Lent is a time for stepping back from the daily routine of life and purposefully reflecting upon our relationship with Christ. In the early church, the weeks before Easter were a time of preparation for new believers who were to be baptized on Easter morning. Over time, others began to share in this time of reflection and preparation and Lent (from a German word denoting “springtime”) grew into a significant season in the church's journey through the year. Lent is a time of making changes, changes that cause us to pause and consider; changes that both honor tradition and take us to new places; changes that will open our souls to God’s work of salvation and sanctification. Yes, Lent has a somber tone, but Lent is also a time of celebration. For above all, Lent reminds us that God continues to claim and love us even in the midst of our rebellions. Lent is a season of affirming God’s love and grace! Georgetown Presbyterian Church March 26, 2017 Fourth Sunday in Lent 10:00 am Service Welcome One Another, as Christ Welcomes You Romans 15:7 Welcome and Community Sharing One Great Hour of Sharing Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you! People: And also with you! Let us greet each other in the name of Christ. Prelude Beneath the Cross of Jesus Sanborn Morning Prayer Ashley Joyner *Call to Worship One: The great love of God is revealed in the Son, All: Who came to this earth to redeem every one. One: That love, like a stream flowing clear to the sea, All: Makes clean every heart that from sin would be free. One: It binds the whole world, every barrier it breaks, All: The hills it lays low, and the mountains it shakes.
Transcript
Lent is a time for stepping back from the daily routine of life and purposefully reflecting upon
our relationship with Christ. In the early church, the weeks before Easter were a time of
preparation for new believers who were to be baptized on Easter morning. Over time, others
began to share in this time of reflection and preparation and Lent (from a German word
denoting “springtime”) grew into a significant season in the church's journey through the year.
Lent is a time of making changes, changes that cause us to pause and consider; changes that
both honor tradition and take us to new places; changes that will open our souls to God’s
work of salvation and sanctification. Yes, Lent has a somber tone, but Lent is also a time of
celebration. For above all, Lent reminds us that God continues to claim and love us even in
the midst of our rebellions. Lent is a season of affirming God’s love and grace!
Georgetown Presbyterian Church
March 26, 2017 Fourth Sunday in Lent 10:00 am Service
Welcome One Another, as Christ Welcomes You Romans 15:7
Welcome and Community Sharing One Great Hour of Sharing
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you! People: And also with you!
Let us greet each other in the name of Christ.
Prelude Beneath the Cross of Jesus Sanborn
Morning Prayer Ashley Joyner
*Call to Worship
One: The great love of God is revealed in the Son,
All: Who came to this earth to redeem every one.
One: That love, like a stream flowing clear to the sea,
All: Makes clean every heart that from sin would be free.
One: It binds the whole world, every barrier it breaks,
All: The hills it lays low, and the mountains it shakes.
One: It’s yours, it is ours, see how lavishly given,
All: The pearl of great price, and the treasure of heaven!
Behold, Now is the Day of Salvation
2 Corinthians 6:2
*Hymn of Praise How Can I Keep from Singing? Hymnal #424“The peace of Christ make fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing!”
Faith Sharing with Families - children may come forward for a short message. Following ths time, the children are invited to attend age appropriate classes related to today’s service.
Call to Confession, Unison Prayer, Silent Prayer
Dust and Ashes Brian Wren / David Haas
Cantor: Dust and ashes touch our face, mark our failure and our falling.Holy Spirit come, walk with us tomorrow, take us as disciples,washed and wakened by your calling.
All Sing: Take us by the hand and lead us, lead us through the desertsands. Bring us living water, Holy Spirit, come.
Silent Reflection
Cantor: Dust and ashes soil our hands, greed of market, pride of nation.Holy Spirit come, walk with us tomorrow, as we pray and strugglethrough the meshes of oppression.
(Cont. on next page)
All Sing: Take us by the hand and lead us, lead us through the desertsands. Bring us living water, Holy Spirit, come.
Silent Reflection
Cantor: Dust and ashes choke our tongue, in the waste-land of depression.Holy Spirit, come, walk with us tomorrow, through all gloom andgrieving to the paths of resurrection.
All Sing: Take us by the hand and lead us, lead us through the desertsands. Bring us living water, Holy Spirit, come.
Cantor: Amen People: Amen
Affirmation of Pardon
Choral Response God of Grace and God of Glory Chancel Choir
So We Proclaim; So We Believe 1 Corinthians 15:11
Narrative Lesson Luke 16:19-31 P e w B i b l e N.T. Page #75
Leader: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God!
Sermon The Big Embrace Pastor Williams
Hymn of Reflection O Come to Me, the Master Said Hymnal #346“And so, with sin and sorrow past, when death itself is dead . . .”
Be Doers of the Word; Blessed in the DoingJames 1:22, 25
Affirmation of Faith Reception of New Members
Chris Hilliard, Shawnee Armstrong-Hilliard
Receiving God's Tithes & Our Gifts / Registering the Gift of Attendance
Offertory Sweet Hour of Prayer Wood
*Doxology Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow H ymnal #147
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures high and low. Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known; Creator, Word and Spirit one.
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Prayers of the People / Lord’s Prayer (Inside back cover of hymnal.)
*Hymn of Dedication O Jesus, I Have Promised Hymnal #458 “. . . that where you are in glory, your servant shall be too . . .”
*Benediction & Response What Does the Lord Require Micah 6:8
We will sing in two parts. Men will sing the top line, women the bottom line. Each part will be sung alone once followed by singing together multiple times as led.
Post l u d e I Come to the Cross
Community News ~ March 26, 2017
WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE! Our greeter today is Nancy Heck; our worship
leader is Ashley Joyner. THE COMMUNITY ATTENDANCE BOOKS are located in eachpew. If you haven’t done so previously, you are invited to include contact information. For information about joining our fellowship, please speak with the pastor, an Elder orcall the church office at 856-6842.
THESE DAYS devotionals for April-June are available on the hall tables at no cost. Pleasetake one to use daily. You will also find movie reviews for “The Shack” on the tables.
PRAYER REQUEST FORMS are located in an acrylic holder outside the sanctuary. Youmay place request forms in the offering plate, give them to the pastor or drop them by theoffice. LARGE PRINT BULLETINS are available for those who might be more comfortableusing larger type. If an additional bulletin is needed, please ask. Visit our FACEBOOK
PAGE AND WEB PAGE regularly for continuing information about our church. Everyweek our Bulletin is posted on the web page: PresChurch.com
TODAY IS OUR CHURCH WIDE WORKDAY FOLLOWING OUR WORSHIP SERVICE. Wewill be working on projects both inside and outside. All are invited to stay and help us asthere will be projects that everyone of all ages can work on together.
FIRST FRUITS CART HAS BEEN BUSY! ~ When you do your WEEKLY grocery shopping,consider buying a few cans or staple items to place in our food cart.
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS CELEBRATING MARCH BIRTHDAYS: 3 Aaron Gulab 8 Asim Gulab 8 Judy Marsden 9 Cathy Gorman 13 Dot Vanella 14 Carla Short15 Emmanuel Gulab 16 Myrna Smith 18 Joe Garvilla20 Stephen Kasperski 20 Drew Abbott 20 Austin Gulab20 Lucy Buchanan 21 Bea Phillips 22 Sara Choudhary25 Don Hallowell
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS CELEBRATING MARCH ANNIVERSARIES:(*Celebrating 50+)02 Pervez & Sarapheen Mall 05 Ron & Karen Hinkel (1966)*15 Bobby & Caroline Gulab (2008) 18 Ashraf & Rehana Ayub (2000)21 Brandon & Sara Davis (2015)
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES:If you don’t see yours listed, please contact the church office at 856-6842 [email protected] so we can include you!
Georgetown Presbyterian Church ~ Holy Week Schedule
Palm Sunday, April 9 10:00 am Worship includes a Palm Branch Paradeth
and the Chancel Choir Cantata “Shadow of theCross.” This Cantata is a Tenebrae Service thatwill take us through the last days of Holy Week. The 7 candles you see behind the cross will beextinguished one by one. (Tenebrae is Latin for"shadows" or "darkness.” Such services, are atradition in Western Christianity.) The Lord’sSupper will be observed as a part of this service.
Maundy Thursday, April 13 Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday)th
commemorates the Last Supper Jesus Christ sharedwith his Apostles and Jesus’ commandment that we“love one another.” GPC members and friends areinvited to the Maundy Thursday Service atCoolspring Presbyterian Church beginning at5:30pm.
Good Friday, April 14 The sanctuary will be open from 12 noon to 5 pmth
for personal devotions. Suggested prayers willbe available. At 5pm we will have a formal 30minute service of readings and prayers. Fastingduring the season of Lent is a centuries oldtradition. Fasting specifically on Good Friday is atradition in many Middle Eastern Christiancongregations. You are challenged to fast during thedaylight hours of Good Friday as you are able to doso. We will break the fast together following the5pm service with a simple meal in the fellowshiphall.
Easter Morning, April 16 10:00 am Service only - a Celebration of theth
Resurrection followed by our annual EasterBreads Breakfast in the fellowship hall and thechildren’s egg hunt in the manse yard. Thechildren will sing during the morning service.
Maundy comes from OldEnglish/Latin word forCommandment - see John 13:34.
Georgetown Presbyterian ChurchChartered January 27, 1860
203 North Bedford Street; P.O. Box 46 Georgetown, DE 19947
Office: 856-6842 / Pastor’s Cell: 302-344-1912 or from a cell phone call **pastor (star,star, p-a-s-t-o-r)
Facebook page: Facebook.com/GeorgetownPres ~ for Current happenings and photos~~You do not need to be a member of Facebook to read our Facebook page.~~
Copyright reprints authorized under OneLicense.net license #A-718752 and CCLI license #11225174
Session Elders and Commissioned DeaconsElders serve on the Session for 3 year terms; Deacons are Commissioned for Specific Ministries yearly.
CLASS OF 2017: Lucy Buchanan, Carolyn Green, Reginald Johnson, Sharon Lawrence.CLASS OF 2018: Peggy Hallowell, Darrell Moore, Lidle Stone, Bill Taylor.CLASS OF 2019: Bob Chudakewich, Rukshana Gulab, Richard Hubbard, Chris Umsted
DEACONS: Joe Booth (Personnel), Dora George (Hospitality), Mari Ellyn Hellard (Mission), Sharon Hubbard (Prayer), Justin Illian (Mission),
Vicki Moore (Worship), Carol Ann Stone (Bereavement), Linda Williams (Mission)
THE MISSION OF GEORGETOWN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO
A DEEP AND CONTINUING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AS WE SEEK TO BECOME
