Grace Presbyterian Church
Seeking to equip people to live as Christian disciples wherever God has placed them.
Welcome And Opening Prayer
Prelude Voluntary on Nettleton Charles Callahan
Responsive Call to Worship
One: Love divine, all loves excelling,
All: Fix in is your humble dwelling.
One: We open our hearts to you now in prayer and worship.
All: Fix in is your humble dwelling.
One: In humility
All: Let us worship God.
Hymn 130 Red* “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.
He speaks, and listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice;
the humble poor believe.
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.
Call to Confession
Confession of Sin
Forgive us, Lord, for the ways we are stingy with your love. We are hard on ourselves and each other. We think you expect perfection when all we can offer you is humanity. We pray for a pat on the head affirming that we are okay and loved and that you are proud of us. We strive to be worthy of your love, and we are critical of others who don’t seem to be trying that hard. We have trouble imagining that you can love everyone regardless of effort. Forgive us and help us forgive ourselves, and yes, Lord, help us forgive other people. May we live and love as your followers with grace that knows no bounds. Time for silent prayer and reflection.
Assurance of Pardon
Gloria Patri
Passing of the Peace
Prayer for Illumination in Unison
Holy God, humble us and open us to your life-giving Word. As we hear your Word read and proclaimed today, may our hearts and minds be open to the Spirit’s moving and Jesus’ teaching. Amen.
First Scripture Reading (In Unison) Jeremiah 1:4-10
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Second Scripture Reading Luke 4:21-30
Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Sermon Great Expectations Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Ordination and Installation of Officers
Hymn Green 193* “Pues si vivimos/When We Are Living”
When we are living it is in Christ Jesus
And when we’re dying it is in the Lord
Both in our living and in our dying
We belong to God we belong to God
Pues si vivimos para él vivimos
y si morimos para él morimos.
Sea que demos o que recibamos
somos del Señor, somos del Señor.
Through all our living, we our fruits must give
Good works of service are for offering.
when we are giving or when receiving,
we belong to God, we belong to God.
En esta vida, frutos hemos de dar
las obras buenas son para ofrendar.
Ya sea que demos o ques recibamos
somos del Señor, somos del Señor.
Mid times of sorrow and in times of pain
When sensing beauty or in love’s embrace
Whether we suffer or sing rejoicing
We belong to God we belong to God
En la tristeza y en el dolor,
En la belleza y en el amore,
Sea que suframos o ques gocemos,
somos del Señor, somos del Señor.
Across this wide world we shall always find
Those who are crying with no peace of mind
But when we help them or when we feed them
We belong to God we belong to God
En este numdo por doquier habrá
Gente que llora y sin consolar.
Sea que ayudemos o que alimentemos,
somos del Señor, somos del Señor.
Affirmation of Faith from The Larger Catechism
One: How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?
All: Christ executes the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the Church in all ages, by his Spirit and Word, in diverse ways…the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation.
Offertory Great is thy faithfulness
Julie Daidone, soprano; Gwen Blackman, alto; Richard Hagen, trumpet
Doxology
Prayer after the Offering
Pastoral Prayer/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.
Hymn 743 Red* “Christ for the World! We Sing”
Christ for the world! we sing;
the world to Christ we bring,
with loving zeal–
the poor, and them that mourn,
the faint and overborne,
sinsick and sorrow-worn,
for Christ to heal.
Christ for the world! we sing;
the world to Christ we bring,
with fervent prayer–
the wayward and the lost,
by restless passions tossed,
redeemed at countless cost
from dark despair.
Christ for the world! we sing;
the world to Christ we bring,
with one accord–
with us the work to share,
with us reproach to dare,
with us the cross to bear,
for Christ our Lord.
Christ for the world! we sing;
the world to Christ we bring,
with joyful song–
the newborn souls, whose days,
reclaimed from error’s ways,
inspired with hope and praise,
to Christ belong.
Benediction
——————————————————————————————————————–
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84531485041?pwd=UXRMUGJIOFVOWUh4cFFRK3BoenVsQT09
Meeting ID: 845 3148 5041
Passcode: 391303
Phone In 19292056099,,84531485041# US (New York)
https://gracemontclair.org/covid-19/worship/