First Presbyterian Church For Christ in the Heart of Charlotte Founded in 1821 Order of Worship Ascension Day May 28, 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 Prelude and Fugue in F Johann Krebs Words of Welcome Choral Call to Worship Adoration The Reverend Pen Peery Christopher Tye O come, ye servants of the Lord, and praise his holy name. From early morn to setting sun, his might on earth proclaim. His laws are just, and glad the heart. He makes his mercies known. Ye people, come and bow before his throne. *Hymn No. 263 All Hail the Power of Jesus Name coronation
Large-print hymnals and Bibles are available. Please let an usher know if you would like one. Call to Confession Prayer of Confession Confession The Reverend Erika Funk All: God of all time, of history, of things present, and of things to come, we confess we have abandoned the mission you have given us. You give us power through your Spirit and an indefinite timeline for your return. We have squandered time and wasted our gifts to fulfill selfish motives, separating us from one another. Like the disciples, we look to the sky for Jesus, instead of looking in the faces of the least of these among us. Forgive us, O God, and make us whole again. Reignite a holy passion within us, that we may fulfill your charge to be witnesses of your grace and glory. Amen. 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. *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. Prayer for Illumination Proclamation First Church does not meet during the summer. Children in kindergarten and above are encouraged to participate in the full worship service, while care for younger children is available in the nursery. Scripture 2 Kings 2:1, 8-15 pew Bible pg. 331-332 One: This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God. Anthem Let All the World in Every Corner Sing arr. David Giardiniere Let all the world in ev ry corner sing, My God and King! The heav ns are not too high, His praises thither fly: The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. The church with psalms must shout. No door can keep them out; but above all the heart must bear the longest part. Let all the world in ev ry corner sing, My God and King! Time with Children Children in kindergarten and above are encouraged to remain in worship. Younger children may go to the nursery. Scripture Acts 1:4-12 pew Bible pg. 118 Sermon Latitude The Reverend Pen Peery The 11 a.m. service is televised over WSOC-TV, Channel 9, this morning and streamed live at www.firstpres-charlotte.org. *Hymn No. 262 Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus all saints Choir sings stanza 1. Congregation joins for stanzas 2-4.
*Affirmation of Faith From a Brief Statement of Faith In life and death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. Response Prayers of the People Stewardship of Life 10 cents a meal Presentation of Tithes and Offering The Reverend Katelyn Gordon Offertory Anthem O Lord Most High arr. Richard Shepard O lord most high, eternal king, by thee redeemed, thy praise we sing. The bonds of death are burst by thee, and grace has won the victory. Ascending to the father s throne you claimed the kingdom as your own; and angels wonder when they see how changed is our humanity. Be thou our joy, O mighty lord, as you will be our great reward; let all our glory be in thee both now and through eternity. This hymn of glory, let us sing, new hymns throughout the world shall ring; by a new way none ever trod, Christ takes his place, the throne of God. O risen Christ, ascended Lord, all praise to thee let earth accord, who art, while endless ages run, with father and the spirit one. Amen. *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. 265 Jesus Shall Reign Where er the Sun duke street *Charge and Benediction *Benediction Response God Be With You Till We Meet Again randolph,postlude Tuba Tune C. S. Lang The sanctuary flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of Quentin M. Maver by Quent Maver. Part of our offering today goes to the 10 cents a meal program, a hunger relief and at-risk youth ministry of the Presbytery of Charlotte. Children and families will pass baskets after the offering plates to collect this offering. A time of personal prayer is offered following the service. 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 Erika Funk Associate Pastor for Mission efunk@firstpres-charlotte.org Katelyn M. Gordon Associate Pastor for Christian Formation kgordon@firstpres-charlotte.org Katherine C. Kerr Associate Pastor for Congregational 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 worship We worship in ways that speak of God s majesty, mystery and love. Wednesday Worship: On May 31, the last Wednesday Worship before our summer break, we will meet in the fellowship hall at noon for a special time of worship using a room-sized labyrinth, sacred prayer and scripture. Lunch will follow in the overflow section of the fellowship hall. Music Sunday: We observe Pentecost on June 4 with Music Sunday. The pastors, Sanctuary Choir and guest instrumentalists will lead a music-filled service that s become an early summer tradition. This year s service, Voices of Faith, will include reflections from theologians from Augustine to Anne Lamott, woven together with music in a variety of styles and genres. care We aim to provide support, prayer, love and acts of compassion as we seek to draw closer to one another in community. Food Truck Lunch: Dress casually and bring a blanket or camp chair for sitting on the lawn on Sunday, June 4, for our first Food Truck Lunch immediately following worship. Trucks scheduled to attend are Maki Taco, Lobster Dogs, Ruthie s Rolling Café known for home cooking and for dessert, Sticks & Cones and Ashten s Treats and Eats. The afternoon will also include games on the lawn and the opportunity for fellowship, including welcoming our Center City neighbors. Save the date: The annual Congregational Retreat will be held the weekend of Sept. 29- Oct. 1 in Montreat, NC. More information and registration will be available this summer. learn Through study at every age and stage, we aim to become more Christlike and deepen our relationship with our Lord. 13th Movie Screening and Discussion: On Wednesday, May 31, First Presbyterian Church will show the documentary 13th. The screening in the Wood Fellowship Hall will be 6-8 p.m. Disclaimer: The documentary is rated PG-13 due to disturbing content. Parents should use discretion about whether to bring children. Summer Centering: Formation hour during the summer months is an intergenerational time of conversations that bring us closer to God and one another. Join us in the fellowship hall from 10 to 10:45 a.m. serve We go into the world to seek and serve and walk alongside our family in faith. Summer Camps: Donations that make it possible for children from West Charlotte to attend Camp Grier or the BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) are needed now, as are volunteers. Read more on the Now@ FPC page on the website, where you will also find links to donate and to volunteer. Dates are set for our 2017 and 2018 international mission trips. Merida, Mexico, November 5-10: We will be working on the new kitchen for our partner school. After our successful stewardship campaign this fall we are able to bring electricity and kitchen appliances to the new kitchen several of our church members have helped to build. Contact Martha Eubank at meubank@bellsouth.net. Bayonnais, Haiti Feb. 1-6, 2018: We will work with the students at the school and alongside the staff at the medical clinic. No experience is necessary but medical personnel are most welcome! Contact Rev. Erika Funk for more information. Officer Nominations: Your help is needed in the nominating process for church officers to serve as leaders of First Presbyterian Church for 2018 to 2020. Every year our church membership selects officers to serve on the Session and Diaconate and the input of the congregation in the nominating process is critical. Pick up information and a nomination form today at the information table in the Historical Lobby or visit the website for more information. The deadline for nominations is June 12. Congregational Meeting June 11: The Session has called for a Congregational Meeting on June 11 for the purpose of electing an Officer Nominating Committee.
*Hymn No. 263 1 All hail the power of Jesus name! Let angels prostrate fall; bring forth the royal diadem, Bring forth the royal diadem, 2 Ye chosen seed of Israel s race, ye ransomed from the fall, hail him who saves you by his grace, Hail him who saves you by his grace, All Hail the Power of Jesus Name! 3 Let every kindred, every tribe on this terrestrial ball to him all majesty ascribe, To him all majesty ascribe, 4 O that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall! We ll join the everlasting song, We ll join the everlasting song, *Hymn No. 262 Since Our Great High Priest, Christ Jesus 1 Since our great high priest, Christ Jesus, bears the name above all names, reigning Son of God, surpassing other titles, powers, and claims; since to heaven our Lord has passed, let us hold our witness fast! 2 Since we have a priest who suffered, knowing weakness, tears, and pain, who, like us, was tried and tempted, unlike us, without a stain; since he shared our lowly place, let us boldly seek his grace. 3 Sacrifice and suffering over, now he sits at God s right hand, crowned with praise, no more an outcast, his preeminence long planned; such a great high priest we have, strong to help, supreme to save. 4 Love s example, hope s attraction, faith s beginning and its end, pioneer of our salvation, mighty advocate and friend: Jesus, high in glory raised, our ascended Lord, be praised! *Hymn No. 265 1 Jesus shall reign where er the sun does its successive journeys run; his kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more. 2 To him shall endless prayer be made, and praises throng to crown his head; his name, like sweet perfume, shall rise with every morning sacrifice. 3 People and realms of every tongue dwell on his love with sweetest song, and infant voices shall proclaim their early blessings on his name. Jesus Shall Reign Where er the Sun 4 Blessings abound where er he reigns: the prisoners leap to loose their chains; the weary find eternal rest, and all who suffer want are blest. 5 Let every creature rise and bring honors peculiar to our King; angels descend with songs again, and earth repeat the loud Amen!