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!

August 13, 2017

Ten o’clock

10th Sunday after Pentecost

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GATHERING

REFLECTION

God sends the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be a faithful follower, even though the nature of everything seems to want to cause you to be unfaithful.”

PRELUDE

Flute Sonata in E Minor, Andante

J.S. Bach

“You are Mine”

David Haas

CALL TO WORSHIP

We have heard the call to “Come.”

But it takes risk to step out of the boat, head for the promised land, leave on a journey through the water and the waves.

We have been baptized by water and the Spirit. God is with us. God has called us to “Arise.” God goes before us in this journey.

Let us then risk responding. Let us give thanks to God who has brought us to this place. Let us worship, listen for God’s call and prepare to follow.

OPENING PRAYER

*HYMN NO. 450

“Be Thou My Vision”

Slane

Lighting the candles today is Acolyte Kaci Pace

CONFESSION

CORPORATE CONFESSION

Our Lord, you call us to be disciples, to sit at your feet and learn from you, to follow after your example. Yet so often our primary source of learning comes from the world; we chase after other gods; our discipleship is often feckless and lacking in joy. Forgive us, O Lord, and help us to be loving, open, faithful disciples of Christ.

PERSONAL CONFESSION

And let the people say,

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” First Song

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

ANTHEM

“I Believe”

The Dapper Dans

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Please note: Following Time With The Children, children preschool through 1st grade may leave the sanctuary for Kids Page to be held in room 124.

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

John 15:12-17

Page 103, NT

SERMON

“Following Jesus”

Dr. Sommers

*HYMN NO. 724

“O Jesus, I Have Promised”

Angel’s Story

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

“Amazing Grace”

The Dapper Dans

*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; we are an offering.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

GOING FORTH

*HYMN

“God Bless America”

The Dapper Dans

*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.

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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. After the 10:00am service today, we hope you will join us for Lemonade on the Lawn.

†Thank you to Kate and Brian Michalowski, as well as The Dapper Dans of Harmony, for their musical leadership in worship this morning.

†The flowers this morning, are given to the glory of God…

…in memory of Amelia “Molly” LaBrunda by Mike & Joann LaBrunda ....in memory of John and Mildred Trich, by Joan Loiacono

…in celebration of Rick and Teresa Sommers’ 38th wedding anniversary on August 12th from Sarah and Dick Sommers

† 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, Jay Courter, Ruth Evans, Bill Hayden, Janet Jelly, Edith Jipp, Brian Johnson, Christopher Kerwin, Rey Mercado, Barbara Piggery, Louise Ritscher, Emil Schnell, Marlene Todd, 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.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

AT CALDWELL

326 Bloomfield Avenue

Caldwell, NJ 07006

973-228-0310