John Calvin Presbyterian Church

“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)

4 So shall our song of triumph ever be:

Praise to the Crucified for victory. (Refrain)

WORDS OF WELCOME   

MINUTE FOR MISSION                                                                    Playschool 

ADORATION 

CALL TO WORSHIP                 Isa. 56:1

ONE: Maintain justice, and do what is right.

MANY: God our Savior is coming soon.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of covenant, you have liberated us to be in relationship with you. You have told us how we can better reflect your love and grace to others, and yet we so often live for ourselves only. We are poor image bearers, and yet you continue to seek relationship with us. Help us to be a priesthood of believers, connecting humanity with your loving-kindness. Amen.

HYMN  [music in pew]                      “Your Endless Love, Your Mighty Acts”

1. Your endless love, your mighty acts Surpass what words can tell; 

Lord, may the joys your people know be mine to share as well 

2. Our Rebel Forebears rarely grasped your mercy or your might; 

We need your mercy just like them: we, too, do wrong not right. ”

3. Before a golden calf they bowed an idol in your place! 

Until, by Moses faithful prayer, you drew them back to grace. 

4. But when they spurned the promised land, you made your anger plain: 

They wandered long on desert paths, and served the Baals again. 

5. Yet those whom once you sold in wrath, in mercy you restored; 

May we, like them, be gathered in to thank and praise you, Lord. 

             

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

 CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty and merciful God, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.

O Lord, have mercy upon us. Forgive those who confess their faults.

Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to the world in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful God, for his sake, that we may live a holy, just, and humble life to the glory of your holy name.

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

SCRIPTURE LESSON                                        Exodus 19:3-7, 20:1-17

Then Moses went up to God; the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my 

covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’

So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.

Then God spoke all these words:

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON                    “A Priestly Kindom”                 The Rev. Aaron Ochart 

RESPONSE     

ANNOUNCEMENTS

*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 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. 

PLEDGE CAMPAIGN TESTIMONIAL                                Bill Bottomley

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERING   “If Ye Love Me” by Thomas Tallis

If ye love Me, keep My commandments 

and I will pray the Father 

and He shall give you another Comforter 

That He may abide with you forever 

e’en the Spirit of truth.

*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. 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 [Blue Hymnal #280]  “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 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    

May the strength of God pilot us. May the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us. May the hand of God protect us. May the way of God direct us. May the shield of God defend us. May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. May Christ be with us, Christ before us, Christ in us, Christ over us. May your salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and forevermore. Amen

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION [music in pew]

Our God is an awesome God who reigns from heaven above 

with wisdom, power, and love; our God is an awesome God! 

POSTLUDE Toccata in e minor – Pachelbel

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Asst. 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.  

STAFF