Bulletins - John Calvin Presbyterian Church

Order of Worship 09_26_2021

Posted on Sep 23, 2021 in Bulletin, HomePage |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

18th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

September 26, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Cindy Freudenthal

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while in the building

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Prelude in g BWV 558

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Phil. 2:11

ONE: Let every tongue confess the good news:

MANY: Jesus Christ is Lord; glory to God!

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Loving God, You have covenanted to be with us and for us, not because of what we have done, but because of what you have done. Give us a glimpse of your goodness and grace, and help us to share that grace with others. Amen.

HYMN “God of the Sparrow”

1.God of the sparrow God of the whale God of the swirling stars

How does the creature say Awe How does the creature say Praise

2.God of the earthquake God of the storm God of the trumpet blast

How does the creature cry Woe How does the creature cry Save

3.God of the rainbow God of the cross God of the empty grave

How does the creature say Grace How does the creature say Thanks

God of the hungry God of the sick God of the prodigal

How does the creature say Care How does the creature say Life

5.God of the neighbor God of the foe God of the pruning hook

How does the creature say Love How does the creature say Joy

God of the ages God near at hand God of the loving heart

How do your children say Joy How do your children say Home

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

ANTHEM “Wrestling Jacob”

SECOND LESSON Genesis 28:10-17

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!” And he was afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Unmerited Grace” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Nicene Creed: BOC 1.1-3

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)”

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

PRAYERS of the PEOPLE and 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

SENDING

*HYMN 341 “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!”

1 Blessed assurance: Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit,

washed in His blood.

Refrain: This is my story, this is my song,

Praising my Savior all the day long;

This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect submission, perfect delight,

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels, descending, bring from above

Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Refrain)

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest,

Watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with His goodness, lost in His love. (Refrain)

*PARTING PRAYER Clement of Rome (1st Century)

We pray to you, O God: be our helper and protector. Save the afflicted, have mercy on the lowly, raise up the fallen, help the needy, humble the proud, return the lost, feed the hungry, release the captive, heal the sick, revive the weak, and comfort those in fear. All this we ask for the sake of the world you love, and in the name of the one you sent to save us: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Little Preludes and Intermezzi: No. 6 Poco Vivace – Herman Schroeder

Order of Worship 09_19_21

Posted on Sep 16, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

17th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

September 19, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Prayer – Jean Langlais

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

ONE: Live in a way that is worthy of the Gospel

MANY: Stand firm in the Spirit, side by side.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of abundance, you emptied yourself in order to serve us, and you ask that we make of ourselves a living sacrifice. Help us to let go of the things that hold us back from you. Help us to give cheerfully of ourselves for your glory. Amen.

HYMN “God of the Sparrow”

1.God of the sparrow God of the whale God of the swirling stars

How does the creature say Awe How does the creature say Praise

2.God of the earthquake God of the storm God of the trumpet blast

How does the creature cry Woe How does the creature cry Save

3.God of the rainbow God of the cross God of the empty grave

How does the creature say Grace How does the creature say Thanks

God of the hungry God of the sick God of the prodigal

How does the creature say Care How does the creature say Life

5.God of the neighbor God of the foe God of the pruning hook

How does the creature say Love How does the creature say Joy

God of the ages God near at hand God of the loving heart

How do your children say Joy How do your children say Home

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON John 1:19-34

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

ANTHEM “Lamb of God”

SECOND LESSON Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14

The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him.

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Here. For. It.” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostles’ Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ [God’s] only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-

Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. …

Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world? I do.

Who is your Lord and Savior? Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his word and showing his love? I will, with God’s help.

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

THE LORD’S PRAYER

SENDING

*HYMN 379 “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”

1 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.

2 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace;

in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]

3 His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood;

when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]

4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found,

dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]

*PARTING PRAYER Clement of Rome (1st Century)

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Carillon from 24 Pieces en style libre Louis Vierne

Order of Worship 09_12_21

Posted on Sep 10, 2021 in Bulletin, Orders of Worship |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

16th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

September 12, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning (CST)

Virtual service of Worship

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist:

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE – Morning Has Broken – Richard Blake

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP (Genesis 1:1-2 NIV)

ONE: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

MANY: Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Spirit of God, just as you hovered over the deep darkness, you hover over our lives. Just as you brought light and love to the creation, you bring it into our lives as well. Fill us with your light and form us into a new creation, made in your image. Amen.

HYMN “God of the Sparrow”

1.God of the sparrow God of the whale

God of the swirling stars

How does the creature say Awe

How does the creature say Praise

2.God of the earthquake God of the storm

God of the trumpet blast

How does the creature cry Woe

How does the creature cry Save

3.God of the rainbow God of the cross

God of the empty grave

How does the creature say Grace

How does the creature say Thank

God of the hungry God of the sick

God of the prodigal

How does the creature say Care

How does the creature say Life

5.God of the neighbor God of the foe

God of the pruning hook

How does the creature say Love

How does the creature say Joy

God of the ages God near at hand

God of the loving heart

How do your children say Joy

How do your children say Home

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: Cleanse us from all our offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with reverent and humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding in you our refuge and strength; through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE

PROCLAMATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE LESSON – John 1:1-18 NRSV

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

SCRIPTURE LESSON – Genesis 1:1-2:4a NRSV

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created humankind in his image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Over the Chaos” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “God So Loved the World”

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER

SENDING

*HYMN “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty”

1 Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;

Praise Him in glad adoration!

2 Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,

Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been

Granted in what He ordaineth?

3 Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.

Let the Amen sound from His people again,

Gladly for aye we adore Him.

*PARTING PRAYER The Three Step Prayer- Jose Hobday (1929-2009)

First Step: Plant your feet firmly on the earth. Using your five senses, give thanks to our Creator God for the countless ways God comes to us through creation- for all the beauty that your eyes see, for all the sounds that your ears ear, for all the scents that you smell, the tastes that you taste, for all that you feel (the sun, wind, rain, snow, warm, or cold). Pray this day that you may be open and attuned to the countless ways that our Creator God comes to us through your senses, through the gifts of creation.

Second Step: Let go of all the pain, struggle, regret, failures, garbage of yesterday – step out of it – leave it behind- brush the dust of it from your feet.

Third Step: With this third and final step, step into the gift of the new day, full of hope, promise, and potential. Give thanks for the gift of this new day, which God has made!

Amen.

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Toccata – Belier

Order of Worship September 5, 2021

Posted on Sep 5, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

15th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

September 5, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning (CST)

Virtual service of Worship

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Julie Hebert

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE – I -“Poco allegretto” from Seven Pieces in C major and C minor – C. Franck

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 46)

ONE: God is our refuge and strength,

MANY: A very present help in trouble.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of earthquake and storm; you call us in the wilderness, separated by space and time. You call us in the many places where you have sent us to continue to be your people. We thank you for the safety that you have provided, and pray for your grace on those who were harder hit than us. Amen.

HYMN “God of the Sparrow”

1.God of the sparrow God of the whale

God of the swirling stars

How does the creature say Awe

How does the creature say Praise

2.God of the earthquake God of the storm

God of the trumpet blast

How does the creature cry Woe

How does the creature cry Save

3.God of the rainbow God of the cross

God of the empty grave

How does the creature say Grace

How does the creature say Thank

God of the hungry God of the sick

God of the prodigal

How does the creature say Care

How does the creature say Life

5.God of the neighbor God of the foe

God of the pruning hook

How does the creature say Love

How does the creature say Joy

God of the ages God near at hand

God of the loving heart

How do your children say Joy

How do your children say Home

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PASSING THE PEACE

PROCLAMATION

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

SCRIPTURE LESSON – Acts 28:11-31 NRSV

Three months later we set sail on a ship that had wintered at the island, an Alexandrian ship with the Twin Brothers as its figurehead. We put in at Syracuse and stayed there for three days; then we weighed anchor and came to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. There we found believers and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.

When we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

Three days later he called together the local leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, yet I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. When they had examined me, the Romans wanted to release me, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.’ They replied, ‘We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken anything evil about you. But we would like to hear from you what you think, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.’

After they had fixed a day to meet him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: ‘The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,

“Go to this people and say,

You will indeed listen, but never understand,

and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

For this people’s heart has grown dull,

and their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

so that they might not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and understand with their heart and turn—

and I would heal them.”

Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.’

He lived there for two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “The Ends of the Earth” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “My Jesus I Love Thee”

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

SENDING

*HYMN “Amazing Grace”

1 Amazing grace (how sweet the sound) that saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

2 ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;

how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come:

’tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me, his word my hope secures;

he will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.

When we’ve been there ten-thousand years, bright shining as the sun.

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun.

*PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

O gracious and holy God, give us diligence to seek you, wisdom to perceive you, and patience to wait for you. Grant us, O God, a mind to meditate on you; eyes to behold you; ears to listen for your word; a heart to love you; and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Allegro maestoso from Handel’s “Water Music”

Order of Worship 08_29_21

Posted on Aug 27, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

14th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 29, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Louise Ochart

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “Voluntary in G” Henry Heron

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Hebrews 13:16

Do good and share what you have

for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of compassion, you desire that all people might be drawn to you. You leave the ninety-nine sheep behind to find the missing one, you search for the last coin, you look for the missing child, and you give your own life so that we might live. Give us the faith and courage to proclaim your good news through word and deed. Amen.

HYMN 370 “Just as I Am”

Just as I am without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me,

and that thou biddest me come to thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, thy love unknown has broken every barrier down;

now to be thine, yea, thine alone, O lamb of God, I come, I come.

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Matthew 10:5a, 16-23 NRSV

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions…

‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

ANTHEM

SECOND LESSON Acts 25:23-26:29 NRSV

So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then Festus gave the order and Paul was brought in. And Festus said, ‘King Agrippa and all here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and when he appealed to his Imperial Majesty, I decided to send him. But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write— for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.’

Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You have permission to speak for yourself.’ Then Paul stretched out his hand and began to defend himself:

‘I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am to make my defence today against all the accusations of the Jews, because you are especially familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg of you to listen to me patiently.

‘All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, a life spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?…

‘After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would take place: that the Messiah must suffer, and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.’

While he was making this defence, Festus exclaimed, ‘You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much learning is driving you insane!’ But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth. Indeed the king knows about these things, and to him I speak freely; for I am certain that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.’ Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?’ Paul replied, ‘Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are listening to me today might become such as I am—except for these chains.’

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Whether Quickly or Not” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Heidelberg Catechism: BOC 4.001

Q1: What is your only comfort, in life and in death?

A1: That I belong body and soul, in life and in death not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by the Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER

SENDING

*HYMN 371 “Lift High the Cross”

Refrain:

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim

till all the world adore his sacred name.

1 Come, Christians, follow where our Savior trod,

the Lamb victorious, Christ, the Son of God. [Refrain]

2 All newborn servants of the Crucified

bear on their brow the seal of Christ who died. [Refrain]

3 O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,

your death has brought us life eternally. [Refrain]

4 So shall our song of triumph ever be:

praise to the Crucified for victory. [Refrain]

*PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Lord of all Life” by Edward Broughton

Order of Worship 08_22_21

Posted on Aug 20, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

13th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 22, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Beverly Ross

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Prelude in G Major BWV 541 by J.S. Bach

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice

This is our spiritual worship

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of wisdom and reason. You call us to follow your lead, even when we are so easily swayed by popular opinion. Help us to listen for your still and small voice, as we serve you in the days in which you call us. Amen.

HYMN 363 “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”

1 I want Jesus to walk with me; I want Jesus to walk with me;

all along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

2 In my trials, Lord, walk with me; in my trials, Lord, walk with me;

when my heart is almost breaking, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me.

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Genesis 37:17b-36

So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes. He returned to his brothers, and said, ‘The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?’ Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. They had the long robe with sleeves taken to their father, and they said, ‘This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe or not.’ He recognized it, and said, ‘It is my son’s robe! A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.’ Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son for many days. All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father bewailed him. Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN “It is Not Always Easy”

ANTHEM “Thy Word” Arranged by Stan Pethel

SECOND LESSON Acts 21:17-36

When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” (They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple.) The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Get rid of him!”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Mob Rule” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Scots Confession

We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By whom we confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable providence for such end as his eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice have appointed, and to the manifestation of his own glory.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

SENDING

*HYMN 393 “ Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said”

1 “Take up your cross,” the Savior said, “if you would my disciple be;

take up your cross with willing heart, and humbly follow after me.”

2 Take up your cross; let not its weight fill your weak spirit with alarm;

Christ’s strength shall bear your spirit up

and brace your heart and nerve your arm.

3 Take up your cross, heed not the shame,

and let your foolish heart be still;

the Lord for you accepted death upon a cross, on Calvary’s hill.

4 Take up your cross, then, in Christ’s strength,

and calmly every danger brave:

it guides you to abundant life and leads to victory o’er the grave.

*PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Promenade” by Gordon Young

Order of Worship; August 15, 2021

Posted on Aug 13, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

12th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 15, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Jeremy Moore

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “Aria – Brian Solomons”

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Isaiah 56.1

Maintain justice, and do what is right.

God our Savior is coming soon.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God for those who know you and those who do not. In you we live and move and have our being. You have laid the foundation of faith in all those who trust you, and all those who do not yet trust you. Give us the courage to serve all your children. Amen.

HYMN 415 “Come, Labor On”

Come, Labor on. Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain

while all around us waves the golden grain?

And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today.”

Come, labor on. No time for rest, till glows the western sky,

till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,

and a glad sound comes with the setting sun, “Well done, well done!”

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Romans 1:16-25 NRSV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN “Right Where It Is Supposed to Be”

ANTHEM “Blessings”

SECOND LESSON Acts 17:16-34

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Clever Pop-Culture Reference” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore”

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-

Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. …

Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world? I do.

Who is your Lord and Savior? Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his word and showing his love? I will, with God’s help.

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

SENDING

*HYMN 263 “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasteneing, and silent as light,

nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:

Thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;

thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small.

In all life thou livest, the true life of all.

We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,

then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.

Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light.

Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight.

All praise we would render; o help us to see

‘tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!

*PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Sortie in F Major – Franck”

Participating in today’s service are Aaron Ochart, Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist.

Order of Worship 08_08_21

Posted on Aug 6, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

11th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 8, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Lorraine Hicks

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “Chaconne in F Minor by Pachelbel”

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 85:8

Let us hear what the Lord will speak.

God will speak peace to the faithful.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of grace, you do not judge us according to our sins, which are many. If we had to live up to the perfection of your Law, we would fail every time. You do not judge us on our imperfection, but according to the perfection of Jesus Christ. Since you do not expect perfection of us, help us not to expect perfection from others. Help us to grant others the grace that you so freely give. Amen.

HYMN “In Christ There Is No East or West”

1 In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north,

but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.

2 In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;

his service is the golden cord close-binding humankind.

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Romans 3:19-26

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

SECOND LESSON Acts 15: 1-29

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.’ Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.” Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled[j] and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Standards” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ God’s only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “I Danced in the Morning”

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER

SENDING

*HYMN “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”

1 I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true,

who toiled and fought and lived and died

for the Lord they loved and knew.

And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,

and one was a shepherdess on the green:

they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,

God helping, to be one too.

2 They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,

and God’s love made them strong;

and they followed the right, for Jesus’ sake,

the whole of their good lives long.

And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,

and one was slain by a fierce wild beast:

and there’s not any reason, no, not the least, why I shouldn’t be one too.

3 They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still;

the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will.

You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,

in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;

for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.

PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Ode to Joy”

Order of Worship 08_01_21

Posted on Jul 30, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

10th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 1, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: David Garland

Please silence all cell phones.

Face Masks optional for those fully vaccinated.

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

*Please stand in body or Spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Sarabande from French Suite No. 5 (J.S. Bach)

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: Arise, Shine; for your light has come,

People: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Lord of Light, you show us the light of Love, help us to show that love to one another. You show us the light of Trust, help us to put our trust in you. You show your light of Faith, help us to depend upon you in faith. You show us the light of your Joy, Help us to live lives of deep joy. And you show us your light of Hope, help us to bring your hope to the world. Amen.

*HYMN “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”

1 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea.

There’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows are more felt than up in heaven.

There is no place where earth’s failings have such kindly judgment given.

2 For the love of God is broader than the measures of the mind.

And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more faithful, we would gladly trust God’s Word,

and our lives reflect thanksgiving for the goodness of our Lord.

CONFESSION

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE LESSON Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,

and his glory will appear over you.

Nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

ANTHEM “Discovery on Adventure Island”

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

SERMON “Arise and Shine” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Confession of Belhar 10.5-10.6

We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ;

that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.

that God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world;

that the credibility of this message is seriously affected and its beneficial work obstructed when it is proclaimed in a land which professes to be Christian, but in which the enforced separation of people on a racial basis promotes and perpetuates alienation, hatred and enmity;

that any teaching which attempts to legitimate such forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine.

Therefore, we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise…

…Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest…

Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION and LORD’S PRAYER

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “Running” Discovery Island VBS

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

HYMN “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

2 ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Mit Freuden Zart”

Order of Worship 07_25_21

Posted on Jul 25, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

9th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 25, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Evelyn Tobey

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “Holy God We Praise Your Name”

By Maria Theresa arranged by Kevin Hildebrand

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP Romans 8:31, 39

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of perfection, you call us in imperfection. We are cracked jars which shed your light, sometimes by accident. We are sinful fallen creatures through whom you choose to show your Glory. Use our victories, the times when we feel good about the work we have done. Use our mistakes, times when we feel like we have failed. Thank you that you bring all things together for those who are in Christ Jesus, Amen.

HYMN “We Gather Together”

1 We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

he chastens and hastens his will to make known;

the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.

2 Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;

so from the beginning the fight we were winning;

thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine!

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory.’

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

ANTHEM “Blessed Assurance Medley”

Second Lesson Acts 14:8-20

In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And the man sprang up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.’ Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Falling Forward” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH From the Brief Statement of Faith

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, Fully human, fully God.

Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.

We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.

With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY “Jesus Our Re-Creator” by Paul Demer

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

SENDING

HYMN “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty”

1 Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near;

join me in glad adoration!

2 Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,

shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been

granted in what he ordaineth?

3 Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him!

Let the amen sound from his people again;

gladly for aye we adore him.

PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens Adore Him”

By Richard Blake arranged by Rowland H. Prichard

Order of Worship 07_18_21

Posted on Jul 15, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

8th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 18, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Bill Bottomley

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “Soliloquy” Healey Willan

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: In Christ we are no longer strangers;

Many: we are members of the household of God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Christ, you call us from the south, and from the north, and from the west, and from the east; you call us as women, and men, and people; you call us as black, and brown, and white; as young, and old, and in-between; boomers, Gen-Z, Generation X, Millennials. You call us as unique and gifted individual people to serve your Kindom together as your people. Amen.

HYMN 429 “Lord, You Give the Great Commision”

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Genesis 11: 1-9

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

ANTHEM “Together We Serve” Daniel Damon

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

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.

Second Lesson Acts 13:1-3, 42-52

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath. When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,

so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Apostles: The Next Generation” Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE

OFFERTORY

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Confession of 1967 9.53-9.56

God’s redeeming work in Jesus Christ embraces the whole of man’s life: social and cultural, economic and political, scientific and technological, individual and corporate. It includes man’s natural environment as exploited and despoiled by sin. It is the will of God that his purpose for human life shall be fulfilled under the rule of Christ and all evil be banished from his creation. Biblical visions and images of the rule of Christ, such as a heavenly city, a father’s house, a new heaven and earth, a marriage feast, and an unending day culminate in the image of the kingdom. The kingdom represents the triumph of God over all that resists his will and disrupts his creation. Already God’s reign is present as a ferment in the world, stirring hope in men and preparing the world to receive its ultimate judgment and redemption. With an urgency born of this hope, the church applies itself to present tasks and strives for a better world. It does not identify limited progress with the kingdom of God on earth, nor does it despair in the face of disappointment and defeat. In steadfast hope, the church looks beyond all partial achievement to the final triumph of God. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM

One: Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

Many: For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN 415 “Come, Labor On”

1 Come, labor on. Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain

While all around him waves the golden grain?

And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today.”

2 Come, labor on.Claim the high calling angels cannot share;

To young and old the Gospel gladness bear.

Redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly. The night draws nigh.

3 Come, labor on. Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!

No arm so weak but may do service here;

Though feeble agents, may we all fulfill God’s righteous will.

4 Come, labor on.No time for rest, till glows the western sky,

Till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,

And a glad sound comes with the setting sun,“Well done, well done!”

PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Mighty Maker of All” Rachel Sawyer

Order of Worship 07_11_21

Posted on Jul 11, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

7th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 11, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Guest Minister: The Rev. Zoë Garry

Liturgist: Sharon Fortin

Please silence all cell phones.

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Little Prelude in F BWV 556 – J.S. Bach

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

One: The word of the Lord will not return empty;

Many: it will accomplish all that God intends.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Lord God Almighty, we praise you for who you are and what you have done. You are the healer, bring healing in this place. You are our righteousness, bring transformation in this place. You are the provider, increase our trust in you. You are the God who is with us, let us enter your presence. You are the God of Peace, bring comfort in our chaos. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

HYMN 394 There is a Balm in Gilead

(Refrain) There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.

Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain,

but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. (refrain)

Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,

and if you lack for knowledge, he’ll not refuse to lend. (refrain)

If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

you can tell the love of Jesus and say, “he died for all.” (refrain)

CALL TO CONFESSION

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation.

We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression.

Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA PATRI 579

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON Isaiah 61:1-4

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN “One Spirit for All”

ANTHEM “More Like You” Scott Brown

More like You, Jesus, more like You.

Fill my heart with Your desire to make me more like You.

More like You, Jesus, more like You.

Touch my lips with holy fire and make me more like You.

Lord, You are my mercy. Lord, You are my grace.

All my deepest sins have forever been erased.

Draw me in Your presence. Lead me in Your ways.

I long to bring You glory in righteousness and praise.

Second Lesson Acts 12:6-16

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Peter Kept Knocking” The Rev. Zoë Garry

RESPONSE

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Theological Declaration of Barmen

Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and

obey in life and in death.

As Jesus Christ is God’s assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins, so in the same way and with the same seriousness is he also God’s mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us a joyful deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free, grateful service to his creatures.

The Christian Church is the congregation of the brethren in which Jesus Christ acts presently as the Lord in Word and Sacrament through the Holy Spirit. As the Church of pardoned sinners, it has to testify in the midst of a sinful world, with its faith as with its obedience, with its message as with its order, that it is solely his property, and that it lives and wants to live solely from his comfort and from his direction in the expectation of his appearance.

The various offices in the church do not establish a dominion of some over the others; on the contrary, they are for the exercise of the ministry entrusted to and enjoined upon the whole congregation.

The church’s commission, upon which its freedom is founded, consists in delivering the message of the free grace of God to all people in Christ’s stead, and therefore in the ministry of his own Word and work through sermon and Sacrament.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN 525 Here I Am, Lord

I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in deepest sin my hand will save.

I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

(Refrain) Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have born my people’s pain.

I have wept for love of them, they turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them. My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.

I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Participating in today’s service are Zoe Garry, Guest Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist. Appreciation to David Garland and Dennis Lauland for the video production of today’s service.

John Calvin Presbyterian Church

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