Category Archives: Pastor’s Ponderings

Claybanks United Methodist Church
 Sunday, July 27, 2025
 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.                                      
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost

Welcome and Announcements
*Praise Song
”Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”………..UMH 133

Prelude
*Processional
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed, and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

*Call to Worship
Leader: Before we even knock,
All: Christ opens the doors and invites us in.
Leader: Before we even ask,
All: God knows our every need.
Leader: Come to see; Come to pray; Come to worship,
All: For the Spirit has called us here.

*Gloria Patri…………………………..UMH 70
*Opening Prayer
*Hymn.
”Seek Ye First”…………………………..UMH 405

Prayers of the People – Joys and Concerns
Shalom Offering
The Offering of our Gifts and Ourselves
*Doxology………………………………………………………………..…UMH 95

*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn
”Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart”………..UMH 500

Sharing of the Word
Epistle Reading
Colossians 2: 6-19……………..…..…Page 957
Gospel Reading
Luke 11: 1-13………………….…Page 472

Message by Pastor Gary Peterson
“The Lord’s Prayer”
               
Prayer
*Hymn
”Precious Lord, Take My Hand”.………..UMH 474
Benediction
Postlude – Please be seated

Pianist – Suzanne Bellrichard
Liturgist –Ellen Zimmerman
Ministers – All People As We Live The Good News

Claybanks United Methodist Church
 Sunday, July 20, 2025
 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.                                      
Sixth Sunday After Pentecost

Welcome and Announcements

*Praise Song
”God of Grace and God of Glory”…………UMH 577

Prelude
*Processional
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed, and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

*Call to Worship
Leader: We come into God’s presence,
All: Like green olive trees in the house of God.
Leader: Like young saplings in the courtyard of the Lord.
All: We ripen in the light of God,
Leader: Like the fruit of God’s vineyard
All: Come! Let us worship.

*Gloria Patri…………………………..UMH 70
*The World Methodist Social Affirmation……….UMH 886
*Hymn
”Open My Eyes, That I May See”……………..UMH 454

Prayers of the People – Joys and Concerns
The Offering of our Gifts and Ourselves
*Doxology………………………………………………UMH 95

*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn
”Jesu, Jesu”……………………………..UMH 432

Sharing of the Word

Old Testament Readings
Amos 7:7-17…………..……Page 748
Psalm 82………………………Page 472

Message by Pastor Gary Peterson
“Do You Know Your Plum Line?
               
Prayer
*Hymn
”Take My Life, and Let It Be”..…….UMH 399
Benediction
Postlude – Please be seated

Pianist – Suzanne Bellrichard
Liturgist –Art Grumm
Ministers – All People As We Live The Good News

Claybanks United Methodist Church
 Sunday, July 13, 2025
 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.                                      
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
Adult and Teen Challenge

Welcome and Announcements
*Praise Song
”Morning Has Broken”……………..UMH 145

Prelude
*Processional
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed, and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

*Call to Worship
Leader: Beloved people of God, welcome to worship.
All: We come to worship and to praise.
Leader: With love for one another, we gather as neighbors.
All: With love for God, we gather as God’s community of love.

|The Offering of our Gifts and Ourselves
*Doxology………………………………………………………………..…UMH 95

*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn
”O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”…………….UMH 430

Sharing of the Word
Witness and Message by Adult and Teen Challenge

Prayer
Benediction
Postlude – Please be seated

Pianist – Suzanne Bellrichard
Liturgist –Pastor Gary Peterson
Ministers – All People As We Live The Good News

Report on 2025 Michigan Annual Conference by Reba and Gary Peterson.

This year Reba Peterson expanded her participation as an equalization member to the Annual Conference because of health concerns and availability. Reba substituted for Konnie Grant, the Claybanks United Methodist Church Lay Representative to Annual Conference. This report is a composite of thoughts from Reba and Pastor Gary on the annual conference in Traverse City for 2025. This recently convened conference was again an amazing experience because you could see God working through people for the church. Over fourteen hundred lay and clergy were in attendance. Friday, May 29th was the first day of the conference and it began that morning with over three hundred volunteers assembling 45,000 meals to be distributed during this year by our United Methodist Committee On Relief. Our first session included a worship time together, and as always, what a joyous worship it is when so many United Methodists are able to praise God with music and song. Bishop Bard delivered our opening message, “Unfinished Business Growing Up And Into Christ,” which was the theme of this year’s Annual Conference.

Following a few organizational details, we as a conference took action to affirm four Constitutional Amendments that all Annual Conferences must vote on this year. These amendments come from the 2020/2024 General Conference and must be approved by 2/3 of the Annual Conferences. We as a conference affirmed and approved four pieces of legislation. Reorganization for the Central Conference (Which the United States is part of) was the first piece of legislation. Inclusiveness of the church and Racial Justice Amendments were approved that better clarify the intent of our constitution. The last piece of the Constitutional Amendments detailed the educational requirements for clergy which will allow clergy, while attending seminary, to select from a number of different paths in which to be ordained or licensed in the United Methodist Church.

We then moved on to approved legislation for our Michigan Annual Conference which included a number of authorizations to the budget that will allow our annual conference to meet our financial requirements in the future. We also deliberated and passed a number of other resolutions concerning Holy Land Excursions, encouraging boycotts of large corporations that do not include the right of dignity and human rights for all. We also passed legislation around the Mandatory Protection Policy and Ethics Training for Clergy. Our final important piece of legislation was to establish a budget and an equitable compensation schedule for clergy.

Each day at conference, either in the beginning or at the end of the day, we took time to be in worship together culminating in a worship service of ordination and licensing for clergy. We also recognized those from clergy, We also recognized those from clergy, staff and laity who were retiring after many distinguished years of service to the United Methodist Church and the Michigan Area Conference. During these worship times, we paused to remember clergy and laity who have passed away during the past year.

Our last one was to affirm that we would once again gather as the Michigan Area United Methodist Church in Traverse City in 2026 where we will continue to work as disciples growing up and into Christ.

Reba Peterson – Lay Representative

Gary Peterson – Pastor

I write this following Memorial Day when we as a country pause in observance and honor those that have served and given their lives to our country for us the people of the United States of America. In just a few weeks we will honor the anniversary of the forming of our country on July 4th with celebrations in our community and throughout the United States. While these holidays are secular and are not religious holidays, they are important parts of our lives, and I have traditionally recognized these holidays during the early portion of our worship services in appropriateness.

Every time we enter a church and worship there, we are putting ourselves in touch with the saints and the heroes and prophets and the Martyrs of the church and by extension our families, communities, and nation. We can say to ourselves, “I belong to the fellowship to which those who loved and died for their faith in every age and generation belonged.” When we sit in the seats of our churches, we can say to ourselves, “I am doing exactly what Jesus did with his disciples in the upper room so long ago.”

For the Christian, this contact with greatness is even more universal. We live in a world which is the work of God. The people surrounding us in our church, and all those we live with throughout our communities are all children of God.

The world in which we live is the great handiwork of God. Everywhere we go we can say, “Here is God.”

May God continue to bless and protect our places of worship, those who enter in and all of this nation and the world in which we live.

Live In Peace, Pastor Gary

Claybanks United Methodist Church
 Sunday, May 25, 2025
 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.                                      
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Memorial Weekend

Welcome and Announcements

*Praise Song
”We, Thy People, Praise Thee”……………UMH  67

Prelude

*Processional
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed, and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

*Call to Worship
Leader: May God be gracious to us and bless us.
All: May God’s face shine upon us and bring us peace!
Leader: Let all people praise you, O Lord.
All: Let all people shout their joy to your holy name.
Leader: God blesses us continually throughout all our lives.
All: Thanks be to God, for God’s eternal love and blessing. Amen.

*Gloria Patri……………………………..UMH 70

*Opening Prayer

*Hymn
”For the Healing of the Nations”……………..UMH 428

Recognizing Memorial Day

Prayers of the People – Joys and Concerns

Shalom Offering

The Offering of our Gifts and Ourselves

*Doxology……………………..…UMH 95

*Prayer of Dedication

*Hymn
”Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”……….UMH 127

Sharing of the Word

Old Testament Reading
Psalm 67……………………………………………….…..Page  460
Epistle Readings
Revelation 21:1-10……….……………………….………Page 1007
Revelation 22:1-5…………………………………….…..Page 1008
                   
Message by Pastor Gary Peterson
”What Does This Mean”

Prayer

*Hymn
”I’ll Fly Away”……….………TFWS 2282

Benediction

Postlude – Please be seated

Pianist – Julie Ash

Liturgist – Reba Peterson

Ministers – All People As We Live The Good News

Claybanks United Methodist Church
 Sunday, May 11, 2025
 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.                                      
Mother’s Day

Welcome and Announcements

*Praise Song
”Marching to Zion”………………….UMH 733

Prelude

*Processional .
In this place, among these people
God is worshipped, God is praised.
We have seen the signs and wonders;
The lost are found here, the dead are raised.
We are living the Gospel story;
lives are changed, and mountains moved.
Won’t you come and work among us?
You are welcomed, you are loved.

*Call to Worship
Leader: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and all the women who have loved us.
All: Thank you, God, for giving us mothers.
Leader: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they have demonstrated their love for us.
All: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood.
Leader: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother’s love is most like God’s love.
All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today.

*Gloria Patri………………………………..UMH 70

*Opening Prayer

*Hymn
”Great Is Thy Faithfulness”………….……UMH 140

Honoring Mother’s Day

Prayers of the People – Joys and Concerns

The Offering of our Gifts and Ourselves

*Doxology………………………………………….…UMH 95

*Prayer of Dedication

*Hymn
”Precious Lord, Take My Hand”…………….UMH 474

Sharing of the Word

Old Testament Reading
Exodus 2:1-11…………………………………………………………….Page  43
Epistle Reading
7:9-17……………………………………………..………Page 999
*Gospel Reading
John 10:22-30……………………….……………….….…Page 873
                   
Message by Pastor Gary Peterson
”Mother’s Day”

Prayer

*Hymn
”Near to the Heart of God”……………….UMH 472

Benediction

Postlude – Please be seated

Pianist – Cheryl Loman
Liturgist – Edie Bogart
Ministers – All People As We Live The Good News