ORDER FOR WORSHIP
PRELUDE: Prelude in C major J.S. Bach
Patrick Mahowald, guitar
SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
* PASSING OF THE PEACE
* SANCTUS (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Let us worship God, our light and our salvation.
The Lord is the stronghold of our lives.
We desire to live in God's house
and to seek God in his holy temple.
We have come with shouts of joy,
to sing and to make music to the Lord.
Let us worship God in spirit and in truth.
Teach us your ways and make straight our paths
in this hour of worship and always.
* HYMN No. 43 A Mighty Fortress is Our God
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Eternal and merciful God, you have loved us with a love
beyond our understanding, and you have set us on paths of
righteousness for your name's sake.
Yet we have strayed from your way; we have sinned
against you in thought, word, and deed, through what we
have done and what we have left undone.
As we remember the lavish gift of your grace symbolized in
baptism, O God, we praise you and give you thanks that you
forgive us yet again.
Grant us now, we pray, the grace to die daily to sin, and to
rise daily to new life in Christ, who lives and reigns with
you, and in whose strong name we pray. Amen.
(Prayers of Silent Confession)
Kyrie (sung): Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE
Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn?
Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us,
Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us.
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.
ACT OF PRAISE: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring J.S. Bach
Simon Walsh, flute
Patrick Mahowald, guitar
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Hear our Prayer O Lord, incline thine ear to us
and grant us thy peace.
* HYMN No. 661 Be Strong in the Lord
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit,
that in your light we may see light, in your truth find
freedom, and in your will discover your peace, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Psalm 23 p. 435
Ephesians 2:11-22 p. 950
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON From Far and Near Alisha Riepma
* CONFESSION OF FAITH:
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn of all creation; in him all things in heaven and on
earth were created, things visible and invisible.
All things have been created through him and for him.
He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold
together.
He is the head of the body, the church; he is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might
come to have first place in everything.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things,
whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through
the blood of his cross.
-from Colossians 1:15-20, NRSV
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
Offertory: New Hymn James Taylor
Patrick Mahowald
Source of all we hope or dread, sheepdog, jackal, rattler, swan.
We hunt your face and long to trust that your hid mouth will say again
let there be light, a clear new day.
But when we thirst in this dry night,
we drink from hot wells poisoned with the blood of children.
And when we strain to hear a steady homing beam,
our ears are balked by stifled moans
and howls of desolation from the throats of sisters, brother, wild men,
clawing at the gates for bread.
Even our own feeble hands aim to seize the crown you wear
and work our private havoc through the known and unknown lands of
space.
Absolute in flame beyond us, seed and source of Dark and Day,
maker whom we beg to be our mother father comrade mate.
Till our few atoms blow to dust or form again in wiser lives
or find your face and hear our name in your calm voice the end of night if
dark may end.
Wellspring gold of dark and day, be here, be now.
* The Doxology (pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
* HYMN No. 692 Faith of Our Fathers
* BENEDICTION
Response: Jesus Remember Me Berthier
Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.
POSTLUDE: Simon Walsh
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Appreciations: We thank Patrick Mahowald and Simon Walsh for
sharing their musical talents to enhance our worship service.
Queens Community Children's Choir
Beginning this fall 2018, the Queens Community Children's
Choir at Church on the Hill will provide an exciting new
opportunity for your child to sing and learn more about music!
As part of the children's choir, your child will grow in musical
literacy and training, develop vocal technique, and learn deep
insight into the historical and cultural foundations of music!
The choir will be directed by Mr. Sean Cotty, who is the
current Director of Music at Church on the Hill and is a NYS
Certified Music Teacher. In addition, all volunteers assisting
with the choir have up-to-date background checks.
The choir will rehearse weekly on a weekday evening during
the school year. The choir will perform 6-8 times, including at
services at Church on the Hill; at neighborhood interfaith
services; at concerts and hopefully, at a professional baseball
game. A full schedule will be available later in the summer.
The choir is open to all children from kindergarten through
sixth grade. Registration is on our website. Cost is $25 per
child. Family discounts are available.
Church office will be closed Monday, July 23, 2018.
Faithwalking Retreat
Church on the Hill is hosting a Faithwalking retreat on September 8
and 15. The retreat will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Retreat
participants are required to attend both Saturdays. Lunch and
snacks will be provided.
This retreat is open to anyone interested in deepening their faith in
Jesus and desiring to follow more and more in his
ways. Faithwalking is a spiritual formation process where people
are increasingly following the way of Jesus, experiencing ongoing
transformation, and developing effective practices for missional
living: serving the poor, the marginalized, and those in need;
working for the common good; and restoring individuals, social
systems, communities, and nations to God’s intended design.
Cost is $125. Scholarships to offset the cost are available to
Church on the Hill members.
Register on our website or by contacting the church office.
Celebration after Service
OnAugust 5, following the worship service, a reception will be held
in Gessner Hall to celebrate and thank our summer intern Alisha
Riepma. Light refreshments will be served. All our invited to join us!
Bible Study, Wednesdays, 7:30 P.M., Room 1B
Join us as we study C.S. Lewis and his book, The Problem of Pain.
Everyone is welcome. Led by Alisha Riepma. Last class is
August 1 st .
Women's Shelter Volunteers
Interested in volunteering at a women's shelter during the summer?
While ours in on break, you can still volunteer! We've made
arrangements with a shelter at the NY Society for Ethical Culture
located on 64th St. and Central Park West in Manhattan for you to
serve on Friday evenings. If you are interested, please contact
Maureen Saepia-Chen or the church office.
PRAYER LIST
Bermudez family, Diane Blagburn, Michael Breazzano, Angela
Brunjes, Jose, Gracinda and David Cerqueira, Rosemarie Dappio,
Matthew Dagiau, Dombrowski family, Joan Dwyer, Angela Edward,
Bernice Herbert, Lynne Johnson, Kathy Kissane, Jason Knese,
Jane Lynch, Ginny Marsico, Alda Muyskens, Denise Moran, Stacey
Muller, Ruth Murray, Joan Pearson, Keith Pearson, Megan Peters,
Isabelita Rueda, Kook Ryo, Debra & Greg Sparrow