2. God cares for me, God cares for me, 

God cares for me; God’s so good to me. 

3. God loves me so, God loves me so, 

God loves me so; God’s so good to me. 

4. God is so good, God is so good, 

God is so good; God’s so good to me.

WORDS OF WELCOME         

MINUTE FOR THE CHURCH Christian Education and Fellowship 

ADORATION 

CALL TO WORSHIP                     Ps. 1:1–3

ONE: Happy are those who delight in God’s word.

MANY: They are like trees planted by the water. 

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

Holy Creator, you created all people in your own image to till the earth and help one another. Give us hearts to continue tending to all that you have made so that the earth will sustain life for generations to come. Amen.

HYMN OF THE MONTH [BLUE#458] [GTG #26] 

“Earth and All Stars” Verses 1, 2, and 4

1. Earth and all stars! loud rushing planets!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

God has done marvelous things.

We too sing praise with a new song!

2. Trumpet and pipes! Loud clashing cymbals!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Harp, lute, and lyre! Loud humming cellos!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

God has done marvelous things.

We too sing praise with a new song!

4. Knowledge and truth! Loud sounding wisdom!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Daughter and son! Loud praying members!

Sing to the Lord a new song!

God has done marvelous things.

We too sing praise with a new song!

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN 

COMMISSIONING of TEACHERS: 

Playschool Teachers to be commissioned: Lauren Crisler Director, Stephanie Galliano, Adm. Asst., Michelle Henry, TK Teacher, Sue McKenzie, TK Teacher, Nancy James, PK+ Teacher, Cherie Corcoran, PK+ Teacher, Briana Pertuit, PK+ Teacher, Debbie Perrie, PK+ Teacher, Sherry Welch-Kinler, 3’s Teacher, Virginia LaHatte, 3’s Teacher, May Masri,  3’s Teacher, Sharon Penny, 3’s Teacher, Kim Knouse, 3’s Teacher, Jamie Orlando, 3’s/2’s Teacher, Brittanie Amerland, 2’s Teacher, Kim Joseph, 2’s Teacher,  Angle’ Young, 2’s Teacher, Amanda Rowell, 2’s Teacher, Stacey O’Neil, 2’s Teacher, Gina Nissenbaum, 2’s Teacher, Yvette Burst, 1’s Teacher, Brittany Louis, 1’s Teacher, Alexandria Franks, Music Teacher, Hollie Gomila, Body Movement Teacher, Kaitlin Novak, Art Teacher, Cherie Mosbey, Substitute Teacher, Angelle Muscarello, Substitute Teacher, Laura DaCunha, Substitute Teacher, Janelle D’Herete, Substitute Teacher, Marleen Delle, Substitute Teacher, Debby Haydel, Substitute Teacher. 

JCPC Sunday School Teachers and Nursery Care workers to be Commissioned: Briana Mayfield, Cameron Mayfield, Linda Lowry, Louise Ochart, Rev. Aaron Ochart, Cynthia Palmisano

ONE: God calls ordinary people from ordinary places to do extraordinary work with God’s people. God called Abraham and Sarah to pack their belongings and follow God to a new land.

ALL: So they followed God. 

ONE: God called Moses to take the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 

ALL: So they followed God. 

ONE: God called David to be a king, even though he was a young boy and the youngest of all of Jesse’s sons.

ALL: So they followed God. 

ONE: God called Mary to have a baby and name the child “Jesus,” because he would save the people from their sins.

ALL: So they followed God.

ONE: God called Peter and James and John away from their families, their homes, and their work as fishermen.

ALL: So they followed God. 

ONE: God called Martha away from the kitchen and Lydia away from her purple cloth, and Priscilla to open her home as a new church.

ALL: So they followed God. 

LOUISE: Sunday School teachers and other church educators, You have been called to teach the faith to those in your congregation, from the youngest to the oldest. You are called to teach and to learn lessons from the Bible, deep spiritual truths, and to mutually call one another to deeper faith and life. Will you serve with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love? 

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS: We will.

LAUREN: Playschool Teachers, You have been called to serve God in this place by teaching our smallest ones. You will teach colors, letters, and numbers, as well as foundational lessons of how to be a human being.  Will you serve with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?

PLAYSCHOOL TEACHERS: We will.

AARON: Lord our God, we are like trees planted by the Living Water of your Word. May we meditate on your Word day and night. Your Spirit calls out to us in the business of our lives to learn her wisdom, to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to rely on our own understanding. 

Bless the teachers called to these particular ministries, whether they are here in person or elsewhere. Give them your strength when they have none and your peace that passes all understanding. Help them to remember that they are called to learn as well. Bless all of their students, no matter the age, and give them a great year of learning and growth. Bless also all of the students, teachers, staff, and administration of the many schools around us. Keep them all safe and in your tender loving kindness. Amen.    

RESPONSE HYMN [BLUE#304] [GTG #188] 

“Jesus Loves Me!”

1 Jesus loves me! This I know,

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong.

They are weak, but he is strong.

Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Eternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors, and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world, and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. In your great mercy forgive our sins and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI [BLUE#579] [GTG#581] 

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.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

SCRIPTURE  [Pew Bible OT 472 or 499]                   Psalm 20

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

   The name of the God of Jacob protect you!

May he send you help from the sanctuary,

   and give you support from Zion.

May he remember all your offerings,

   and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.

          Selah

May he grant you your heart’s desire,

   and fulfill all your plans.

May we shout for joy over your victory,

   and in the name of our God set up our banners.

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;

   he will answer him from his holy heaven

   with mighty victories by his right hand.

Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,

   but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.

They will collapse and fall,

   but we shall rise and stand upright.

Give victory to the king, O Lord;

   answer us when we call.

SCRIPTURE  [Pew Bible NT 2]                         Genesis 2:4-25

These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’

Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

‘This at last is bone of my bones

   and flesh of my flesh;

this one shall be called Woman,

   for out of Man this one was taken.’

Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON: “Rescuing Deliverer” Reverend 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY   You Are the One         Thomas Keesecker   

DOXOLOGY [*BLUE#592] [GTG#606]

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. Amen. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 

THE LORD’S PRAYERS

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

HYMN [BLUE#455] [GTG#15] 

“All Creatures of Our God And King” Verses 1, 3, and 6    

1 All creatures of our God and King,

lift up your voice and with us sing,

Alleluia! Alleluia!

O brother sun with golden beam,

O sister moon with silver gleam,

sing praises! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

3 O brother fire, so warm and bright,

chase off the shadows of the night.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Dear mother earth, who day by day

unfolds such blessings on our way,

sing praises! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

6 O sisters, brothers, take your part,

and worship God with humble heart.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

All creatures, bless the Father, Son,

and Holy Spirit, Three in One!

Sing praises! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

PARTING PRAYER  (Jarome c.342-420)

Lord, the gift of your Word is a light for our path. Help us to study your way and follow your teaching, until we know the true Light who has come into the world and will come again in glory: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [GTG# 547] “Go, My Children, with My Blessing”

“Go, my Children, with my blessing, never alone. 

Waking, sleeping, I am with you, you are my own. 

In my love’s baptismal river I have made you mine forever. 

Go, my children, with my blessing. You are my own.”  

POSTLUDE LASST UNS ERFREUEN