymbals;
 God, which bears the name of the Lord of Hosts, who is PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORD’S PRAYER
praise God with loud clashing cymbals! enthroned between the cherubim. They placed the Ark of God
(no. that’s just too much today. too. much. noise.) on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which OFFERTORY & DOXOLOGY
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding
(. . . well, I guess I am breathing . . .) the cart as it left the house, carrying the Ark of God. Ahio
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! walked in front of the Ark. David and all the people of Israel
(maybe. a little bit.) were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing We Are Sent Into God’s World
Praise the Lord! all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines,
(praise the lord.) castanets, and cymbals. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Praise the Lord! . . . After the people who were carrying the Ark of the Lord
(Praise the Lord!) BENEDICTION
had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
Praise the Lord! And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing
only a linen ephod. So David and all the people of Israel RESPONSE Let There Be Peace on Earth UMH 431
HYMN All My Days W&S 3011
 Birthdays and Anniversaries Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Oct 27: Roger Dodge, Chuck LaClair Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.
Nov 1: Norma Strickland

Dance Like
Nov 3: Chris Diehl Ongoing Prayers Ongoing Prayers, cont.
Arlitha Harley
Michael Parker

No One’s Watching
Callie
Calendar Anne Kennison Joyce Moore
Sun, 27 Oct: Church Budget Requests due Mary Willard Dorothy & Alex
Norma Strickland
Mon-Wed, 28-30 Oct: Mitch is at Innovate Workshop, Cape Cod Judy & Diezel
Matthew C.
Wed, 30 Oct: “The Bible Project” Bible Study 7 pm, Parlor. Elissa & Leif Lifted Up Last Sunday
Kathy - thankful for such a joyous
Greg
Sat, 2 Nov: Holiday Bazaar service
Paula DeMichele
Don Strickland Paula P - friend Carol with GI issues
Sun, 3 Nov: All Saints Sunday— If you have lost someone in Ellie Uckele Elissa - Lynne who had a fall, Sally who
the last year and would like them lifted up in prayer, Cole is helping her
please add their name to the list being circulated or Gordon Mitchinson Eva B- thanks for Mitch and Mansfield
send Elissa an email at essex_umc@comcast.net If Susan Bible Study
would like to place a photo or small memento on the
Tim Dana - puppy Maple who has Lyme
altar you may bring it up as the names are read out.
Don Canady disease

j
Mon, 4 Nov: Companions at Eve’s, 7 pm. Please have
finished reading Dear Church

Tue, 5 Nov: Mitch at The Nest 10-11:30

Essex Center United Methodist Church
Mt Mansfield Bible Study, 2:00 pm “Wild essex_umc@comcast.net tel. 878-8304
Women of the Bible” pt 4: Miriam www.essexumc.com

Ministers: the entire congregation Lay Leader: Joshua Knox

Admin Board, 7 pm Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
cell/text: 881-3268 (feel free to call) mitchellhay@comcast.net
Sun, 10 Nov: Heifer Project Launch
Office Manager: Elissa Johnsen
Sunday School Coordinator: Krista Rochefort
Tue, 12 Nov: Admin Board, 7 pm Organ: Kathryn Parker Piano: June Packard
Song Leader: Dana LaClair Projection: Bob McLane
Thu, 14 Nov: Young Life Dessert Banquet at New Moon Cafe
in Burlington. Come and enjoy dessert & coffee & Nursery Helper Claire N next week: Sally J
learning about this ministry impacting youth in our Parent Helper: Emily F next week: Sarah K
community, and ways that you can help! RSVP to Greeters: Gil & Barb M
Ushers: Fred H & Paula P
next week: Ron & Linda D
next week: Dawn HF Essex Center
Kristine Ericksen or www.chittco.younglife.org
Altar Covering made by Kathryn Parker Un-Tied Methodist Church
Sun, 17 Nov: Stewardship Sunday & After-worship Potluck Pulpit covering by Donna Holmes
27 October 2019 20th Sunday after Pentecost