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!
January 1, 2017
Ten o’clock
1st Sunday after Christmas Day
Sunday Closest to Day of Epiphany
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GATHERING
REFLECTION
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better [person].
— Benjamin Franklin
PRELUDE “I Wonder as I Wander” arr. Douglas E. Wagner
CALL TO WORSHIP
This is the day that the Lord has made.
We will be glad and rejoice in it.
This is the year that the Lord has begun.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to those who seek him.
Great is your faithfulness, O Lord.
OPENING PRAYER
*CAROL SING
CONFESSION
(Lighting the candles today is Acolyte Kaci Pace)
CORPORATE CONFESSION
Candles and their light, almost by their very nature, are symbolic. Candlelight represents beauty. Candlelight represents warmth and caring. Candlelight represents goodness, goodness which is stronger than evil. Candlelight represents life. These candles represent our lives this past year.
Silence
At times our lives did shine brightly for all to see the love of God, which lives in our hearts. At times our lives flickered and flashed wildly, growing stronger. At times our lives and the love, which lives inside seemed almost as if it would go out.
Silence
O Lord our God, you know the ways this past year in which our lives have not represented truth and knowledge. You know the times in which we struggled to be warm and caring and the times when we did not choose goodness. Forgive us Lord, for those times when our lives did not reflect your love. Give us your help and healing in our lives that we may begin this New Year with hope and joy. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
In Jesus’ name the Lord our God forgives our sins this day and every day, this year and every year. What is over is done; God gives us grace for what is to come. As a sign of God’s forgiveness we extinguish these candles.
Yet we cannot live in the cold and in the darkness, we but wither and die. From whence does our light come?
(The acolyte lights the altar candles)
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
The light no darkness can overcome.
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 strong-hold
and my sure defense,
and God will be my Savior.
PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
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. Please place the cards in the offering plate and the staff will include them with their prayers this week.
OFFERING
OFFERTORY “Ave Maria” Franz Schubert
Michael Colavita, Solo (1797-1828)
*RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING
NO. 710 “We Lift Our Voices”
Offering
We lift our voices; we lift our hands;
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering.
Lord, use our voices; Lord, use our hands;
Lord, use our lives; they are yours: we are an offering.
All that we have, all that we are, all that we hope to be, we give to you, we give to you.
We lift our voices; we lift our hands;
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 2:1-12 Page 1, NT
SERMON
“Pinholes of Light” Dr. Sommers
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
*HYMN OF PREPARATION
NO. 150 “As with Gladness Men of Old”
Dix
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
*HYMN
NO. 687 “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past”
St. Anne
*BENEDICTION
*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE
NO. 687 “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past”
Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
be thou our guard while life shall last,
and our eternal home.
*THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Please exchange greetings of welcome and peace with your neighbor.
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*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.
†The flowers this morning, are given to the glory of God …
.... in memory of Andrew T. Ball, beloved husband, by Kathryn Ball
† 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:
… Mary Ann Bainbridge, Harry Coppens, Bill Hayden, Edith Jipp, Barbara Piggery, Louise Ritscher, Laura Winter 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.
†There will be a congregational meeting immediately following the 10:00 service on January 15th for the purpose of electing a new class of Ruling Elders and Deacons.
†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, NJ 07006
973-228-0310