Welcome to Worship at First Presbyterian Church Neenah, Wisconsin We re delighted that you re here! With the open arms of Christ, we welcome persons of every age, ability, race, or ethnicity fully into the life of the church, recognizing and respecting all sexual orientations and gender identities. Large print bulletins (with hymns included) are available. Please ask an usher. Hearing Assistance: First Presbyterian has a hearing loop for hearing aid users equipped with T-coils. Brochures explaining this feature are available in the pews. There are also head phones available in the Narthex, (aka the entryway) if you don t have hearing aids. Childcare (infants and toddlers through 2 years old) is available in the nursery located across from the Library. We welcome infants and small children in worship, but if your child needs care or becomes uncomfortable during the service, feel free to leave and return as you wish. The audio portion of the second service can be heard in the Chapel, where you and your child are also welcome. Worship bags with activities, and Bibles for children are available near the entrances of the Chapel and the Sanctuary. Wee Worship: At the option of their parents, children ages three years through first grade are invited to gather in the Wee Worship room next to the Library immediately following the Time for Children at the second service (a teacher will lead them there). Wee Worship provides an environment for young children to learn, experience, and participate in worship in a developmentally appropriate way. When we celebrate a Baptism or Communion, children will be brought back to the Sanctuary right after the sermon so that they can participate. If their parents prefer, children may be taken to the Nursery instead of returning to Worship. Online Connections: You can learn more about us at www.firstpresneenah.org, and Like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/firstpresneenah, for updates on church activities. We welcome Guest Preacher Laura Hartman to our pulpit this morning. Today s Ministers of Welcome: Greeters: Deacon Tom Houston and Elder Anne Bennett. Ushers: Alice and Larry Lewis (8:00 a.m.). Christine Keller and Dave Struensee (10:15 a.m.) Coffee hostess: Jeanne Powley. 1
April 22, 2018 Service for the Lord s Day Fourth Sunday of Easter As the prelude begins, please prepare quietly for worship and be sure all cell phones are turned off. 8:00 a.m. & 10:15 a.m. Prelude Trumpet Tune in D Major Jerry Westenkuehler * Call to Worship Praise be to Jesus Christ, the first born of all creation, through whom all things were made, in heaven and on earth. Praise be to the Spirit of God, whose presence sustains us, and whose breath renews all creation. Behold! I am making all things new! Come, O God, and make your home among us. Pour out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. * Hymn 14 For the Beauty of the Earth DIX * Prayer of Confession (Earth Day Prayer of Confession by the Rev. Ken Carter, pastor of Providence United Methodist Church, Charlotte, NC) O God, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen: You place us in your creation, and you command us to care for it. Where we have degraded or destroyed earth s bounty, forgive us. Where we have taken beauty and majesty for granted, have mercy upon us. Where we have become estranged from the creatures with whom we share this planet, grant us your peace. Renew us in the waters of baptism, refresh us with the winds of your spirit, and sustain us with the bread of life. In the name of Jesus Christ, and for the sake of the new creation, we pray. (Moment for silent prayers of confession) * Response Hymn 243 Be Not Afraid BE NOT AFRAID 2
* The Assurance of Pardon * Response Hymn 246, (Stanza 1) Christ Is Alive! TRURO * The Peace The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. And also with you. (Please share the Peace with your neighbor saying: The peace of Christ be with you, and the neighbor responding, And also with you. ) Welcome and Invitation to Our Church Life (Please sign and pass the Fellowship Pads, noting other names as they are returned, and greet one another after the service.) A Time for Children (10:15) (Following a Time for Children, children ages 3 years old first grade may depart for Wee Worship, and those 2 nd grade and up may depart for Y Worship.) Prayer for Illumination Scripture Readings Acts 4:5-12 Pew Bible (NT) p. 121 Psalm 23 (read in unison) Pew Bible (OT) p. 501 1 John 3:16-24 Pew Bible (NT) p. 240 John 10:11-18 Pew Bible (NT) p. 103 Response: You are the fount of life, O God: You give us light, and we see. Sermon Laying Down Our Lives Laura Hartman 3
* Hymn 36 For the Fruit of All Creation AR HYDY NOS * Affirmation of Faith A Brief Statement of Faith (Sections 1&2) p. 37 Welcoming New Members (10:15) David Schuhart, Tom and Amy Van Doorn, Maggie Wentzel Introductions Prayer of Welcome Faithful God, in baptism you claimed us, and by your Spirit you are at work in our lives empowering us to live a life worthy of our calling. We thank you for leading these new sisters and brothers to join in the ministry of this congregation. Open our hearts to the gifts that they have to offer that, together, we may all grow in faith, hope, and love, and be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. Prayers of the People and the Lord s Prayer (Following the words, God, in your mercy, the response is Hear our prayers. ) 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. Sharing of Our Gifts and Offerings Offertory Arioso (8:00) J. S. Bach Blake Doss, organ My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (10:15) Chancel Choir arr. Mack Wilberg Anthem Notes: Today s anthem is both a re-texting of our psalm for the day, Psalm 23, and a direct comment on Jesus proclamation in the Gospel that he is the True Shepherd. This alternate text, My shepherd will supply my need instead of The Lord is my Shepherd, comes from Isaac Watts, the same 17 th century Englishman who penned Amazing Grace. Mack Wilberg, the arranger, served as director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and wrote this for their choir, who have an amazing ability to sing with the quietest tone imaginable a skill he exploits at the end of the anthem in particular. We are pleased to present this with harp, as Wilberg originally scored it, with thanks to our own tenor, Christian Messier, for his work. 4
* Response Hymn 609 Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow LASST UNS ERFREUEN * Prayer of Thanksgiving Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Holy God, we thank you for the earth and your priceless creation. Help us to be good stewards of it. We offer these our gifts and the commitment of our hearts to be respectful of your priceless creation. * Hymn 15 All Creatures of Our God and King LASST UNS ERFREUEN * Charge and Benediction * Response Hymn 564 Amen AMEN (Schubert) 5
Postlude Allegro Maestoso (from Organ Sonata II) Felix Mendelssohn * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *Those who are able are invited to stand. Please join us after worship for coffee and conversation in the Church Parlor. We welcome Laura Hartman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of the Environmental Studies Program at UW-Oshkosh. Laura began teaching at UWO in the Fall of 2015. Her specialty is the intersection of religions and the environment, with a special emphasis on environmental ethics. 6
Our refugee family, the Muhammad s, are in need of a basic washer and dryer. Used is okay. Please contact Siv Lindgren (lindgren-galloway@new.rr.com or 850-5582) for more information. The next Parents Night Out will be on Friday, May 11 th, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP with the number of children attending and their ages to Gina Struensee (text to 915-8636 or gstruensee@firstpresneenah.org) by Wednesday, May 9tth. The next Adult Mission Trip is scheduled to depart for Kentucky on Sat., Oct. 6 th and return on Sat., Oct. 13 th. Contact Paul Huxtable (phuxtable@firstpresneenah.org or 725-4391) to participate. Home Meal Ministry is looking for donations of smaller sized (one to two people), cooked then frozen meals that will be provided to our homebound members. Contact the church office (725-4391) for pick up and drop off details. Dear First Presbyterian Church, Please accept my deepest thanks. Thank you for being a worshipping community that has always made me feel welcome, respected, loved, cared for, and trusted. Words fail to convey how much First Presbyterian has given me and changed me. I will be stepping down from the Music Director position at the end of May. I am not doing so because of any concerns at First Presbyterian, where I am very happy. When my family moved here in 2010, we began worshipping at the UU fellowship in Appleton, but I left my family on Sundays starting in 2011 to work in music ministry again. While I was grateful for the opportunity to serve a worshipping community again through music, I have long felt my absence in my family s spiritual life for these past seven years. When the music director at the UU fellowship announced that he would be leaving, I was presented with the opportunity to serve as music director for the worshipping community that included my family. They have offered me the job, and I have accepted, starting June 1. I will help in any way I can to assure a smooth transition for your next music director. I love this place, and I thank you for the opportunity to serve you for these past five years. I look forward to these last few weeks together to share beautiful music with each other, with our congregation, and with God. I hope you will join me on May 27 to share our favorite hymns! Peace, Steve Sieck 7
8
THIS WEEK Sunday, April 22 Earth Day Guest Preacher: Laura Hartman, Ph.D. E2F Pan Drop-off 8:00 a.m. Worship in the Chapel 8:30 a.m. Joyful Noise Handbells 9:00 a.m. Adult Christian Education Climate Justice, Led by Laura Hartman, Asst Prof, Environ. Studies, UWO FaithTime! (PreK-Senior High) Heifer Int l Mission Project FaithTime begins with MY (Musical Youth) Worship. Children and Youth are led to FaithTime following MY Worship. 9:15 a.m. Chancel Choir 10:15 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary New Members Introduced Following the Time for Children Wee Worship (Pre-K to 2 nd Grade) Y Worship (2 nd Grade and up) 11:00 a.m. HotDogfest 11:30 a.m. Deacons Meeting Bible Study 2:00 p.m. Boy Scouts 5:00 p.m. JOY Fellowship Monday, April 23 1:30 p.m. Textbook Bible Study Tuesday, April 24 1:00 p.m. Presbyterian Women Group Wednesday, April 25 9:30 a.m. Book Study 6:00 p.m. Confirmation Class Bergstrom Cmt Praise Ringers 7:15 p.m. Chancel Choir Thursday, April 26 5:00 p.m. Yoga 5:30 p.m. Worship Cmt Friday, April 27 6:30 a.m. Men s Fellowship 5:00 & Badger State Girl Choir 7:00 p.m. Performances Saturday, April 28 9:30 a.m. PW Spring Gathering (Sheboygan) Sunday, April 29 8:00 a.m. Worship in the Chapel 8:30 a.m. Joyful Noise Handbells 9:00 a.m. Adult Christian Education Part 1: The Five Generations and Generational Differences Led by Larry Lewis Part 2 continues on May 6 th FaithTime! (PreK-Senior High) Heifer Int l Mission Project FaithTime begins with MY (Musical Youth) Worship. Children and Youth are led to FaithTime following MY Worship. 9:15 a.m. Chancel Choir 10:15 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary Following the Time for Children Wee Worship (Pre-K to 2 nd Grade) 3:45 p.m. SPY Fellowship 5:00 p.m. JOY Fellowship Thursday, May 3 rd is National Day of Prayer 9
Got Gratitude? Need More? Developing a consistent gratitude practice grows your faith by increasing your awareness of all that God has provided and strengthening your connections with others. We invite you to participate in a pilot book study of Gratitude Works! by Robert Emmons. Gratitude Works! is a 21-day program designed to develop emotional prosperity. You will learn new gratitude practices that will help you develop a more consistent gratitude habit. There will be daily gratitude prompts and quotes along with gatherings to share our progress and the positive impact of gratitude in our lives. The 21-day program begins on Sunday, May 6 th after the 10:15 a.m. service. Books are available on the information desk for a suggested donation of $10 or you can purchase through Amazon Kindle for $5.99. Please sign up at the information desk or contact the church office (725-4391) if you wish to participate in the pilot book study. 10
11