WELCOME TO FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF COVINGTON

If you would like information about membership or the programs, mission, and fellowship of the church, speak to the pastor as you leave or call the church office at 770-786-7321.

E-mail:

Pastor, Billy Wade: wbwade75@gmail.com

Dan Walden: djwalden@mac.com

Church Office/Peni Kehoe: penihaug@gmail.com Website: www.fpccov.org

Mailing Address: 1169 Clark Street, SW Covington, Georgia 30014

You may listen to recent sermons by visiting our website (www.fpccov.org) and clicking on “Media.”

Seventh Sunday

of Easter

May 13, 2018

Order of Worship

GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

PRELUDE Prelude in E Minor J. S. Bach

All Glory Be to God on High Michael Burkhardt Nocturne on "Fairest Lord Jesus" Dennis R. Johnson

Alice Walker, organ

Sarabande G. F. Handel Bill Cobham, trombone Alice Walker, organ

INTROIT When Christ Arose Carlton R. Young

Ambassador and Sanctuary Choirs

The earth was filled with peace and light, when Christ arose; The heavens trembled at the sight, when Christ arose; The sea rejoiced along the sand, the vernal valleys clapped their hands, The mountains sang, and all the lands, when Christ arose.

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 9:1-2 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful works. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, Most High!

HYMN 611 HYMN TO JOY Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, you invite us to come to you in prayer, assuring us that you love us even though you know what we do and even what we think. Our words are sometimes mean and ugly. We do things we wish we wouldn’t do, but can’t seem to help our-selves. We can’t control our thoughts. We feel enticed by the world around us. We ask you to forgive us and to help us for-give ourselves and others, so that we may live more like the people you want us to be, and we want to be; for we pray in Jesus’ name. (silence for personal prayer and reflection)

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE GIFT OF LOVE

Hymn 693, stanza 3 Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control; our spirits long to be made whole. Let inward love guide every deed; by this we worship, and are freed.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

GLORIA PATRI Hymn 581 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

THANKS TO THOSE SERVING US TODAY

Usher Chair - May John McCarthy

Transportation 5/20: Darcel Tabb

Sound Engineer:

Ken Walker

William B. Wade, Jr. Pastor Dan Walden Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry Peni Kehoe Secretary-Treasurer Alexis Ward Music Director Mindy Forehand Interim Music Director

Alice Walker CAGO, AAGO Organist/Ambassador Choir Shaun and Aubrey Evans Nursery Kara Sugg Director of the Early Learning Center

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STAFF

MEMBERS OF SESSION

Class of 2018 Gary Boteler Billy Fortson

Stephanie Scarborough Tom Stillerman

Koen Ardis Sophia Hawley

Class of 2019 Carter Gibson John McCarthy Teresa McCurry

Cheryl Meichsner Miriam Wheeler

Class of 2020 Doug Bolton

Stan Hall Cindy Moon Bob Tabb

Michael Thompson

Sunday, May 13 Senior Sunday 9:00 Handbell Choir 10:00 Sunday School 11:00 Worship Service

Tuesday, May 15 4:00 Exercise Class 6:30 ELC Graduation

Wednesday, May 16 Last Day for the Early Learning Center 6:45 Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, May 17 10:30 Ambassador Choir

Sunday, May 20 9:00 Handbell Choir 10:00 Sunday School 11:00 Worship Service

This Week at FPC

The Food Pantry is now open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 - 1:00. Donations of any non-perishable food items are welcome.

Suggested donations: May - boxed or canned meals with meat

Baby Love is our program to collect diapers and wipes, or donations to-ward them, to give to local organiza-tions which distribute them to parents in need. Place diapers in the cradle in the narthex. Donations should be designated to “Baby Love”.

Ongoing Activities in the Life

of the Church

We’d like to share the names of grad-uates at the high school and college levels, along with their awards and fu-ture plans. Please notify the church of-fice or Dan Walden.

Preschool Graduation - Tuesday, May 15th @ 6:30 p.m. Celebrate this important milestone in the lives of our young pre-school graduates with your presence at their graduation ceremo-ny. This short program will be held in our fellowship hall. Everyone is invited!

Pentecost Celebration

The congregation is invited to a potluck Inter-national Dinner after church on Sunday, May 20, 2018 in the fellowship hall. Some of our very own international members will be shar-ing their special dishes and talking about their heritage and church origins. Please bring an international main dish

or dessert to share. The Transportation Ministry Team is up and running, getting two of our members to church each week. We are looking for a few more drivers to help with this meaningful ministry so if you would like to drive please contact Theodosia Wade 770-317-4862, Doug Bolton 678-858-2080 or call the church office 770-786-7321 and we will add you to the rotation.

First Quarter Statements of Giving are available in the narthex for those who pledge or give regularly. They are in alphabetical order on the usher’s table. Taking yours home saves us postage! So, please be a good steward. Thanks for your generosity to the church.

Vacation Bible School: June 11-15 Adult and youth volunteers of all ages are needed to make this year's VBS safe and successful. Contact Dan Walden at the church office if you are able to help in any way.

THE PASSING OF THE PEACE The peace of the Risen Christ be with you. And also with you.

PROCLAIMING THE WORD

ANTHEM Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Ed Cash

How Can I Keep From Singing? with Praise Him! Praise Him!

Ambassador and Sanctuary Choirs

There is an endless song echoes in my soul, and I hear the music ring. And though the storms may come, I am holding on to the rock I cling.

How can I keep from singing Your praise? How can I ever say enough? How amazing is Your love. How can I keep from shouting Your name? I know I am loved by the King, and it makes my heart want to sing.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! Sing, O earth His wonderful love proclaim! Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory; Strength and honor give to His holy name! Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children In His arms He carries all day long.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness. Praise Him! Praise Him! Ever in joyful song!

Now I will lift my eyes in the darkest night, for I know my Savior lives. And I will walk with You, knowing You'll see me through, And sing the songs You give.

THE WORD FOR CHILDREN All the children are invited to come forward for the Word for Children. Afterward, children kindergarten and younger may go to children’s activities downstairs.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE READING 2 Timothy 3:14-15

SERMON From Childhood William B. Wade, Jr.

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

HYMN 450 Be Thou My Vision SLANE

RECOGNITION OF GRADUATING SENIORS

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from A Declaration of Faith Christ calls us to live in the presence of God. Jesus lived with a constant sense of his Father’s presence. He put God’s claim on his life above all else. He joined others in God’s worship and praise. He drew strength from the Scriptures. He prayed and taught his disciples to pray. We believe Christ gives us and demands of us personal lives that are centered in God and open to God’s reality and rule. Christ teaches us to put obedience to God above the interests of self, family, race or nation; to offer God joyously our money, ability, and time.

It is part of our discipline to observe a day of worship and rest, setting aside our own working to enjoy God’s work, celebrating with sisters and brothers the Lord’s goodness. We need constantly to search out God’s way in Scripture, not expecting detailed directions for every decision, but relying on the Word to tell us who God is, to press God’s present claim on us, and to assure us of God’s grace and comfort.

CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE LORD’S PRAYER p. 35 in front of hymnal

THE OFFERING OF SUBSTANCE AND LIFE

OFFERTORY Laughing and Shouting for Joy J. S. Bach from Cantata No. 15

Gracie Bates, Soprano Alice Walker, Piano

I’m shouting and laughing. I’m shouting for joy! Away with sorrow and crying, for evil is gone!

I’m shouting and laughing; I’m shouting, for evil is gone! Forever rejoicing, with thanks we pray.

The power of evil is vanished away.

DOXOLOGY (Hymn 606) OLD HUNDREDTH

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION Dear God, you have created us by your love, redeemed us by your grace and sustained us by your goodness. So help us live gratefully all our days; for we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.

BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD

INTO THE WORLD

HYMN 697 Take My Life HENDON

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

CHORAL RESPONSE Though I May Speak GIFT OF LOVE Ambassador and Sanctuary Choirs

POSTLUDE You Shall Go Out with Joy! Douglas E. Wagner

Please stand if you are able.

†Dot Schaeffer-fall, Piedmont Newton

†Deb Hales-hospital for multiple medical

issues which are serious (daughter of Joel and Faye Kitchens)

†Joel and Faye Kitchens’ families have

several ill members and invite your prayers for healing for them. †Tim Blankenship-home (brother of

Trent, son of Maxine Blankenship) †Harry Hicks-heart surgery (father of

Doug Hicks) †Sam Ramsey-home

†Spencer Boyd-lung cancer

3037 Pine Needle Rd Augusta, GA 30909-3047

†Angela Gregory-cancer (sister of Dave

Gregory)

†Lewis Bunn-lung cancer, surgery on

Tuesday (father of Alan Bunn)

†Roger Wallace-Rockdale Healthcare

†Sharon Popinski -donated her kidney to her cousin Dewight Wilson (niece & nephew of Joyce Ashworth) †Lauran Ashworth-recovering from sur- gery, Alexandria, VA (Joyce Ashwor- th’s daughter-in-law) †Joel Kitchens - home †Kathryn Wallace-broken leg †Phyllis Pruner-home, bronchitis, pleurisy †Larry Kennon-home †Roger Gossage-home †Sharon Wallace-back surgery (sister of Debbie Gossage) †Thomas Stewart-partial leg amputation †Sophia Hawley-cystic fibrosis †Adriane Ivey-home, chemo therapy †Tom Holmes-cancer (friend of Dan Walden) †Brandon Massey-blood cancer (grand- son of Chuck and Sherry Brasher †Clynton Byer-heart surgery (friend of the Ardis family) †Jeanette Davis-hospice (mother of Maria Davis) †Ethan Lassiter (8)-brain tumor (grandson of E. G. and Maryanne Lassiter

†David Cooper-chemotherapy (father of Rebecca Bates) †Anderson Krieger-chemotherapy at home †Carol Baynes-cancer (friend of Phyllis Yoder) †Robin McKeown-cancer (friend of Phyllis Yoder) †Mitchell Jessup-cancer (father of Nick Jessup) Assisted Living/Nursing Homes: †Julia Brubaker-Benton House

†Russ Cole-Manor House, Social Circle †Jeanne Cannon-St. Simon’s Island, GA

Merryvale †Guy McGiboney †Betty Robinson †Louise White †Alice Gadilhe †Hughie Hudson †Patricia McGuire

Home †Jan Coulon †Debi (Dee) Selin Peace Corps Volunteer †Patti Lanford stationed in Zambia Temporarily at sister’s home during re-covery for broken foot:

Patti Lanford c/o Nancy Sauls 483 Fischer Trail Ellijay, GA 30540

Celebration: Caroline Dunbar and Maximilian Jahn were married May 5, in Graf-enegg, Austria. Caroline is the daughter of Carol and Ellis Dunbar. The wedding ceremony was per-formed by the Rev. Louly Hay at Grafenegg Castle. The couple re-sides in New York City (Manhattan).

Hospital Visitor: Bob & Darcel Tabb

Worship Notes

Dan Walden, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministries, is assisting with worship today. Please enter the sanctuary in a spirit of reverence as we prepare to worship God. Remember to turn on your cell phones when you leave. Recordings of Sunday sermons can be accessed on the church website:

www.fpccov.org.

In Our Thoughts and Prayers

The flowers in the sanctuary are given to the glory of God in honor of Alice Walker, on Mother’s Day, by the Long Family: Nat Allen, Harrison, Melanie, Oliver and Nathaniel.