Grace Presbyterian Church
Meeting in the Chapel at Union Congregational, 76 Cooper Avenue, Upper Montclair.
Serving people, through Christ, to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the community and the world around us.
Welcome
Prelude “Crystal Silence” Chick Corea
*Responsive Call to Worship Psalm 119:33-37
ONE: Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.
ALL: Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
ONE: Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
ALL: Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Opening Prayer
*Hymn 394 “Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation”
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading (In Unison) Matthew 18:15-18
“If your brother or sister sins (against you), go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
One: The Word of the Lord All: Thanks be to God
Poem Recitation The Plough by Barbara R. Williams-Hubbard
Push, push the plough
gathering in the cornfields,
careful of the snakes.
Push, separate
the wheat from the tares,
the good, the bad
alongside in every field,
every place.
The world is a race
going somewhere, going nowhere
to your table,
stable, unstable,
civil, uncivil,
dribbling and fibbing along.
Wrong, the Spirit sees;
the Spirit knows
growing with words of Truth.
Push, plead, pray
for Truth to beat, crush the snake,
take the veil off the darkness
that in the heart
hides the sun.
Plough until the field is done.
Truth can be eaten,
discarded or unspoken;
it makes life peace or sleep undone.
© Barbara R. Williams-Hubbard, August, 2026
Time with the Children
*Passing of the Peace (No Sunday School today. Children are to remain in Worship.)
Call to Confession
Unison Prayer of Confession followed by time of Silent Confession
Lord for the pride that keeps us from wanting to change. Lord for arrogance that won’t let us see the error of our ways Lord for the high walls of defensiveness that keep us from seeing our faults, and being willing to grow and change to be more like you…Lord take a wrecking ball to that pride filled, arrogant fortified thick wall of defensiveness and help us to see ourselves with sober judgment – the way you see us. And give us a willingness to be made anew- by you! Silent Confession.
Assurance of Forgiveness
*Glory Be to God in Song 582 “Glory to God”
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)
Scripture Lesson Ezekiel 33:7-9
Sermon Warning Lights The Rev. Cindy Wilcox
*Hymn 529 “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether”
*Affirmation of Faith(in unison) from Philippians 2:5-11
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Introduction to the Offering
Offertory “Sonata in C Major L. 104” Domenico Scarlatti
*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 Dedication
Celebration of The Lord’s Supper
Pastoral Prayers
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.
Announcements
*Hymn 722 “Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak”
*Benediction (All are welcome to join us for lemonade hour!)
Thank you to our liturgist, Donald Du Laney.
The flowers in the chapel today were given by the Simmons family in honor of Mamie Reed.
Happening this Week:
Monday, September 7, Labor Day, Church Office Closed.
Tuesday, September 8, Reach Open Committee Meeting/Potluck, 6:30 PM at the Manse.
Thursday, September 10, 1:30 PM, Sweet Hour of Prayer at the Manse.
Thursday, September 10., 7:30 PM, Choir Rehearsal in the Chapel.
Daily Devotionals online Monday-Friday 9:00 AM. Check out www.gracemontclair.org for more information.
The next Friends of Grace Community Dinner is September 13, 5-6:30 PM at St. John’s Episcopal, 55 Montclair Avenue. If you are able to donate an appetizer or salad to feed 30 guests, please let a Friends of Grace member know.
SOS Food Pantry Supplies needed! Our little food pantry is always in need of non-perishable food items. Please continue to drop supplies off at the Manse or bring to church with you on Sundays.
All are invited to the Open Committee meetings / Pot Lucks at the manse:
REACH: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 6:30 PM
CARE/ Deacons: Sunday, Sept. 20, 12 PM
Our Sunday School is collecting school supplies for a school in an impoverished area. If you can help, please bring the following donations by September 13: Folders, Loose Leaf Paper, Spiral Notebooks, Pencils, Dry Erase Markers, Watercolor Markers, Crayons. Please bring items to church with you on Sunday or drop them off at the Manse.
Favorite Hymn? If you have a favorite hymn that you would like to hear as part of the worship service, please let Pastor Cindy know.
Kick off Sunday/Ministry Fair on September 13 after worship. Please stay and see all the ministries Grace is offering.
New Testament Big Picture Bible Study will meet on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM or Thursdays at 1:00 PM beginning September 15. The study will meet at the Manse all but the second Tuesdays and Thursdays of the month. There is a suggested $20 donation to cover the cost of study materials.
The flowers on the chancel table will be distributed to congregants who can’t get to church. If you would like to donate flowers in celebration or in memory of anyone please contact Ruth Liang rrliang76@gmail.com. Also, if you have any spare vases you would like to donate, please bring them to church or drop them off at the Manse.
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