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!
December 28, 2014
Ten o’clock
First Sunday after Christmas Day
GATHERING
REFLECTION
Remember, if Christmas isn't found
in your heart, you won't find it under the tree.
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP
Come,
people of God. Let us give thanks for these holy days of Christmas.
We
have come to worship the God of new beginnings and new opportunities.
Come,
people of God. Let us celebrate and rejoice for the wondrous gifts given to us.
Here
in our worship, we look to the future as we are filled with the gifts of
Christmas: hope, peace, joy, and love!
OPENING
PRAYER
*CAROL SING
Lighting
the candles today is Acolyte Henry Jones.
CONFESSION
CORPORATE CONFESSION
Creating God, you make all
things new and you hold out a new day and a new year for us. Yet how often we
squander the opportunities, letting our doubts overwhelm us, letting our sins
bind us, letting our fears stop us. You offer us new dreams, and we succumb to
old weaknesses; you offer us hope and we choose the comfortable.
Creating
God, we have touched the joy of Christmas. Let us carry a measure of delight
and bounty of love into your new day. Fill us with the joy of living and the
spirit of giving as we approach the new year.
PERSONAL CONFESSION
In the name
of the One born in a manger we pray.
Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
...Friends,
believe the good news.
In
Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE NO. 119 (3rd
Stanza)
“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
MENDELSSOHN
Hail
the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of righteousness!
Light
and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild
he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born
to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark!
The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king!”
PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING
ANTHEM
“Do
You Hear What I Hear?”
Arr. Carrie Underwood
Duet:
Lauren Dwyer and Jude Lammers
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Please note:
Preschool children, Kindergartners and 1st Graders will head down to Rooms A4
and A5 following the Time with the Children to participate in the Young
Children and Worship Program.
PARISH LIFE
Members,
friends and visitors, please
sign the 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. The ushers will collect the cards during the hymn following
the sermon and they will be offered during the Prayers of the People.
SCRIPTURE
Pages 1-2, NT
SERMON
“On the Way”
Dr. Richard Sommers
*HYMN NO. 145
“What Child Is This”
GREENSLEEVES
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 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.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
“O Holy Night”
Arr. Mark Hayes
Paul Salierno, Solo
*RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING NO. 143
“Angels, from the Realms of
Glory” (Stanza 4)
All creation, join in praising God the Father, Spirit, Son,
evermore your voices raising to the eternal Three in One: come and worship,
come and worship, worship Christ, the newborn king!
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
GOING FORTH
*HYMN NO. 132
“Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
IN
DULCI JUBILO
*BENEDICTION
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE NO. 115 (3rd
stanza)
“Away in a Manger”
MUELLER
Be
near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I
pray.
Bless
all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with
thee there.
*THE PEACE
The peace of
Christ be with you.
And
also with you.
Please exchange greetings of welcome
and peace with your neighbor.
*Please rise in body or in spirit
†If you are new to our
church...Welcome! We’re glad to have you here. Please ask an usher to direct
you to 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 10:00 service
today, we hope you will join us for Coffee Hour in Room 120.
†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:
...Harry Coppens, Bill Hayden, Ruth
Hults, Edith Jipp, Roger Jones, Alex Lopus, Olga Muller, Marilyn O’Connell, Barbara Piggery,
Louise Ritscher, Laura Winter and Clarence and Helena
Wispelwey. 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.
† It is easy to join our mailing
list! Just text FPC to 42828 and follow the prompt to send your e-mail address
by text message.
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
AT CALDWELL
326 Bloomfield Avenue
Caldwell, New Jersey 07006
973-228-0310
www.firstprescaldwell.org