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!

June 30, 2019

Ten o’clock

3rd Sunday of Pentecost

GATHERING

REFLECTION

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?

— Dr. Martin Luther King

PRELUDE

Music selections from The Pittsburgh Project

CALL TO WORSHIP

Gather us in, Mysterious Creator God.

That being close to you we will understand your intention for creation.

Weave us into one, Sweet Savior.

That living your ways we will create communities of faith and peace.

Gather us in, Powerful Spirit of Renewal.

That treasuring the past we will boldly shape the future.

Weave us into one, Holy One in Three.

That women, men and youth together may be the signs of your presence, the weavers of your communities and the witnesses to your coming. Gather us in this day so that we might gather strength from you.

OPENING PRAYER

*HYMN NO. 2

“Come, Thou Almighty King”

Italian Hymn

Serving as Acolyte today is Andrew Casazza

CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

O God, you know there are days when we see people spreading hate and fear and we want them to be punished. We see others gossiping and spouting untruths and know this isn’t your way. We see people mistreating each other and we are angry. We understand why James and John asked, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” And we know just like Jesus rebuked the disciples, you would tell us this is not your way. Forgive us for wanting to repay hate with hate and violence with violence.

O God, we promised to follow you. And yet, so many other things pull at our time and attention: we will follow you as soon as our to do list is tackled, our house is clean enough for company, and we’ve cared for our family. Forgive us God, for not putting you first in our lives.

O God, we ask that you give us righteous anger at the injustice in the world and that you help us to have our priorities in order, so we may follow you.

PERSONAL CONFESSION

In the name of Jesus, who remains faithful even when we do not, we pray.

Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

...Friends, believe the good news.

In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

*RESPONSE OF PRAISE NO. 423

“Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God” (stanza 1)

Saraday

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

create in me a clean heart, O God;

create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

PROCLAIMING AND RESPONDING

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.

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Please note: Children of all ages will worship with their families in the Sanctuary during the Summer months.

THE PITTSBURGH PROJECT COMMISSIONING

ANTHEM

"We Beseech Thee" from GODSPELL

Stephen Schwartz

Andrew McLaughlin & Michael Soccio

SCRIPTURE

Luke 9:51-62

Page 66, NT

SERMON

“Costly Discipleship”

Noe Lopez

*HYMN NO. 451

“Open My Eyes, That I May See”

Open My Eyes

THANKSGIVING FOR THE MINISTRY OF NOE LOPEZ

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

"Siyahamba" Zulu melody

arr. John Carter

*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 NO. 172

“Blest Are They”

Blest Are They

*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

†We are glad you have chosen to worship here today! Please come again! For more information about

our church, please visit our website: www.firstprescaldwell.org.

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

†We express our sympathy as a Christian family to….

….Rich Heun and his family on the death of his step-mother Irene Stevens-Heun, on Thursday,

June 20, 2019.

†We express our sympathy as a Christian family to….

….Donato Colavita and his family on the death of his mother Pasqualina Colavita, on Sunday,

June 23, 2019.

† 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, Alice Brackmann, Harry Coppens, Ray Corbin, Jay Courter, Catherine Fleming,

Neil Garland, Bill Hartman, Sandra Harvey, Bill Hayden, Christopher Kerwin, Edna Lawshe, Dottie

Leonard, Marge Lucas, Thelma Mitchell, Kara Nancoz, Kaye Prasad, Barbara Piggery, Louise

Ritscher, Richard Rose, Barbara Romaine, Bob Scarrillo, Debbie Wefferling, 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