PRELUDE: Second Sonata, Felix Mendelssohn
SALUTATION AND WELCOME
* CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP
* SANCTUS (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP: Amanda Sudolsky
Leader: The God who raised Jesus from the dead
People: Calls us to worship this morning.
Leader: The Jesus who justifies us and gives us grace
People: Greets us and meets us in worship.
Leader: The Spirit who awakens faith and intercedes for us
People: Opens us to receive God’s power and peace.
Leader: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit invite us to worship.
People: Let us offer ourselves as living sacrifices.
* HYMN No. 247: The Day of Resurrection
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Gracious God, all of us have sinned and fall short of your glory. We write our life stories apart from your grand story. We seek belonging in people and places that leave us empty and lonely. We try to exist without your accompanying presence. While it is true that we have sinned, it is also true that you are gracious and forgiving. Forgive us and receive us into your arms of love and into the community of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON
* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
* Gloria Patri (pew card)
ANTHEM: All Night, All Day, Traditional
The Junior Choir
JUNIOR SERMON
ANTHEM: Lord, We Pray Thee, Franz Josef Haydn
Lord, we pray Thee that Thy grace may always prevent, and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
MORNING PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Prayer Response, Georg Friedric Handel
Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay. Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o'er death hast won.
* HYMN No. 714: We Have a Gospel to Proclaim
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 80:1-7, Pew Bible, page 470
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might, and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors; our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
Romans 1:1-7, 16-17, Pew Bible, page 913
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
THE SERMON: The Resurrection Life: Called to Belong, Rev. Blaine Crawford
New Member and Baptism: Franchesca Perlman & Jacob Perlman
* Affirmation of Faith: The Apostles' Creed (pew card)
Leader: Do you promise to love, encourage, and support this brother/sister by teaching the gospel of God’s love, by being an example of Christian faith and character, and by giving the strong support of God’s family in fellowship, prayer, and service?
People: We do.
Leader: Welcome our new sister and brother in Christ.
People: Joyfully we receive you into the body of Christ. Join with us as we give witness in the world to good news, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. Alleluia.
WORSHIP OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Offering
Offertory: Praise Ye the Lord of Hosts, Camille Saint-Saëns
Praise ye the Lord of hosts, Sing his salvation, bless His name, show forth his praise in His holy house! Rejoice, ye heavens, and be joyful, on earth, rejoice in the face of the Lord, for He cometh, Alleluia. Rejoice, ye angels; rejoice all ye nations, now in the face of the Lord, for He cometh. Alleluia.
* The Doxology (pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
* HYMN No. 503: Now I Belong to Jesus
* BENEDICTION
Response: Alleluia, Amen!, Charles Villers Stanford
POSTLUDE: Fuga (Second Sonata), Felix Mendelssohn
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEXT SUNDAY, April 26, the Rev. Dr. Gregg Mast, president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary (one of the seminaries of the Reformed Church in America), will be our guest preacher. During the coffee hour that day, he will speak about the mission and vision of the seminary. Sally Ann Castle, an elder at COTH and a student at New Brunswick, will also share about her experience at the seminary. All are invited to come and learn about God's work in and through the seminary during the coffee hour that day.
THE COTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND provides assistance to students who are part of our church community. Scholarships are available to graduating high school students and students enrolled in post high school studies. Applications are available in the church office and must be returned by May 1st.
OUR APPRECIATION FOR TODAY’S VOLUNTEERS:
Van Drivers: Jean and Gerry Mendler
Coffee Hour Host: Rhoda Jabbour
Greeters: Nina and Bill Proschel, Dorothea Zelnick
Ushers: Cindy and Joe Macaluso, Marie and Rick Mark
Children and Worship: Christina Schaub and Wai Chu
VAN MINISTRY: Volunteers are desparately needed to assist with driving members to worship services. If you can help, speak with Gerry Mendler after church or call (917) 362-6284 (day) or (718) 464-3464 (evening).
Also, if you need a ride to church on Sunday, speak with Gerry Mendler.
CHILDREN AND WORSHIP PROGRAM: Children ages 3 through 7 will share in the service through the Junior Sermon, then go to Room 2E for the Children and Worship Program.
COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – Please pick a date on the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in Gessner Hall or speak with Rhoda Jabbour.
YEAR-ROUND COLLECTIONS –
- Donations for the Food for Kids Ministry should be brought to the Church office. This food will be given to families in need in Jamaica, New York.
- Donations for pets brought to the church office will be given to Worthy Pause to be distributed to local animal shelters.
- Christmas cards (with Forever Stamps on the envelopes) are collected in a basket at the back of the sanctuary. These cards will enable inmates at the Nassau County Correction Center to correspond with their loved ones.
PRAYER REQUESTS: Jorel Andaluz, Grace Attanasio, Marilyn Cooney, Ed Dawson, Letty Delgardo, Allegra DeMelo, Ed Diercks, Dombrowski Family, Edythe Durney, Jackie Fraser, Elaine Good, Jenny Hampton, Richard Holm, Robert Keller, Karen Krieg, Fritz Kunisch, Ann McCaffrey-Amalfitano, Rev. John H. Meyer, John Molino, Michael Patras, Keith Pearson, Josephine Rivera, Frank Rivilli, Matthew Schulman, Peter Schumacher, Janice Serra, Emily Testut