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: Nancy Pienta DEACONS Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Rosalie Hemingway Betsy Gorman Judy Bury Hertha Matuszek Laurae Hoffmann Cheryl Fitzgibbons Co-moderators: Judy Bury Hertha Matuszek Church Treasurer: Sandra Hohneker Assistant Treasuerer: Vieve Gay Financial Secretary: Bill Ring 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 First Presbyterian Church Valatie, NY Where friends are made, Faith is nurtured, Service begins and All are Welcome!
July 29, 2018 SERVICE FOR THE LORD S DAY 10:00am. WELCOME LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION * * * * * Gathering in the Name of the Lord (In silence and meditation prepare yourself for worship) The Liturgical Year in Hymns, Scripture and Prayer ADVENT - PURPLE "Advent" means coming or arrival. This word has a double significance, as in Advent we celebrate Christ's coming into the world and look with longing for his coming again. We watch and pray with expectant hope for the establishment of God's justice and the return of the Prince of Peace. CALL TO WORSHIP 88 (v. 1,6,7) O Come, O Come Emmanuel NATIVITY OF THE LORD/CHRISTMAS - WHITE SCRIPTURE Luke 2:8-14 (N.T. pg. 157) HYMN 119 (v. 1,3) Hark the Herald Angels Sing EPIPHANY - WHITE "Epiphany" means the manifestation or revelation. At the Epiphany of the Lord we celebrate the manifestation of God's saving purpose to all the nations of the world. Just as the magi came from a distant land to worship the Christ child, God's covenant of grace is extended to all people who believe the good news of Jesus Christ. The symbolism of light is important - not only because of the star that guided the magi, but as it suggests the bright dawning of God's self-revelation in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are called to bear Christ's light in the world. THIS WEEK S CALENDAR TODAY 10:00am. Worship MONDAY 12 noon Lunch Program Food Pantry Open TUESDAY 12 noon Lunch Program WEDNESDAY 12 noon Lunch Program 6:00pm. Food Pantry Open THURSDAY 12 noon Lunch Program FRIDAY 12 noon Lunch Program SATURDAY 9:00am. Chicken BBQ Prep 4-7pm. Chicken BBQ Looking Ahead NEXT SUNDAY August 5, 2018 10:00am. Worship Elder Gale Bury will bring the message Birthdays and Anniversaries This Week 7/29 Wally Brough 7/30 Leita Albertson 8/2 Chuck Shattenkirk
ANNOUNCEMENTS 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 left of the pulpit, down the hall on the left. 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 nonperishable foods (that have a future expiration date) and are asking particularly at this time for cold cereals for children and adults, tuna, individual fruit cups, protein bars, canned fruit and vegetables. 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. Pastor Kathi will be attending the Presbyterian Women s Churchwide Gathering this week in Louisville. If you have need for pastoral care, call Elder Nancy Pienta at 518-527-2810 and she will find you help. There will NOT be communion next Sunday. Communion will be celebrated the following Sunday on August 12. Drive - Thru Chicken BBQ this Saturday, August 4, 2018 4:00 to 7:00pm. We will be prepping for the BBQ starting at 9am. Saturday. The menu will include: a half chicken, corn on the cob, baked potato, coleslaw, roll and butter, beverage, and dessert. Tickets can be purchased in advance (recommended) or at the door if any are left for $14 each. Call Marge at 518-929-2318 or the church office at 518-758-9658 for questions and tickets. On Wednesday, August 8, Thursdays, August 16 and 23, there will be a Bible Study looking at some of the great Psalms of the Bible. There are books available for $10 each to go along with the study. We will begin at 6:30 pm. and end by 8:00 pm. so that it should still be light out. We will look at several Psalms; chapters 8,13,32,63 and 90. Join us for this respite during the summer to study psalms together. See Pastor Kathi if you would like to purchase a book. CHILDRENS TIME BAPTISM OF THE LORD - WHITE In ancient Christian tradition, the Baptism of the Lord is closely connected with the Epiphany as both are manifestations of God's saving purpose through Jesus Christ; accordingly, these festivals are adjacent to one another in the Christian calendar. The Baptism of the Lord also foreshadows the season of Lent, as the Gospels tell us that Jesus was driven into the wilderness for forty days after his own baptism. PRAYER (unison) Gracious God, by water and the Spirit, you claimed us as your own, cleansing us from sin and giving us new life. You made us members of your body, the church, calling us to be your servants in the world. Renew in us the covenant you made in our Baptism. Continue the good work you have begun in us. Send us forth in the power of your Spirit to love and serve you with joy, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD - WHITE "Transfiguration" refers to a change in form or appearance. At the Transfiguration of the Lord, we celebrate the revelation of divine glory in the human life of Jesus Christ. Jesus' radiant appearance on the mountain top evokes the consuming fire of the glory of the Lord at Mount Sinai. SCRIPTURE (Responsively) On a high mountain, Jesus was transfigured, Matt. 17:1-2, 5 and God said: This is my Beloved Son. As God spoke, calling light out of darkness 2 Cor.4:6 God's glory shines in the face of Jesus Christ. At the mountain of the Lord bow down, Ps. 99:9 for the Lord our God is holy.
ASH WEDNESDAY - PURPLE Ashes are an ancient symbol of repentance, sorrow, and sacrifice. Traditionally, the ashes for this service are made from the palm branches of the previous year; thus the ashes and palm together frame the season of Lent. CALL TO CONFESSION PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison) Holy God, in baptism you anoint us to be your holy people in the world, yet we have not been faithful to you. We have not loved and accepted one another. We have not reached out to those who are poor, hungry, or lost. Forgive us and fill us with your love, so we may delight in your goodness and serve you with joy, in the name of Jesus Christ. SILENT PRAYER OF PERSONAL CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF PARDON HYMN 166 (v. 1,3) LENT - PURPLE Lord, Who throughout These Forty Days PALM/PASSION SUNDAY - PURPLE Palm/Passion Sunday is, by design, a day of drama and paradox, of triumph and tragedy. As the service begins, a crowd gathers, waving branches and shouting "Hosanna" (Hebrew for save us), and wanting to crown Jesus as king. But as the story of Christ's passion unfolds, the shouts of praise turn into demands for his death. Since many people are unable to attend the midweek worship services of Holy Week, the Palm/Passion liturgy ensures that they will hear the whole story of Jesus' dying and rising - not skipping from "hosanna" to "hallelujah." MAUNDY THURSDAY STRIPPED The word Maundy comes to us as an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin mandatum, which means commandment. It refers to when Jesus, in the upper room during the Last Supper, said to the disciples, A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you; that you also love one another. PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY Wayne Austin Lucy Haemmerlein Mary and Charles Heermance Ricky Jacker Laura Kinnicutt Geraldine and Bruce McCrum Marc Petrie Marie and Daniel Wloch PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND THE WORLD Andrew Laurie Marge s step-son Kevin Reilly Melissa Barton s father Chuck Shattenkirk s mother, Noreen Caren Stewart Those who have lost loved ones Undocumented Immigrant Children Gaza Hawaii Iraq Israel Puerto Rico Syria Texas The West Bank
SCRIPTURE Daniel 7:13-14 (O.T. pg. 813) HYMN 268 CHARGE AND BENEDICTION Crown Him with Many Crowns HYMN 525 Let Us Break Bread Together GOOD FRIDAY - STRIPPED Why is it called Good Friday? One answer is that at the time of Jesus crucifixion, good may have referred to holy in Old English, a linguistic theory supported by many language experts. *PASSING THE PEACE The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Go in peace. Amen. POSTLUDE * * * * * * * - Indicates that all who are able, may stand. Assisting in worship today is Hertha Matuszek. Greeting at the front door is Chris Wells. Holly Rappleyea is tending the nursery today. Head Usher for July is George Matuszek. (Responsively) Another possible reason is for its moniker a theory supported by both linguists and historical evidence refers to the holy day s ties to Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Christ. That terrible Friday has been called Good Friday because it led to the Resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death and sin and the celebration of Easter, the very pinnacle of Christian celebrations. Although Christians, from the very fundamental to the very liberal, vary in their interpretations of exactly how the death of Jesus on the cross frees humanity from its sins and gives everlasting life, and exactly what everlasting life means, they all agree that it took the death and burial of Jesus on that Friday to make the victory of the resurrection possible. John simply says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. SCRIPTURE Luke 23:39-47 (N.T. pg. 88) HYMN 227 (2x) Jesus, Remember Me OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison) Holy God, you offer a redemptive inheritance sometimes beyond our imagination. You graciously bestow each of us with your wisdom, grace, forgiveness, and love. Joyously, we share these tithes and offerings. As you call us to give, you remind us to place our hopes and dreams in your love and grace. Thank you, God, for giving us your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray in his name. Amen.
RESURRECTION OF THE LORD: EASTER DAY - WHITE SCRIPTURE Mark 16:1-8 (N.T. pg. 53) HYMN 238 Thine is the Glory ASCENSION OF THE LORD The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ rose from the dead on Easter, is the final act of our redemption that Christ began on Good Friday. On this day, the risen Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven. The reality of Christ's Ascension is so important that the creeds (the basic statements of belief) of Christianity all affirm, in the words of the Apostles' Creed, that "He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. SCRIPTURE Luke 24: 44-53 (N.T. pg. 89) PENTECOST - RED "Pentecost" comes from a Greek word meaning fiftieth day. On this day, the Holy Spirit came with wind and flame, empowering the disciples to proclaim the good news of the risen Lord to all people. Falling on the fiftieth day of the season of Easter, Pentecost represents the culmination of the church's sevenweek celebration of Christ's resurrection. On the day of Pentecost we give particular thanks for the gift of God s Holy Spirit, who gathers the church as the body of Christ and sends us to share in Christ s mission throughout the world. TRINITY SUNDAY - WHITE This theological festival celebrates the nature and mission of the triune God - an identity and purpose we share as those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is a fitting summation of the first half of the Christian year, as we have remembered the saving promise of God through history (in Advent and Christmas), proclaimed the mystery of faith in the crucified and risen Lord (in Lent and Easter), and witnessed the transforming work of the Spirit in the world (at Pentecost). The observance of Trinity Sunday began among Western Christians in the tenth century and developed slowly until it was formally established on the Sunday after Pentecost by Pope John XXII in the fourteenth century. HYMN 1 (v. 1, 4) Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty ALL SAINTS' DAY-WHITE All Saints' Day was established as an opportunity to honor all the saints, remembered and forgotten, known and unknown. It has been celebrated on or around November 1 since the ninth century. In the Reformed tradition, the emphasis of this festival is on the ongoing sanctification of the whole people of God. While we may give thanks for the lives of particular luminaries of ages past, we also give glory to God for the ordinary, holy lives of believers in this and every age. This is an appropriate time to give thanks for members of the community of faith who have died in the past year, and to pray that we may be counted among the company of the faithful in God's eternal realm. SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE THE LORD'S PRAYER (sins, sin) CHRIST THE KING - WHITE At the conclusion of the Christian year, we celebrate the sovereignty of the God who is known to us in Jesus Christ. On this day, as on every day we give honor and glory to the Lord of heaven and earth and watch and pray for the coming of God's realm of righteousness, justice, and peace. Above all earthly powers, the crucified and risen Lord alone claims our adoration and allegiance. We proclaim that Jesus Christ is first and last, beginning and end, Alpha and Omega. A relatively recent addition to the church's calendar, this festival was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925.