Grace Presbyterian Church
Meeting in the Chapel at Union Congregational Church
Serving people, through Christ, to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us.
Christ the King
Welcome
Prelude “Prelude in E minor Op. 28 No.4” Frederic Chopin
Opening Song * “Majesty, Worship His Majesty”
Majesty, worship his majesty.
unto Jesus be all glory, honor and praise!
Majesty, kingdom authority,
from from his throne, unto his own
his anthem raise!
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus!
Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship his majesty;
Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings!
Opening Prayer
Prayer for Illumination
Responsive Scripture Lesson 1 Samuel 8:4-9
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’
Call to Confession
Unison Confession of Sin
Lord, however much we call you king, we fail to follow your call to us. We succumb to the political temptations of this temporary world, seeking power and security while you call us to service and hospitality, consuming your creation while you call us to care for it, hating our neighbors, who you call us to love. In our failure to claim you, we identify more with the nations on our passports than with your kingdom. We pray that you reclaim us as your people, forgive us as your children, and continue to be our Lord and our hope for salvation.
Assurance of Forgiveness (based on Psalm 93:5, Revelation 1:5)
Sung Response “Gloria Patri”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.
Passing of the Peace
Responsive Scripture Reading Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Time with Children
Congregational Song 144 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!”
Responsive Scripture Lesson John 18:33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”
Choral Anthem “Jesus in the Morning” Traditional
Responsive Scripture Lesson Revelation 1:4b-8
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Message Keep Christ the King The Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Congregational Song 153 * “He is King of Kings”
Affirmation of Faith (unison) excerpts from The Theological Declaration of Barmen
Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death. The Christian Church is the congregation of the brethren in which Jesus Christ acts presently as the Lord in Word and Sacrament through the Holy Spirit. As the Church of pardoned sinners, it has to testify in the midst of a sinful world, with its faith as with its obedience, with its message as with its order, that it is solely his property, and that it lives and wants to live solely from his comfort and from his direction in the expectation of his appearance.
Offertory
Doxology Lasst Uns Erfreuen
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below;
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Prayer of Dedication
Prayer of the People concluding with 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.
Congregational Song 151 * “Crown Him with Many Crowns”
Announcements
Benediction
This morning’s liturgy was written by Pastor Robin and © Presbyterian Outlook, 2024, by Walter Canter and provided for free distribution. The pastoral prayer has been shaped in conversation with World In Prayer, a ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, in Lodi, CA, USA, whose mission is to assist Christians to pray with current events in mind.
Mark your calendars:
Today’s food offering will benefit Montclair Neighborhood Development
The Session is meeting at the Manse after worship
The church office will be closed this Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving
Upcoming events:
December 1, 10:00 am first Sunday of Advent Worship. Guest preacher …..
December 3, 8:00 am, Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at St John’s Episcopal, 55 Montclair Avenue
December 5, 10:00 am Church Rebuild meeting/7:30 pm Choir Rehearsal
December 6, Seasoned With Grace Christmas Luncheon, 12 Noon, at Lauren Meyer’s
December 7, Crafting and Cookie Exchange at the Manse, 1 pm – 3pm
Food for the Little Pantry is always wanted and needed. Non-perishables only please. Food may be dropped off at the Manse or placed in the basket as you enter or leave the chapel on Sunday.
Give online to Grace Church: https://gracemontclair.org/give
Fill out an Estimate of Giving Form for 2025 on Tithely! For those of you who already give online, please use your current login information to fill in your estimate of giving card. If you are new to Tithely, you may put in your information and you do not need to sign up for giving online when you do so. Feel free to also use the printed forms or to let the office know what you will be giving for 2025.
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM. Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
Fill out an Estimate of Giving Form for 2025 on Tithely! For those of you who already give online, please use your current login information to fill in your estimate of giving card. If you are new to Tithely, you may put in your information and you do not need to sign up for giving online when you do so. Feel free to also use the printed forms or to let the office know what you will be giving for 2025.