PRELUDE, Nathalie Wang, organist

SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
* PASSING OF THE PEACE
* Gloria Patri (pew card)

* CALL TO WORSHIP, Emerson Chen

Leader:   Let us worship God!
People:    He is our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust.
Leader:   Let us confess with our mouths, “Jesus is Lord!”
People:    Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Leader:   Let us call upon God, believing him in our hearts, confessing him with our mouths, and worshiping him in spirit and in truth.

* HYMN No. 60, Great Is Thy Faithfulness

* PRAYER OF CONFESSION(unison)

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON

* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Leader: Herein is wisdom.
People: Glory be to God.

ANTHEM: O Rest in the Lord, Mendelssohn

Sora Choi

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Jeremiah 18:1-11, Pew Bible, page 629

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lordcame to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it.

Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

Philemon 1:1-21, Pew Bible, page 970

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

SERMON: Formed for Faithfulness, Rev. Blaine Crawford

* CONFESSION OF FAITH: The Apostles’ Creed (pew card)

OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
        Offertory: He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd, Handel
       Sora Choi
   * The Doxology(pew card)
   * Prayer of Dedication

SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
* Remembering with Love and Hope (pew card)
   Invitation
   Communion Prayer
       Sanctus (pew card)
       Mystery of the Faith (unison)
           Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
   Words of Institution

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Response: Here Our Prayer, O Lord, Whelpton

* HYMN No. 648: O Jesus, I Have Promised

* BENEDICTION
* Response: Sevenfold Amen, Stainer

POSTLUDE

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OUR APPRECIATIONS:

We thank Nathalie Wang for serving as our organist today. Nathalie was born in Shanghai, China, where she began studying piano at the age of five. On full scholarship, Ms. Wang studied organ at the Royal Academy of Music in London under Nicolas Kynaston. Later, she continued her studies at the Julliard School of Music with Paul Jacobs. She had masterclasses with several renowned professors including Matthew Martin, James O’Donnell, Lionel Rogg, Anne Page, William McVicker, and Oliver Latry. Ms. Wang has performed in recitals in Shanghai, London, Denmark and New York.

We thank Sora Choi for sharing her musical talents to enhance our worship service.

LOOKING AHEAD – Mark your calendars!

Sun. Sept. 11 11:00 AM Worship Service

6:00 PM Retirement Celebration for Andrew Andela

Tues. Sept. 13 7:30 PM Bible Study
Thurs. Sept. 15 10:00 AM Bargain Boutique re-opens

7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Sat. Sept. 17 10:00 AM Ecumenical Women’s Fall Brunch

Community Reformed Church

90 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY

Sun. Sept. 18 9:30 AM Sunday School Classes begin

(Kindergarten through High School)

11:00 AM Worship Service

12:00 PM Church BBQ

BULLETIN CHANGE – Beginning September 18, a new Sunday bulletin with minor changes will be used. The prayer list in the bulletin will be started anew. If you would like the church to continue to pray for someone currently on the list, please let Barbara know so that the name will be included in the new bulletin

PRAYER REQUESTS: Jorel Andaluz, Bermudez Family, Dora Bramble, Helga Brenner-Khan, Donald Calfa, Marilyn Cooney, Jaynie d’Agostino, Allegra DeMelo, Dombrowski Family, Jolie Dunham, Jenny Hampton, Richard Holm, Lynne Johnson, Robert Keller, Karen Krieg, Fritz Kunisch, Lynn Lauterbach, Marie Mark, Ann McCaffrey-Amalfitano, Claudia Mellett, John Molino, Denise Moran, Joan Pearson, Keith Pearson, Dorothy Rama, Dorothy Reid, Josephine Rivera, Isabelita Rueda, Carmela Stocchia, Lynne Sullivan, Mary Ann Sullivan