Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian

Transcription

1 Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian Discovering God s call, celebrating the Spirit s presence, Witnessing to Christ s transformative power! 3031 Monticello Blvd, Cleveland Hts OH Fax: office@fhcpresb.org Website: Dr. John C. Lentz, Jr., Pastor Rev. Clover Reuter Beal, Assoc. Pastor Rev. Tricia Dykers-Koenig, Parish Assoc. Anne Wilson, Ministry of Music Keon Abner, Dir. of Youth Ministries Dacia Prins, Dir. of Children s Ministries

2 Service of Worship October 5, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Celebration of World Communion Welcome! Thank you for joining us today for worship. This morning we celebrate the Eucharist (the sacrament of the Lord s Supper, or Holy Communion) by intinction (dipping the bread into the cup). We also provide a gluten-free alternative. After receiving the elements you may come to the railing to receive a blessing from the pastors. Prayer of Preparation God, you nourish us for the faith journey. As we gather at your table here, throughout the world your children offer praise and thanksgiving to you as bread and wine are shared. May the mystery of your presence, experienced in our worship, bind us together as one worldwide community. Amen. Welcome Prelude Choral Introit Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Voices in Bronze arr. Daniel Hermany Greeting Our God with Joy Call to Worship Elder Rosanna Sprague Leader: Welcome! The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! All: And also with you. Leader: Today we worship the living God. All: Today, we celebrate at the table of Jesus Christ. Leader: Come! All are invited to the kingdom feast. All: From the East and the West, the North and the South, we gather together to praise God s name. Leader: Let us worship God. 2

3 * Processional Hymn No. 853 We Are Marching in the Light of God Siyhamba: a popular Zulu/Xhosa freedom song Singing instructions: #853 1 Descant Choir 2 Sine Nomine Choir joins 3 All sing, alternating English and Zulu Renewing Our Relationship with God Prayer of Confession Rev. Clover Beal God of all people, you have called us to be followers of Jesus, who sat at the table with outcasts and sinners. Yet we confess that we have not listened to that call. Too often we ignore the poor, the homeless, and the outcasts of our day. We think only of ourselves and our needs and not the needs of others around your world. Forgive us, we pray. Time of Silent Confession Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy) Taiwan Affirming the Good News in Our Lives Assurance of Pardon 3

4 * Response Paul Vasile All children are invited to come to the steps during the singing Glory to God Opening Our Hearts to God s Word Family Meditation Rev. Clover Beal Scripture Lesson Galatians 3: 1-18 After the reading Leader: Hear what the Holy Spirit is telling God s people. People: Thanks be to God. Sermon Ritual of Friendship A Promise Given Rev. Dr. John C. Lentz, Jr. all are asked to sign 4

5 Offertory Uzee Brown, Jr. Dide ta Deo Jed Koops, tenor; Chris Vandall, drummer Nigerian folk song sung in Yoruba Translation: That we are back home, Good Father, we give Thee thanks. We journeyed safely; we arrived safely; we praise Thee, Jesus Christ. * Response South African song Hallelujah! We Sing Your Praises! 5

6 Eucharist Invitation Great Thanksgiving Leader: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up unto the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give our thanks and praise. Sanctus Prayers of the People El Salvador 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. Communion of the People Music during Communion John D. Becker; text by Susan Briehl For the Healing of the Nations Prayer after Communion Help us rise in your resurrection power from this table where you, the Ruler of the Universe, have served us by your own hand, that we may extend your arms of peace to a world at war. This we ask through Christ, in Christ, with Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. 6

7 Going Forth to Live as God s People * Closing Hymn No. 598 South Africa: Amen siakudumisa Amen, We Praise Your Name * Commission and Blessing * Choral Benediction * Passing of the Peace Singing instructions: #598 Sing in English and Xhosa Postlude Drum Circle All who wish to participate, please come forward *please stand if able Welcome Visitors! We look forward to greeting you and answering any questions you may have. Visitor welcome bags are available in the foyers and the narthex. Take one home with you! Be sure to visit our website, to find a complete list of upcoming events, education programs for all ages, and texts and audio of past sermons. Congregational Notes Chancel Flowers Today s flowers are given by LeAnn West, Laura, Kevin, Jacob and Adam Stauffer, and Matt West in memory of Roy West, husband, father and grandfather; by Patricia Ludwig in loving memory of her husband Cliff and other loved ones; and by Ron and Marcia Grant in loving memory of their parents, Hazel and Art Grant and Louise and Bob Boylan. 7

8 Prayer Concerns this Week Prayers are requested this week for the following: Kay Currie, Elaine Dannefer, Flora Dannemiller, Joanne Dawson, John Dugard, Jean Duncan, Mary Lewis, Connie Sekerak, Margaret Sentell, Debbie Ungemach. Please remember these homebound members in your prayers: Dick Bloomquist, Bill Currie, Pat Drake, Marge Drollinger, Betty Farnfield, Iris Gilbert, Ron and Florence Klein, Emelia McGuire, Joyce Peters, Elaine Tapié. We invite you to write prayer requests on a slip of paper from the envelope rack and pass it to an usher during the singing of the middle hymn, to be included in the prayers later in the service. Lists of ongoing prayer concerns are in each month s TOWER. This Month s Ushers Joe Andrews, Nick Baumgartner, Charles Ishler, Jane Ishler, Kate Monaghan, Daryl Musick, Victoria Sampson. Roger Heineman, Head Usher Nursery care for babies and young children is available on the second floor of the Monticello Wing. Attendance last week (including Pathways children): 218 8

9 Announcements TODAY Today Is Hunger Sunday Any cash or checks in envelopes marked Hunger will be used 100% for support of hunger programs. Each month we send the money to the Hts Emergency Food Cupboard (Disciples Church, Cleveland Hts.), the New Covenant Lutheran Church Hunger Center (East Cleveland), and the Presbyterian Hunger Program in Haiti. The Screwtape Letters Come join this evening s discussion of The Screwtape Letters, even if you just found a copy and you are not a speed-reader. 5 pm coffee and dessert will be served. Shifting Gears in the Second Half of Life October 5 - November 2 Sundays, 12:30 pm, Bodwell Hall This is a five-week course for those facing retirement and for those whose parents are facing issues of aging. How does a person navigate the passage to retirement and beyond with confidence and optimism? Topics will include everything from housing options and important legal documents to wellness, spirituality, and reinventing yourself in your older years. The class will meet after church, from 12:30 2:00 pm, starting TODAY in Bodwell Hall. Contact Chris Henry (cehenry@ameritech.net or ) or Consuelo Heineman (rogedoge@aol.com or ) for more information. This week: Wellness and Spirituality Next week: Where Shall We Call Home? Senior Living Options 9

10 THIS WEEK Bible and Bagels Bible and Bagels meets Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 am in the Jin Room. All are welcome! The lesson this week is from 2 Corinthians 9 and Psalm 106. NEXT SUNDAY Adult Education, 9:30 in South Hall All Kerygma groups will meet together next Sunday. AWE: Alternative Worship Experience Next Sunday we will welcome the Forest City String Band who will lead us in bluegrass worship music. Lay Reader Orientation and Training Interested in being a lay reader but not sure what to do? Come to the sanctuary after worship next Sunday, October 12, to attend a brief orientation on Being an FHC Lay Reader. We will cover everything from how to sign up to how to pronounce Merodachbaladan. Drop by the sanctuary between 12:15 12:45 and we ll answer your questions and introduce you to the mic. Questions? Contact Derek Duncan (duncan5oh@yahoo.com or ). ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS The Kingdom Party Saturday, October 11, 7-10 pm Come to the Kingdom Party celebrating Pastor John Lentz s 20th anniversary as senior pastor of Forest Hill Church. There will be dancing (with LaDon Headen as DJ), storytelling, refreshments and much more. Plan your best Kingdom outfit and wear dancing shoes! 10

11 Exploring Membership Class Nov. 1 (9-12) and Nov. 2 (9-10:30) Interested in FHC membership? Curious about what makes FHC tick? Been attending for a while but think you might like to make more of a commitment? Mark your calendars for the next Exploring Membership class (dates above). RSVP to the church office. Care Group The Bethlehem Care Group is responsible for meeting members needs during October. Please call the church office to report an illness, hospitalization, family emergency, birth or death. Information will then be passed on to the Care Group leaders. Members of this month s Care Group are: Kemp Jaycox, Deacon leader Jon Adams & Pam Conover Dick Bloomquist Carole Boyd Clarence & Elsie Boyd Chris & Rhonda Chapman Kay & Bill Currie Peter & Kathryn Eloff Sharon Hansen Shannon & LaDon Headen & family Kemp Jaycox & Cindy Fink & family Joan Kandare Morag & Tom Keefe Karen & Clyde Loughridge Ted Mueller Bethany & Joe Pinzone Ron Register Jean Reinhold Baldwin Sawyer Mollie & Dick Secor Dorothy Turick Carolyn Vrtunski Mark & Julie Waring & family Beth & Tom Zych & family Many thanks to the Jordan Care Group for their work in September. 11

12 Social Groups and Circles Hilltoppers (retired) The Hilltoppers will meet at The Tavern Company for lunch after church on October 12. Then they re off to the Suburban Symphony pops concert (beginning at 3:30 pm) held at University School s Shaker campus. RSVP to Carol Scott (caroleight@yahoo.com or ). Iris Circle (all women of the church) Iris Circle will meet on Tuesday, October 21 at 10:30 am at Ten Thousand Villages, Cedar Rd in Cleveland Hts. After shopping we will walk just a few blocks to Nighttown (12387 Cedar) for lunch. Reservations are required; please contact Nancy Burcham by October 7 ( or Burcham@roadrunner.com). Youth News Every Sunday Mid and Sr High classes meet from 9:30 10:30 am. Youth Fellowship meets at 5 pm. Today Sine Nomine Choir will rehearse in the chapel immediately after worship. FHC Staff s and Phone Extensions Program Staff Rev. Dr. John Lentz Jr. / pastorlentz@fhcpresb.org ext. 200 Rev. Clover Beal / pastorbeal@fhcpresb.org ext 201 Dacia Prins / dacia@fhcpresb.org ext. 206 Anne Wilson / annew@fhcpresb.org ext. 208 Keon Abner / keon.abner@fhcpresb.org ext

13 Office Staff Becky Austin / beckya@fhcpresb.org ext 203 Lynda Bernays / office@fhcpresb.org ext 202 Stavros Gazis / office@fhcpresb.org ext 202 On the cover: World Communion art by Donna Godwin, posted and made available for sharing on September 19, 2012 at 13

14 Calendar: October 5-12, 2014 Sunday, October 5 World Communion Peace and Global Witness Offering 8:45 Nominating Committee mtg 9:00 Child care begins 9:30 Adult education Descant Choir 10:15 Descant Choir activity 10:30 Continental Breakfast Chancel Choir 11:00 WORSHIP: Communion Children in Worship Pathways children will attend worship with their families 12:15 Coffee Hour Adult Ed: Shifting Gears in the Second Half of Life Sine Nomine Choir 5:00 Youth Fellowship Book discussion: The Screwtape Letters Monday, October 6 6:00 pm Progress not Perfection (AA) 7:00 pm Al Anon Stewardship mtg 7:30 pm AA: Borton Group Boy Scout Troop #403 Church Growth Comm. mtg Tuesday, October 7 12:00 pm Abundance Pantry food distribution 5:00 pm Fitness Fusion exercise class 7:00 pm Integration in the Heights Democracy in Action : Susie Kaeser and Mark Souther 14 Wednesday, October 8 7:30 am Bible and Bagels 12:30 pm Wednesday Women s AA 7:00 pm Ministry meetings Thursday, October 9 1:00 pm Abundance Pantry food distribution 5:00 pm Fitness Fusion exercise class 6:20 pm Voices in Bronze 7:30 pm Chancel Choir FH Swim Club mtg Friday, October 10 9:30 am Al Anon Saturday, October 11 7:00 pm Kingdom Party Gala Celebration for John Lentz Sunday, October 12 9:00 Child care begins 9:30 Adult education Youth education Descant Choir 10:15 Descant Choir activity 10:30 Continental Breakfast Chancel Choir Cherub Choir 11:00 WORSHIP: AWE Forest City Bluegrass Band Children in Worship Pathways to the Promise Land 12:15 Coffee Hour Lay Reader orientation and training Adult Ed: Shifting Gears in the Second Half of Life 12:30 Hilltoppers: Lunch and Suburban Symphony concert 5:00 Youth Fellowship

15 The Peace and Global Witness Offering Fifty years ago, students in the American South boycotted their classrooms and demanded higher educational standards. Young people named it the Freedom Summer Project. It was the largest campaign to register voters in 1964, an election year and it was the most significant demonstration of African Americans political strength in the Civil Rights Movement. As part of that movement, college students from across the country volunteered to teach in 41 Freedom Schools alternative middle and high schools that taught the art of resistance and the strategies of protest. The Freedom Schools raised questions about the very nature of American democracy in particular, how to provide a quality education to all citizens. The Children's Defense Fund now recognizes that education for many African Americans has persistently remained behind, and in response, has developed a new set of Freedom Schools. The East Cleveland Neighborhood Center operates the only local Freedom School. It is an AMAZING program that provides summer and after-school enrichment that helps children fall in love with reading and increases their selfesteem. Last year, as part of budget cuts initiated by United Way, the East Cleveland Neighborhood Center lost a major source of support for its Freedom School and year-round after-school programming. We have designated that the East Cleveland Neighborhood Center receive 25% of today's Peace & Global Witness Offering to support educational enrichment programs. Mark Chupp 15

16 The Lessons Galatians 3: 1-18 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing? if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you. For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for The one who is righteous will live by faith. But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, Whoever does the works of the law will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, And to offsprings, as of many; but it says, And to your offspring, that is, to one person, who is Christ. My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. Next Sunday: Exodus 32: 1-14; Psalm 106: 1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4: 1-9; Matthew 22: