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!

May 6th, 2018

Ten o’clock

6th Sunday in Easter

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GATHERING

REFLECTION

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness;

only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate;

only love can do that.”

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PRELUDE

“Elegy”

arr. Oskar Lindberg

CALL TO WORSHIP

We gather to worship the One who crafted creation out of chaos,

our cries of joy join the anthems of the universe.

We gather to lift our praise to the God who gives us voice,

we bring the songs which have echoed in our hearts all week long.

We gather as the children of God, our joy unbroken in God's love.

young and old, tone deaf and perfect-pitched lift the new, new songs of faith.

OPENING PRAYER

*HYMN NO. 339

“Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift Every Voice

Serving as Acolyte today is Will Capizzi

CONFESSION

UNISON PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS

Joy-giving God, we know who we are: people who hear the harmony of your grace and love in our souls, but sing off-key so often. We want to learn new songs, but those haunting tunes of our past mistakes run through our heads. We long to make a joyful noise to you, but the hurts inflicted on us, and the pain we have caused others, silence our voices. Sing to us, Conductor of Grace: sing of your forgiveness, your hope, your love for us. Strike a chord of humility in our hearts so our eyes could see all you have done for us; and in seeing, we might believe how much you love us; and in believing, we would echo that new song of hope and life composed through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

PERSONAL CONFESSION

In the name of Jesus, we pray.

Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

...Friends, believe the good news.

In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

*RESPONSE OF PRAISE NO. 759

“O God, We Bear the Imprint”

Todos Los Colores

PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING

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. Please place the cards in the offering plate and the staff will include them with their prayers this week.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE MINISTRY OF TODD SHUMPERT

OFFERING

OFFERTORY “Hail, True Body”

W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)

Chancel Choir

*RESPONSE OF THANKSGIVING NO. 759

“O God, We Bear the Imprint” Todos Los Colores

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

MEDITATION

Reverend David Billings

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

*HYMN NO. 530

“One Bread, One Body”

One Bread, One Body

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

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

“10,000 Reasons” arr. Loyd Larson

Sarah Solie, Soloist

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

GOING FORTH

*BENEDICTION

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE NO. 759

“O God, We Bear the Imprint”

Todos Los Colores

*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

†Thank you to Wally Brixner for preparing the table for the Lord’s Supper.

†We are glad you have chosen to worship here today! Please come again!

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

In loving memory of Meghan P. Birdsall from the Birdsall Family.

In loving memory of William “Bill” John Glynn, our beloved husband, dad and grandpa

by the Glynn Family.

†Nursery care is provided for children up to 24 months in our Cradle Room during the 10:00AM Worship Service. There is Christian Education during the 10:00AM Worship Service. The Cradle Room and Rest Rooms are located through the door to the left of the pulpit then left down the hallway.

†For more information about our church, please visit our website: www.firstprescaldwell.org. An information packet is available at the rear of the sanctuary and an Usher or one of the Greeters that you met as you came in will be glad to provide you with more information.

†You are respectfully requested to turn off all pagers and cell phones. Our church is equipped with a hearing assistance system. Please ask the usher for a receiver.

† 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:

… Maggie Bischoff, Eleanor Casagrand, Harry Coppens, Jay Courter, Ruth Evans, Sandra Harvey, Bill Hayden, Edith Jipp, Christopher Kerwin, Dottie Leonard, Elizabeth Oehler, Max Oehler, Barbara Piggery, Arline Pressl, Mary Lou Pryor, Louise Ritscher, Richard Rose, Bob Scarrillo, Rick Sommers, 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