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!

November 5, 2017

Ten o’clock

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday following All Saints’ Day

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

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GATHERING

REFLECTION

The challenge of the saints of the twenty-first century is to begin again to comprehend the sacred in the ten thousand things of our world; to reverence what we have come to view as ordinary and devoid of spirit.

— Edward Hays

PRELUDE

Festive Prelude on “In Babilone”

Dutch Folk Tune, arr. Wayne Wold

First Church Ringers

CALL TO WORSHIP AND OPENING PRAYER

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all!

And also with you!

Let us pray together. Lord God, by your grace we are running a race.

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses--

Patriarchs and matriarchs, prophets and psalmists, disciples and evangelists, martyrs and saints.

We thank you for their example. We praise you for their lives of faith. For all your saints, O Lord, who strove in you to live, who followed, obeyed, adored you - our grateful hymn we sing.

Lord God, by your grace we are running a race.

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses--

Loved ones now resting in you, who guided us, nurtured and cared for us; ancestors who worked and traveled, lived and died that we might be who we are, where we are -- your precious children in this community of believers.

We thank you for their example. We praise you for their lives of faith. For all your saints, O Lord, who strove in you to die, who counted you their great reward - accept our thankful cry.

Lord God, by your grace we are running a race.

We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses--

Family members and members of this congregation; fellow believers in every country, every denomination; friends who help, guide and uplift us-- children of your family, sheep of your fold, saints of your redeeming.

We thank you for their example. We praise you for their lives of faith. For this, your name we bless, and humbly pray anew, that we like them in holiness may live and die in you.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,

and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

looking to Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Amen.

*HYMN NO. 326

“For All the Saints”

Sine Nomine

Serving as Acolyte today is Charlie Babboni

CONFESSION

Let us prepare to take our place at the table of grace with servants among us and saints above us, united in the joy of Christ our hope:

Everlasting God, whose timeless grace unites us, forgive the ways we have sinned against our ancestors. We failed to follow their example and heed their wisdom. Free us from the legacy of their sins.

Forgive as well the ways we have sinned against our descendants. Our greed has threatened their well-being, and our hatred has damaged their peace. Free us to be your worthy servants in this hour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[silence]

The saying is true for all generations:

Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

This proves God’s love for us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

*RESPONSE OF PRAISE NO. 447

“We Are Forgiven”

We Are Forgiven

PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING

ANTHEM

“Sing to the Lord”

from MASS No. 3 in D-minor

Franz Josef Haydn

Westminster Choir and Pilgrim Choirs

arr. Hal H. Hopson

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Please note: Following Time With The Children, children preschool through 1st grade may leave the sanctuary for Young Children and Worship to be held in room A-5.

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.

MINUTE FOR MINISTRY

“Turkey Drive”

Stephen Cornman

OFFERING

OFFERTORY “Let the Song Go Round the Earth” Buryl Red Westminster Choir and Pilgrim Choirs arr. Mary Ellen Kerrick

*RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING NO. 710

“We Lift Our Voices”

Offering

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

SCRIPTURE

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Page 582, OT

MEDITATION

“A Strong Link”

Dr. Sommers

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

REMEMBERING THE SAINTS

The names of the members/friends of the congregation who have died within the past year will be read. A moment of silence will follow, during which a bell will ring for each person named.

*HYMN NO. 731

“Give Thanks for Those Whose Faith Is Firm”

Repton

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 AND COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE

MUSIC DURING DISTRIBUTION

No. 306 “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”

No. 325 “By All Your Saints Still Striving”

No. 466 “Come and Fill Our Hearts”

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

GOING FORTH

*BENEDICTION

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE NO. 747

“The Lord Now Sends Us Forth”

Enviado

*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

†The Feast of All Saints falls each year on November 1st and serves to commemorate all Christian people of every time and place. The saints in the New Testament refers to Christians collectively, and it is this understanding of All Saints that has spread among Protestants. This morning we remember those sisters and brothers of our congregation who have died during the past twelve months. We affirm their ministry with us and rejoice in their triumph over death: Neil Aharrah, Wilma Archibald, Ruth Hults, Dr. Jan Huston-Pryor, Harold Kuhefuss, Charles Passavant, Marion Pedersen, Tommy Page, Barbara Robison, Martha Tarjan, Paul Vanderhoof, Almira Van Court, John Vantuno and Joy Willies.

† Thank you to Jessica Day for preparing the table for the Lord’s Supper. Our Communion servers this week are: Jeanine Archibald, Stephen Cornman, Chris Flanagan, Donna Heun, Bob Hodge, Brian Johnson, Robert Maxwell, Nancy McCarthy, Mark Mulick, and Kathy Pace.

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

… in memory of Henrietta Urban, by Pamela Urban

… in memory of my father, Reinhold Karsten, by Barbara Heuston

….in celebration of Gordon Gibson’s birthday, by Alice Gibson

† 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, Jay Courter, Ruth Evans, Edith Jipp, Christopher Kerwin, Lorenzo Marcantonio, Rey Mercado, Max Oehler, Barbara Piggery, Arline Pressl, Louise Ritscher, Richard Rose, Michael Sanok, Emil Schnell, 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