CELEBRATING GOD’S LOVE ON THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
February 5, 2012
10:00 A.M.
Prelude “Break Thou The Bread of Life”
Meditation (John Bunyan)
“He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.”
WE GATHER
Pastor's Greeting
Three songs from the congregation
Announcements Bob Munnell, Worship Assistant
Volunteer Recognition Kim Miller, Personnel Committee
Sharing God’s Peace
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
(Please greet each other with a sign of peace)
WE PREPARE
Call to Worship
With steadfast love and growing faith,
We come as the people of Christ.
With prayers of hope and songs of joy,
We come to worship God, the eternal and ever-loving.
With thankful hearts and humble prayers,
We come to give God glory and praise.
All: Here we are together as people of faith and hope to celebrate the good news of Jesus Christ.
Hymn #461 “God Is Here”
*Unison Prayer of Confession
Holy God, in the beginning was a song of peace. Creation danced in harmony. The rivers sang, the mountains clapped their hands and the trees shook in laughter. But with our birth came not only great love, but also fear and confusion. We confess that we do not always take your hand when you offer it. Fear and violence stalk our streets and extinguish the chorus of hope. Poverty chokes the songs of many and injustice breaks the will to sing. The whole world is scarred. Persistent God, gather us around your table, and restore to us your peace. Turn our faces toward kindness, fill our hearts with compassion and guide our feet along the paths of peace. Through Jesus, who gave his life for us. Amen.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
*Response Song #577 “Glory Be to the Father”
WE HEAR GOD’S WORD
Unison Reading Isaiah 40:21-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been
told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of
the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants
are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads
them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers
of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root
in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries
them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their
host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength,
mighty in power, not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the
LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding
is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall
walk and not faint.
Message for Young Disciples
Scripture Reading Mark 1:29-39 (p. 867-868)
Sermon “Whatever It Takes” Pastor Julia Williamson
WE RESPOND
Hymn #404 “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
Joys and Concerns of the People
Pastoral Prayer and 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.
*Affirmation of Faith 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.
Hymn #504 “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether”
The Lord’s Supper
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, and let us pray…
Words of Institution
Communion of the People
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Eternal God, you have called your people from east and west and north and south to feast at the table of Jesus Christ. We thank you for Christ’s presence and for the spiritual food of Christ’s body and blood. By the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us faithful to your will. Go with us to the streets, to our homes, and to our places of labor and leisure that whether we are gathered or scattered, we may be the servant Christ, in whose name we rejoice to pray. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Eternal God, you have called your people from east and west and north and south to feast at the table of Jesus Christ. We thank you for Christ’s presence and for the spiritual food of Christ’s body and blood. By the power of the Holy Spirit, keep us faithful to your will. Go with us to the streets, to our homes, and to our places of labor and leisure that whether we are gathered or scattered, we may be the servant Christ, in whose name we rejoice to pray. Amen.
Offering our Lives and our Tithes and the Presentation of Gifts
Offertory Variations on “St. Ann”
*Doxology #592
*Prayer of Dedication
*Hymn #144 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!”
*The Commission and Blessing
*Congregational Response “Surely the Presence of the Lord”
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
I can feel his mighty power and his grace.
I can hear the brush of angel’s wings. I see glory on each face;
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
*Postlude “Recessional”
*All who are able may stand.
We welcome you to our celebration of God’s love in our lives and in the world.
All who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are welcome to receive communion. Please know that it is our tradition to take the bread together, symbolizing our unity in Christ, and to take the cup as the Spirit moves you, individually, symbolizing our personal relationship with our Lord. Also please know gluten free bread is available on each plate.
Visitors, please sign the welcome cards located in each pew, and place them in the offering plate.
The Head Usher for this morning is Glenn D’Amico. Money Counters are Bucky Weingartner and Glenn D’Amico.
There is a Prayer Book available in the narthex during the week and before worship for personal prayer requests. If an address is included, the office will send a prayer card.
We, the congregation of Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church, endeavor to be faithful servants of the Lord our God by:
- WORSHIP:
- emphasizing the basic tenets of faith as set forth in the scriptures.
- COMMITMENT:
- to missions with a passion to serving those in need.
- PROCLAMATION:
- of the Gospel.
- LIVING THE WORD:
- through Christian education and faithful stewardship.
Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church
258 Slippery Rock Drive, Ellwood City, PA 16117Phone: (724) 752-8892
E-mail: srchurch1@verizon.net
Visit us at: www.slipperyrockchurch.org
Rev. Julia H. Williamson, Pastor
Ministers – The Entire Congregation
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9am-3pm