Grace Presbyterian Church
Serving people, through Christ, to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us.
Welcome and Announcements
Prelude “Pastorale” Francois Couperin
Introduction to Service A Day of Story-Telling
Responsive Call to Worship (based on Deuteronomy 6—The Shema)
Reader: Hear, O Israel:
Pastor Robin: The name “Israel” given to Jacob means, “one who wrestles with God.” The people of Israel, or the people of God, are those who live in faith and witness to the joy and the struggle that is following our Lord and Savior.
Reader: Let us continue with these words given us through Moses:
All: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.
Reader: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.
All: We will recite them to our children and talk about them when we are at home and when we are away, when we lie down and when we rise.
Reader: Let us tell our stories!
All: Let us worship God!
Opening Prayer
Hymn: “I Love to Tell the Story”
I love to tell the story
of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory,
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story
because I know ’tis true;
it satisfies my longings
as nothing else can do.
Refrain:
I love to tell the story,
’twill be my theme in glory,
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story,
’tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it,
more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story,
for some have never heard
the message of salvation
from God’s own Holy Word. [Refrain]
I love to tell the story,
for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting
to hear it like the rest.
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song,
’twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long. [Refrain]
A Story of Grace The Gospel Story in Stained Glass Pat Walsh
Reader: …We trust God, that in whatever ways we can, we will be able to tell that story for many years to come.
All: We trust God, that in whatever ways we can, we will be able to tell that story for many years to come.
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Lesson (Unison) Jeremiah 1:4-8
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.’
A Story of Grace Excerpts from We Knew Every Corner
(written by an anonymous writer in loving memory of Peter Hebberd)
Time with Children
Song “Jesus Loves Me”
Unison Prayer of Confession followed by Silent Personal Confession
You know it all. Be with us in the wrestling—with you, with life, with our loved ones, with ourselves. Bless us. Bless the struggle. Never let go.
A Story of Grace Grace Church Amazing Ministry Bob Roe
Assurance of Pardon
Gloria Patri
Passing of the Peace
Scripture Reading Genesis 32:22-30
Message This Life of Faith The Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Hymn 384* “O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go”
Affirmation of Faith (in unison) Romans 8:31-39
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Introduction to Offering and Estimate of Giving Invitation
Offertory “Hallelu, Hallelujah” Debra L. Perry
Doxology
Prayer of Thanksgiving
A Story of Grace Elisabeth Leggett Richards
Pastoral Prayer concluding with the Lord’s Prayer
A Story of Grace An excerpt from “A New Thing” Emy Kamihara
Hymn 467* “How Great Thou Art”
Benediction
Mark your calendars:
After worship:
Friend’s of Grace Community Meal will be served today at 5 pm at St John’s Church, 55 Montclair Avenue in Montclair.
Tuesday: 8:00 AM Men’s Breakfast at St John’s Episcopal Church 55 Montclair Ave
7:30 pm PNC Nominating Committee Meeting at the Manse
Thursday & Friday: Church office closed for Thanksgiving
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM
Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
Donations of socks, hats, gloves and new or gently used and washed blankets are wanted for Friends of Grace. Bring them to church on Sundays or drop them off at the Manse.
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ!
This past year, guided by the Discernment Team, Grace Presbyterian Church emerged with a new and renewed sense of mission: to connect with people through Christ to serve the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us. In some ways, we are already living into this mission statement, and in some ways it is aspirational. This is as it should be. The Discernment Team was made up of Ellen Donker, Mark Hatten, Kem Mackey, Liz Moulthrop, and Allyson Roe. We are grateful to them for all their hard work that has now been taken up by the Pastoral Nominating Committee consisting of John Ashbrook, Ellen Donker, Heather Kennedy, Yvonne Luengo, Liz Moulthrop, Emily Rishel, Denarra Simmons, and Pat Walsh.
And then the fire.
We have had to be flexible, adaptable, and resilient, and we have been all of the above. All of our ministries have continued. We continue to feed the housing-insecure. Our Sunday School is going strong. We started a new youth group with 4 other churches for middle and high school youth. We are worshiping in a new space. There is a new book group, Bible studies, and a caregivers’ group. And the choir! Praise God!
We also have an incredible team coordinating the rebuilding effort and dealing with the insurance company: Antonio Argibay, Dusty Kennedy, Sam Moulthrop, and Denarra Simmons. This is a dream team. God is good! And we were able to move to the manse for our offices and meeting space because of the hard work of the manse renovation team chaired by Jackie Denk and Bob Roe.
There are many more hands and hearts that make ministry possible, many of whom I haven’t even mentioned. Please know that everyone is appreciated.
Giving to the church is much more than supporting it financially. Stewardship is time, talent, and treasure. The nominating committee is currently meeting, praying for discernment as to whom to ask to serve in different capacities. If the Spirit is whispering in your ear to step up in some way, please let Joan DeJong, Bob Roe, or Ray Carnevale know.
This is also the time of year when we set our budget for next year. This Sunday in worship we will prayerfully ask God’s blessing on our giving for the coming year, 2024. As you consider how to use your finances to bless the world, I would encourage you to put Grace Presbyterian Church at the top of the list. There are lots of good things you can do with your money, but to support a mission and ministry that seeks to fill people’s spiritual cups so that they can pour themselves out in love to the world in Jesus’ name is worthy of your joyous support.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Robin