Sunday, September 25, 2022
Sunday Worship
Discipleship Ministries
Online Worship Service, 10am

Dear Church family,

We will have In-person and Online Worship on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at 10 am.

The information for Online Worship is:

Website: www.littlefallsumc.org

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzxLc7UQjeMNprjm9u8gtQ

You can join Online Worship using your home phone or cell phone.

Call 646-876-9923, enter Meeting ID, 917 9067 6301, enter Passcode 139139.

Sunday Scriptures

1 Timothy 6:6-19 and Luke 16:19-31

I will deliver the message titled,

‘Optional Or Required?’

If you have any concerns and joys and share with the congregation and ask the church to pray on Sunday, please let me know! You can email, call, or text me. Or you can submit your prayer concerns and joys here: www.littlefallsumc.org/prayer 

Your generous financial support is significant and appreciated very much.

We have continued our ministries with your support.

You can support God’s ministry in three ways:

1. Putting your offerings in the plates at the Offering Station at the in-person Worship

2. Mailing your offerings and tithes to the church office (139 Main St. Little Falls, NJ 07424)

3. Doing online donations at www.littlefallsumc.org/donation

Again, we appreciate your generosity very much.

Please see the bulletin for other announcements!

Have a good day! & See you on Sunday!

Pastor Jin

Called to Praise 

⭻Prepare your heart and body for Worship

Welcome & Greeting 

⭻Call to Worship

Leader: Those who love God,
All: God will deliver.
Leader: Those who know God by name,
All: God will protect.
Leader: Those who call out to God,
All: God will answer.
Leader: We gather this morning,
All: as those who trust God.

⭻Praise Song                                 Here I Am to Worship                           W&S 3177

Verse 1

Light of the world

You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes let me see

Beauty that made

This heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

Chorus

So here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

And You're altogether lovely

Altogether worthy

Altogether wonderful to me

Verse 2

King of all days

Oh so highly exalted

Glorious in heaven above

Humbly You came

To the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor

Bridge

And I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

And I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

Children’s Time                           Gideon’s Battle 3                         Judges 6-7

Over 30,000 men wanted to join Gideon’s army. “That is too many,” God said. He showed Gideon how to win with only 300 men! The plan sounded strange, but Gideon trusted God. During the night, Gideon and his men surrounded the enemy camp. They blew trumpets and smashed clay jars. They waved burning torches in the air. Their enemies were frightened. “This must be a hung army!” they thought. So they ran away. God’s people won!

Announcements

• We have ‘In-Person’ and ‘Online Worship’ on Sunday, September 25, 10 am. 
   

• You can join our online worship via YouTube or Facebook for Online Worship. Type “Little Falls United Methodist Church” in the search window on Youtube or Facebook. You can use the link below to join in Online Worship. YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzxLc7UQjeMNprjm9u8gtQ/

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• You can join the Online Worship by your phone. Call (646)-876-9923 and enter the Meeting ID, 917 9067 6301, and Passcode 139139.
   

• Prayer Concerns & Joys - If you would like to share your concerns and joys with the congregation, Pastor Jin will lift up the names in the order of prayer in our worship. Please email Pastor Jin at jkim@littlefallsumc.org or use the online form, www.littlefallsumc.org/prayer.
   

• Altar Flowers –Thank you Melissa Downing for providing the altar flowers, In Honor of Marilyn Downing. If you would like to offer the altar flowers, please contact Janet (973) 896-8936 or ladyteddy@aol.com. 
   

• Fellowship Time after Worship – Let us enjoy a good fellowship time every Sunday after Worship. We need your help to continue the coffee hour. Please contact Ken Griffin (201) 458-4638 or Ken.Griffin89@yahoo.com for details.
   

• Baked Potato Dinner – Saturday, October 22 at 530pm. Dinner includes baked potato, homemade chili, toppings, tossed salad and homemade dessert. Tickets $18 Adults, $9 Children. To purchase tickets, contact Lorraine ICL23@yahoo.com or info@littlefallsumc.org

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• Treasured Memories – “Treasured Memories” is a grief group for those who have lost their loved ones. The ongoing meeting gathers every 2nd Wednesday of the month in Lee Lounge at 7 pm. Contact Allison for details (973) 800-4152. 
   

• Kids For Christ - KFC is a Fun Thursday night program for Children (K-6th) that is held on the first and third Thursday from 5 to 6:30 pm. We began our new season 2022-23. This program is open to all children! The next meeting will be held on October 6th. 
   

• The Post-Confirmation Class – The first meeting will be held on Sunday, October 9 at 5pm in Lee lounge. The class is for youths who completed confirmation class. We will talk about life and faith and pray for one another.
   

• Church Forum – The Next Church Forum will be held at the Fellowship Hall at 10:30 am on October 29, Saturday. We share our wisdom and have a conversation for the church ministry through the Church Forum. All are welcome. The information for the next Church Forum will be announced. Please join us at our next meeting! Let’s work for God’s ministry together!
   

• Online Donation – Online donation is available now. Please visit the church website and click ‘Donation.’ The link is www.LittleFallsUMC.org/donation. 
   

• Shoprite Gift Card - If you want to buy a Shoprite gift card, please contact Pete (973) 595-5765 or detroit50@aol.com.
   

• Kohl’s Gift Card - If you want to buy a Kohl’s gift card, please contact Allison (973) 800-4152.
   

• AmazonSmile Program - Please choose Little Falls UMC as your charity organization at www.smile.amazon.com. All services and prices will be the same and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to the church.
   

• Your financial support and generosity are greatly appreciated and essential for our church ministry and mission. Please consider sending your tithes and offerings to Little Falls UMC (139 Main St. Little Falls, NJ 07424). You can send your offerings and tithes to the church every week. Or you can send offerings and tithes for a month with a check. Thanks again for your generosity!
   

• Let’s Help Ukraine – We continue to collect Medical/baby Items. Contact Janet (973) 896-8936 or ladyteddy@aol.com. if you have any questions. Thank you all for participating in the collection.
   

• LFUMC FOOD PANTRY ITEMS NEEDED - Many families depend on the Food Pantry on a regular basis. The Pantry needs the following non-perishable items; canned vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, adult/children’s cereal, pasta & sauce, instant potatoes/rice, tuna, chicken, sardines, fruit, apple sauce, juice, and granola bars.
   

• SOCKS FOR SOULS - Do your feet get cold? Please help Unity Circle to provide new or gently used socks to the homeless. There is a constant need. Please drop off your socks in the large white sock in the Narthex. 
   

• Ongoing Collection - UMW also collects postmarked stamps, can pull tabs, Box Tops for Education, and the front of greeting cards. Items are donated to different charities and organizations.

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⭻Hymn of Prayer             Precious Lord, Take My Hand                     UMH 474

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand,

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn;

through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light:

take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When my way grows drear, precious Lord, linger near,

when my life is almost gone,

hear my cry, hear my call, hold my hand lest I fall:

take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

When the darkness appears and the night draws near,

and the day is past and gone,

at the river I stand, guide my feet, hold my hand:

take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.

Pausing for Silent Prayer and Confession

Prayers of the People (Response: God, in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.)

Gracious God, We, your children, come to you and give you our praise for your steadfast love and grace. You give us life and the opportunity to live with your people in this world. You fill our lives with your blessings and wonders. Thank you for your care again. This morning, we lift up to you all our families, friends, and all your people and their situations. Give us your healing, peace, and mercy. Let us find true peace in you in the midst of trials and difficulties. Lord, you are our God, creator, savior, and sustainer. We rely on you rather than other things or others. Please lead us to see your presence and follow your guidance. Let us see your salvation in our daily life and praise you and witness your work to all people in the world. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, 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.

Called to the Word

Prayer for Illumination   

Leader: Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of your Holy Spirit, that, as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, we may hear with joy what you say to us today. 

All: Amen

NT Lesson                                       1 Timothy 6:6-19

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Final Charge to Timothy

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

This ends the NT Lessons. 
Let us turn to the Gospel Lesson. Please stand, if able.

Gospel Lesson                               Luke 16:19-31

The Rich Man and Lazarus

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19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

This is the word of God for the people of God. 

All: Thanks be to God.

Message                              Optional or Required?                    Rev. Jin Kook Kim

Good morning, Church Family! I hope you had a blessed week in God’s love and grace last week. God is good and God loves us and cares for us always. Last Sunday, we considered the message, “Helping the precious life.” As children of God, we have God’s compassion in our hearts, and we help others with compassion. Jesus’ compassion led him to heal people and feed them although it was not planned. Likewise, our compassion has led us to help others. Helping the needy is serving Jesus as Jesus said that as we help the least, we do it to Jesus. Little Falls Church family, we inherited God’s compassion. Whenever God gives us compassion in our heart when we see someone who needs our help, it is God’s call and guidance to help them. Let us help others following God’s compassion in our hearts.

I have a question. Is helping others optional or required? What do you think? Why do you think? We just help others only when we want if it is optional. If it is required, we should help others whenever someone needs our help. What do you think? Let us see what the Bible says about that?

In today’s scripture, the Gospel lesson, there were a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man was wealthy and had feasts every day. On the contrary, Lazarus was poor and sustained his life with the crumbles from the rich man’s table. When both died, the rich man went to Hades (let us call it hell), and he suffered there. Lazarus went to the arms of Abraham (let us call it Heaven) and had peace. This is Jesus’ parable and I want us to see two points from the parable. First, why was the rich man brought to hell and Lazarus Heaven? Was it because the rich man was rich and Lazarus poor as Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.” Does that mean that all rich people will suffer after death and all poor people peace? No. The point that Jesus wanted to make is that the rich man suffered in Hades because he didn’t help the poor although he was wealthy enough to help the poor. He was wealthy as he was dressed with fine linen and feasted every day and Lazarus laid at the gate of the rich man’s house. However he neglected the need of Lazarus and didn’t give him food or open the door to let him take food from his table although he had more than enough. He should help the needy because it was God’s will. Jesus was saying this parable to the Pharisees who were Jews and knew the Law of God well.

As we see in the Old Testament, God ordered the Israelites to help and care the least. According to God’s words, they should care for orphans, widows, and strangers, foreigners. (Numbers 14:19, 29) They should not deal with the debtors as a creditor (Exodus 20:25) and they should give the cloak, which was as guarantee, to the debtor before the sun went down (Exodus 20:26). The cloak becomes the blanket that protects them from the cool air during night. God also said that if there is among you anyone in need, you should “not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). God wants people to help the needy and God always orders God’s people to help the needy.

However, the rich man didn’t help Lazarus who needed his help although the poor were at his door, and he was wealthy enough to help the poor. He neglected his responsibility on Lazarus. That was why he suffered after he died.

The second point of the parable is this: God cares for the needy. Lazarus went to the arms of Abraham. It was not because he was poor. The point here is God cares for the needy. Can you remember Jesus’ sermon on the mount? ““Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.” (Luke 6:20-21) Jesus wants to teach us that God cares for the needy in God’s ways. God cares for them through God’s people and through God’s ways. If we don’t help them, God will use another person or people and the needy will be in God’s care through the helpers and the helpers become God’s hands and feet who deliver God’s care toward the needy. Both the needy and helpers are blessed but not the person who didn’t help the needy.

Little Falls Church Family,

I believe that we are required to help others in our lives. People in the world who don’t know God and God’s will can say it is optional for them to help others. So, they help others when they want and don’t help others when they don’t want to help others. However, as God’s children, we are required to help others because God wants us to help others and that is God’s will for us. Church family, when God ordered the Israelites to help the needy, God said to them, “remember that you were aliens (Exodus 22:21)” that meant God cared for them when they were aliens, poor, and hungry so they were ought to help others as God cared for them. God was the ultimate one who gave them resources to live out their lives on earth and God wanted them to help others. Likewise, God wants us to help others. It is not optional but required because God has helped us first and because all resources that we have come from God. All are God’s and we are stewards of them.

Church family, I hope and pray that we keep in our mind God’s will for us that is given through Jesus’ word today and help others and care for them. See the rich man. He asked Abraham to send him back to his brothers to teach them not to come to the place of torment. However, Abraham rejected his request, and said that they should listen to Moses and prophets who already gave them the same teaching that they should help others as following God’s will. They would not listen from him if they didn’t listen from the law of God. Church Family, God teaching is given to us already. Let us follow it and practice it rather than be a rich man who didn’t follow God’s will and be in the place of torment.

Church family, let us ask God to give us God’s compassion and generosity in our hearts more and more so that let us help the needy by being God’s hands and hearts. We help others not because we are super rich people, or we have too many things in our hands but because we have God’s compassion and generosity and because we care for God's people as God cares for us and them. For us as children of God and disciples of Jesus Christ, helping others is required not optional because God helped us first and we are stewards of all resources that we have, and God is the owner of all even our lives. As faithful people of God, let us follow God’s will by helping others and let us be in God’s arms. Amen.

Called to Share

Response to Our Generous God 

 ⭻Doxology      Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow                UMH 95

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

⭻Prayer of Dedication

All: Beloved God, who richly provides for our needs and enjoyment, thank you for your many gifts. You have trusted us with our lives, with this world, and with your love. May the gifts we offer you today be used for your service and your glory. Help us store up for ourselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, that we may take hold of the life that really is life. We offer these gifts, trusting in our savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Called to the World

⭻Closing Hymn                                   Together We Serve                          TFWS 2175

Together we serve united by love,

inviting God’s world to the glorious feast.

We work and we pray through sorrow and joy,

extending your love to the last and the least.

We seek to become a beacon of hope,

a lamp for the heart and a light for the feet.

We learn, year by year, to let love shine through

until we see Christ in each person we meet.

We welcome the scarred, the wealthy, the poor,

the busy, the lonely and all who need care.

We offer a home to those who will come,

our hands quick to help, our hearts ready to dare.

Together by grace, we witness and work,

remembering Jesus in whom we grow strong.

Together we serve in spirit and truth,

remembering love is the strength of our song.

⭻Benediction                                                                                             Rev. Jin Kook Kim

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.  Amen