first presbyterian church · bring your own container to a restaurant to bring home your...
TRANSCRIPT
SESSION
Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Class of 2022 Steve Hohneker Rick Jacker Nancy Pienta Sarah Sayers Chuck Shattenkirk
Moderator: Rev. Kathi L. Jones Clerk of Session: Sarah Sayers
DEACONS
Class of 2020 Class of 2021 Class of 2022 Laurae Hoffmann Melissa Barton Alicia Albertson Hertha Matuszek Judy Bury Rosalie Hemingway
Moderator: Judy Bury
Church Treasurer: Sandra Hohneker Assistant Treasurer: Vieve Gay Financial Secretary: Bill Ring
First Presbyterian Church 3212 Church Street P.O. Box 267, Valatie, NY 12184
Church Phone – 518-758-9658 Pastor’s Phone – 518-755-2557
Church’s Email – [email protected] Pastor – Rev. Kathi L. Jones
Pastor’s Email – [email protected]
Organist – Ardelle Stewart Secretary – Naomi Handley
Sexton – Nick Becker
First Presbyterian Church
Valatie, NY
Where friends are made, faith is nurtured, service begins
and All Are Welcome!
November 17, 2019 11:00am.
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
* * * * *
Gathering in the Name of the Lord (In silence and meditation prepare yourself for worship)
LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION
MISSION STATEMENT (Unison)
We are a small congregation, part of God’s larger family,
teaching and living God’s Word, and sharing God’s love
throughout the community.
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsively)
For your gracious and mighty deeds of the past, O Lord,
We give you thanks.
For your presence with us in the present, O Lord,
We give you thanks.
For the certainty that no matter what the future holds, you will be
holding us and all your creation, O Lord,
We give you thanks.
*HYMN 412 God, Reveal Your Presence
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Forgive us, Lord, for often we are so easily frightened, led
astray by those who claim to know far more than they can, even
more than you! We let them distract us from being your people
in the here and now.
THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR
TODAY 9:30am. Sunday School Adult Education
11:00am. Worship 12:15pm. Coffee and Fellowship
MONDAY 12:00pm. Food Pantry Open 6:30pm. Girl Scouts 7:00pm. Food Pantry Committee TUESDAY 9:30am. Presbytery at Schoharie
7:00pm. Finance and Stewardship Scouts BSA
WEDNESDAY 6:00pm. Food Pantry 7:00pm. Session SATURDAY 9:00am. Food Pantry 1:00pm. Set-up for Alternative Christmas
Looking Ahead – NEXT SUNDAY –November 24, 2019
9:30am. Sunday School . Adult Education 11:00am. Worship 12:15pm. Congregational Meeting 12:30pm. Alternative Christmas Fair
Birthdays and Anniversaries This Week 22 - Rachel Handley
22 - Carol and John Matthews 23 - Sandy and Steve Hohneker
Minute for Mission: Hunger and Homelessness Sunday
Presbyterian congregations are responding to homelessness around the country. They are preparing meals and sharing produce from community gardens, offering shelter on cold nights, assisting with job skills training and participating in Congregation-Based Community Organizing (CBCO). CBCO is a local coalition of congregations from many faiths working together to root out injustice and build equitable solutions in their neighbor-hoods and cities. While advocating with people whose voices are too often ignored, congregations find that the vibrancy of their own faith communities increases. When Deborah Agbor-Tabi joined St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina, she found the congregation very involved with the community in areas such as recreation, social events, working with local politi-cal leaders, and ministries with youth, seniors, students and those in need of food stamps. Deborah knew that in addition to mercy and faithfulness, God calls the Church to do the work of justice (Micah 6:8, Matthew 23:23–24). Members of St. James have been active for several years in community or-ganizing with their local CBCO, the Charleston Area Justice Ministry. “Each year we focus on one challenge and we research it along with possible solutions. We present these to our public officials in public gather-ings. Using the example of Nehemiah, we have an annual gathering … to ask our officials to adopt and implement the solutions we have identi-fied. Sometimes this can take two to three years, but we are successful. Then we follow up together to be sure it is implemented. Those folks who felt that nothing ever works have heard about our successes and have started to par-ticipate,” Deborah said. “Together we make a difference for each other, our membership and our community, while also energizing the congregation.” The Presbyterian Hunger Program financially supports about two doz-en CBCOs around the United States each year thanks to Presbyterians’ dona-tions to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Andrew Kang Bartlett; Associate for National Hunger Concerns; Compassion Peace & Justice; Presbyterian Mission Agency
Forgive us when we so easily tremble at the wars and rumors of war. We forget that this is your world and that you are always with us. Forgive us when we let other visions of the future control our work and perspective, rather than your vision of peace and harmony. Forgive us for the times we have in words and deeds created more harm than help, more discord than peace. Show us the paths that lead to your peace, and let your peace begin right now in each of us. Forgive us our trust in things other than you...in money, in military might, in economic power, even in our own righteousness. Help us to remember that our only peace and security comes in placing our trust in you above all else.
SILENT PRAYER FOR PERSONAL CONFESSION ASSURANCE OF PARDON RESPONSE 417 (v. 1) Lord Jesus, Think on Me
Proclaiming the Word PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Unison)
Most loving God, your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. Please enable us to so trust you, that grounded in you we may live with serene trust. May we look at change and chance without dismay, seeing in every moment the opportunity for the exercise of resilient faith and tenacious love. Through Jesus Christ, the bringer of the new heaven and new earth. Amen!
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 65:17-25
(O.T. pg. 682)
GOSPEL LESSON Luke 21:5-19 (N.T. pg. 83)
NOT FOR CHILDREN ONLY
HYMN 722 (v. 1,3,4,5) Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak
SERMON If There Is Something New, What Happens to the Old?
Responding to the Word
MINUTE FOR MISSION
SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER (sins, sin)
OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS
*RESPONSE 643 (v. 3) Now Thank We All Our God
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
Remind us, Holy God, that people draw hope, healing, feeding,
reconciliation from the wells of our generosity. So, encourage
us to draw from the abundance which is ours to bless those
around us, even if we do not know them. In Jesus' name we
pray. Amen.
*HYMN 840 When Peace Like a River
*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
Thanksgiving Eve Service
will be held at the Kinderhook Reformed Church,
November 27.
The service will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Rev. Samantha White, pastor of Tri-County Lutheran Parish (which
includes St. Luke’s and Emmanuel) is bringing the message of the
evening.
Offering will be received for the Catholic Charities Ecumenical
Emergency Fund (CEEF)
and non perishable items for the Ichabod Crane Ecumenical Food
Pantry will also be collected.
Join your neighbors in praising and thanking God
for all of life.
Join us for the Alternative Christmas Fair!
Too many things to buy for Christmas? Everyone already has too much?
Try a new way of celebrating Christmas this year!
Through the Alternative Christmas Fair you can honor someone with
a gift that keeps on giving and is in the spirit of what Christmas means.
Make donations to help purchase items for families around the world in a loved one’s name
and present to them a full color card to explain to them what has been done in their honor.
We are working with:
Join us on Sunday November 24 (though orders may be submitted any time until then)
Church World Service
*PASSING THE PEACE (Responsively) The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Go in peace. Amen.
* * * * * * - indicates that all who are able, may stand. The lay reader today is Joanna Michalek. Greeting at the front doors this morning is Ruth and Paul Fuhrmann. Hertha Matuszek is tending the Nursery. Wally Brough is head usher for November.
PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY
Wayne Austin Jerry Dymond
Mary and Charles Heermance Ricky Jacker
Laura Kinnicutt Marge Laurie
Geraldine and Bruce McCrum Marc Petrie
Marie and Daniel Wloch
PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND THE WORLD Bill Behrens
Caren Stewart Those who have lost loved ones
Migrants, immigrants and refugees Government leaders
Iraq Santa Clarita school district and shooting victims
Syria The West Bank
ANNOUNCEMENTS
NURSERY CARE DURING WORSHIP is provided for infants and children
through the second grade. Parents are asked to take their child(ren) to the
nursery during the hymn just before the sermon. The nursery is found
through the door to the left of the pulpit, down the hall on the left. Children
who are in the third grade and older should remain with their families during
the worship service.
THE ECUMENICAL FOOD PANTRY continues to meet a growing need in
the Ichabod Crane School district. They are grateful for all donations of non-
perishable foods (that have a future expiration date) and are asking
particularly at this time for rice, tuna, cereals, and soups. If you have any
questions about the Food Pantry or how you might get involved, speak with
Tim Wells, our representative on the Food Pantry Committee.
If you would like to honor someone or make a gift in memory of someone,
consider giving flowers for a Sunday worship service. A sign-up sheet is in
the back of the sanctuary for you to give the information necessary for the
bulletin and a form to fill out and put in the Secretary’s box. You may bring
any flowers you want – from the garden or store arranged. We all appreciate
the beauty of creation!
NEXT SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24, the Congregation and Community
Committee will close the Alternative Christmas Fair. Donations can be made
in someone’s honor, or, just because, and items are given through mission
agencies to help others around the world. This year we will again be
supporting Church World Service, Heifer International, SERRV and
Presbyterian Giving Catalog. Come to Coffee Hour and view the many
worthy projects and programs that you can support.
The Walk to End Hunger (aka the “CROP Walk”) is looking for an organizer in
our area. If you feel God calling you to take on the organization and
promotion of this worthy project, along with an able committee, please
let Nancy Pienta or Pastor Kathi know.
Go Green:
Bring your own container to a restaurant to bring home your left-overs. It
helps decrease waste and may also inspire others to do the same.
If you have not returned your 2020 Pledge Card, please take a moment to fill
one out and put it on the offering plate today. Extras may be found on the
table at the back of the sanctuary. Finance and Stewardship needs income
information in order to determine what programs and personnel we will be
able to fund as well as to what extent we will be able maintain our facilities.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30 beginning at 9:30am. we will be decorating
the sanctuary for the Advent and Christmas season. Many hands make light
work and it is fun work anyway. So come on out and join us as we get into
the holiday spirit and deck the halls! We will need some fresh greens to
make swags so if you have any, please speak with Hertha so we can
coordinate what we are getting. Different kinds of evergreens make the
decorations more interesting.
The Thank Offering has been a long tradition of Presbyterian Women and has provided financial assistance to numerous programs throughout the years. Forty percent of each year's offering is used to support hospitals and community health programs and the remaining sixty percent is used for new creative ideas for mission that will support the health, education, and economic development of women and children. A list of the 20 19 recipients is in the folder that was handed out. The offering will be taken today and next Sunday.
A meeting of the Congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of
Valatie, NY, is called for Sunday November 24, 2019 immediately
following worship for the purpose of electing 1 elder to the Class
of 2023 and 2 deacons to the Class of 2023.
By Order of the Session
Sarah Sayers, Clerk