West Side Presbyterian Church Palm /Passion Sunday Family Sunday March 25, 2018 10:00 am Service From that time Jesus began to proclaim, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. -Matthew 4:17 Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. -Margaret Mead The very first words out of Jesus mouth during his public ministry were so controversial that His audience struggled hard to accept them. It can reasonably be argued that this message more than any other was responsible for Jesus death. -Eric Elnes Like fish in the ocean, we largely move through life unaware of the social, cultural, and economic waters we swim in because we are so thoroughly immersed in them. If you live an unreflective life, allowing these forces to shape you unawares, they will take away your name and give you a number. -Eric Elnes What I mean by misfit is someone who is being as intentional as you are about embracing the gifts of the Dark Wood and finding their place in this world, if not more so. These are comparatively rare individuals in a world absorbed by materialism, mass market consumerism, religitainment, and quick fixes If you re not aware of them, you haven t been looking, or you have been too certain that you cannot find them to send out any signals that you are interested in their company. -Eric Elnes Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen. -Brené Brown
Vulnerability sounds like truth and courage. Truth and courage aren t always comfortable, but they re never weakness. -Brené Brown When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, Who is this? -Matthew 21:10 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. -Matthew 21:12 ~ The Preparation for the Word ~ PRELUDE Johann Sebastian Bach Chorale Prelude on VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN, BWV 735 PALM SUNDAY GOSPEL Matthew 21:1-11 *CALL TO WORSHIP and OPENING PRAYER Give thanks to the LORD, who is good, whose steadfast love endures forever. Blessed is the name of the LORD. Hosanna, hosanna in the highest! Let us pray: God most high, gracious and glorious, blessed is the One who comes in Your name. Lead us now on the road to the cross. May we follow with faithfulness and joy, shouting hosanna in the highest heaven; through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen. *HYMN OF PRAISE 88 2 * The congregation may stand. All Glory, Laud and Honor VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN
CALL TO CONFESSION PRAYER OF CONFESSION KYRIE God our Redeemer, we confess that we are people of ashes and dust. We join the parade and shout hosanna, then deny our Lord in His hour of need. We wave the palms and sing praise, and then hand our Savior over to die. Forgive us, God of grace. Our lives are in Your hand deliver us from evil. Save us, by Your steadfast love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (time for silent confession) ASSURANCE OF PARDON ANTHEM Hosanna! Christian Gregor setting, Roberta Bitgood Hosanna! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Combined Choirs *THE PEACE 3
~ The Proclamation of the Word ~ A MOMENT FOR ALL AGES Rev. Penny Hogan ANNOUNCEMENTS MOMENT FOR MISSION Ryan Noon ANTHEM He is Coming Christian Gregor setting, Roberta Bitgood He is coming! He is coming! He is riding, riding down the hill. Who is coming? Who is coming? Praise Him, praise Him with stringed instruments and organs, with loud sounding cymbals praise Him, and sing Hosanna in the highest! Carol Choir NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Mark 1:14-15 Lucy Ianacone The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. ANTHEM Hail and Hosanna! Hal Hopson Hail and hosanna, blessed is He who comes in God s own name to make our world God s home. Pilgrim parading through the cheering horde, reclaim this city for its Lord. Teacher, transforming gifts of bread and wine, sustain and feed; our lives in Yours combine. 4 Savior, surrendered, nailed upon the cross, Lamb offered up, win victory from loss; great God bowed down to raise creation high; our world, our lives, come now to occupy. John Knox, Covenant and Chapel Choirs
SERMON The Gift of Misfits Rev. Marc Oehler SILENT REFLECTION ~ The Response to the Word ~ *RESPONSE OF FAITH Romans 12:1-5 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. In the silence, remember times when you have felt like a misfit like you didn t truly fit in with others. Consider places in your life now where you feel similarly. Sit with the discomfort of this experience. Let it be what it is. Let yourself be who you are in it. Give thanks for the unique and precious gift you are to the world. Ask God for the courage to trust who you are and share who you are in community. 5
HYMN LLEF 6
PRESENTATION OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS OFFERTORY ANTHEM Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs Georg Frederick Handel Surely, He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. Chancel Choir *DOXOLOGY 591 OLD HUNDREDTH Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Christ, all people here below; praise Holy Spirit evermore; praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen. *PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING/THE LORD S PRAYER (hymnal page 16, debts/debtors) ~ The Sending ~ *HYMN 76 *CHARGE & BLESSING My Song Is Love Unknown LOVE UNKNOWN May the Spirit of the Living God made known to us most fully within life s Dark Wood: go before you to show you the way; go above you to watch over you; go behind you to push you into places you may not necessarily go yourself; The Blessing continues. 7
go beneath you to uphold and uplift you; go beside you to be your strong and constant companion; And dwell within you to remind you that you are surely not alone, and that you are loved loved beyond your wildest imagination. And may the fire of God s blessing burn brightly upon you, and with you, now and always. Amen. -Eric Elnes POSTLUDE Johann Sebastian Bach O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, Op. 122, No. 9 You are welcome to listen to the Postlude. If you are leaving before it is finished, please do so quietly. * * * * * * * Our worship has ended. May our service to God and others continue. 8
Greeters: We thank Nancy Sampson for greeting today. Procession of Worship Elements: The worship elements are being carried in this morning by the children of West Side. Lay Leadership: We thank Lucy Ianacone for her leadership in worship today. If you are interested in being a lay reader during the 10 am Sunday service, please contact Lucy Ianacone (Lianacone@optonline.net; 201-445-6824). Sanctuary Flowers: The rosebud on the chancel is in honor of the birth of Caroline Jean Cournoyer on March 8, 2018. She is the daughter of Melissa and Thomas, and sister of James Cournoyer. Proud grandparents are John and Caroline Barr. Dedicating flowers is a wonderful way to remember a loved one or to celebrate a special occasion. If you wish to dedicate flowers, please contact Russell Clark (rjclark100@gmail.com; 201-788-5968). Coffee Hour: Please stay after the service to enjoy fellowship and refreshments in the Narthex. We thank today s Coffee Hour hosts for their hospitality. Visitor Information Bags are available in the Narthex. If you are visiting with us today, please feel free to take one. 9
Lenten Schedule March 25 - Palm Sunday 8:45 am - Worship Service in Pulsifer Chapel 10:00 am - Family Worship in Sanctuary 11:15 am - Easter Egg Hunt 5:15 pm - Foundation Contemporary Worship in DePhillips Hall March 29 - Maundy Thursday 6:00 pm - Dinner in DePhillips Hall 7:30 pm - Worship Service in the Sanctuary 8:30-9:30 pm - Prayer Stations in Pulsifer Chapel March 30 - Good Friday 1:00 pm - Worship Service in Pulsifer Chapel 10:00 am - 1:00 pm; 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Prayer Stations in Pulsifer Chapel 8:00 pm - Service of Tenebrae in the Sanctuary March 31 - Holy Saturday 5:15 pm - Easter Eve Contemporary Worship In DePhillips Hall April 1 - Easter Sunday 8:45 am - Worship Service with Communion 11:15 am - Worship Service with Communion 10
Worship Values, Practices and Information Congregational participation is the hallmark of Reformed Worship. Hymns, responses, corporate prayers and readings belong to you, the people and express the voice of the individual and the larger body of the Church. We hope the following notes will help you to join us in our liturgy. An asterisk (*) indicates the congregation may stand. Boldface type signifies congregational participation. First and final stanzas of hymns are usually sung in unison, middle stanzas in parts. Share your prayer concerns on the cards provided in the pew rack. Ushers will collect the cards during the announcements. Those arriving after the Call to Worship begins will be seated during the next hymn or the passing of the peace. If you must leave the Sanctuary during worship, please wait in the Narthex until the next hymn, the passing of the peace or the doxology before returning to your seat. Please help us protect and care for our beautiful worship space. Food and beverages, with the exception of closed plastic water bottles, are not allowed in the Sanctuary. Please turn off your cell phone and pager before worship begins. Large print bulletins and hymnals are available in the Narthex. Assistive listening devices are available by contacting one of the ushers. Throughout the Sanctuary, there are a number of spaces available for wheelchairs. An usher will be happy to direct you. Video of the service is available online at www.westside.org. We have live streaming video on Sunday mornings. In case of emergency: our AED Unit is on the wall across from the reception desk and the First Aid kit is in the closet across from the reception desk. 11
West Side Presbyterian Church Serving northwest Berg en County and vicinity since 1912 Varian Fry Way, Six South Monroe Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (201) 652-1966 www.westside.org 2018 Lay Leadership of West Side Session (Elders) Class of 2018 Heidi Ahlborn Phyllis Anderson Russell Clark John Lescroart Anna Levy Katherine Montgomery John Pierce Larry Steenvoorden Andrew Steenvoorden (Youth Rep) Class of 2019 Scott Brubaker Cindi Cheesman Wendy Dodge Jane French John Gutekunst Fred Jubitz Dennis Kim Paul Mensing Andy Roughgarden Beth Staples Anson Welch Class of 2020 Mark Babunovic Jamie Cella Mike Chepucavage David DeFeo Scott Gavin Brian Hanse Lynn Morneweck-Fuld Jennifer Padolina Class of 2018 Caroline Barr Donna Burdick Sally Clark Harris Fleming Lisa Garvey Laura Impomeni Peter Krautle Craig Ollenschleger Ann Butler (Youth Rep) 12 Board of Deacons Class of 2019 Janet Anderson Christina Dyer Donna Dykstra Terry Erzmoneit Angela Gutekunst Anita Jones Mary Ann Malinski Marion Strauch Miguel Torres Sora Torres Class of 2020 Humberto Bastos Kay Chase Bill Clark Patrick Elkins Mary Ann Hoogerheyde Jan Lescroart Dave Levy Walter Lynn Nancy Sampson