PRELUDE:
Prelude and Fugue in G, Johann Sebastian Bach
Sheep May Safely Graze, Johann Sebastian Bach
SALUTATION AND WELCOME
* CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP
* SANCTUS (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP, Patrick Mahowald
Leader: Let us worship God, our light and our salvation.
People: The Lord is the stronghold of our lives.
Leader: We desire to live in God’s house and to seek God in his holy temple.
People: We have come with shouts of joy, to sing and to make music to the Lord.
Leader: Let us worship God in spirit and in truth.
People: Teach us your ways and make straight our paths in this hour of worship and always.
* HYMN No. 52: I Sing the Mighty Power of God
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Almighty God, we confess how hard it is to be your people. You have called us to be the church, to continue the mission of Jesus Christ to our lonely and confused world. Yet we acknowledge we are more apathetic than active, isolated than involved, callous than compassionate, legalistic than loving. Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and forgive our sins. Remove the obstacles preventing us from being your representatives to a broken world. Awaken our hearts to the promised gift of your indwelling Spirit. This we pray in Jesus’ powerful name. Amen.
* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON
* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
* Gloria Patri (pew card)
JUNIOR SERMON
ANTHEM: Set Me as a Seal, Joseph M. Martin
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is stronger than death. Many waters cannot quench love. Neither can the rivers drown it; for love burns brighter than flame, more unyielding than the grave. Love is a gift of perfect grace.
MORNING PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Prayer response, Felix Mendelssohn
In heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear; and safe is such confiding, for nothing changes here. The storm may roar without me, my heart may low be laid, But God is round about me, and can I be dismayed?
* HYMN No. 358: Eternal Father, Strong to Save
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Psalm 1:1-3, Pew Bible, page 424
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.
Matthew 5:1-16, Pew Bible, page 785
When 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 peacemakers, 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.
“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
THE SERMON: The Blessed Ones, Rev. Blaine Crawford
WORSHIP OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Offering
Offertory: God and God Alone, arr. Tom Fettke
God and God alone created all these things we call our own, from the mighty to the small, the glory in them all is God's and God's alone.
God and God alone reveals the truth of all we call unknown. And all the best and worst of man won't change the Master's plan it's God's and God's alone.
God, our sovereign God and God alone is fit to take the universe's throne. Let everything that lives reserve its truest praise for God and God alone.
God and God alone will be the joy of our eternal home. He will be our one desire. Our hearts will never tire of God and God alone.
God and God alone is fit to take the universe's throne. Let everything that lives reserve its truest praise for God and God alone.
* The Doxology (pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: Apostles’ Creed (pew card)
* HYMN No. 731: O Christians, Haste
* BENEDICTION
Response, Martin Shaw
Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast to that which is good; render to no man evil for evil. Strengthen the downhearted, support the weak; help the afflicted; honor all men. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost be among you and go with you forever and ever. Amen.
POSTLUDE: Rigaudon, André Campra
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Service of Installation for Pastor Blaine will be on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at 5:00 PM. Collation following. All are invited to attend.
Pastor’s Contact Information:
Email: pastor@churchonthehill.org
Church office: (718) 358-3671
Parsonage: (718) 353-1960
OUR COFFEE HOUR is given by the Congregational Care Committee in honor of everyone with a December and January Birthday. All are invited.
OUR FLOWERS are given by the Heckel and Krsnak families in honor of Jerry and Elaine Good’s wedding anniversary.
SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY – next week February 1, 2015
The Sunday School will again participate in the national “Souper Bowl of Caring” campaign on Super Bowl Sunday. Please bring in cans of soup and they will be given to a local food pantry. Monetary donations will go to the Greenpoint Reformed Church Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen.
ASH WEDNESDAY, SERVICE OF COMMUNION, February 18 at 8:00 pm.
LENTEN BIBLE STUDY: Wednesdays beginning February 18 to April 1, 2015 at 7:30 PM in the Folensbee Lounge. Pastor Blaine and Elder Sally Ann Castle will lead a book study on Forgiveness: A Lenten Study by Marjorie Thompson. If you are interested, contact Pastor Blaine.
OUR APPRECIATION FOR TODAY’S VOLUNTEERS:
Van Drivers: Gary LiBert (AM), Buck Kellaway (PM)
Greeters: Linda Diez, Angela Edward
Ushers: Sally Ann Castle, Jayne Halley, Irma Karle, Dorothea Zelnick
Children and Worship: Christina Schaub, Yessinia Iovale-Perez
VALENTINES FOR VETS: Bring your valentines on Sundays, February 1 or 8 and deposit them in the box at the church entrance. These cards will be delivered to the Veteran’s Hospital in St. Albans. We want our vets to know that they are not forgotten.
VAN SERVICE: If you need a ride to church on Sunday, speak with Gerry Mendler at (917) 362-6284 (day) or (718) 464-3464 (evening).
PRAYER REQUESTS: Jorel Andaluz, Grace Attanasio, Marilyn Cooney, Letty Delgardo, Allegra DeMelo, Ed Diercks, Dombrowski Family, Edythe Durney, Jenny Hampton, Richard Holm, Robert Keller, 1st Lt. Alexandra Knese (in Liberia), Karen Krieg, Fritz Kunisch, Ann McCaffrey-Amalfitano, Nora McCarthy, Rev. John H. Meyer, John Molino, Marge Renstrom, Josephine Rivera, Janice Serra