9:00 am Blended Worship Service - January 10, 2016

Transcription

1 Prelude: Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor - F. Chopin Welcome - Peter Semeyn, Lead Pastor How Firm a Foundation How firm a foundation you saints of the Lord Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word What more can he say than to you he has said To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled When through the deep waters I call you to go The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow For I will be with you in trouble to bless And sanctify to you your deepest distress The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to its foes That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake I ll never, no never, no never forsake Trust and Obey When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word What a glory he sheds on our way While we do his good will he abides with us still And with all who will trust and obey Trust and obey, for there s no other way To be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey But we never can prove the delights of his love Until all on the altar we lay For the favor he shows and the joy he bestows Are for those who will trust and obey Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at his feet Or we ll walk by his side in the way What he says he will do, where he sends we will go Never fear, only trust and obey 9:00 am Blended Worship Service - January 10, 2016

2 Heidelberg Catechism Q&A #21 Leader: What is true faith? All: True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture. Leader: It is also a wholehearted trust which the Holy Spirit creates in me by the gospel, All: God has freely granted these gifts not only to others but to me also: forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and salvation. Leader: These are gifts of sheer grace, All: Granted solely by Christ's merit. Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading Gracious Spirit, heed our pleading; fashion us all anew It s your leading that we re needing; help us to follow you Come, come, come, Holy Spirit, come Come to teach us come to nourish those who believe in Christ Bless the faithful may they flourish, strengthened by grace unpriced Guide our thinking and our speaking done in your holy name Motivate all in their seeking, freeing from guilt and shame I Need Thee Every Hour I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord No tender voice like thine can peace afford I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee I need thee every hour, teach me thy will And thy rich promises in me fulfill I need thee every hour, most Holy One O make me thine indeed, thou Blessed Son Greetings - Lisa Capozzoli, Director of Care & Community

3 Prayer Speak, O Lord Speak, O Lord, as we come to you To receive the food of your holy Word Take your truth, plant it deep in us Shape and fashion us in your likeness That the light of Christ might be seen today In our acts of love and our deeds of faith Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us All your purposes for your glory Teach us, Lord, full obedience Holy reverence, true humility Test our thoughts and our attitudes In the radiance of your purity Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority Words of power that can never fail Let their truth prevail over unbelief Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds Help us grasp the heights of your plans for us Truths unchanged from the dawn of time That will echo down through eternity And by grace we ll stand on your promises And by faith we ll walk as you walk with us Speak, O Lord, till your church is built And the earth is filled with your glory Message: Law of Nature - Gregg DeMey, Director of Worship Luke 6:31, Exodus 20:13-17 Prayer of Response Offertory: Nocturne in D Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 - F. Chopin The offering is for the Elmhurst Ministries Fund Just a Closer Walk With Thee I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus keep me from all wrong I ll be satisfied as long, as I walk, let me walk close to thee Just a closer walk with thee; grant it Jesus if you please Daily walking close to thee, let it be, dear lord, let it be Through this world of toils and snares, if I falter Lord, who cares Who with me my burden shares? None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee When my feeble life is over, time for me will be no more Guide me gently, safely over, to thy kingdom shore, to thy shore

4 Sending & Blessing Postlude Choir Director-Marve Wolterstorff, Organist-Judy Doot, Pianist-Gregg DeMey, Guest Pianist-Natalie Sherer (Credo) Prelude: Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-sharp minor - F. Chopin Welcome - Peter Semeyn, Lead Pastor You Are My Strength You are my strength, strength like no other Strength like no other reaches to me You are my hope, hope like no other Hope like no other reaches to me 10:30 am Contemporary Worship Service - January 10, 2016 In the fullness of your grace; In the power of your Name You lift me up, you lift me up Unfailing love, stronger than mountains Deeper than oceans reaches to me Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens Your faithfulness reaches to the sky (2X) We Have Come to Worship We have come to worship, we have come to praise We have come to give glory to your name We have come to bow down, we have come to seek your face We have come to exalt your holy name The name of Jesus; Name above all names The name of Jesus; The name by which we re saved Holy is your name Love the Lord Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength (2X) With all your heart; With all your soul With all your mind; With all your strength Love the Lord your God with all your heart,

5 with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength I will serve the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength (2X) With all my heart; With all my soul With all my mind; With all my strength I will serve the Lord with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength I will love you, I will praise you I will serve you, I will trust you Heidelberg Catechism Q&A #21 Leader: What is true faith? All: True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture. Leader: It is also a wholehearted trust which the Holy Spirit creates in me by the gospel, All: God has freely granted these gifts not only to others but to me also: forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and salvation. Leader: These are gifts of sheer grace, All: Granted solely by Christ's merit. This I Believe Our Father everlasting, the all creating One God Almighty, through your Holy Spirit Conceiving Christ the Son, Jesus our Saviour I believe in God our Father, I believe in Christ the Son I believe in the Holy Spirit, our God is three in One I believe in the resurrection, that we will rise again For I believe in the Name of Jesus Our judge and our defender, suffered and crucified Forgiveness is in you Descended into darkness, you rose in glorious life Forever seated high

6 I believe in you; I believe you rose again I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord I believe in life eternal, I believe in the virgin birth I believe in the saints' communion and in your holy Church I believe in the resurrection, when Jesus comes again For I believe in the Name of Jesus Greetings - Lisa Capozzoli, Director of Care & Community Prayer Message: Law of Nature - Gregg DeMey, Director of Worship Luke 6:31, Exodus 20:13-17 Prayer of Response Offertory: Nocturne in D Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 - F. Chopin The offering is for the Elmhurst Ministries Fund Just a Closer Walk With Thee I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus keep me from all wrong I ll be satisfied as long, as I walk, let me walk close to thee Just a closer walk with thee; grant it Jesus if you please Daily walking close to thee, let it be, dear lord, let it be Through this world of toils and snares, if I falter Lord, who cares Who with me my burden shares? None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee When my feeble life is over, time for me will be no more Guide me gently, safely over, to thy kingdom shore, to thy shore Sending & Blessing Postlude Worship Team - Doug Bardolph, Justin Bardolph, Janice Crothers, Kyle Olson, Glenn Vanderveld, Guest Pianist - Natalie Sherer (Credo) TODAY AT ELMHURST CRC Today we begin our study of the book Mere Christianity. We all have a sense of right and wrong deep within our bones. Call it a conscience, call it morality, call it the Law of Nature as CS Lewis does. There is no escape from this sense that injustices need to be rectified and justice pursued. However, there is one big problem: We humans know what we ought to do, but often we are unable or unwilling to do what is right. What are we to do with this reality?

7 NEXT WEEK AT ELMHURST CRC At some point in their childhood, most kids will ask a parent, Where did I come from? As adults, we are compelled to ask similar questions when we look at the universe around us, Where did it all come from? What does it mean? The Christian answer has always been that there is a Creator whose purposes and preferences are woven into the fabric of life itself. How can we be sure? You can read chapters 3-5 of "Mere Christianity" and the book of Romans chapter 7-8 to prepare for this worship service. OUR CHURCH FAMILY We extend our sympathy to Kyle and Patty Buikema and family as they mourn the loss of Kyle s brother, Kevin, on December 25. The Missions Team is thankful for our missionaries that preached the Gospel in villages, towns, and cities around the world during the Christmas season. The Missions Team supports three different missionaries that minister in very sensitive areas who have requested that we not use their name or location for their personal safety. We ask that you pray for God s continued blessings on their important ministries. Please save the date of February 7 for Missions Sunday to learn more about the work of the missionaries that are supported by our church. ANNOUNCEMENTS We are pleased to report that our preliminary total of giving to the Elmhurst Ministry Fund for 2015 was $3,287,586! This total represents the giving of many families who participated in the 1% challenge and some who went above and beyond that challenge. We are grateful for God s provision and for your support. You can find more information in the ECRC News. Our January book study this year is Mere Christianity By C.S. Lewis. We will read selections sections of the first few chapters. Discussion groups will meet on a Sunday morning during the services, so that you can join in the discussion and attend the service. The plan is for the sermon that goes with the material to be preached the week prior to groups meeting so that people can listen to the sermon, read the appropriate chapters, then come the following week to discuss. Sunday Morning Discussion Group Schedule: January 9am or 10:30am to discuss sermon from January 10th and chapters 1-2 (Book 1), January 9am or 10:30am to discuss sermon from January 17th and chapters 3-5 (Book 1), January 9am or 10:30am to discuss sermon from January 24th and chapters 1-3 (Book 2), February 9am or 10:30am to discuss sermon from January 31st and chapters 4-5 (Book 2). We hope you will join us. Mere Christianity will be on sale in the lobby area for $10 on January 3rd and 10th. Single Mothers Support Group (SHE) will begin the new year today with a word of encouragement as they hear the stories of men and a woman who have been raised by single mothers. Lunch will be enjoyed at 12:15 pm for attendees and their children, with child care provided at 1:15 pm. Think Spring! Online registration is now open for the Little Lambs preschool program for Spring Spring semester begins January 12, 13 & 14 for children ages 3-6. It's a great first preschool experience, bring a friend! More info at elmhurstcrc.org/littlelambs. Please join us for GROW starting January 12 at 7pm in the Upper Gathering Room for a wonderful time of worship led by Worship Leader Elissa Metropoulos and Pastor Lauren Visser. Lisa Capozzoli, ECRC s Director of Care and Community, will speak on The Beatitudes: What Does It Mean to Live a Blessed Life, from Matthew Chapter 5:1-12. We will complete our evening with small group discussion. Bring a friend! Refreshments will be served! Coffee Break Community Bible Study spring session begins January 13 and 14. If you have not attended previously, this is a great time to jump in. Mornings, afternoon and an evening session are available. Join us for a reflection 1 John - Jesus as light of the world, and our hope for eternity. To register or for more information visit elmhurstcrc.org/coffeebreak.

8 Next Sunday (and the third Sunday of every month) you are welcome to bring donations of non-perishable food items, paper goods, and hygiene products in support of the food pantry at the Yorkfield Presbyterian Church. A list of requested items is available on the display counter in the church lobby. Please drop off items to the area by the information center. The food pantry also accepts coupons, so if you re not going to use the coupon inserts from your Sunday paper then you can donate them. Thank you! Please join us for our next New Member Class: Journey to the Center of the Church on 1/26, 2/2, and 2/16 from 6:30-8:30pm in the Garden Room. If you want to learn more about your faith, the Christian Reformed Church, and/or become a member of ECRC,please join us! Call to reserve your spot! PrimeTime kicks off 2016 with Game Night on January 28 at 7 pm in the Garden Room. If last year was any indication, this promises to be an evening of intense competition and a lot of fun. All people age 55+ are invited! We ll start the evening with Bunko and then move on (only if you wish) to other games of your choice. We hope to see you there! Sign up at the table in the lobby and we can plan for you. Refreshments will be served. As you have heard from Rev on many occasions, The two most important catalysts for spiritual growth are scripture reading and serving. With this in mind we want to encourage you to make a commitment to reading the scriptures this coming year. To assist with this we are offering a Bible Reading Plan called The Essential 100 (E100). This plan is an exciting systematic approach to reading the Bible. The E100 will guide you through the big picture of the Bible with carefully selected list of passages - 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament. For more information visit elmhurstcrc.org/100days. If you have recently moved, changed your phone number, and/or changed your address please send your updated information to secretary@elmhurstcrc.org. COMMUNITY Faith CRC of Elmhurst (1070 S. Prospect Ave.) invites you to join interested community members for the award-winning January Series of Calvin College. Fifteen free simulcasts on current national and international topics of interest will be presented each weekday through January 26. See for more detail Resolutions have become virtually synonymous with the new year and new beginnings. 44% of Americans made New Year s resolutions for Did you? Perhaps we can help in keeping that resolution all year long. RESOLUTION #1: Read the Bible daily in 2016 Take the E100 Bible Reading Challenge at elmhurstcrc.org/100days. The E100 is to read 100 carefully selected, essential, short Bible passages 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament. The passages are usually one to two chapters in length and can easily be read in 10 minutes or less. Access the E100 Bible Reading Plan and/or keep track using one of these handy tools via mobile app or PDF download. RESOLUTION #2: Join a Small Group in 2016 Because life really is better connected. Small Groups of all different life experiences and levels are forming now. Take that first step today, sign up and express your interest in joining or learning more about Small Groups at ECRC. Learn more or sign up at elmhurstcrc.org. RESOLUTION #3: Get Financial Whether you re looking to manage your finances, eliminate debt, teach your children more about stewardship, or learn more about Biblical finance, we have resources to assist you from Crown Financial Ministries, Dave Ramsey, and other Christian financial experts. Access Library 15 (details below).

9 RESOLUTION #4: Be a More Effective Parent Being a parent is a 24/7 commitment. Authors and speakers Gary Smalley, Rob Rienow, Andy Stanley and many others share their guidance in materials addressing Visionary Parenting, Raising Faithful Kids, Guarding Your Children s Heart, Grace-Based Parenting, Loving Your Teen, and much, much more. Access Library 6 (details below). RESOLUTION #5: Share Jesus Sharing our faith can be easy at times, and not so easy at other times. If evangelism and the culture around us are giving you pause, refresh your skills, commitment and mission with resources such as Go Fish, Why Jesus, and Sharing Life. Your life won t be the same. Access Library 16 (details below). How do I get access these libraries? Right Now Media is a huge video library of faith-based media materials that you can access whenever and wherever you want on your phone, Ipad, computer, or at home on your TV. RightNow Media has something for everyone kids, youth, college students, parents, married couples, single adults, working professionals all aimed at helping you grow. Visit to login and use these free and valuable resources as you fulfill your New Year s resolutions and we grow together. Viewing is unlimited and can be done on any mobile device. Sunday, :00 am Blended Worship 9:00 am Men s Fraternity 9:00 am Children s Worship, 3 yrs- 5th 10:00 am Coffee & Community 10:30 am Contemporary Worship 10:30 am Children s Worship, 3 yrs- 5th 11:30 am Coffee & Community 12:30 pm SHE Ministry 5:30 pm Student Ministries Monday, Tuesday, :00 am Men s Fraternity 9:00 am Little Lambs 12:30 pm Coffee Break Leaders Mtg. 7:00 pm GROW Wednesday, :00 am Little Lambs 9:00 am Coffee Break Bible Study 12:30 pm Little Lambs 12:30 pm Coffee Break Bible Study 6:00 pm Prayer Time 6:15 pm GEMS 6:15 pm Little Lambs 7:00 pm Evening Coffee Break 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal WEEK AT A GLANCE Wednesday, (continued) 7:00 pm Section Leader Meeting 7:00 pm Men s Fraternity 7:30 pm ESO Rehearsal 7:30 pm College Men s Group Thursday, :00 am Men s Fraternity 9:00 am Men s Bible Study 4:45 pm Spotlight Youth Theater 7:00 pm Deaconess Meeting Friday, :30 pm ESO Rehearsal Saturday, :30 am Prayer Group Sunday, :00 am Blended Worship 9:00 am Men s Fraternity 9:00 am Children s Worship, 3 yrs- 5th 9:00 am Food Pantry Collection 10:00 am Coffee & Community 10:30 am Contemporary Worship 10:30 am Children s Worship, 3 yrs- 5th 11:30 am Coffee & Community 5:30 pm Student Ministries (The Edge only) 6:00 pm Small Groups

10 WELCOME We re glad you re here. NEW? We would love to meet you. Please fill out a welcome card and place it in the offering basket. Join us for coffee in the lobby after the service. Stop by the Information Center and let us know you re new. SUNDAY SERVICES 9:00 am Blended Worship Service 10:30 am Contemporary Worship Service CHILDREN Nursery is available for children 0 to 36 months old. Children s Worship (10:00) meets for children 3 years old through 5th grade in the lower level RESOURCES Assisted listening devices are available from an usher or sound booth at the rear of sanctuary Large print bulletins are available in the Worship Center inside the doors PRAYER PARTNERS Prayer partners are available after each service to pray with in the west rear of the Worship Center GROW AND SERVE ADULT MINISTRIES: Find opportunities to grow and serve in Small Groups, Coffee Break Community Bible Study, Men s Fraternity, MOPS, GROW, SHE, Prime Time (55+) and more. STUDENT MINISTRIES Grow together, enjoy relationships, be encouraged and empowered with our student ministry programs; Maximum Velocity (6-8th grade) and The EDGE (9th-12 grade) CHILDREN S MINISTRIES We love children, and want to help raise up children that love God and serve him. From Nursery (0-3 years old), Little Lambs (3-6 years old), Pathfinders and Cadets (1st-8th grade boys), to GEMS (1st-8th grade girls), and much more. More growing and serving opportunities online at elmhurstcrc.org Pastors: Rev. Peter Semeyn - Lead Pastor, Dir. of Outreach peter.semeyn@elmhurstcrc.org Rev. Gregg DeMey - Associate Pastor, Dir. of Worship gregg.demey@elmhurstcrc.org Complete announcements are at elmhurstcrc.org/this Week or scan the QR code below.