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.
Welcome
Prelude “I Stand in Awe” Mark Altrogge arr. Mark Hayes
Call to Worship
One: Let the heavens rejoice, Let the earth be glad
All: Let the sea resound and all that is it
One: Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them
All: Let all the trees in the forest sing for joy
One: Let all creation rejoice before the Lord
All: The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad, let the distant shores rejoice!
Opening Prayer
Hymn 403 * “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Lesson (in Unison) Revelations 7:13-17
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
One: This is the word of the Lord All: thanks be to God
Time With Children
Call to Confession
Unison Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and soul and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen
Assurance of Forgiveness
Praise Be To God in Song * “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me”
Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me,
and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me,
and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen. (sing 3 times)
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be. Amen.
Passing of the Peace
Scripture Lesson John 14:1-6, Hebrews 11:6
Message What I Believe…Matters Part II The Rev. Cynthia Wilcox
Hymn 404 * “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
Affirmation of Faith * The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Choral Anthem “Siyahamba” South African hymn
Call to Offering
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 Thanksgiving
Pastoral Prayers 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.
Hymn 260 * “A Mighty Fortress is our God”
Announcements and Benediction *
Mark your calendars:
Sunday, May 18, Session Meeting at the Manse after worship
Sunday, May 18, Deacons Meeting after worship
Sunday, May 18, 5-6:30 PM, Friends of Grace Community Dinner at St John’s Episcopal, 55 Montclair Ave.
Sunday, May 18, 5-7 PM, Youth Group End of the Year Celebration at St Luke’s Epsicopal
Tuesday, May 20, 8:00 AM, Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at St John’s Episcopal Parish House, 55 Montclair Avenue
Thursday, May 22, 10:00 AM, Church Rebuild meeting on Zoom
Thursday, May 22, 7:30 PM, Choir Rehearsal in the Chapel at Union Congregational
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM. Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
The next Friends of Grace community dinner is this Sunday, May 18, 5 – 6:30 at St John’s Episcopal. If you can provide salad or an appetizer to feed 30 guests, please let the church office know.
Food for the Little Pantry: Please consider picking up non-perishables on your next grocery trip. Food may be dropped off at the Manse or placed in the basket as you enter or leave the chapel on Sunday.
