PRELUDE: Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness, Johann Sebastian Bach
SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
* PASSING OF THE PEACE
* SANCTUS (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP, Emerson Chen
Leader: In your wisdom, O God, you call us here to worship you.
People: We gather, alive to the Word of God.
Leader: You call us to be fully alive with your life abundant, ready to listen and respond with heart, soul, strength, and mind.
People: We listen, alive to the Word of God.
Leader: You call us to be always watchful for your Word of wisdom, sometimes startling and unexpected, sometimes still and quiet, but always dwelling among us.
People: We watch and wait for the Word of God.
* HYMN No. 5: Come, Thou Almighty King
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION(unison)
Our Father, forgive us for thinking small thoughts of you and for ignoring your immensity and greatness. Lord Jesus, forgive us when we forget that you rule the nations and our lives. Holy Spirit, we offend you in minimizing your power and squandering your gifts. We confess that our blindness to your Word, O triune God, has resulted in shallow faith, half-hearted obedience, and only small bits of justice. Have mercy upon us and forgive us. Amen.
* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON
* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Leader: Herein is wisdom.
People: Glory be to God.
* Gloria Patri(pew card)
THE ACT OF PRAISE, Emerson Chen, baritone
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Prayer Response
* HYMN No. 538: I Need Thee Every Hour
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Jeremiah 23:23-29, Pew Bible, page 634
Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed, I have dreamed!” How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the Lord. Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
Luke 12:49-56, Pew Bible, page 848
“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON: A Silent, Shattering Word, Rev. Blaine Crawford
* CONFESSION OF FAITH: The Apostles’ Creed (pew card)
PRAYER OF BLESSING FOR STACEY DUENSING
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
Offertory
* The Doxology(pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
* HYMN No. 641: All the Way My Savior Leads Me
* BENEDICTION
* Response
POSTLUDE: Intermezzo, Hermann Schroeder
THE COFFEE HOUR after today’s service is given in appreciation of our Summer Intern, Stacey Duensing, who completes her ministry with us today. Please join us in Gessner Hall for this time of fellowship.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
APPRECIATIONS: We thank Emerson Chen for sharing his musical talents to enhance our worship service.
OUR WORSHIP HOURS will continue at the 10:00 AM hour through Labor Day Sunday, September 4. We hope you will give our worship your support through prayer and attendance.
THE CHURCH OFFICE AND bUILDING WILL BE CLOSED on Wednesday, August 17 and Thursday, August 18. There will be no power in the buildings as some electrical upgrades are made to our system. In case of emergency, please contact Pastor Blaine at (718) 353-1960. The church building will re-open on Friday, August 19.
ECUMENICAL WOMEN’S MINISTRY ANNUAL FALL BRUNCH
Saturday, September 17, 2016, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The Community Reformed Church, 90 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY (map)
RSVP needed – email lesleymazzotta@gmail.com or call (917) 623-4554
YEAR-ROUND COLLECTIONS –
- Donations for the Food for Kids Ministry should be brought to the Church office. During the school year, this food will be given to families in need in Jamaica, New York.
- Donations for pets brought to the church office will be given to Worthy Pause to be distributed to local animal shelters.
- Christmas cards (with Forever Stamps on the envelopes) are collected in a basket at the back of the sanctuary. These cards will enable inmates at the Nassau County Correction Center to correspond with their loved ones.
PRAYER REQUESTS: Jorel Andaluz, Bermudez Family, Helga Brenner-Khan, Donald Calfa, Marilyn Cooney, Jaynie d’Agostino, Allegra DeMelo, Dombrowski Family, Jim D’Oria, Jolie Dunham, Jenny Hampton, Richard Holm, Lynne Johnson, Robert Keller, Karen Krieg, Fritz Kunisch, Marie Mark, Ann McCaffrey-Amalfitano, James McCreary, Claudia Mellett, Jean Mendler, John Molino, Denise Moran, Eva Munoz, Joan Pearson, Keith Pearson, Dorothy Rama, Dorothy Reid, Josephine Rivera, Isabelita Rueda, Carmela Stocchia, Lynne Sullivan, Mary Ann Sullivan, Emily Testut, Joan Wagner, Joan Werbel