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!
April 17, 2016
Ten o’clock
4th Sunday of Easter
—————————————————
GATHERING
PRELUDE
Reflections on “The Heart of
Worship”
arr. Jerry Ray
Chancel Handbell
Choir
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and
the firmament proclaims God's handiwork.
People: Day
to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
Leader: There is no speech, nor are there words; their
voice is not heard.
People: Yet
their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
OPENING PRAYER
*HYMN NO. 17 “Sing Praise to God,
You Heavens!” Wie Lieblich
Ist Der Maien
Lighting the candles today is
Acolyte Illiana Acosta
LITANY OF PRAISE AND
CONFESSION
Praise to you, O God, source of all waters. For
vast oceans, flowing rivers, and gentle rains we give you thanks.
Forgive our careless waste and
polluting ways.
Help us to cleanse, conserve, and share; teach
us to care for the gift of water.
Come and heal your people. Come and
heal the waters.
Praise to you, O God, creator of the dry land.
For mighty mountains, rolling hills, and fertile prairies we give you thanks.
Forgive our wanton carelessness and
violent ways.
Help us to sow, till, and harvest with care;
teach us to live gently on the land.
Come and heal your people. Come and
heal the land.
Praise to you, O God, breath of life and maker
of air. For wind and wave, breath and breeze, light and life we give you
thanks.
Forgive our heedless acts and
selfish ways.
Help us to live justly, simply, and wisely;
teach us to care for the gift of air.
Come and heal your people. Come and
heal the air.
Praise to you, O God, Lord and Giver of Life.
Your love sustains planet earth and by your hand all things living are fed.
Forgive our neglect and abuse of
your gifts.
Help us to serve, defend, and restore your
creation.
Help us care for your people. Help
us care for the earth.
Creator of the
earth and all living things, maker of the sky and the air and the breath of
life, God of all that is: we are your servant people, created out of the clay
of the earth itself. We forget that we are your creatures and we play at being
gods. We neglect the work of stewardship that you have provided for our
occupation and our joy. We have used, abused, and abandoned those things that
you have created for your delight. You have created a fragile world in a
perfect and delicate balance. Thinking too much of our own importance we have
upset the balance. We ask your
forgiveness, Holy and Righteous God. We yearn to join with the mountains and
valleys, the rocks and the birds of the wild ocean waters in singing your
praises. Amen
Declaration of Hope
“Stand at the
crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies;
and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)
We are standing at
a crossroads. Together let us seek the good way and find rest for all of God's
creation.
*RESPONSE OF PRAISE NO. 14
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful
praise.
PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING
ANTHEM
“Hymn of Creation”
Arr.
Dan Forrest
Chancel
Choir
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Please note: Children through 7th grade may leave the sanctuary for Sunday School following the Time with the Children. Please exit
through the doors on either side of the Choir loft.
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.
MINUTE FOR MINISTRY “Fellowship
Fund” Eugene and Doug Jones
RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBERS
AND SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
We
welcome Jennifer Fout into the life and ministry of
this congregation, and we welcome into the family of God through baptism
Jonathan Ricardo Jimenez, son of Ricardo and Robin (Loiacono) Jimenez, born on
November 12, 2015; and Graham Winnick Fout,
son
of Jared and Jennifer Fout, born on January 11, 2016.
Assisting
in the baptisms today is Elder Rich Heun.
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH** The Apostles’
Creed
I
believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our
Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from
thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of
sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
*HYMN NO. 177 “I Will Come to You” You Are Mine
SCRIPTURE Psalm 8; Matthew 21:33-41
Pages 466, OT and 22, NT
SERMON “Give the Earth a Hug” Dr. Sommers
*HYMN NO. 19
“God of Great and God of Small”
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.
GOING FORTH
*BENEDICTION
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE NO. 175
“Seek Ye First”
Lafferty
Seek ye first the kingdom of God And
its righteousness,
And all these things shall be added unto you, Allelu, alleluia!
*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 the
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 10:00am
service today, we hope you will join us for lemonade on the lawn.
†The flowers this morning are given to
the glory of God in memory of...
...Carl
E. Thyren by Jean Thyren.
† 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:
...Alice
Brackmann, Ann Boney, Harry Coppens, Bill Hayden, Edith Jipp,
Dolores Jones, Barbara Piggery, Louise Ritscher,
Barbara Robison, 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