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 “All Praise to Christ” Charles V. S
Responsive Call to Worship (from Psalm 100)
One: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
All: Worship the Lord with gladness; come into God’s presence with singing.
One: Know that the Lord is God. It is God who made us and to God we belong.
All: We are God’s people, the sheep of God’s pasture.
One: Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and God’s courts with praise.
All: Give thanks to God; bless God’s name.
One: For the Lord is good; God’s steadfast love endures forever.
All: God’s faithfulness is from generation to generation.
One: Let us worship God!
Opening Prayer
Hymn 142* “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”
Prayer for Illumination
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
Scripture Lesson (Unison) Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.
Time with Children
Song “Jesus Loves Me”
Unison Prayer of Confession followed by Silent Personal Confession
Shepherding God, you have called to us, but we have not answered. You have sought us out, but we have continued to wander. You have tenderly gathered us together and cared for us, but we have not extended that same care and mercy to others. Forgive us. Remind us. Teach us. Set us free from sin that we might turn toward your love and justice for the whole world. Guide us so that, tentative step after tentative step, we may walk your way. Amen.
Responsive Assurance of Pardon (from Ezekiel 34:15-16)
One: Thus says the Lord our God: “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.”
All: The relentless grace of Jesus Christ always finds and forgives us. Thanks be to our ever-seeking God!
Gloria Patri
Passing of the Peace
Scripture Reading Matthew 25:31-46
Message What’s Missing? The Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Hymn 153* “He Is King of Kings”
Affirmation of Faith (in unison) The Apostle’s 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.
Offertory Hymn 371 “Lift High the Cross”
Doxology
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper including the Lord’s Prayer
Hymn 151* “Crown Him with Many Crowns”
Benediction
Mark your calendars:
Wednesday: Norma’s Bible Study 10 am Union Congregational Learning Center
Thursday: 7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal Union Congregational Chapel
Saturday: Crafting and cookie exchange at the Manse 1-3pm
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM
Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
The next Friends of Grace Dinner is on December 10. Appetizers, salad, and main entree for 30 are requested. If you can help out with these requests, please let Friends of Grace know.
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.
Some of today’s liturgy was written by Rev. Ginna Bairby and provided for free distribution.