SESSION Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Nancy Pienta Steve Hohneker Rick Jacker Chuck Shattenkirk Sarah Sayers Moderator: Rev. Kathi L. Jones Clerk of Session: Melissa Barton DEACONS Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Rosalie Hemingway Betsy Gorman Judy Bury Hertha Matuszek Laurae Hoffmann Cheryl Fitzgibbons Church Treasurer: Sandra Hohneker Assistant Treasuerer: Vieve Gay Financial Secretary: Bill Ring First Presbyterian Church Valatie, NY First Presbyterian Church 3212 Church Street P.O. Box 267, Valatie, NY 12184 Church Phone 518-758-9658 Pastor s Phone 518-755-2557 www.firstpresbyterianvalatie.weebly.com Church s Email ifirstpresbyter1@nycap.rr.com Pastor Rev. Kathi L. Jones Pastor s Email revkathiljones@yahoo.com Organist Ardelle Stewart Secretary Naomi Handley Sexton Nick Becker Where friends are made, Faith is nurtured, Service begins and All are Welcome!
January 14, 2018 11:00am. WELCOME SERVICE FOR THE LORD S DAY * * * * * Gathering in the Name of the Lord (In silence and meditation prepare yourself for worship) THIS WEEK S CALENDAR TODAY 9:30am. Sunday School Adult Education 11:00am. Worship 12:15pm. Coffee Hour Deacons Meeting MONDAY 12noon Food Pantry Open LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION MISSION STATEMENT We are a small congregation, part of God s larger family, teaching and living God s Word, and sharing God s love throughout the community. PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsively) Grace and peace to you from God and Christ! Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving and praise! For God in Christ has redeemed us and freed us from bondage to sin and death, And calls us to live in responsiveness and responsibility to the wonderful gift of freedom we have received. *HYMN 69 CALL TO CONFESSION I, The Lord of Sea and Sky TUESDAY 7:00pm. Finance and Stewardship Boy Scouts WEDNESDAY 6:00pm. Food Pantry Open 7:00pm. Session THURSDAY 2:00pm. Warm Up America! Looking Ahead NEXT SUNDAY January 21, 2018 9:30am. Sunday School Adult Education 11:00am. Worship Birthdays and Anniversaries This Week 1/12 Aaron Behrens 1/13 Cheryl Paglialonga 1/14 Mary and Charles Heermance
Minute for Mission: Race Relations Sunday; Speak Antiracism If your mother is white and your father is African-American, what race are you? a. White b. African-American c. Before 1989, African-American d. 1989 or later, white Would it surprise you to learn that the answer is both c and d? For those who live in the United States, the race of a child as listed on a birth certificate has been based on a changing set of rules. If both parents were white, the child was white. Before 1989, if only one parent was white, the child was assigned the race of the nonwhite parent. Since 1989, the race of the infant has been determined by the mother s race. If a person can be identified as African-American for several years and then later be identified as white, it is clear that race, as understood in the United States, is a social construct rather than an objective, scientifically or biologically consistent characteristic of a person or group of persons. There is only one race, the human race. Evidence from the Human Genome Project indicates that the genetic code for all human beings is 99.9 percent identical. There are more differences within groups (all races) than across groups. Race Relations Sunday is a reminder for those of us in the church to recommit ourselves to end racism. When Peter preached his Race Relations Day sermon, he said, I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God (Acts 10:34 35). The translation in the Good News Bible is my favorite. It reads, Those who fear God and do what is right are acceptable to God, no matter what race they belong to. God shows no partiality. It doesn t matter how you look. The color of your skin does not correlate with your value. Implicit bias is revealed when we make snap judgments about the characteristics of a person based on factors as arbitrary as skin color, hair texture, other physical features, abilities, age, sexual orientation or gender, believing that this makes some people more valuable or less valuable and placing some in a privileged category and others in a disadvantaged category. These snap judgments are quick and unconscious associations toward a group. What is challenging for many is that these biases may be in direct conflict with their explicit beliefs and values. A person may believe that s/he thinks one way, but react in a contrary way. The best way to interrupt implicit bias is, first, to become aware of it, to admit that these biases exist. Next, we can train ourselves to counter bias by changing our reactions and actions and joining intercultural coalitions of people who are working to think and behave differently. We were anointed at our baptisms, and a new humanity, a new people, a new race was created, where all are one in Christ Jesus. So today we reaffirm our baptisms, joining the intercultural community, of every race and people, created equally in God s image, and anointed to God s service. Rhashell Hunter, Director of Racial Ethnic & Women s Ministries, Presbyterian Mission Agency PRAYER OF CONFESSION O God, you call and call our names. There are times that we, like Moses, make excuses and ask not to serve you. There are times that we, like Jonah, say we will serve but then turn and go the other way. There are times that we, like Samuel, hear your voice but lack the knowledge to follow your call. Help us recognize your voice in our lives. Give us the eagerness of Samuel to jump up, even in the middle of the night, to respond to your call. Forgive us when we ignore you or make excuses. Work in us a willing spirit. SILENT PRAYER OF PERSONAL CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF PARDON RESPONSE 836 (v. 3) Proclaiming the Word Abide with Me PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION O God of revelation, who called the boy Samuel from his slumber to your service, direct your divine voice toward us as well; that hearing we may also recognize its source, be moved by its power, and respond with total dedication and commitment to your will. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. OLD TESTAMENT LESSON I Samuel 3:1-20 (O.T. pg.244) GOSPEL LESSON John 1:43-51 (N.T. pg.91) NOT FOR CHILDREN ONLY HYMN 450 SERMON Be Thou My Vision The Power to Silence God
Responding to the Word ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS There are varieties of gifts, but it is the same Spirit who gives them. There are different ways of serving God, but it is the same Lord who is served. God works through each person in a unique way, but it is God s purpose that is accomplished. To each is given a gift of the Spirit to be used for the common good. Together we are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS LAYING ON OF HANDS DECLARATION OF ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE THE LORD S PRAYER OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS *RESPONSE 697 (v. 4) (sins, sin) Take My Life *PRAYER OF DEDICATION Lord of all things and all people, you bestow your generous gifts upon us. All about us we see evidence of our riches in comfort, in goods, and in money. Help us to be generous with those riches, even as Samuel was willing to give what he had SOUPER BOWL OF CARING SUNDAY 2018 Sunday, February 4 A simple prayer: "Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup to eat" is inspiring a youth-led movement to help hungry and hurting people around the world. This prayer, delivered by Brad Smith, then a seminary intern serving at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, gave birth to an idea. Why not use Super Bowl weekend, a time when people come together for football and fun, to also unify the nation for a higher good: collecting dollars and canned food for the needy? Youth could collect donations at their schools and churches in soup pots, and then send every dollar DIRECTLY to a local charity of THEIR choice. The senior high youth of Spring Valley Presbyterian liked the idea so much they decided to invite other area churches to join the team. Twenty-two Columbia churches participated that first year, reporting their results so a total could be determined, and then sending all $5,700 they had raised to area non-profits. That was 1990. Since then, ordinary young people have generated an extraordinary more than $100 million for soup kitchens, food banks and other charities in communities across the country. In addition, hundreds of thousands of youth have experienced for themselves the joy and satisfaction of giving and serving, inspiring people of all ages to follow their generous example. Our young people will be collecting for the Souper Bowl of Caring on Sunday, February 4. Please be generous!
The January issues of The Upper Room and Our Daily Bread are available on the table. The Christian Nurture committee provides them for the congregation to use in personal devotions and invites you to take one to use or share with a neighbor. The 2018 Offering envelopes are available on the table. If you would like a set of envelopes, but there is not one there with your name, please speak with Hertha or Bill Ring and they will get some to you as soon as possible. Received too many calendars for 2018? Have magazines you have read but just don t want to throw away? Bring them to church. Rosalie Hemingway takes the calendars to Barnwell and the magazines to Columbia Memorial Hospital. A great way to recycle and help out others at the same time. There is a box on the literature table to leave your donations. others. Through our generosity, may we grow in wisdom and stature more in accord with your will. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. *HYMN 722 *CHARGE AND BENEDICTION *PASSING THE PEACE The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Go in peace. Amen. * * * * * * * - Indicates that all who are able, may stand. Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak (Responsively) Lay reader this morning is Laurae Hoffmann. The Annual meeting of the congregation and corporation of the First Presbyterian Church, Valatie, NY, is called for Sunday January 28, 2018, following worship and lunch, for the purpose of: reviewing reports for the year 2017, electing the 2018 Nominating Committee members-atlarge, approving the 2018 terms of call for the pastor, and conducting any other business that may properly come before the body. By Order of the Session We will have worship, as usual in the Fellowship Hall. After worship, the room will be set up for lunch and the congregational meeting. Lunch will be served by the Deacons. Dorothy Johnson is greeting at the door today. Gale Bury is Head Usher for the month of January. Today we are ordaining and installing officers. As Deacons: Class of 2020 Betsy Gorman Class of 2021 Judy Bury and Cheryl Fitzgibbons As Elders: Class of 2021 Rick Jacker and Sarah Sayers
ANNOUNCEMENTS OUR CHURCH FAMILY Jake Coons Lucy Haemmerlein Mary and Charles Heermance Ricky Jacker Geraldine and Bruce McCrum EXTENDED FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE WORLD Kay Behrens Beverly Goodell a friend of Marge Caren Stewart Those who have lost loved ones California residents Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Syria, The West Bank NURSERY CARE DURING WORSHIP is provided for infants and children through the second grade. Parents are asked to take their child (ren) to the nursery during the hymn just before the sermon. The nursery is found through the door to the right of the pulpit, down the hall on the right. Children who are in the third grade and older should remain with their families during the worship service. THE ECUMENICAL FOOD PANTRY continues to meet a growing need in the Ichabod Crane School district. They are grateful for all donations of non-perishable foods (that have a future expiration date) and are asking particularly at this time for strawberry jam, brownie mix and cereal. If you have any questions about the Food Pantry or how you might get involved, speak with Dorothy Johnson or Carol Matthews, our representatives on the Food Pantry Committee. Have you considered giving flowers for a Sunday worship service? A signup sheet is on the table for you to give the information necessary for the bulletin and a form to fill out and put in the Secretary s box. You may bring any flowers you want from the garden or store arranged. We all appreciate the beauty of creation! A gift of 2018 calendars has been delivered from the Bonds Funeral Home. There are plenty of copies located on the table in the Fellowship Hall. Please feel free to pick up a couple and share them with family and friends. A great way to get information about our church into the hands of others! We also have our 2-year planners available for a $1 donation.