THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT CALDWELL 


Our Purpose: 

To help all people build life-transforming relationships with God and each other. 


The members and friends of FPC welcome people from all backgrounds - - people of faith from throughout the world, people who profess no faith, Christians of all denominations and those who are searching for religious and spiritual meaning. 

Welcome! 



July 6, 2014

Ten o’clock

4th Sunday After Pentecost

CHURCH FAMILY SUNDAY

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper 

__________________________________


GATHERING 


REFLECTION

(African-American spiritual, No. 770 in hymnal)

I’m gonna eat at the welcome table,

I’m gonna eat at the welcome table,

I’m gonna eat at the welcome table, Alleluia!

Here all the world will find a welcome,

Here all the world will find a welcome,

Here all the world will find a welcome, Alleluia!


PRELUDE

“[America] with new variations”

Charles Wesley (1757-1834) 


CALL TO WORSHIP

From shore to shore, 

Let God's praise be sung. 

From mountains high to valleys low, 

Let the echo of praise resound. 

From the mouths of children and the prayers of the saints, 

Let thanksgiving abound. 

For great is our God, 

And greatly to be praised!


OPENING PRAYER


*HYMN SING 

Lighting the candles today is Acolyte Alyssa White.


CONFESSION

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Most gracious God: We acknowledge that what we are about to receive at your Son's table is a gift of your amazing grace. We can never be worthy to partake of this bread and this wine, symbols of our Lord's body and blood. But we could be, indeed we should be, a caring, loving community around this table, and we are not. There are things that keep us apart: pride, mistrust, petty vested interests. By yielding to them, we allow our unity to be weakened, our witness to be impaired. Have mercy on us, most merciful God, for we feel troubled and threatened in a troubling, threatening world. Help us to sort out the things we can change from the things we cannot change, and then grant us courage to change the former while living with the latter. Renew our commitment to the peace and unity of our church. After breaking bread today around this table, may we be more skillful in forbearing and loving one another.


PERSONAL CONFESSION

In Christ’s name we pray,

Amen.


ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

...Friends, believe the good news.

In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.


*RESPONSE OF PRAISE no. 71 

“Surely, It Is God Who Saves Me”

Surely, it is God who saves me; 

I will trust and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, 

and God will be my Savior.


PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING


TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Please note: Children ages 2-5 may leave the sanctuary for Kid’s Page to be held in room A-8. Children entering 1st through 4th grade will meet for Kid’s Page Plus in the Youth Room.


PARISH LIFE

Members, friends and visitors, please sign the Red Friendship Pad in each pew and pass it to the person next to you. The last person will pass the pad back to the first person who will then please place the sheet in the offering plate. Worshipers are invited to use the cards in the pew racks for prayer requests so we may share one another’s joys and concerns. Please place the cards in the offering plate and the staff will include them with their prayers this week.


OFFERING

OFFERTORY

“Give Me Jesus” 

Traditional Spiritual arr. Lloyd Larson

Duet: Troy Guinn-Bailey and Kevin Pasternak


*RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING no. 337 (stanza 4) 

Our father’s God, to Thee, 

Author of liberty, To Thee we sing;

Long may our land be bright 

With freedom’s holy light;

Protect us by Thy might, 

Great God, our King.


*PRAYER OF DEDICATION 


SCRIPTURE

Mark 1:16-18; 8:27-30

pages 33, 41


SERMON 

“A Place at the Table”

Dr. Sommers


THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER 


INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE


*HYMN NO. 506 

“Look Who Gathers at Christ’s Table!” 

COPELAND


GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.


THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD


COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE


PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION


GOING FORTH 


*BENEDICTION 


*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

no. 337 (stanza 1) 

My country, 'tis of thee, 

sweet land of liberty, 

of thee I sing: 

land where my fathers died, 

land of the pilgrims' pride,

from every mountainside 

let freedom ring.


*THE PEACE 

The peace of Christ be with you. 

And also with you. 

Please exchange verbal greetings of welcome and peace with your neighbor. 


__________________________________


*Those who are able, please stand 


If you are new to the church ...Welcome! We’re glad to have you here. Please ask an usher to direct you to the Visitor Packets at the rear of the church. They can be found on the table near the usher’s closet under the balcony stairs. After the 10:00am service today, we hope you will join us for Coffee Hour in Room 120 located through the door to the left of the choir loft and left to the end of the hall.


Our thanks to Wally Brixner for preparing the Lord’s Table today. Please note, so that all may partake, we use gluten free bread. Our Communion servers this week are: Susan Jones, Bill Trafton., Wally Brixner, Stephen Urban, Ron Masson, Joyce McGrath, André Massop and Nancy Scarrillo. 


The flowers this morning are given to the glory of God and in memory of John H. and Downey C. Brundage from the Brundage Flower fund.


We express our sympathy as a Christian family to Barbara Heuston on the death of her husband Tom on June 29th.


Your prayers of intercession are requested for those members and friends known to be currently or recently hospitalized or who continue to need our prayers and support:

…Ruth Hults, Bob Pryor, Doris Dusinberre, Rob Thiemann, Roger Jones, Clarence Wispelwey, Bill Hayden, Marilyn O’Connell, Louise Ritscher, Barbara Piggery, Olga Muller, Laura Winter, and Harry Coppens. 

The church office will be happy to verify their home addresses for you should you wish to send them words of encouragement or get well wishes. 


SUMMER CRADLE ROOM OPPORTUNITY: We are blessed to have an air conditioned Cradle Room at FPC for our youngest members during the hot summer months. Most of our regular dedicated volunteers (THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!) take a summer break which gives others of us the opportunity to sign up and share the joy of spending time with the very young! This fun time is a gift you can give yourself! Please consider sharing your loving arms and lap for just a Sunday or two over the summer for the 10:00 service. It is a special privilege! A sign up sheet is on the door, you will have such a good time!



THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 

AT CALDWELL 

326 Bloomfield Avenue 

Caldwell, New Jersey 07006 

973-228-0310 

www.firstprescaldwell.org