Presbyterian Church For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte

Transcription

1 First Presbyterian Church For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte Founded in 1821 Order of Worship Second Sunday after Epiphany January 20, and 11 a.m. This is God s house and all are welcome! As you gather for worship, please take a moment to greet one another in the name of Christ. Preparation Prelude Be Not Far from Me, O Lord Johann Gottfried Walther Words of Welcome The Reverend Katherine Kerr Chiming of the Trinity Adoration *Call to Worship (from Psalm 8) The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is God s steadfast love toward those who fear him. Praise the Lord. Alleluia! Amen! *Hymn No. 35 Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty lobe den herren

2 Large-print hymnals and Bibles are available. Please let an usher know if you would like one. We believe that God put the wiggle in children, and all are welcome in worship regardless of their ability to sit still. If you d like to step out of the sanctuary with your child, please feel free to visit the chapel (to the right of the sanctuary), where the service is streaming. The sympathy of the congregation is expressed to Kelli Hankins on the death of her father, Tom Quattlebaum. Call to Confession Prayer of Confession Confession God of boundless mercy, when we are honest, we can admit that our eyes are trained to see what serves our best interest, what we do not have, and what we would rather have. And we confess that our eyes are trained to avoid the plight of our neighbors, the reality of inequality, the paradox of our plenty. Stretch our vision. Give us eyes to see the wonder of your creation and the abundance of your grace. We ask it in faith. In silent prayer, let us confess to God the things we choose not to speak aloud. Assurance of Pardon Friends, believe the good news. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. *Response (Hymn No. 581) gloria patri 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. Prayer for Illumination Proclamation First Church is a worship education experience for children in kindergarten through second grade. During First Church, children participate in and lead a simplified worship service that follows the same order as our service in the sanctuary. Scripture Isaiah 62:1-5 pew Bible pg. 692 This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Anthem Set Me as a Seal René Clausen Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, set me as a seal upon you heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death. Time with Children Children in kindergarten through 2nd grade may leave for First Church. They will return to the sanctuary during the last hymn. Younger children may go to the nursery. Scripture John 2:1-11 pew Bible pg. 93 Sermon In Search of a Miracle The Reverend Pen Peery The 11 a.m. service is televised over WSOC-TV, Channel 9 this morning and streamed live at *Hymn No. 459 O Word of God Incarnate munich

3 *Affirmation of Faith Response The Reverend Dr. Rebecca Davis (From a Brief Statement of Faith) 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. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God s new heaven and new earth, praying, Come, Lord Jesus! Prayers of the People Stewardship of Life Presentation of Tithes and Offerings Offertory Anthem He Comes to Us as One Unknown arr. John Ferguson He comes to us as one unknown, a breath unseen, unheard; as though within a heart of stone, or shriveled seed in darkness sown, a pulse of being stirred. He comes when souls in silence lie and thoughts of day depart; half-seen upon the inward eye, a falling star across the sky of night within the heart. He comes to us in sound of seas, the ocean s fume and foam; yet small and still upon the breeze, a wind that stirs the tops of trees, a voice to call us home. He comes in love as once he came by flesh and blood and birth; to bear within our mortal frame a life, a death, a saving Name, for every child of earth. He comes in truth when faith is grown; believed, obeyed, adored: the Christ in all the Scriptures shown, as yet unseen, but not unknown, our Savior and our Lord. *Doxology (Hymn No. 606) old hundredth Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Prayer of Dedication 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. Ordination and Installation of Elders and Deacons (11 a.m.) Statement of Purpose Constitutional Questions Prayer of Ordination and Laying on of Hands Sending Forth *Hymn No. 81 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken austrian hymn *Charge and Benediction *Benediction Response Amen John Rutter Postlude Holy God, We Praise Thy Name Matthew Corl To be installed as Deacon: Kenneth Archie Barb Frith Rebecca Gilstrap Linda Henley Cory High John Horne Abigail James John Johnson Kent Main Roy Michaux Dan Ogburn Sonya Snowdon Martha Thorpe Ginger Voss Catherine Warfield To be installed as Elder: Mark Caldwell Pender McElroy Barb Neidinger Margaret Rainey Carson Rogers All ordained Elders and Deacons are invited to participate in the laying on of hands. A time of personal prayer is offered following both services. If you would like to pray with a pastor or a member of our prayer team, please meet them in the sanctuary overflow area after the 9 a.m. service or in the chapel following the 11 a.m. service. * Please stand if you are able.

4 We are glad you are with us today! We welcome all to First Presbyterian Church as we worship together, knowing that each of us is a beloved part of the body of Christ. Our Pastors Pendleton B. Peery Senior Pastor ppeery@firstpres-charlotte.org Katherine C. Kerr Senior Associate Pastor for Congregational Ministry and Care kkerr@firstpres-charlotte.org Rebecca L. Davis rdavis@firstpres-charlotte.org Mary Margaret Porter mporter@firstpres-charlotte.org Charles C. Williamson cwilliamson@firstpres-charlotte.org William P. Young, III Director of Music Ministries wyoung@firstpres-charlotte.org Are you interested in joining our church? Contact Lucy Caldwell Membership Coordinator lcaldwell@firstpres-charlotte.org Pastor on call If you have a pastoral emergency outside of regular church hours, dial for the on-call voic . Your call will be returned promptly. 200 West Trade Street Charlotte, NC Coming up at FPC... We Worship Global Mission Sunday January 27 9 and 11 a.m. Worship 10 a.m. Formation Join us on Sunday, January 27, as we hear about our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. Our mission partner Actionnel Fleurisma of OFCB ministries in Bayonnais, Haiti, is preaching at 9 and 11 a.m., and Bill Nathan, Home Director at St. Joseph Home for Boys in Port Au Prince, will speak at a brunch at 10 a.m. Please RSVP in Wood Fellowship Hall today or by visiting the Tickets & Signups page on the website. We Learn The Apocryphal Gospels Sundays in January & February 10 a.m., S203 The Reverend Mary Margaret Porter will lead this class on the Apocrypha, a large body of writings about the Bible and Jesus that cannot be found in the books in our pews or on our bookshelves. In this five-week series, learn why some books appear in the Bible and others do not, who decided what to include and what to leave out, how we know about these other writings and what we should think of them. Upcoming Classes: January 20 The Infancy Gospels February 3 The Ministry Gospels February 10 The Passion Gospels (led by the Rev. Dr. Rebecca Davis) February 17 The Post-Resurrection Discourse Gospels Congregational Breakfast hosted by Youth Ministry Sunday, February 24 9:30 a.m. Join FPC Youth for an intergenerational Congregational Breakfast to support the Youth Mission Fund. Purchase tickets online by visiting the Tickets & Signups page on the website, or in person on February 3, 10, and 17 in Wood Fellowship Hall. Also, be sure to check out our Giving Wall, another way to support our Youth Mission Fund, in the Historical Lobby starting January 27. We Serve Loaves and Fishes Needs Help Tuesdays and the third Saturday of each month Our Loaves and Fishes pantry has two big needs. Volunteers are needed on the third Saturday of every month for the next six months. We also need strong people to lift heavy boxes during Tuesday deliveries. Contact Ministry Team Coordinator Mary Scott Peterson (mpeterson@firstpres-charlotte.org) with questions. We Care Talk It Over: Women s Health Discussion Thursday, January 31 7 p.m Get some of your questions about women s health issues answered at this informal gathering with other women from First Presbyterian Church. There will be light snacks and beverages, as well as time for fellowship and a Q&A period with physician and member Dr. Anne Barnard Schmit. RSVP by Friday, January 25, to Parish Nurse Kristin Foster, RN, (kfoster@firstpres-charlotte.org) to receive directions to the home of our hostess, Michelle Frenzel. Valentine Party Tuesday, February 12 6:30 p.m., Sharon Towers Mark your calendars for this annual event with homemade cookies for church members and other residents of Sharon Towers. This year s event will be in Hunter Hall. If you can help with homemade cookies, please deliver them to the church by noon on that day or to the lobby of Sharon Towers by 5 p.m.

5 *Hymn No. 35 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. *Hymn No O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky: we praise you for the radiance that from the hallowed page, a lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age. O Word of God Incarnate 2 The church from you, dear Savior, received this gift divine; and still that light is lifted on all the earth to shine. It is the chart and compass that, all life s voyage through, amid the rocks and quicksands still guides, O Christ, to you. 3 O make your church, dear Savior, a lamp of purest gold to bear before the nations your true light, as of old; O teach your wandering pilgrims by this our path to trace, till, clouds and storms thus ended, we see you face to face. *Hymn No Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God. God, whose word cannot be broken, formed thee for a blest abode. On the rock of ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose? With salvation s walls surrounded, thou may st smile at all thy foes. Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken 2 Round each habitation hovering, see the cloud and fire appear for a glory and a covering, showing that the Lord in near. Thus deriving from their banner light by night and shade by day, safe they feed upon the manna which God gives them when they pray. 3 See, the streams of living waters, springing from eternal love, well supply thy sons and daughters and all fear of want remove. Who can faint while such a river ever flows, their thirst to_assuage? Grace, so like the Lord the giver, never fails from age to age.