John Calvin Presbyterian Church

1. Here in this place, the new light is streaming; 

now is the darkness vanished away; 

see in this space our fears and our dreamings

brought here to you in the light of this day.

Gather us in the lost and forsaken, gather us in the blind and the lame;

call to us now, and we shall awaken; we shall arise at the sound of our name.

2. We are the young, our lives are a mystery. 

We are the old who yearn for your face. 

We have been sung throughout all of history, 

called to be light to the whole human race. 

Gather us in, the rich and the haughty; gather us in the proud and the strong;

give us a heart, so meek and so lowly; give us the courage to enter the song.

3. Here we will take the wine and the water; 

here we will take the bread of new birth.

Here you shall call your sons and your daughters,

call us anew to be salt for the earth.

Give us to drink the wine of compassion; 

give us to eat the bread that is you;

nourish us well, and teach us to fashion 

lives that are holy and hearts that are true,

4. Not in the dark of buildings confining, not in some heaven, light years away:

here in this place the new light is shining;

now is the kingdom, and now is the day.

Gather us in and hold us forever; gather us in and make us your own;

gather us in, all peoples together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone.  

 CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, you fully love us, but we have not fully loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, hatred, warfare, and greed. 

God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you come to us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our redeemer. 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                                                        Psalm 27

The Lord is my light and my salvation;

   whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

   of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me

   to devour my flesh—

my adversaries and foes—

   they shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

   my heart shall not fear;

though war rise up against me,

   yet I will be confident.

One thing I asked of the Lord,

   that will I seek after:

to live in the house of the Lord

   all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord,

   and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter

   in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

   he will set me high on a rock.

Now my head is lifted up

   above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

   sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,

   be gracious to me and answer me!

‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’

   Your face, Lord, do I seek.

   Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger,

   you who have been my help.

Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,

   O God of my salvation!

If my father and mother forsake me,

   the Lord will take me up.

Teach me your way, O Lord,

   and lead me on a level path

   because of my enemies.

Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,

   for false witnesses have risen against me,

   and they are breathing out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord

   in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

   be strong, and let your heart take courage;

   wait for the Lord!

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN           

ANTHEM                       Hymn of Promise                            Natalie Sleeth    

In the bulb there is a flower; In the seed, an apple tree;

In cocoons, a hidden promise: Butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter, There’s a spring that waits to be, 

Unrevealed until its season, Something God alone can see.

There’s a song in every silence, seeking work and melody;

There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,

Unrevealed until its season, Something God alone can see. 

In our end is our beginning; In our time, infinity.

In our doubt, There is believing; In our life, eternity. 

In our death, a resurrection; At the last, a victory,

Unrevealed until its season, Something God alone can see

Unrevealed until its season, Something yet unknown, which God alone can see.

SECOND LESSON                                                                  John 9:1-41    

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON               “I Once Was Blind”               The Rev. Aaron Ochart

 RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                                    Confession of Belhar

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 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…

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.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY    Be Thou My Vision Carrolton Forrester

*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

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM James Ferguson 

ONE: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the hope of your calling,

MANY: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all…

ONE: The Lord be with you.

MANY: And also with you.

ONE: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

MANY: It is right to give our thanks and praise. 

*HYMN #280                   “Amazing Grace”               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.

 

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         The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Our loving Father, from Thy hand have come all the days of the past. To Thee we look for whatever good the future holds. We are not satisfied with the world as we have found it. It is too little the kingdom of God as yet. Grant us the privilege of [being] a part in its regeneration. We are looking for a new earth in which dwells righteousness. It is our prayer that we may be children of light, the kind of people for whose coming and ministry the world is waiting.—Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE  “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee”             HYMN TO JOY

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flowers before thee, Opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the gloom of doubt away;

Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!

POSTLUDE              

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