ORDER FOR WORSHIP
* Congregation stands
BOLD – Congregation responds
Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.
PRELUDE Nocturne Chopin
SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
*Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
*CALL TO WORSHIP Thomas Aiello
Arise, shine, for your light has come!
The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.
Let us praise the Lord together.
The sun shall no longer be our light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on us,
for the Lord will be our light,
and our God will be our glory.
The Lord will be our everlasting light,
and our days of sorrow will end.
Come, let us sing to our light and salvation!
*HYMN No. 559 Make Room within My Heart, O God
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Loving God,
In Jesus Christ, your kingdom has drawn near and you have called us to repent.
Turn our hearts and minds back to you.
In Jesus Christ, your light has dawned on all of creation.
Forgive us when we choose to walk in the darkness.
In Jesus Christ, you call the nations to come and worship you.
Forgive us when we restrict access to you and your grace.
In Jesus Christ, you loosen the bonds of injustice and set your people free.
Forgive us when our actions harm and oppress.
In Jesus Christ, your good and perfect law is fulfilled.
Forgive us when we fail to live according to your will.
(Prayers of Silent Confession)
Kyrie (sung):
Choral Leader: Lord, have mercy.
Congregation: Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE
Hear these words of Jesus:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hid.
What does the LORD ask of us?
To do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.
ANTHEM The Word was God Rosephanye Powell
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made that have been made.
Nothing was made, He has not made.
All things were made by Him
and the Word was God!
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Response Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord
Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee;
he never will suffer the righteous to fall:
he is at thy right hand.
Thy mercy, Lord, is great and far above the heavens:
let none be made ashamed that wait upon thee.
*HYMN No. 212 What Wondrous Love Is This
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
God of light:
I delight to do your will; may your word dwell within our hearts.
I desire to see your face: reveal yourself to us today.
I want to hear your voice: speak, O Lord, for your servants are listening.
Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 p.163
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 p.927
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON Works of God Rev. Blaine Crawford
CONFESSION OF FAITH
* Hymn No. 689 The Church’s One Foundation (v. 5)
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
Offertory A New Commandment Thomas Tallis
A new commandment give I unto you, saith the Lord,
that ye love together, as I have loved you,
that e'en so ye love one another.
By this shall ev'ry man know
that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.
*Doxology (pew card)
*Prayer of Dedication
*HYMN No. 20 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
*BENEDICTION
Response For the Life That You Have Given
For the life that you have given,
for the love in Christ made known,
with these fruits of time and labor,
with these gifts that are your own:
here we offer, Lord, our praises;
heart and mind and strength we bring;
give us grace to love and serve you,
living what we pray and sing.
POSTLUDE Improvisation on Ode to Joy Sean Cotty
All are invited to join us downstairs
For coffee hour following worship.
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Announcements
Music Note
Throughout the month of February, the choir will be singing a spiritual hymn and anthem every Sunday in honor of Black History Month!
Children at Worship
Children at Worship is a spiritual formation program for children ages 4-9. Children are dismissed following the Junior Sermon and may be picked up from Classroom 2D after the service. There is no Children at Worship today or next Sunday, February 23.
Bible Study
Bible study meets in the library on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. The current study, led by Rev. Crawford, explores and ponders the parables of Jesus.
Reduced Office Hours
The church office will be open from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. from February 18th through February 21st. The office will be closed on February 17th for President’s Day. Normal hours will resume on February 24th.
Women’s Shelter Volunteers
Every Friday, we house up to ten women in Gessner Hall. We need volunteers to greet, to provide food and hospitality, and to stay overnight. We are especially in need of overnight chaperones. Sign up on our website or speak with our Women’s Shelter coordinator, Maureen Saepia-Chen, following the service
Food for Kids
School’s back in session which means that our Food for Kids ministry is back in full swing. Each week, bags of food are delivered to a local school to give to children who might be at risk of hunger over the weekend.
We are seeking donations of the following items on a regular basis:
· 1lb. white rice
· 1 can beans (red or black)
· 2 cans vegetables
· 1 can fruit
· 1lb. box of pasta
· 1 can pasta sauce
· 1 box mac & cheese
· 1 box cereal
· *1 jar peanut butter
· *1 jar jelly
*The jars of peanut butter and jelly must be plastic containers.
Music in a Sacred Space
Please join us on Saturday, February 29th at 4:00 pm for a piano recital by Abram Korsunsky. His program will feature exciting standards of the romantic repertoire including Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. The concert is free and open to the public, and there will be a reception to follow in Gessner Hall. Please note the earlier time.
Community Yoga
Join us in Gessner Hall for free yoga on Wednesday evenings at 7:30p.m. If you would like to join the yoga email list, please contact the church office at office@churchonthehill.org. The class is open to all ability levels and mats are available for use.
Bargain Boutique
The Boutique is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. Please bring your donations to the basement during these hours.
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