Date: June 27th, 2021, Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
Theme: Testing the Genuineness of Your Love.
The flowers for today are in honor of Rev. Dan and Julie Schwerin from your church family.

The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Listeners and viewers please note: https://www.fumcwaukesha.org/
In-person worship is now open. Masks are required. If you do not have one, masks will be available at the door. For those that prefer virtual worship, our livestream service will be available on our website, YouTube and Facebook.

View our YouTube video for this Sunday, by clicking on the video link provided below.
This link is for both the LIVE STREAM available at 9:30 AM, CST on Sunday morning, May 30th, 2021 and for viewing on our FUMCOW YouTube Channel, anytime in the next few weeks.

Order of Worship:

Welcoming comments from Rev. Dan Schwerin.

Prelude: "The Call,” Ralph Vaughn Williams.
Offered by Tom Ajack, guitar.
Here are the lyrics to this song.

The Call, by George Herbert, 1633

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life;
Such a Way as gives us breath,
Such a Truth as ends all strife,
Such a Life as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength;
Such a Light as shows a Feast,
Such a Feast as mends in length,
Such a Strength as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart;
Such a Joy as none can move,
Such a Love as none can part,
Such a Heart as joys in love.

Opening Prayer: offered by Rev. Dan Schwerin

Opening Hymn:
Opening Hymn:
“O God, Our Help In Ages Past”
Words: Isaac Watts
Music: Attr. to William Croft, harm. By W.H. Monk
Karen Wilken, alto; Dirk Wilken, baritone
John Sheaffer, organ

1. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home!

2. Under the shadow of thy throne,
still may we dwell secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure.

3. Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting, thou art God,
to endless years the same.

6. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come;
be thou our guide while life shall last,
and our eternal home.

Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer: Led by Rev. Greta Hietpas.

Thy Word: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet. And a light unto my path.”
Scripture reading; 2 Corinthians. 8:7-15 offered by Veronica Radowicz

Message: “Faith is Testing the Genuineness of Your Love” offered by Rev. Dan Schwerin.

An Order for Baptism
An Order for Holy Baptism Fern Ruthie Wright

Congregational Profession of Faith
Do you, as Christ’s body, the church, reaffirm both your passion for a life in Christ and your commitment to love God and neighbor? We do.

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include all these persons now before you in your care?

We give thanks to the Spirit for the faith that has been working in you. We pledge to you our care, our challenge, and our support as sisters and brothers, servants, guides, and deliverers of God’s grace. Together with you and with all the people of God, we seek the unity of the Spirit in the striving for and celebrating justice, meaning and wholeness. May our common journey serve the glory of God in the coming of God’s new creation.

Commendation and Welcome
Members of the household of God, it is our joy to welcome our new sister in Christ. I commend these persons to your love and care. Do all in your power to increase their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.

We give thanks for all that God has already given you and we welcome you in Christian love. As members together with you in the body of Christ and in this congregation of the United Methodist Church, we renew our covenant faithfully to participate in the ministry of the church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness, that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

A Litany of Thanksgiving and Blessing for Rev. Dan Schwerin. Adapted from the Book of Worship.

Rev. Greta: Our scriptures are clear that there is one God and one baptism. Together we make up one body of Christ. But each person is given unique gifts for God’s glory and the work of the church. Some are called to be set apart for representative ministry. Some are called to be pastors. Today we give thanks to God for Rev. Dan Schwerin’s 14 years of ministry at First United Methodist Church and send him and his wife Julie off with blessing.

Melissa Freiberg, SPRC Chair: Dan, you have inspired, challenged, and encouraged us through your preaching and teaching. You have walked with us in crisis and grief, shepherded us in our stewardship, and honored the long history of this congregation. The number of building partners and the depth of our relationships with them increased because of your passion.

Cynthia Stevens, Lay Leader: You moved us toward justice. Under your leadership, we became a reconciling congregation and led the community in providing overflow shelter in the winter. Your knowledge of and connection to the broader United Methodist denomination and your commitment to make it better have kept us engaged and praying for change.

John Sheaffer, Staff Member: Always erring on the side of grace, you listened to and prayed with those in need or homeless when they found their way to our doors. You built a cohesive and covenantal staff team and equipped church leaders for ministry, even through a global pandemic. We were also blessed by your haiku poetry.

Rev. Dan: I thank you, the members and friends of First United Methodist Church, for the love and support you have shown me while I have ministered among you. I am grateful for the ways my leadership has been accepted. I ask forgiveness for the mistakes I have made. As I leave, I carry with me all that I have learned here.

Congregation: We receive your thankfulness, offer forgiveness, and accept that you now leave to minister elsewhere. We express our gratitude for your time among us. We ask forgiveness for our mistakes. Your influence on our faith and faithfulness will not leave us with your departure.

Rev. Dan: I accept your gratitude and forgiveness, and I forgive you, trusting that our time together and our parting are pleasing to God. I release you from turning to me and depending on me. I encourage your continuing ministry here and will pray for you, your continuing pastor Rev. Hietpas, and your new pastor, Rev. Bresser.

Melissa: Presentation of gift.

Rev. Greta: Let us pray together.
Congregation: Eternal God, we give you thanks for the faithful ministry of Rev. Schwerin and the memories we share. Guide and encourage Dan and Julie in this transition and the next place of service. As he goes to bless the church in a larger way, we trust you will bless him and Julie with your abundant love. In all things, we place our trust in you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ministry Moment offered by Rev. Greta Hietpas.

Closing Hymn:
“Be Thou My Vision”
Words: Ancient Irish; trans. By Mary E. Byrne, versed by Eleanore H. Hull
Music: Trad. Irish melody; harm. by Carlton Young
Dirk Wilken, baritone and Karen Wilken, alto
John Sheaffer, pipe organ.

Be thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art.
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.

Benediction: offered by Rev. Dan Schwerin.

Postlude: “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
arranged by Albert Travis offered by John Sheaffer, organ
This is one of Dan’s favorite hymns.
The Postlude is a time of reflection and prayer before re-entering our day together.

Study Notes: This is a study you could use during our “Safer at Home” time, or at other times during these days of change. It could be a meeting devotional, or a study for your lunch break. Maybe you could try this with your family, a group of friends, or with your own cup of coffee, tea.
This is a study you could use during our “Safer at Home” time, or at other times during these days of change. It could be a meeting devotional, or a study for your lunch break. Maybe you could try this with your family, a group of friends, or with your own cup of coffee or tea. Review 2 Corinthians. 8:7-15.
1. ‘How you begin and end relationships is how you do relationships.’ Is that saying true?
2. How might this clergy transition offer you and First UMC an open window to try new things?
3. How will you prayerfully and practically support the church with your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness as we come through Covid?
Prayer Focus:
* Pray for Pastor Greta and the staff as they face a busy July.
* Pray for Pastor Susan and her husband Brent as they make a transition here August 1.
* Pray for the next phase for First UMC to be vital and impactful.

Prepare for worship next Sunday: July 4th, 2021, by reading 2 Corinthians 12:2-10.

We appreciate your ongoing financial support of Waukesha's FUMC mission and ministry. Our new Subsplash account can be found using this link; https://fumcwaukesha.org/give. Your checks can be mailed to the church and designated to support our church budget or other specific missions and ministries of our church. When mailing checks to our church please include your pledge envelope, with the envelope number on it. This expedites the processing of your check.
Our street address;
First United Methodist Church of Waukesha
121 Wisconsin Avenue
Waukesha, WI. 53186

May God bless you as you bask in the warm summer weeks to come.