December 30, St. Mark Presbyterian Church 601 Claymont Drive Ballwin, Missouri

Transcription

1 December 30, 2018 St. Mark Presbyterian Church 601 Claymont Drive Ballwin, Missouri

2 Order of Worship CENTERING PRAYER* All-knowing God, whose favor rested on Jesus of Nazareth and whose love is poured out for all of humankind, inspire us here to ask questions, to pursue understanding, and to share our faith. May we grow in wisdom, respond to your blessing, and reach out to minister to and with your children our brothers and sisters in faith. Send the peace of Christ to rule among us, uniting our hearts in thankfulness and praise. AMEN PRELUDE WELCOME and ANNOUNCEMENTS [Please sign and pass the Ritual of Friendship pad.] CALL TO WORSHIP If you are lost, here is a place of refuge. Welcome This is the House of God. If you are wandering, here is a place of belonging. Welcome This is the House of God. If you are going around in circles, come and rest. Welcome This is the House of God. Bring your stories, bring your questions, bring your searching and your discoveries and together we will meet God in the very heart of it all. You are home. Welcome. This is the House of God. Now let us worship together our God! HYMN O Come All Ye Faithful Hymnal #133 Call to Confession: (Feasting on the Word) Prayer of Confession: (Feasting on the Word) God of wonder, you surround us with signs of your glory and surprise us with your presence, yet we often miss the marvels you place before us. Forgive our dullness and make us alert to the ways you make yourself known, that we might be witnesses to your good news and proclaim your extravagant love; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. ASSURANCE OF GRACE: (Feasting on the Word) In Jesus Christ, God saved us, not because of any good works that we have done, but according to God s mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. People of God, rejoice! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. As the Lord has forgiven us, let us also forgive one another. Sharing the Peace of Christ The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Gloria Patri TIME WITH CHILDREN [Children 5 th grade and younger will leave the sanctuary.] HYMN Where Shepherds Lately Knelt Hymnal #120 *Bayler, Lavon. Gathered By Love. 2

3 SCRIPTURE READINGS 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God. SERMON Rev. Joy Myers Affirmation of Faith: (Latin American Christmas Creed by and unknown author translated by Joyce Hill) I believe in Jesus Christ and in the power of the gospel, which began in Bethlehem. I believe in the one whose spirit glorified a small village, of whose coming the shepherds saw the sign, and for whom there was no room at the inn. I believe in the one whose life changed the course of history, for whom the rulers of the earth had no power, and who was not understood by the proud. I believe in the one to whom the poor, the oppressed, the discouraged, the afflicted, the sick, the blind, the injured gave welcome, and accept as Lord and Savior. I believe in the one who with love changed the heart of the proud and with his life, showed that it is more important to serve than to be served and that the greatest joy is giving your life for others. I believe in peace, which is not the absence of war, but justice among all people and nations and love among all. I believe in reconciliation, forgiveness, and the transforming power of the gospel. I believe that Christmas is strength and power, and that this world can change, if with humility and faith, we kneel before the manger. I believe that I must be the first one to do so. Amen OFFERTORY With grateful hearts, let us offer ourselves and our gifts to God, in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen PRAYER OF DEDICATION: (Feasting on the Word) Loving God: We give you thanks for Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Receive the gifts we offer in union with Christ s gift for us. Clothe us with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, that we may be Christ for others. In his name we pray. Amen. THE DOXOLOGY 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. [Prayer requests may be given to the pastor before the service.] HYMN Go Tell It on the Mountain Hymnal #136 3

4 CHARGE AND BLESSING CONGREGATIONAL BENEDICTION REPONSE Hymnal #92 While We Are Waiting Come (v. 2) POSTLUDE Director of Music and Organist: Marsha Medley Choir Accompanist: Judy Young Saturday Musician: Mark Reynoso 4

5 ANNOUNCEMENTS Welcome to the St. Mark Presbyterian Church! We are pleased to have you join us this morning. Your presence enriches both us and this experience of worship together. It is our prayer that this will be a time of challenge and encouragement. Wherever you may be on your faith journey, there is a place for you to participate in our life together. Large Print copies of today s hymns are available on the pew beside the sound booth at the rear of our sanctuary. Listening devices are also available and may be picked up from the sound technician in the booth. FLOWERS are given by Judy in memory of her father who was born December 29,1924. He served in WWII and suffered from polio in Despite this, he raised a family of six children. GREETERS are members of Adult Education. LIGHT & SOUND ATTENDANTS are Greg Reiter and Nate Reiter. Last Week s Worship Attendance: Saturday 5 PM 13; Sunday 8:30 AM 37; 10: Total: 255. Christmas Eve 5 PM 228; 7 PM 182; 9 PM 72. Total: 482. January/February/March These Days devotional booklets are in the office hallway. Cost: $1.00 THIS WEEK at ST. MARK Sunday, December :30 AM Childcare in Room 301/02 10:00 AM Fellowship & Refreshments 10:30 AM Worship Sanctuary Tuesday, January 1, 2019 Office Closed LIFE at ST. MARK A Gentle Reminder. As the end of the year quickly approaches, we are reminded to confirm our 2018 financial commitment to St. Mark is complete. In order to have your gifts count in 2018, it is important to have all gifts postmarked on or received by Monday, December 31. Thank you for your commitment to St. Mark and its mission and ministry. There is a new way to support Children s Ministry. Do you shop on Amazon? Well if you do, try Amazon Smile. It is simple to use. When you shop on Amazon use this web address and select St. Mark Presbyterian as your charity. Then shop to your heart s content. It is that simple. We automatically get 0.5% back on all qualifying purchases. We will be using the money that we earn toward a family scholarship fund for Mound Ridge. Please wear your NAMETAG at church! Don t have one? Stop by the office. In the Name Badge mailbox, you will find a form to fill out. EDUCATION at ST. MARK The weekly Men's Bible study meets on Tuesdays in Room 102 from 7-8 AM We use NT Wright New Testament For Everyone Bible Study Guide on Romans. Prayer suggestions, useful background and cultural information, and thoughtful questions will guide us more deeply into God's Word. The class is very informal and all men are welcome. It is a great way to start your day! Come check it out. For additional information, call Glen Corlett. Come Join the Adult Discussion Class which meets at 9:00 AM in Room 305. Adult CE Class. Cliff's next class will be January 6. We will continue our study of 1 Samuel. CHILDREN at ST. MARK Children s Wednesday Night Fellowship meets from 6:30-7:30 PM in Fellowship Hall. All children 3 yrs. 5 th grade are welcome to join us for Holy Moly Bible Study, mission projects, crafts, games, snacks and more! Please encourage your child to join us and bring a friend. 5

6 Children s Wednesday Night Fellowship is collecting hygiene products for Presbyterian Children s Home: Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, etc. A barrel for donations is located just inside of the doorway to the pastor s offices. YOUTH at ST. MARK Youth Bible Study. Youth Bible Study held every Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 in the youth lounge. Grab a friend and come for snacks, games, and an exploration of scripture. Coming up In January! Escape Room January 13. Grab a friend and be ready to test your detective skills! We will leave immediately after 10:30 service for lunch and an escape room adventure! FELLOWSHIP at ST. MARK Supper Club - Baby, It's Cold Outside January 12 at 6:30 PM. The Grogan House. Parents of preschool and elementary age kids (and anyone else who wants to join) Join us Saturday, January 12 at 6:30 PM for a potluck and hot cocoa bar. Childcare will be provided from 6-10 PM. RSVP by January 5 to Shelley Lester. Go-Getters January 8 at 11:30 AM. Our gathering is coming up soon as we are scheduled for the second Tuesday of every month. We will be lunching at St. Mark, Rooms 304/305. Dick Dedham has agreed to provide musical entertainment. Please RSVP to either Jan Graves, Nancy Sutch or Sharon Tharp. REACHING INWARD & OUTWARD at ST. MARK Claymont Preschool at St. Mark Fall 2019 Registration. It s time for parents and grandparents of St. Mark preschool children to start planning for fall, St. Mark families are offered priority registration beginning December 10. Half-day classes are available for children who will be 2 years old before October 1, 2019, through prekindergarten. Classes meet 9:00 to 12:00 with extended day until 1:30 for older children most days. Currently there are 77 children attending Claymont Preschool. The Preschool enjoys a wonderful reputation for excellent, caring teachers and superb kindergarten readiness, causing some classes to fill quickly, so we hope St. Mark members will take advantage of this early registration period. Please call Lynne Dauve, (KIDS) or stop by the Preschool Office during the week for a tour. Our registration form and other Missouri State required forms are also available at DiscoverStMark.org. We have a very limited number of openings currently, so if you have a new neighbor or know of someone looking for a fabulous preschool, please recommend us to them! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! St. Mark is pleased to announce that we will be hosting the 15th annual Circle of Concern Charity Golf Tournament. The tournament is set for Monday, May 20, Registration brochures and detailed information will be forthcoming in early We are thrilled to announce that Orthopedic Specialists will be our presenting sponsor again this yearso fantastic! All proceeds from this wonderful tournament go directly to Circle of Concern Food Pantry. In order to make this event happen, we need lots of volunteers. Please consider helping in one or more of these ways: 1. Participate on the planning & organization committee- meets monthly until closer to tournament time, then weekly. Our first meeting is set for January 22, Volunteer to help on the day of the tournament- we need lots of hands 6

7 to help run the event on tournament day. 3. Help with sponsorships. We continue to look for individuals, small businesses or corporate sponsorships to help at the "Orange" premier level. This is a sizeable commitment at $3, but helps a tremendous organization and is tax deductible. If that sponsorship is not on the level you were wanting, we have additional sponsorships ranging from $1, to $ If you are interested in helping provide a sponsorship or know of someone that would, please contact me. 4. Plan to play in the tournament. The event can only be successful if we have players. Save the date and start planning your foursome now! Last year this event was able to donate over $20,000 to Circle of Concern. This year we are excited to live up to the challenge of helping even more individuals in our community and have set $25, as our goal for this tournament. Please consider helping us meet this goal! Please contact me to volunteer or to help in any of the above - mentioned ways. Debbie Brown 7