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 “Contemplation” Camille Saint-Saens
Call to Worship (based on Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18)
One: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
All: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
One: Hear, O Church of God: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
All: And we shall love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our might.
One: Hear, O children of God: there is another commandment like the first.
All: Yes: we shall love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
One: These two commandments are the foundation of our Christian lives. Thanks be to God!
All: Let us worship God!
Opening Prayer
Hymn 333 * “Seek Ye First”
(If you know the descant, feel free to sing it, but we will sing the 2 verses and then the descant together.)
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Lesson (Unison) Matthew 25: 31, 34-36
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Time with Children
Call to Confession
Unison Confession of Sin
Gracious God, you have loved us by sending your only Son, but we have not loved you with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. In his life and death, Jesus showed us how to love–to love you as well as our neighbors. In him, we learn to love ourselves. For all the ways we withhold our love, Lord, forgive us. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Praise be to God in Song “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
Scripture Reading Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-15, 13:1
Message Worthy of Our All The Rev. Robin Miller Currás
Hymn (see back page) * “Fill My Cup”
Affirmation of Faith from A Declaration of Faith of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
and The Shorter Catechism)
By God’s hand, we are bound to Godself in covenant relationship. Freed slaves became the people of God when they accepted the Lord’s covenant. God charged them to respond to this rescuing love by obeying God’s commandments. Their life together was to express the justice and compassion of their holy God. Since we, too, are the Lord’s covenant people, we know we must be holy as the Lord is holy.
We must keep God’s commandments, not in order to earn or compel the Lord’s favor, but to reflect the character of God and to be grateful and loving people. What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?
The sum of the Ten Commandments is:
to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.
Offertory “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” Maurice Bevan
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
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper including the Lord’s Prayer
(Please note that gluten-free bread is served and grape juice can be substituted with water.)
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 526 * “For All the Saints” vv. 1-3
Announcements
Benediction
This morning’s liturgy was written by Pastor Robin and © Presbyterian Outlook, 2024 by Philip K. Gladden 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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mark your calendars:
Sunday, November 3, Youth Group at Toni’s Kitchen, 3pm-5pm
Tuesday, November 5, Men’s Fellowship Breakfast at St John’s Episcopal, 8:00 am, 55 Montclair Ave
Wednesday, November 6, Pastor Robin’s Caregivers’ Group, 10:30 am at UCC Learning Center
Wednesday, November 6, Pastor Robin’s Women’s Bible Study, 2:30 pm at the Manse
Thursday, November 7, Church Rebuild, 10:00 am at the Manse and on Zoom
Thursday, November 7, Nominating Committee Meeting, 12:00 noon, at the Manse.
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM. Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
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.
