Announcements 1-28-24
Announcements:
CLOTHING DRIVE: We are doing a clothing drive for Program of Hope. We are looking only for these specific items: men’s t-shirts and sweatshirts size XL or larger, men’s pants, and men’s shoes. We will be collecting clothing until Jan 31st when we will have a sorting party.
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: We will have a congregational meeting on February 4th to elect new Elders.
PROGRAM OF HOPE: We will be making lunches and serving at Program of Hope in February. Please join us on February 6th, 12th, 20th and 27th at 2:00 PM to make sandwiches and assemble lunch bags. Then join us on Wednesdays in February at First Presbyterian Church to serve at Program of Hope. See Sue, Richard, or Sharon for more details.
DEVOTIONALS FOR LENT AND EASTER: Get yourself ready for Lent by ordering your devotional now. Here is this week’s suggestion: Pause: Spending Lent with the Psalms by Elizabeth F. Caldwell. The season of Lent encourages Christians to consider a different pace—one of slowing down, noticing, pausing—than what our dominant culture values. The invitation to pause with the Psalms begins on Ash Wednesday, starting with a mark of ashes on our foreheads that reminds us that in spite of our failures—things we have done or failed to do—we belong to God. Readers are then guided into an exploration of Psalm 51 and the theme of a clean heart. Each chapter helps readers to connect an image drawn from that psalm, such as paths, faces, blessing, tables, waiting, thanksgiving, listening, being alone or abandoned, and hands, with their own lives. At the close of each chapter, readers are invited to try a different prayer practice to help them continue to reflect on the theme and psalm each day. This intentional engagement—without feeling burdensome—opens just enough space and time for a creative spiritual practice to flourish, sustaining the life of faith during the Lenten season in ways that can make a difference in God’s world.
CANTATA REHEARSALS COMING SOON: Would you like to be a part of the choir for a short time frame? Join the Palm Sunday Cantata Choir! Join us Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM starting February 7th (no rehearsal on Ash Wednesday). The Cantata will be on March 24th at the 10:30 Worship Service with a dress rehearsal on March 23rd. Music reading not required; learning tracks will be provided.
MONTHLY FOOD PANTRY DONATION: Each month we are asking you to Donate one or two items to the food pantry each week. This month we are asking for Proteins including canned chicken, tuna, SpaghettiOs pasta, pasta sauce, and soups. If you prefer to donate a small amount of money just mark it for the food pantry and we will shop for you.
Order of Worship 1-21-24
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
3rd Sunday after Epiphany
January 21st, 2024; Ten Thirty in the morning
Preacher: Mike Isham
Liturgist: Beverly Ross
Please silence all cell phones.
Bold face indicates congregational participation.
Please stand, in body or spirit
THE PEOPLE ARE GATHERED IN
PRELUDE
PROCESSIONAL HYMN [BLUE# 553][GTG#36]
For the Fruit of All Creation
1 For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God.
For the gifts to every nation, thanks be to God.
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safekeeping, thanks be to God.
2 In the just reward of labor, God’s will be done.
In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will be done.
In our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing, God’s will be done.
WORDS OF WELCOME
DEACON MINUTE
CALL TO WORSHIP Luke 4:18, 21
ONE: Jesus said: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.
MANY: May the word of God be fulfilled among us.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of the Word, in the parable of the sower you showed us how your word can take root and grow within us. Nurture the seeds of your word in our hearts, and help us to grow in faith and love. Amen.
HYMN [GTG#319] Shout To The North
- Men of faith rise up and sing of the great and glorious King.
You are strong when you feel weak; in your brokenness complete.
Refrain: Shout to the north and the south,
sing to the east and the west.
Jesus is savior to all, Lord of heaven and earth.
- Rise up women of the truth. Stand and sing to broken hearts
who can know the healing power of our awesome King of love. (Refrain)
Bridge: We’ve been through fire; we’ve been through rain;
we’ve been refined by the power of your name.
We’ve fallen deeper in love with you.
You’ve burned the truth on our lips. (Refrain)
- Rise up, church, with broken wings; fill this place with songs again
of our God who reigns on high; by God’s grace again we’ll fly. (Refrain)
Refrain: Shout to the north and the south,
sing to the east and the west.
Jesus is savior to all, Lord of heaven and earth.
He is Lord of heaven and earth.
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
RESPONSE HYMN [GTG#171] A Sower Came from Ancient Hills
4 O Christ, you come among us still, the Sower and the Seed.
As once you sowed the truth of God in glowing word and deed,
Implant your Word in waiting hearts, and let it there take hold,
Until it bears in fruitful lives a harvest hundredfold.
REPENTANCE
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of glory, you sent Jesus among us as the light of the world, to reveal your love for all people. We confess that our sin and pride hide the brightness of your light. We turn away from the poor; we ignore cries for justice; we do not strive for peace.
In your mercy, cleanse us of our sin, and pour out the gifts of your Spirit, that forgiven and renewed, we may show forth your glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]
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.
THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED
SCRIPTURE [Pew Bible NT 35 or 38] Mark 4:1-20
Again [Jesus] began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”
When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that
‘they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”
And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
ONE: The Word of the Lord
MANY: Thanks be to God
SERMON “The Purpose of It All” Mr. Mike Isham
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.
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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY
DOXOLOGY [GTG#606]
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below.
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen
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
HYMN [GTG#714] God of the Fertile Fields
1 God of the fertile fields,
shaper of earth that yields our daily bread:
forth from your bounteous hand
come gifts your love has planned,
that all in every land be clothed and fed.
2 We would be stewards true,
holding in trust from you all that you give;
help us in love to share, teach us like you to care
for people everywhere, that all may live.
3 As grows the hidden seed
to fruit that serves our need, so your reign grows.
Let all our toil be used, no gift of yours abused,
no humble task refused your love bestows.
4 God of the countryside,
dear to the Christ who died to make us one:
we pledge our lives anew in faithful love to you.
Guide all we say and do. Your will be done.
PARTING PRAYER
Everlasting God, the radiance of faithful souls, who brought the nations to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising: Fill the world with your glory and show yourself to all nations; through him who is the true light and the bright morning star, Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
RESPONSE [*Blue#394][GTG#792] There is a Balm in Gilead
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
POSTLUDE Ever Will I Praise J.S. Bach
*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly.
Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Kelly Cuppett, Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland. Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service.
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.