Order of Worship, April 25, 2021

 

First Presbyterian Church

April 25, 2021

10:00 AM

Order of Worship

 

CALL TO WORSHIP  (Psalm 23)

The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want.

God leads us into green pastures and beside still waters;

God restores our soul and leads us in right paths.

Even though we walk through the difficult valley, we fear no evil; for you are with us; your rod and your staff — they comfort us.

You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies; you anoint our head with oil; our cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord our whole life long.

Let us worship the Living God.

 

*Hymn of Praise: “Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us”

1. Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care; in thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are.

2. We are thine, thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way; keep thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

3. Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be; thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to thee. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! We will early turn to thee.

4. Early let us seek thy favor, early let us do thy will; blessed Lord and only Savior, with thy love our bosoms fill. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

      PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)

O God, you are the Good Shepherd who attend to our needs, but we fail to see your abundant life in our midst. We see only scarcity. Our consumer culture has engraved upon us the message that we are “not enough” — not beautiful or handsome enough, not smart enough, not rich enough. At the core of our being, we believe that we are “not enough.” Help us to see that we are your beloved children, created in your image. And help us to live out of your goodness. Amen

 *SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

The psalmist tells us that God’s goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. Friends, believe this good news. Believe that God’s mercy is sure, and that God’s goodness will fill our lives and empower us to love God and neighbor as ourselves.

*THE GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

INVITATION: “Dear Lord, I need You, please come into my life today.  Amen”

 LESSON: John 10: 11-18

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

 SERMON:                                 “One Flock, One Shepherd”                                   Rev. Peter Hofstra

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. 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.

PASSING OF THE PEACE

THE OFFERING OF OUR TITHES & GIFTS

God has given to us freely of the goodness of God’s creation. We now return a portion of these goods in the hope and promise that these resources will service God’s commonwealth in our church, community and world.

 

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Creator, Liberator and Redeemer God, we pray for the wisdom to be good stewards the gifts you have given to us. Take these gifts, we pray, bless and use them to benefit others and to empower our work for justice in the church and in the world. Amen.

LITURGY FOR THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Hear the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.  Hear also these words from Holy Scripture:

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of the One who called you out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.

Obeying the word of our Lord Jesus, and confident of his promises, we baptize those whom God has called.  In baptism God claims us, and seals us to show that we belong to God.  God frees us from sin and death, uniting us with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.

By water and the Holy Spirit, we are made members of the church, the body of Christ, and joined to Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice.  Let us remember with joy our own baptism, as we celebrate this sacrament.

TO THE CHILD

Little one, for you Jesus Christ came into the world, for you he lived and showed God’s love; for you he suffered the darkness of Calvary and cried at the last, “It is accomplished”; for you he triumphed over death and rose in newness of life, for you he ascended to reign at God’s right hand.  All this he did for you, though you do not know it yet.  And so the word of Scripture is fulfilled; “We love because God loved us first.”

PRESENTATION:

On behalf of the session, I present Dallas Frank, son of Frank and Robyn Wahler, to receive the sacrament of Baptism.

QUESTIONS OF INTENT

To the parents

Do you desire that Dallas Frank be baptized?  I do.

Relying on God’s grace, do you promise to live the Christian faith, and to teach that faith to your child?  I do.

To the godparents, Jill Thaisz and John DeVico

Relying on God’s grace, do you promise to support Dallas Frank, do you promise to live the Christian faith, and to teach that faith to your godchild? I do.

To the Congregation

Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture Dallas Frank by word and deed, with love and prayer, encouraging Dallas to know and follow Christ and to be a faithful member of this church? We do

PROFESSION OF FAITH

Through baptism we enter the covenant God has established.  Within this covenant God gives us new life, guards us from evil, and nurtures us in love.  In embracing that covenant, we choose whom we will serve, by turning from evil and turning to Jesus Christ.  As God embraces you within the covenant, I ask you to reject sin, to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, and to confess the faith of the church, the faith in which we baptize.

RENUNCIATIONS

Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world? I do.

Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Lord and Savior, trusting in his grace and love?  I do.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his Word and showing his love? I will, with God’s help.

PROFESSION OF FAITH

With the whole church, let us confess our faith.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the 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 arose 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.

 

THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER

Lord God, we thank you for your covenant faithfulness.  We remember your acts of reconciliation to a sinful people, the rebirth of the earth after the floods of the time of Noah, the Exodus of your people through the sea from Egypt toward the Promised Land, the baptism of our Lord in the Jordan, His final baptism into death on the cross, and his resurrection to our salvation on Easter morning.

May the power of the Holy Spirit come upon us today to attend and empower the act of baptism, making this water for all who witness into living waters of redemption and rebirth, equipping your church and all its members to faithful worship and service.

We humbly ask this in the name of the Father, our Creator, the Son, our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit, our Comforter.  Amen

BAPTISM

Dallas Frank, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

 

PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Godparents)

Father in heaven, we dedicate Dallas to your service.  We pray that you will watch him all the days of his life, that your spirit would guide him, and that he will grow up knowing your saving grace.  In Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

WELCOME

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.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN: “Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing”

1. Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing; fill our hearts with joy and peace; let us each, thy love possessing, triumph in redeeming grace. O refresh us, O refresh us, traveling through this wilderness.

2. Thanks we give and adoration for thy gospel's joyful sound. May the fruits of thy salvation in our hearts and lives abound; ever faithful, ever faithful to the truth may we be found.

*BENEDICTION

*THREE FOLD AMEN

Elements of Order of Worship drawn from The Presbyterian Outlook, written by Roger Gench.