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spread joy to children in need with Girl Scout troop 50440

10/31/2020

Girl Scout Troop 50440 of New Egypt invites you to help spread joy to children in need this Christmas season. They are collecting the following items (new items only) - all items must be able to fit into a shoe box

School supplies
Doll Babiles/Stuffed Anmals
Hats/Mittens/Scarves
Christmas PJs for children age 5-14
Foam balls/Playing cards
Craft kits/Amall Games
Puzzles/Coloring Books/Journals
Toothbrushes
Washcloths and Bar Soap
Deodorant
Hand Wipes (no liquids)

They are also collecting shoe boxes in good condition and wrapping paper. If you are able to help them meet their goal, please email creativecat79@gmail.com. Items can be dropped off at the church on Thursday 11/5. If you know of a family in need of a Christmas Surprise Shoebox, please email creativecat79@gmail.com

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november 1, 2020 All saints day

10/30/2020

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Link to a video recording of this service
PLUMSTED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
November 1, 2020— All Saints Day
Welcome and Announcements
* Call to worship
I will bless the Lord at all times;
God’s praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt God’s name together.
I sought the Lord, and God answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to the Lord, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
* Hymn       457 I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art
Confession and Assurance
God loves us so much that we are called children of God. When we see God face to face we will resemble our Lord. In anticipation of that day, we come before God and confess our sin, seeking to repent and be reshaped into a closer image of the One we follow and worship. Let us pray.
Lord of every tribe and nation, on this day when we remember and give thanks for all the saints, we are mindful of the countless ways we fail to follow their example of loyalty and faithfulness. We capitulate to idolatry. We worship the false gods of our time instead of bowing down before the Lamb on the throne. We imagine all people gathered in praise of you and lament how we make our witness through our divisions and strife. Forgive us for acting as if earthly powers are ultimate. Hear our plea to find our hope, our life, our salvation in you alone. Accept our repentance and reshape us in ways that glorify you. Amen.
O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in the Lord. O fear the Lord, you God’s holy ones, for those who fear God have no want. Friends, believe the good news, through Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer for illumination
Gracious God, we come to worship carrying with us the concerns of the world, the worries on our hearts and burdens that have become too heavy for us to carry. In the light of your Word reveal to us that which truly matters, those things we need to expose in order that healing might happen, and the next step that will take us closer to our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Revelation 7:9-17
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
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.”
Matthew 5:1-12When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the apeacemakers, for they will be called children of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Sermon
* Affirmation of Faith
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Lord in your mercy, or Lord, in thanksgiving,
Hear our prayer.
Prayers of the People
Offering
Come before God with gifts and offerings that reflect your joy and gratitude for God’s grace and goodness. Come before God with praise and worship, joining with all the saints as we present to God with gladness a portion of all that God has entrusted us to steward.
Alpha and Omega, our beginning and end, there is nowhere we can flee from your Spirit, no place God-forsaken or unable to be transformed by your redemptive power. As we remember the saints who ran the race before them and were called good and faithful servants, we are humbled and inspired to seek to follow you more closely and imitate those who imitated Christ. We offer these gifts as a sign of our desire to be loyal to you and loving to our neighbors. Take them, bless them, distribute them in ways that reveal your goodness to your creation. Amen.
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
Invitation to the Lord’s Table
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
. . .
Therefore, with all creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes your name. Hosanna in the highest.
. . .
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
. . .
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. They 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.
Breaking of the Bread
Communion of the People
Prayer after Communion
Thank you, gracious God, for giving us bread for the journey of these forty days. As we travel on through the wilderness, help us to share your grace with others and draw us ever closer to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* Hymn            280 Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound
* Charge and Benediction
* Please stand if you’re able
Ministers: Rev. David Bowman, Rev. Phyllis Zoon
Music: Mrs. Gail Miller

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october 25, 2020 21st sunday after pentecost

10/25/2020

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Watch a video of this service
PLUMSTED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
October 25, 2020— 21st Sunday After Pentecost
Welcome and Announcements
* Call to worship
We are invited to share in Christ's ministry of compassion.
We will widen our hearts so we might cradle the lost.
We are challenged to learn more about God each day.
We will open our minds so we might discern God's dreams for us and see the holy in all things.
We are summoned to let the Spirit be planted within us.
We will deepen our souls so we might grow in love.
* Hymn                                      460 Holy God, We Praise Your Name
Confession and Assurance
We have been entrusted with the message of the gospel, but all too often act as if the memos from sin and death have more influence in our lives. Let us confess our sins, so we might know God's great love for us.
As you know, God our healer, we stand on the edge of your promises and hopes yet cannot seem to let ourselves cross over into the life you intend for us. We seek praise from our families yet are unable to tell them how much we love them; we care more about our needs and desires, than for the struggles of our neighbors; we think more about the trash we read and see than focusing on the Spirit of wisdom.
Forgive us, Everlasting God. Renew our lives with your grace; restore our hopes with your vision of tomorrow; refresh our spirits with your joy which comes to us new in each moment in the gift of your Child, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
(Silent Confession)
This moment, this morning, this day, and in all the days to come, God's compassion and hope fill our lives. What joyous good news!
Our hope is not in vain. God forgives our sins and is the dwelling place for all people. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Prayer for illumination
Holy One, you planted us by living water, that we might be rooted in righteousness. You call us to be holy as you are holy. Assured of your love, help us to cast aside all fear, that we may see the sacred in all that is around us, as we hear anew your word for us this day.  Amen.
Scripture Readings
Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Matthew 22:34-46
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’? If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Sermon
* Affirmation of Faith                                             The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Lord in your mercy, or Lord, in thanksgiving,
Hear our prayer.
Prayers of the People
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.
Offering
The wonderful works of God surround us. How will we show our gratitude? The generosity of God exceeds all our limits. How will our manner of life reflect the abundance of God’s mercy? Surely our offerings are one measure of our response. Let us share them with joy and thanksgiving.
We thank you, God for the opportunity to express our love to you through the gifts we offer to support and encourage your work in near and distant places. Make our hearts glad that we can share in extending the gospel and helping to heal humanity’s pain, for we bring them to you with grateful hearts. Amen.
* Hymn                                   357 O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee
* Charge and Benediction
And now go forth,
to love God with all your heart, your mind, your soul:
with passion, with prayer, with intelligence;
to love your neighbor:
with forgiveness, with service, with love;
and to love yourself:
with hope, with joy, with peace.
* Please stand if you’re able
Ministers: Rev. David Bowman, Rev. Phyllis Zoon
Music: Mrs. Gail Miller

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October 18, 2020 - 20th sunday after pentecost

10/16/2020

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Here is the link to online worship
PLUMSTED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
October 18, 2020— 20th Sunday After Pentecost
Welcome and Announcements
* Call to worship
Exalt the Almighty
and worship at God’s holy mountain,
for the Lord is holy.
Look! The Lord draws near;
come into the presence of the Holy One.
Let us behold the glory of our God.
* Hymn               138 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
Confession and Assurance
The grace of God overflows for us through Christ Jesus who came into the world to save sinners. Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
Living Lord,
in you we live and move and have our being.
You call us to give all that we are
and all that we have
in service to Christ.
But we hold tightly to our treasure,
afraid we will not have enough for ourselves,
and hold back our talents,
afraid these gifts will not be enough.
God, unclench our fists
and help us to give fully and freely
so that, in all things,
we might serve and glorify you.
Silent confession
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. Thanks be to God!
Prayer for illumination
What more, Lord, could we ask for than the promise of your presence with us, your presence that gives us rest? Send your Spirit to open us to your Word read and proclaimed that we might hear and find rest for our souls and bread for the journey. Amen.
Scripture readings
Exodus 33:12-23
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.”
[The Lord] said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
And Moses said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”
The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
[Moses] said, “Show me your glory, I pray.”
And [the Lord] said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
I Thessalonians 1:1-10
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Matthew 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap [Jesus] in what he said.
So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”
But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Sermon
* Affirmation of Faith    from A Brief Statement of Faith
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God.
Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.
With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Lord in your mercy, or Lord, in thanksgiving,
Hear our prayer.
Prayers of the People
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.
Offering
Extol the Lord our God, and worship at God’s holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy. Let us extol and worship our holy God with the offerings of our lives and the gifts of the earth.
Lord of all, we render to you that which is yours. We recognize that all we have, that all the earth, every fiber of our being and every cell of creation is yours. We can do nothing apart from your presence and power working with us. In thanksgiving and joy, we give to you this offering. Bless it, we pray, and use it for that which will bring you glory and share your love. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
* Hymn                     420 God of Grace and God of Glory
* Charge and Benediction
* Please stand if you’re able

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Worship Service for October 11, 2020

10/8/2020

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Click here to view a video of the service
PLUMSTED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
October 11, 2020— 19th Sunday After Pentecost
Welcome and Announcements
* Call to worship
Come, all who hunger for good news.
We thirst for words of hope and healing.
Come, from rural road and city street
We gather at the King’s invitation.
Come, join the celebration.
Let us worship the Lord!
* Hymn                                       155 Rejoice the Lord is King
Confession and Assurance
The grace of God overflows for us through Christ Jesus who came into the world to save sinners. Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
Extravagant God, you invite us to your table in the Kingdom of Heaven. But we do not take our place at the feast. We say, “We have more important things to do,” and turn back to labors that threaten to consume us.
Beckon us again, we pray, that we may respond with gratitude. In your mercy, gather us in that we might experience the joy of your kingdom and taste the abundance of your grace.
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. Thanks be to God!
Prayer for illumination
Gracious God, the news this week disturbs and scares us. The state of the world, the state of our own hearts, frightens and stuns us. We need your transformative word to call us back to you, to remind us of who and whose we are, to shape us for your service in ways that shine Christ’s light in our darkness. Send your Spirit so that we will hear and respond rightly to your word to your people. Amen.
Scripture readings
Exodus 32:1-14
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.” They rose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.
The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!< The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.” But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’“ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Philippians 4:1-9 4Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. 2I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 22:1-14Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them.7The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.13Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’14For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Sermon
* Affirmation of Faith                          The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Lord in your mercy, or Lord, in thanksgiving,
Hear our prayer.
Prayers of the People
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.
Offering
God’s love for us never ends. God’s mercies are new every morning. When we consider God’s goodness and mercy, we are humbled and awed. In gratitude and joy we give to God our morning’s offering. Let us worship as we give.
Almighty God, you invite us to the banquet, welcome us to your table, send your prophets with your instructions and your Son to save us from our sin. The depth and breadth of your compassion cannot ever be earned or repaid; hence we call it grace. Accept, we pray, these gifts, given in thanksgiving and in the hope that you will bless and use them to call others to the heavenly banquet. Amen.
* Hymn                              145 Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart!
* Charge and Benediction
* Please stand if you’re able

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Worship Service for Sunday, October 4, 2020

10/4/2020

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View the video of this service
October 4, 2020—18th Sunday After Pentecost
World Communion Sunday
* Call to worship
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the Creator’s handiwork.
They have no speech, they use no words,
yet their witness goes our through all the earth.
Let us join the chorus of creation;
let us raise our voices in resounding praise.
Let the words of our mouths
and the songs of our hearts
be pleasing to the Lord!
* Hymn             263 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Confession and Assurance
The grace of God overflows for us through Christ Jesus who came into the world to save sinners. Trusting in God’s grace, let us confess our sin.
God of the Covenant, long ago you gave us the law to guide us in the ways of righteousness. When we wandered, you called prophets to beckon us toward faithfulness. In the fullness of time, you sent your Son to heal our brokenness and draw us close to you. But, time and time again, we reject your gift of grace. We bow before the false gods of our world and forget your command to serve the least of these. We fill our days with self-serving agendas or trivial tasks and neglect to nurture our relationship with you.
Forgive us, Lord. Come to us again, we pray, and set us on right paths. Root out habits that separate us from you and sow within us seeds of mercy and love so that we might produce the fruits of your kingdom.
God refuses to give up on us. God restores us. God sent the only Son to save us. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Friends, believe the good news, through Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!

Prayer for illumination
Your law, O Lord, is perfect. Your commandments clear, your decrees sure. You do not leave us in the dark to guess your will, but instead send the light no darkness can overcome to reveal your way and illumine our understanding. Send you Spirit so that we will have the ears to hear what you are saying to your church. Amen.
Scripture   Matthew 21:33-46
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?
“Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
Sermon
Expressions of gratitude for Mark Emery
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Lord in your mercy, or Lord, in thanksgiving,
Hear our prayer.
Prayers of the People
Offering
Knowing Jesus Christ surpasses all else. Knowing and being known by Jesus Christ reorders our priorities and shapes all our actions. Recognizing this truth, we give our offerings with joy and in thanksgiving for God’s outpouring of goodness and mercy to us.
Gracious God, you create and call us, feed and sustain us, forgive and redeem us. We can never return to you that which you deserve. We pray to honor and glorify you with these gifts and with our entire lives. We present these offerings as a tangible way of showing our love for and loyalty to you. As tenants in your vineyard we rejoice in being called to work with you in sharing your abundant harvest with the entire world you so love. Amen.
Invitation to the Lord’s Table
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
. . .
Therefore, with all creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes your name. Hosanna in the highest.
. . .
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
. . .
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. They 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.
Breaking of the Bread
Communion of the People
Prayer after Communion
Thank you, gracious God, for giving us bread for the journey of these forty days. As we travel on through the wilderness, help us to share your grace with others and draw us ever closer to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
* Hymn   268 God Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens
* Charge and Benediction
* Please stand if you’re able
Mrs. Gail Miller, Organist; Ruling Elder Carol Robb, Worship Leader; Rev. Phyllis Zoon, Pastor

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