Covenant Presbyterian Church 11:00 a.m. Austin, Texas January 10, 2016 PREPARATION AND PRAISE GATHERING SONG Come and Find the Quiet Center Hymn 477 WELCOME Please sign the friendship register at this time and pass it down the row, then return it to its original position, noting the names of those worshiping with you. At the conclusion of the service, take time to greet one another in the name of Christ. *CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord! People: We gather now in the house of the Lord! Leader: Lift up your voices to God. People: For the Lord is the maker of heaven and earth! All: Let us worship God! *HYMN OF PRAISE Praise to the Lord, the Almighty Hymn 71 (In 11:00 worship - children ages four through second grade are invited to Sunday School) MINISTRY OF THE WORD SCRIPTURE ACTS 2:42-47 New Testament, page 886 SERMON Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Thomas Daniel RESPONSE TO THE WORD *HYMN OF RESPONSE How Can I Keep from Singing? Hymn 424 PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE CALL TO CONFESSION I Will Change Your Name Terry Butler * Those who are able, please stand
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (silent confession ) We confess, loving God, that we often seek the gift without the Giver. We desire the blessing without the burden. We crave the status without the duty. Forgive us, Lord Jesus, for wanting grace without responsibility, love without commitment, comfort without sorrow, and victory without struggle. Remove from our hearts all false expectations and make us face up to the realities of life. Take away our escape clauses and close the loopholes so that we may learn to trust you with our lives completely. Deliver us not from the world but from weakness and faithlessness in the world; for we pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen. ASSURANCE OF GOD S GRACE AND PARDON *RESPONSE TO OUR FORGIVENESS Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners! Hymn 90 (stanza 1) Jesus! What a Friend for sinners! Jesus! Lover of my soul; Friends may fail me, foes assail me, He, my Savior, makes me whole. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end. PASSING OF THE PEACE Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us forgive one another as we extend the peace of Christ to those around us. OFFERING OF OUR LIVES AND GIFTS MUSICAL OFFERING In the Palm of Your Hand Ron Block The Folk Band *DOXOLOGY Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Lasst uns Erfreuen *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. PARTING HYMN Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Hymn 358 *BLESSING
Congregational Meeting January 24, 2016 The Session has called a Congregational Meeting for the purpose of Election of Elders, Deacons and Trustees. Sunday, January 24, 2016, at 12:10pm (immediately following the 11:00 and 11:05 worship services) in the Sanctuary ASSISTING IN W ORSHIP Jill Williams at 9:30 and 11:00, Jon Wasson at 11:05 Lay Liturgists Laura Mendenhall at 8:15, Alice Sessi at 9:30, and Cindy Young at 11:00 Covenant Folk Band GinnyRae Joy and Meredith Weatherby, vocals; Ron McRae, bass; Jack Harper, percussion; Catherine Hernando, cello; Tammy Linn and Gonzalo Hernando, fiddle. Tom Brown, leader, arranger, piano, vocals Daniel Izquierdo preaching at 11:30 at Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada en Luyanó (our sister church in Cuba) Thomas Daniel preaching at 11:05 in the contemporary worship service The flowers in the sanctuary are given to the glory of God by Annette Dow, in loving memory of her husband, Jerry.
The flowers in the sanctuary are given to the glory of God by the Chandler and Jonkers families in loving memory of Donald Harrell. COVENANT GROUPS Find out more at covenant.org/covenantgroups Signup ends Monday, January 11 JAZZ SUNDAY Sunday, February 7 at the 9:30 and 11:00 worship services with Jambalaya Lunch on the Patio NEXT NEW MEMBER CLASS February 7 through February 28 Sundays from 9:30-10:45am For more information about events at Covenant, please see Covenant Matters. NEW TO COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH? Welcome! We are thankful you have chosen to worship with us today! Please introduce yourself by signing the red welcome booklet in each pew. Find out more about our community at the turquoise table on the patio following the service. Our prayer is that Covenant becomes your second family. We want you to feel comfortable here and hope that we can help you find ways to grow in your faith. For more information about Covenant s many groups, programs and events, contact Amy Skaggs at askaggs@covenant.org. Amy is eager to meet and discuss ways of connecting. You can also find out more by visiting our website at covenant.org. Four services of worship are offered each Sunday 8:15 a.m. (a traditional communion service), 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (traditional services) and 11:05 a.m. (contemporary service). A shuttle service carries worshipers from the parking lot at the Texan Eye Center at 5717 Balcones Drive at Northland Drive, two blocks west of campus. Shuttle service runs from 7:55 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. COVENANT PRAYS Prayers of sympathy and support: Robin Cate Toland and Dennis Toland, family and friends, on the death of their mother, Mary Toland, on January 8. Kathy and Steve Caskey, family and friends on the death of Steve s father, Mike Caskey, on January 1. Pam Kirby, Stuart and Philip Franke, family and friends, on the death of former husband and father, Ronnie Franke, on January 1. Loretta and Jack Kriens, family and friends, on the death of Jack s sister, Peggy Schroeder, on December 22. Prayers for recently hospitalized: Dave Mead, Gwen Wells, Chuck Cooley. Prayers for: Evelyn Crawford, Mary Long, Barbara Knisely, Jim Foster, Betty Hall, Nancy Spencer, Mike Goodrich, Tom Murphy, Debbie McMordie, Don Fine, Dorothy Hutchison, Dorothy Taylor, Helen Swanson, Susan Szaniszlo, Al Sparks, George Beierle, Anne Beckham Garcia, Patricia Jimenez, Andy Day, Gini Nester. Prayers for people serving in our country s armed forces: USMC 2nd Lt. Katherine Ashton, USA Pvt. Jessica Choe, USA 2LT Ben Smith, USN LCDR Bryan Gunkel, USA Col. Janet Riley, USAF Lt. Katy Deiters, USAF A1C Taylor Cotham, USMC 1 st Lt. Will Hendrickson, USA Maj. Seth Pruett, USA Capt. Matt Irwin, USN LCDR Austin Wade Latour, USAF Lt. Col. Joseph Chennault, USA SFC Kevin Guy, USMC Staff Sgt. Jeremy Alexander, USN PO1 Drew Schlotter. Prayers requested by our sister church, Iglesia Presbiteriana Reformada en Luyanó, in Havana Cuba: For Esteban and Tamara. For continued provision of clean drinking water and the bread of life our sister church serves to the neighborhood and for Luyanó members and staff as they witness and serve the third age with food, exercise and social programs. Praises and prayers of thanksgiving for the recent visit of brother and sisters from Austin. Prayers requested by the Mission Committee: East Austin Young Life and Skip Crowe at Search Ministries. Prayers requested by the Session: Jesus, as we start the year surrounded by resolutions, remind us to seek you and the joy that is found only in relationship with you.
Although prayer requests will be removed from this listing after three weeks, please contact Kay Austin in the church office, 512 334-3030, or kaustin@covenant.org, if prayer continues to be requested. Recycling containers for this publication are available in the Narthex.