ORDER FOR WORSHIP
* Congregation stands
BOLD – Congregation responds
Please be mindful of your volume during the Prelude as we prepare for worship together.
PRELUDE Prelude in B-flat Minor Bach
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 Nick Restivo
God of power and wonder,
we are awestruck by the glory of your presence.
We rejoice at what we can see;
we marvel at what we cannot see.
You dazzle us with your brightness;
you overshadow us as with a great cloud.
Loving, protecting, challenging, nurturing,
you strengthen and transform us.
May we love and serve you in all that we are and do.
Glory be to you!
*HYMN No. 563 Lord, I Want to be a Christian
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Most holy God, the mystery of your radiance surrounds us.
Like the disciples of Jesus,
we confess our unease with transcendent mystery.
Faced with your splendor, we do not take time
for attentive silence as Jesus did,
but we evade the holy with chattering and busyness—
anything to avoid your power.
We also confess those times when we are at ease with holiness, absorbed in prayer and thought but so in love with your love that we neglect those in need.
As Jesus descended into the valley
to work among the poor of the earth,
so direct us to our responsibilities.
Such is the mystery of your love, O God,
which both overwhelms and attracts us.
Have mercy upon us and forgive us.
Free us to love and serve in equal measure.
(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
Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror,
are being transformed into the same image
from one degree of glory to another,
for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven and transformed!
Praise be to God!
ANTHEM Go and Tell John Lloyd Pfautsch
Go and tell John what you see and hear,
that the blind recover their sight.
Go and tell John what you see and hear,
that the lame are able to walk.
Go and tell John what you see and hear,
that the deaf are able to hear.
Go and tell John what you see and hear,
that the sick regain their health.
Go and tell John what you see and hear,
that the dead are raised to life.
Happy is the man who comes to me,
happy is the man who believes in me
for he shall see God.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Response Write These Words in Our Hearts
Write these words in our hearts,
we beseech you, O Lord.
*HYMN No. 356 All Creatures of Our God and King
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Holy God,
you revealed to the disciples
the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ.
Grant us, who have not seen and yet believe,
the gift of your Holy Spirit,
that we may boldly live the gospel
and shine with your transforming glory
as people changed and changing
through the redeeming presence of our Savior. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 99 pp.480-481
Matthew 17:1-9 p.798
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON In God’s Presence Rev. Blaine Crawford
CONFESSION OF FAITH
* Apostles’ Creed (pew card)
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
Offertory Lift Up Your Heads, G. F. Handel
O Ye Gates (from the Messiah)
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;
and the King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;
and the King of Glory shall come in.
Who is this King of Glory?
The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.
*Doxology (pew card)
*Prayer of Dedication
*HYMN No. 21 How Great Thou Art
*BENEDICTION
Response Sevenfold Amen
POSTLUDE Fugue in Eb Major Bach
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.
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.
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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