First Presbyterian Church For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte Founded in 1821 Order of Worship December 31, 2017 11 a.m. You are invited to use the time before the service to prepare your heart and mind for worship. In consideration of others, please silence your cell phones. Preparation Prelude Rhosymedre Ralph Vaughan Williams Words of Welcome Call to Worship Adoration One: Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God. All: We shall love the Lord with all our heart. One: Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God. All: We shall love the Lord with all our soul. The Reverend Pen Peery Natalie Raygor *Hymn No. 63 The Lord Is God azmon
Large-print hymnals and Bibles are available. Please let an usher know if you would like one. Call to Confession Prayer of Confession Confession Natalie Raygor All: Holy God, you sent your only son to the world. We celebrate his birth, but then we ignore his teachings. Instead of inviting Jesus into our lives all the time, we invite him into our lives at Christmas. Instead of maintaining that relationship throughout the year, we send Jesus packing about this time of year. We don t want to live for Jesus; we just want Jesus to have lived and died for us. Forgive us for running from you. Thank you for not giving up on us, for loving us when we return to you, and for loving us when we don t. One: In silent prayer, let us confess to God the things we choose not to speak aloud. Assurance of Pardon One: Friends, believe the good news. All: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. A time of silence will be kept. Ellie is the daughter of James and Erin Stoll. *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. Sacrament of Baptism Hymn No. 188 Sacrament of Baptism Eleanor Celeste Stoll jesus loves me Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. *Apostles Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. Children in kindergarten and above are encouraged to remain in worship. Younger children may go to the nursery. Prayer for Illumination Proclamation Selina Malherbe The 11 a.m. service is televised over WSOC-TV, Channel 9, this morning and streamed live at www.firstpres-charlotte.org. Scripture Deuteronomy 6:4-9 pew Bible pg. 163 One: This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.
Anthem Bless the Lord, O My Soul Ippollitof-Ivanof Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Blessed art Thou, O Lord. Bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. He is full of compassion and mercy, long suffering and great in goodness. He will not always be chiding nor keepeth His wrath forever. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. O blessed art Thou, O Lord. Scripture Matthew 5:17-20 pew Bible pg. 24 Sermon Jesus in the Box Tommy Holderness *Hymn No. 465 What a Friend We Have in Jesus converse Prayers of the People Stewardship of Life Seminary Support Presentation of Tithes and Offering Response Gail Henderson-Belsito We are grateful to Jim Twyne for playing the organ and to Kelly Potts for directing the choir today. The sympathy of the congregation is expressed to Harlan Carroll and Nancy Brock on the death of Harlan s son, Russell Carroll, and to Deborah Pender and her family on the death of her father, Walter Jeffrey (Jeff) Daniel. Offertory Anthem If Ye Love Me arr. Philip Wilby If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, e en the spirit of truth. And ye know him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. *Doxology 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. Sending Forth *Hymn No. 826 Lift High the Cross crucifer *Charge and Benediction Benediction Response Postlude From Heaven Above to Earth He Came Johann Sebastian Bach A time of personal prayer is offered following both services. If you would like to pray with a pastor and a member of our prayer team, please meet them in the chapel following the service. * Please stand if you are able.
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 Katelyn Gordon Cooke Associate Pastor for Christian Formation kcooke@firstpres-charlotte.org Erika Funk Associate Pastor for Mission efunk@firstpres-charlotte.org Katherine C. Kerr Senior Associate Pastor for Congregational Ministry and Care kkerr@firstpres-charlotte.org Charles C. Williamson Parish Associate 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 704.927.0256 for the on-call voicemail. Your call will be returned promptly. 200 West Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202 www.firstpres-charlotte.org 704.332.5123 News and Announcements The Gathering Place on Sunday Mornings is Moving! Beginning Sunday, January 7, the coffee and fellowship space will move to the Wood Fellowship Hall. Stop by for a cup of coffee, learn more about different ministries, and visit with others on your way to and from worship or Formation classes. worship We worship in ways that speak of God s majesty, mystery and love. Next week we return to our regular Sunday morning schedule with worship at 9 and 11 a.m. and formation classes at 10 a.m. learn Through study at every age and stage, we aim to become more Christlike and deepen our relationship with our Lord. Save the Date: Youth Fundraiser Sunday, February 25, 2018 Mark your calendars now for the Congregational Breakfast to support the Youth Ministry mission fund. Tickets go on sale in January. Willard Lecture 2018 One of the most influential Bible interpreters of the 21st century and author of more than 100 books, the Reverend Dr. Walter Brueggemann will present the 2018 Willard Lecture at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at 5 p.m. Advance ticket sales to the congregation begin January 1, 2018, with sales to the public beginning January 8. care We aim to provide support, prayer, love and acts of compassion as we seek to draw closer to one another in community. Motherless Moms Support Group On Tuesday, January 9, join other women who are grieving the loss of their mothers as they are raising children. Noon in Frances Browne Dining Room. For more information, please contact The Reverend Katherine Kerr, kkerr@firstpres-charlotte. org. serve We go into the world to seek and serve and walk alongside our family in faith. Room in the Inn The 2017-18 season for Room in the Inn is underway. FPC opens its doors to our neighbors in need on Monday and Tuesday nights to offer hospitality, warm beds, and food. Sign up online on the Now@FPC page. Upcoming Trip to Haiti On February 1-6, a team from FPC will visit our brothers and sisters in Bayonnais, Haiti. While we are there we serve in the school and at the medical clinic. Come see what our church is doing through God s grace in Haiti. Contact Amy Hockett (hocketta@ gmail.com) for more information. Global Mission Sunday On January 28, The Reverend Dr. Carlos Ham-Stanard, president of the Matanzas Evangelical Seminary in Cuba will be our guest preacher. Join us for brunch at 10 a.m. in Wood Fellowship Hall to learn more about our developing partnership in Cuba. Still Time to Pledge, Make End-of-Year Contributions The last week of the year is a good time to carry out decisions about your pledge to the 2018 Stewardship Campaign or to make end-of-year contributions. Both pledges and contributions can be made online at the bottom right of any page on the website. In order for your contributions to be deductible on your 2017 taxes, they must be postmarked December 31, 2017, or completed online before midnight on December 31.
*Hymn No. 63 1 The Lord is God, the Lord alone! Give honor, thanks, and praise to God, the maker of all things and giver of our days. 2 With all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and might, O people, love the Lord your God, the source of truth and light. The Lord Is God 3 At night or day, at home, away, together and apart, O children, take these holy words and keep them in your heart. 4 The Lord is God, the Lord alone! Give honor, thanks, and praise to God, the maker of all things and giver of our days. *Hymn No. 465 What a Friend We Have in Jesus 1 What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer! 2 Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; 3 Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there. *Hymn No. 826 Lift High the Cross Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore his sacred name. 1 Come, Christians, follow where our Savior trod, the Lamb victorious, Christ, the Son of God. (Refrain) 3 O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, your death has brought us life eternally. (Refrain) 4 So shall our song of triumph ever be: praise to the Crucified for victory. (Refrain) 2 All newborn servants of the Crucified bear on their brow the seal of Christ who died. (Refrain)