May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness. (Psalm 72:3) January 3, 2016 Rev. Anne Stewart Miller, Interim Pastor Mr. Kenneth Friese, Director of Music Mrs. Diane Starost, Director of Youth Choir
ENTER SILENTLY. WAIT PRAYERFULLY. WORSHIP REVERENTLY AND EXPECTANTLY. Let all the earth keep silent before him. O R D E R O F W O R S H I P January 3, 2016 Epiphany GATHERING Prelude Improvisation Ken Friese Welcome and Announcements Introit Be Filled With The Spirit L. Lenel Call to Worship Minister: Minister: Minister: Prayer of the Day The Lord be with you. And also with you. Arise, shine;; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Nations shall come to your light, and rulers to the brightness of your rising. Based on Isaiah 60: 1, 3 *Hymn No. 68 What Star Is This, with Beams So Bright PUER NOBIS NASCITUR Call to Confession Prayer of Confession God of glory, you sent Jesus among us as the light of the world to reveal your love for all people. We confess that our sin and pride hide the brightness of your light. We turn away from the poor;; we ignore cries for justice;; we do not strive for peace. In your mercy, cleanse us of our sin, and baptize once again with your Spirit, that forgiven and renewed, we may show forth your glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ. Assurance of Pardon Minister: The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives us all our sins, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us in eternal life. Amen. *Response of Thanksgiving No. 63, Verse 1 As with gladness men of old, Did the guiding star behold;; As with joy they hailed it light, Leading onward, beaming bright;; So most gracious Lord, may we, Evermore be led to Thee. DIX
*The Peace Minister: Children s Moments Since God has forgiven us in Christ, we also ought to forgive one another. The Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And also with you. Brian Behrens and Danielle WORD Prayer of Illumination First Lesson Isaiah 60: 1-6 O.T. p.690/p.844 Leader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Anthem Praise To The Lord A. Whitehead Sanctuary Choir Second Lesson Leader: Leader: Leader: Leader: Leader: Leader: Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14 (Responsively) Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king s son;; that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice;; that the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the little hills bring righteousness. He shall defend the needy among the people and shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor. He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that water the earth. In his time shall the righteous flourish;; there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, and the rulers of Arabia and Saba offer gifts. All kings shall bow down before him, and all the nations do him service. For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, and the oppressed who has no helper. He shall have pity on the lowly and poor and shall preserve the lives of the needy. He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Third Lesson Matthew 2: 1-12 N.T. p.2/p.2 Leader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Sermon Drawn to the Light Rev. Anne Stewart Miller *Hymn No. 513 Let Us Break Bread Together LET US BREAK BREAD *Affirmation of Faith Nicene Creed (Ecumenical) We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father;; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;; he ascended into heaven and is seated on the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Pastoral Prayers EUCHARIST Offertory Prayer Receiving our Tithes and Offerings Offertory Draw Us In The Spirits Tether H. W. Fridell Sanctuary Choir *Doxology No. 592 *Prayer of Dedication and Choral Response Invitation to the Lord s Table Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Minister: The Lord be with you. And also with you. Minister: Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
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. The Words of Institution The Communion of the People Please take your bread, then your cup and hold it so the congregation may commune together Prayer after Communion SENDING *Hymn No. 66 We Three Kings of Orient Are THREE KINGS OF ORIENT *Benediction *Choral Response Organ Postlude Fanfare A. Wills *Please stand, as you are able. Anne Gunthner is the worship leader this morning. The flowers this morning are given to the glory of God.
Worship Notes for Sunday, January 3rd This morning, Old First will celebrate Epiphany (the official date is January 6). Epiphany is from the Greek word, epiphaneia, which means, manifestation. It is a feast that originated in the early Eastern church, (what is now the Middle East) where from the 3 rd century on, it has been celebrated in honor of the Baptism of Christ up to the present day. By the next century, there s ample evidence that the festival (or feast a chance to devour delicious food) then ranked with Easter and Pentecost as one of the three principal festivals of early Christianity. By the 4 th century, the feast was introduced and became standard practice in the Western Church mostly Europe--though by the next century it became the Sunday associated with the manifestation of Christ with the Gentiles in the person of the Magi, the first Gentiles to worship Christ. (think light, star). They are called, in the Greek, magoi, or sages, court priests (perhaps from Parthia) who practiced astrology and magic. The idea that the magi were kings first appears in the Christian tradition in the writings of Tertullian, 3 rd century (c. 160-225) African Church Father and theologian, who calls them almost kings. Matthew s gospel says nothing of their number. Alexandrian biblical scholar and theologian Origin (c. 185-254) is the first to make it three, probably on account of their three gifts, and this has become the general tradition. Their names, Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, are first mentioned in the 6 th century and by the Middle Ages were venerated as saints. Their relics, discovered in Constantinople in the 5 th century, are now enshrined in Cologne Germany s Cathedral. In the 20 th century, the Roman church made the following Sunday a separate feast of the Baptism of the Lord. And over the past few decades, the Presbyterian Church (U.SA.) along with many other mainline Protestant churches, has adopted it in its practice and liturgy the Feast of the Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord, the Sunday after Epiphany. Wikipedia & ASM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please note: There will be a celebration of Katie's ministry at OFC on Sunday, Jan. 10 after worship.
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1) Old First Presbyterian Church 125 Main St., Huntington, NY. 11743 Phone 631-427-2101 Fax 631-427-2116 www.oldfirstchurchhuntington.org I/We would like further information about: Prayer Requests Membership Christian Education and Youth Programs Music Programs Community Outreach and Support Please have the Pastor contact me Name: Address: Phone: E-mail: Please submit all information and announcements for the Sunday Bulletin by Wednesday of each week at the latest. Either e-mail - (MS Word preferred ) at cheriecornell@oldfirstchurchhuntington.org or drop off at church office. Thank you. Please fill out, tear off, and leave in offering plate.
In Our Prayers Pray at every opportunity in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18) This list is prepared each Wednesday. Please notify the office of names to be included. NEW ADDITIONS: (none) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Continue to pray for those who remain on our prayer list: Ashley Andresen (Katie s daughter), Kevin Behrens (Brian s son), Paul Burgess (member), Paige Burkeholder and family (Melissa Terc s sister and family), Regina Conzelmann (member), Ellen Correll and Family (OFC Financial Secretary), Kerry Degnan (member), Joy Eipel (Mark Mandrakos mom), Lee & Gail Forker (Melissa Terc s parents), Patricia and Ed Gunthner (Mark s parents), Dave and Else Haddock (members), Betty Hasteadt (member), Janet and Bill Higby (former OFC members), Abigail & Gene Hong (Charla Bolton s niece and family), Pat Horner (member), Clarissa Jost (member), Wendy Kennedy (Peter Storey s sister), Kristin Keydel (Pam Fosella s sister), Priscilla McGuire (member), Kim Myers (member), Randal Petrick (Asenath Fuchs son-in-law), Robert and Cindy Raynor (Brett s parents), Rebecca Raynor (Brett s sister), Dan Rooker (Laure McKenna s brother), Carol Saenger (member), Winifred Slater (member), Tom Stewart (friend of the congregation), Daphne Storey (member), Ruth Terc (John Terc s mother), Brad Thayer (former member), Grace Youngquist (member). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Removed from our prayer list this week: (none) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please call the church office to remove names from the prayer list. Thank you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For those wishing to send a card or note to someone on the prayer list, please contact the Church Office for a mailing address ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12 - New International Version NIV) Old First Presbyterian Church 125 Main Street, Huntington, NY Phone: 631.427.2101 Fax: 631.427.2116 www.oldfirstchurchhuntington.org
First Lesson Isaiah 60: 1-6 January 3, 2016 Anne Gunthner Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you;your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. Leader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Second Lesson Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14 (Responsively) January 3, 2016 Rev. Anne Leader: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king s son; that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice; Leader: that the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the little hills bring righteousness. He shall defend the needy among the people and shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor. Leader: He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that water the earth. Leader: In his time shall the righteous flourish; there shall be abundance of peacetill the moon shall be no more. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, and the rulers of Arabia and Saba offer gifts. Leader: All kings shall bow down before him, and all the nations do him service. For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, and the oppressed who has no helper.
Leader: He shall have pity on the lowly and poor and shall preserve the lives of the needy. He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Third Lesson Matthew 2: 1-12 January 3, 2016 Anne Gunthner In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to
Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage. When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Leader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
weekly events calendar Sunday, January 3-2016 Epiphany 9:30a Prayers 10a Worship 10:20a Church School (102) 11:15a Thrift Store Meeting (Fiske Room) 6:15p AA (AA Room Downstairs) Monday, January 4-2016 7a-6p The Learning Center (Downstairs) 9:15-10:15a Gentle Bends (102) 7:30-9p NA (AA Room Downstairs) Tuesday, January 5-2016 7a-6p The Learning Center (Downstairs) 9:30a PW Executive Board (101) 11a-4p Thrift Store 1-2p AA (AA Room Downstairs) Wednesday, January 6-2016 7a-6p The Learning Center (Downstairs) 9:15-10:15a Gentle Bends (102) 5-5:30p Kids Choir rehearsal 5-7p Kids & Youth Club 5:30-6p Youth Choir rehearsal 6p Organizational Parents Meeting 7-9:15p AA (AA Room Downstairs) 7:30-9p BS Troop 32 (Gym) Thursday, January 7-2016 7a-6p The Learning Center (Downstairs) 9:30-11a PW C-4 Quilting 11a-4p Thrift Store 5-9:30p Giant Steps (102) 8p Sr. Choir rehearsal Friday, January 8-2016 7a-6p The Learning Center (Downstairs) 9:30-11:30p Al Anon (101) 9:45a-12p Crafts (Craft Room 212) 11a-4p Thrift Store Saturday, January 9-2016 ~11a Dana Thompson Wedding Sunday, January 10-2016 9:30a Prayers 9:30a Food 4 the Soul (Youth Room) 10a Worship 10:20a Church School (102) 11:15a Outreach Stephen Ministry Presentation (Fiske Room) 11:15a Book/Bible Study - THE FEW, THE HUMBLE, THE CHURCH (Library) 6:15p AA (AA Room-downstairs) We warmly welcome and greet all who have joined us for worship this morning. Please join us for Hospitality Hour, sponsored by our Board of Deacons, in the Parish Hall after worship. To get to the Parish Hall, please leave the sanctuary by the door in the front of the church, turn right and go down the hall. If you are currently seeking a church home and would like more information about Old First, please fill out the tear off form in the bulletin and place in offering plate or see the pastor. If you have any special needs, please alert an usher. Our sanctuary is handicapped accessible. Large print hymnals are available as well as personal PA receivers for those with hearing disabilities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sanctuary Flowers The flowers that grace our Sanctuary during Sunday worship are donated by church members or friends of Old First. Often these flowers are delivered to our homebound members to brighten their day. If you would like to give flowers in honor or memory of someone special, or to celebrate a special occasion, please sign up on the sheet in the front hallway, or contact the church office. May the Peace of God be with you and Have a Blessed Week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Sunday, January 3, 2016 PHONE NUMBERS IN THE DIRECTORY: We are making a major update to our church directory. Many people have changed phone numbers or use their cell phone numbers to the exclusion of their land lines. In order to facilitate better communications within the congregation we would like to enter the phone number which you prefer to use in the directory. Please call the church office or e-mail cheriecornell@oldfirstchurchhuntington.org and give your preferred number to Cherie. YOUTH CLUB: Youth Club will be meeting next Wednesday, 1/6/16 for choir rehearsals, crafts and pizza. There will also be an organizational meeting for parents at 6:00 pm, as well. Very important for parents to attend as we plan for the new year! SOAPER SUNDAY: Mark your calendars. It's time for "Soaper" Bowl Sunday! During the month of January, the Church School will be collecting items such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper, etc. All donations will be given to the Community Food Council. Please help us by placing your items in the specially marked box located by the Parish Hall entrance. Our collection will end on Sunday, February 7th. Thanks for helping us help those in need. OUTREACH: There will be an Outreach presentation of Stephen Ministry by Sue Degnan & Leslie Schult Sunday, January 10th after worship at 11:15am in the Fiske Room. For more information, contact Sue Degnan or Leslie Schult. OFC BOOK CLUB: THE FEW, THE HUMBLE, THE CHURCH A study in the Book of Ephesians and Spiritual Warfare beginning Sunday, Jan. 10th at 11:15 pm in the Library (continues through February). Get ready to walk away empowered and uplifted on a weekly basis as we study this series together through the upcoming months of January and February. In this verse-by-verse study of Ephesians we will travel back to the creation of the Church by God through Jesus and discover all that God intended His Church to be. The first section of this study explores what it means to be Christ-like and how to use your own spiritual gifts when working together in the church. The second part of this study uses both the Old and New Testaments to witness God s character and read His promises to us in dealing with negative and sometimes evil (i.e. ISIS) circumstances that we may come across in our world today. Work-study books for this series are available currently for $5 in the OFC office. (Please complete chapters 1 and 2 (if possible) of the workbook for first study on January 10th.) Questions? Contact Anne Gunthner. DEACONS: There has been a change in the January Deacons meeting. The Deacons will be meeting on Sunday, January 10 at 11:15am in room 101 after church services instead of Tuesday evening January 5. THE CLOTHES LINE MISSION THRIFT STORE: As some of you already know, I moved and, although I will try my best to "keep The Clothesline up and running", I am still hoping you (or someone you may know) would like to be the MANAGER OF THE SHOP??? in the future... If you think you might want to give it a try (and it's not that complicated), I could help co-manage it and show you the 'ropes'... There will be a meeting of the Clothesline TODAY AT 11:15AM following worship in the Fiske Room. Hope to see you all there!!! Please let me know your intentions to work in 2016 - whether it s for one day or a consistent shift. We need help at the AM shifts THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS, 11-1:30. LOST AND FOUND: Did you or anyone you know lose or misplace a red hooded life guard sweatshirt with a white red cross from Robert Moses, NY or a pair of black reading glasses in a black speckled case? These items appeared in the Church office a couple of weeks ago. Items can be claimed anytime M-F from 9am to 2pm or Sunday morning when the church office is open. GREETINGS FROM THE WORSHIP COMMITTEE: Please feel free to join us any Sunday morning at 9:30am for open prayer for our church, community, and personal concerns. Worship Assistants Needed: See Anne Gunthner. Volunteers needed for the Children's Moments in Worship. Please contact Carole Witkowski: Email: carjjoywit@optonline.net. Any questions or helpful suggestions regarding worship services and weekly worship bulletins, please contact Anne Gunthner (Worship & Music Chairperson) either by phone or e-mail. COMMUNITY FOOD COUNCIL: Items in particular need this month are: Mac-n-Cheese, Peanut Butter, and Jelly. Thank you for your generous donations. TO POST YOUR NOTICE ON THE WEEKLY E-MAIL UPDATES: please get them to Rev. Anne Stewart Miller or the church office by Wednesday at noon. Rev. Anne may be reached at church or by email, annestewartmiller@comcast.net. For pastoral emergencies, please call her on her cell phone, 503-504-8337. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~