A GRATEFUL HEART

Rev. Jennifer Mills-Knutsen, Senior Minister Scott Stroman, Director of Worship and Music

A Christ-centered community of faith for all people, in the heart of this great city.

January 15, 2017

Preparing to Hear God’s Word

Introit Stroman

Serve the Lord with Gladness Welcome

We Worship in Song Now Thank We All Our God Pilgrim Hymnal 29

Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things hath done, in whom his world rejoices,

who, from our mothers’ arms, hath blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us,

and keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, the Son, and him who reigns with them in highest heaven,

the one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore, for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

O Praise Ye the Lord! C. Hubert H. Parry O praise ye the Lord! Praise him in the height;

rejoice in his word, ye angels of light; ye heavens, adore him by whom ye were made, and worship before him, in brightness arrayed.

O praise ye the Lord! Praise him upon earth, in tuneful accord, all you of new birth;

praise him who hath brought you his grace from above, praise him who hath taught you to sing of his love.

O praise ye the Lord! All things that give sound; each jubilant chord re-echo around;

loud organs, his glory forth tell in deep tone, and sweet harp, the story of what he hath done.

O praise ye the Lord! Thanksgiving and song to him be outpoured all ages along:

For love in creation, for heaven restored, for grace of salvation, O praise ye the Lord!

Call to Worship Leader: In deep gratitude we come to worship God. People: We recognize God as the source of all goodness.

Leader: All good gifts come from the Spirit of God: People: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness

are all of God.

Leader: We come with grateful hearts, not for things,

but for who God is. People: We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.

Presbyterian Church in Canada

Prayer of Invocation God, you who have created and who sustains us: we come with thanksgiving for these moments when we can ease the pace of our lives and listen for your voice. Create a spirit within us that truly draws us toward you and toward our brothers and sisters: a spirit deep, perceptive, gentle, bold and grateful. Clear our minds, open our hearts, and touch us with your presence and your power. We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ our friend and our Savior. Amen.

Charlotte H. Still, United States

Passing the Peace of Christ

News of the Church

Hearing God’s Word

Scripture Reading Sally Calimoso Luke 17:11-19

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Children’s Message Jonathan Miller

The Word in Music Jean Ritchie Now is the Cool of the Day

Message Stuart Brown

A Grateful Heart

Responding to God’s Word

Song of Response There is a Redeemer Keith Green

There is a redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.

Chorus: Thank You, O my Father, for giving us your Son, and leaving your Spirit 'til the work on earth is done.

Jesus my redeemer, name above all names, precious Lamb of God, Messiah O, for sinners slain. (Chorus)

When I stand in glory I will see His face, and there I'll serve my king forever in that holy place. (Chorus)

Pastoral Prayer

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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Offertory

Song of Commitment Be Still, My Soul Pilgrim Hymnal 77

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; in every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on when we shall be forever with the Lord.

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

The Blessing

Leading in today’s service are Liam Dunachie, Scott Stroman, Jonathan Miller

and Stuart Brown.

Thanks to Will Jungman for hosting Fellowship Hour today.

The flowers today are provided by Scott and Sue Stroman in memory of their daughter Mary.

SECURITY NOTICE PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE BELONGINGS UNATTENDED

News of the Church

The Crèche is available for families with young children (0-3 years).

Sunday School—Adults gather at 9:45am, youth at 10am and children begin in worship before leaving to attend their own classes.

AIC 20s & 30s Group—Are you under 40ish? Are you looking to meet new people, go deeper in faith and get connected to AIC? Join the newly forming AIC 20s & 30s group at one of their upcoming gatherings! E-mail jonathan@amchurch.co.uk to be added to the group e-mail list. Our next event is:

Beer & Bible Study, Monday 23 January, 7:30 p.m. The Carpenters Arms, 68-70 Whitfield Street, London, W1T 4EY Come enjoy a beer, food, and fellowship in what we hope becomes a monthly pub + Jesus bible study. No need to read anything beforehand. We'll read a passage from the Bible together, along with some historical context and discussion questions from The Hardest Question.

Mission Prayer Focus

Cold Weather Shelter—Beginning this Wednesday, AIC will welcome up to 16 individuals to sleep in our church every week for the next 11 weeks. Please pray for the well-being of these men and women, that their time in the shelter would help them find stable, permanent housing, and that they would find at AIC warmth and Christian hospitality.

Annual General Meeting Sunday 22 January

immediately after worship

The membership of AIC will gather on 22 January to discuss the business of the church. There are several important items on the agenda, including the budget for 2017 and a restructuring of the church's charitable status. Please plan to attend to participate in the decision-making!

Concert for International Justice Mission Saturday, 28 January, 6:00 p.m. at AIC Anne Beitel Thomas and Keith Ford will be giving a chamber music concert at AIC in aid of IJM. The program is violin and piano chamber music—duos —specifically Brahms Sonata in No. 1 G, Op. 78 and Prokofiev Sonata No. 2 in D, Op. 94b. Afterwards there will be tea, coffee and juice, plus some cakes and snacks. There will be a retiring collection for International Justice Mission, one of the church’s designated charities. IJM is a human rights organisation that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and human trafficking, and brings the perpetrators to justice. Please join us for some beautiful music in aid of a good cause.

Cold Weather Shelter at AIC—This Wednesday, we will begin welcoming guests every Wednesday night for our ninth year with the Community of Camden Churches Cold Weather Shelter (C4WS). To accomplish this, we are in need of five volunteers to help out in the kitchen and have a meal with our guests during the dinner shift and two for the breakfast shift over the course of the eleven weeks that we will host the shelter. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Jonathan at jonathan@amchurch.co.uk. If you are already trained up, you can sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0849abad23a3fa7-2017

We also need donations of toiletries to offer to the guests when they stay with us. Shampoo, soap, lotion, deodorant, and similar items are much appreciated! There is a box available in the upper vestibule.

American International Church 79a Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TD

0207 580 2791 www.amchurch.co.uk info@amchurch.co.uk

A Congregation of the United Reformed Church

Tithes and Offerings If you prefer to give your tithes and offerings via bank transfer, you may do so with the following information: Beneficiary: The American Church in London Sort Code: 40-05-16 Account Number: 81651498 Please also note to email info@amchurch.co.uk so that we are able to track your donation. Thank you.

We are a Christian community, open to all people seeking Christ’s touch and blessing. A healthy church is built on Jesus Christ and expressed through fellowship, worship, discipleship and mission. And so as God’s church we live to fellowship sincerely, worship actively, grow in our knowledge and understanding of Jesus, and to offer ourselves in service to this community and the world. In worship we... Praise the Lord in song, Hear the Word of God proclaimed in preaching, Profess our faith in God as Father, Son and Spirit, Offer prayers of petition and thanks, Confess our sins and receive words of pardon, Share in the sacraments, communion and baptism, Give freely in support of the church’s work.

AIC Council Members Stuart Brown President Rob Thomas Treasurer

Richard Abbott Personnel and Facilities Elizabeth Johnson Secretary and Fellowship

Migdalia van der Hoven Communications Judith Chilcote Worship

R. Nelson At-Large