GRACE COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Awakening a Love for Christ in the Heart of Richmond
October 9, 2016 The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time 10:55 a.m.
Please fill out the communication card and place it in the offering plate during the offertory.
†Please stand for these parts of the service.
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
WE GATHER TO GLORIFY GOD
PRELUDE Ah, Leave with Us Thy Grace Sigfrid Karg-Elert, 1877-1933
†CALL TO WORSHIP Christopher Tweel One: Our faith has been dormant,
All: and it is too much to bear.
One: We witness heartache and bullying,
All: but cry out for a world of honor and righteousness.
One: Imbalance us with love as we enter in to worship you.
All: Inspire us to shame the laws that oppress,
One: and enliven us to engage in worship this bright morning.
All: We are called to worship! Amen.
]
†HYMN 473 (Blue Hymnal) For the Beauty of the Earth Dix
Music reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.
†PRAYER OF CONFESSION (IN UNISON) Merciful God, You call us to turn away from behaviors and attitudes that belong to the darkness, to live honest and transparent lives as children of the light. We confess the times when we have failed, giving in to our darker thoughts and desires, and acting in ways that did not bring honor to Your name. You call us to love one another, to honor our parents, to put the needs and interests of those around us above our own, to love others as deeply as we have been loved by You. We confess the times when we have failed, allowing our own desires and interests to take precedence over the needs of others. You call us to deal honorably with one another, even those who have hurt or offended us, to work through our disagreements with love and integrity, and so to build up the Body of Christ. We confess the times when we have failed, finding it easier to simply walk away from hurtful relationships or to talk behind people’s backs rather than to their faces. Teach us, God, in Your mercy, and hear our need to be closer to Your heart. Amen. †ASSURANCE OF PARDON †GLORIA PATRI 579 (Blue Hymnal) Greatorex 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, Amen.
At this time, children 6 years old and younger are invited to come to the front of the sanctuary with Reverend Christopher Tweel.
Rev. Tweel will lead worship with the children in the chapel. They will be in "Children's Chapel" for the remainder of the morning and will be in Room 102 for pickup.
WE HEAR THE WORD OF GOD
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Bobby Hulme-Lippert OLD TESTAMENT READING Exodus 20:2, 12 Holy Bible, p. 65 NEW TESTAMENT READING 2 Timothy 1:1-7 Holy Bible, p. 1086 SERMON “The Intergenerational Gift” Bobby Hulme-Lippert
RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
†HYMN 343 (Blue Hymnal) Beecher Called as Partners in Christ’s Service
Music reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.
†APOSTLES’ CREED (IN UNISON) Bobby Hulme-Lippert
I believe in God the Father Almighty, 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 rose 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.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
MOMENT FOR MINISTRY Lewis Rosebro
Ruling Elder
WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD
PRESENTATION OF TITHES, OFFERINGS, AND GIFTS
ANTHEM
If Ye Love Me Philip Wilby, b. 1949
If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. E’en the Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. And ye know Him for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. —John 14:15-18
†DOXOLOGY 592 (Blue Hymnal) Old Hundredth
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 THANKSGIVING
WE GO FORTH TO LOVE AND SERVE †HYMN (Blue Hymnal; hymn reprinted on next page) Now Thank We All Our God Nun dankett alle Gott †BENEDICTION AND CHORAL RESPONSE Take, O Take Me As I Am John Bell †POSTLUDE Fugue and Toccata (Variations on the Hymn Tune “King’s Lynn”) Malcolm Archer, b. 1952
Please join us in the Social Room afterward for refreshments and fellowship.
The flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of my wife, Evelyn, by Sidney E. Yates.
Music reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.
WORSHIP NOTES
Hearing Aids and Large-Print Hymnals are available from the ushers.
As one body of Christ, composed of diverse individuals bound together by the Holy Spirit: We will join in community across the generational, ethnic, racial, and economic barriers that separate God’s children. We will walk together in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - from our 2012 Vision Statement
Music Notes
German Romantic composer and organist Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933), though not widely known, had a prodigious output, having composed his greatest amount of work for the organ and harmonium (over 250 pieces for organ). Karg-Elert’s 66 Chorale Improvisations are his most important opus for the organ and were written for concert and liturgical use. This collection of preludes was the result of Karg-Elert’s admiration for J. S. Bach’s Orgelbüchlein, a compilation of organ preludes which were embellishments of Lutheran chorales. Ah, Leave with Us Thy Grace is a trio (two separate manuals and pedal) that is written in the style of J. S. Bach.
The words If Ye Love Me from the Gospel of John has inspired many composers of choral music, among them, British composer Philip Wilby (b. 1949). Wilby is best known as a composer for brass bands, but his choral compositions have worth and deserve wider recognition. Today’s anthem is cathedralesque in nature, with its beautiful melodic lines and grand swells in the organ accompaniment.
Malcolm Archer (b. 1952) is Director of Chapel Music at Winchester College in the heart of England, where he trains and conducts the Quiristers and Chapel Choir and teaches organ in the College. He has enjoyed a distinguished career in cathedral music, which has taken him to posts at Norwich, Bristol, and Wells Cathedrals, as well as Director of Music at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Today’s postlude is the final movement from his Variations on King’s Lynn. The hymn tune (King’s Lynn) name honors the Norfolk seaport town where the tune was collected. Ralph Vaughan Williams adapted and harmonized this English folk melody which appears in Anglican and Episcopal hymnals, and now the new Presbyterian Hymnal, Glory to God.
We are grateful to have you join in worship with us this morning. We are a historic Presbyterian church, having celebrated our centennial anniversary in 2015. God has been immensely faithful for over 100 years, and we are eager to step faithfully into the future God has for us! We continue for-ward by walking in light of our mission which was adopted in 2012: to train grateful disciples of Christ, by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. May you be blessed through worship and fellowship this morning.
Quarterly Statements: Third quarter statements can be picked up in the Narthex this Sunday. Any statements left at the end of the month will be mailed.
Online Giving @ GCPC: We now accept your weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual pledges online at grace-covenant.org! Click on “Online Giving” on the homepage, and you can then safely, securely, and easily set up your regular tithe or offering to be automatically withdrawn from your bank account. Note: you will need to set up a PayPal account if you do not already have one. For those who do give online, we invite you to continue participating in worship during the “Giving of Our Tithes and Offerings” portion of the service. Simply check “I give online” on your communication card, and place it in the offering plate as your act of giving in response to God’s word. Committees: All of the ministry that unfolds in our church happens because of the hard work of our commit-tees! During worship in the months of September and October, a different committee chair will be sharing a Moment for Ministry about what God has been doing in, around, and through their committee. We hope you are encouraged by their stories! We also hope you will consider serving on a committee this 2016-2017 calendar year. As you hear each committee chair present, consider if God might be nudging you to join their effort. This week Lewis Rosebro is speaking on behalf of the Property and Maintenance Committee. In the following weeks we will hear testimonies from folks involved in Mission and Finance. Harvest Brunch: Following the service of worship on Sunday, October 30, there will be a celebration brunch hosted by the Stewardship and Fellowship Committees – and we want the whole GCPC family there! When: Sunday, October 30, immediately following worship Where: The Fellowship Hall What: A Harvest Brunch cooked up by our WNS cook, Aleasha Jacques! She is preparing pumpkin (and regu-lar) pancakes, sausage, bacon, fruit, and a host of other goodies, including hot apple cider! Cost is $5 per per-son. Children under 10 are free. Why: To celebrate and give thanks to God as one, big Grace Covenant family! Pastor Bobby will also share a few remarks about some exciting things around the corner in 2017. Please RSVP by Wednesday, October 26, by emailing [email protected] or by calling the church office at 359-2463.
Mission and Justice
Shalom Farms: Our next outing to Shalom Farms (1033 Rock Castle Rd., Goochland, VA 23063) will be Sat-urday, October 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Contact Nelson Reveley at [email protected] to join. Transit—Catalyst for a Greater Richmond Region: 6:00-8:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 18; St. Paul's Episco-pal Church (815 E. Grace St., 23219). Join a special evening with Jarrett Walker, internationally recognized transit expert and author of Human Transit. His consulting team is making groundbreaking recommendations for improving Richmond City’s transit system, and received great acclaim for similar improvements to Houston’s transit network. Come and learn about the potential for modern transit in the Greater Richmond Region, and hear updates on the Richmond Transit Network Plan for the City as well as the vision for the re-gion. God is moving in amazing ways around public transportation in Richmond, opening avenues of access and opportunity. But these improvements won’t happen without our involvement! Join us for this important update and see what our future could hold. Space is limited so please RSVP at www.rvarapidtransit.org, and for more information, simply contact [email protected].
WELCOME TO GRACE COVENANT
General Announcements
STEP Volunteer Opportunities: Victory Reading Program: Tutors are needed to work with children Pre-K through 3rd Grade. No teaching experience needed, just a heart to see the children prosper! One night per week, Mondays-Thursdays 3:45-5:45 p.m. Jobs for Life: STEP’s biblically-based job training program needs volun-teers on Monday evenings to serve as the following: champions (mentors) to come alongside students as they embark on their career journey (weekly commitment during course); childcare and meal providers (occasional or regular commitment); and instructors and business leaders to share their expertise (occasional or one-time com-mitment). Jobs for Life will be meeting at Eternity Church (1900 Chamberlayne Ave.) this fall from 6:00-8:30 p.m. on Monday evenings through December 5. We are looking into having another Jobs for Life held at Grace Covenant again in the spring. Thank you for your support!
Christian Education and Discipleship The nursery crib room and Sunday School are available for children ages 2 and up.
Sunday School is held every Sunday from 9:45-10:30 a.m. Nursery Class (~0-2), Room 103: Frolic is a new trial experience for us. In the past, our youngest Presbyteri-ans have relied on the loving care of our caregivers to show them the love of Christ. And, week to week, they do a spectacular job. This fall we will be experimenting with a new curriculum to help lend some guidance and pro-vide new material into what the caregivers are naturally doing. We’re excited to bring this to our Nursery!
Pre-K (~2/3-6), Room 102: Spark is Bible-centered programming at its best. Kids of all ages interact with the Bible in every lesson. With hands-on activities such as interactive games and creative crafts—Spark makes learn-ing exciting. Lessons in five age brackets allow us to meet the needs of a wide age range with one curriculum.
Elementary, Room 209: Holy Moly follows the arc of the biblical narrative. Kids of all ages interact with the Bible in every lesson. Animated videos of the Bible stories don’t use narration. Instead, visuals and sound effects give kids the opportunity to retell the story in their own words. Holy Moly printed resources are available—making it equally engaging for younger and older kids. After class, Holy Moly kids walk away retelling the stories they’ve learned and take home completed activities to share with their family.
Student Mentoring Class, Rm. 301: This fall and winter, Pastor Christopher will be working closely with our students on a teen-led project. Come up to the loft at 9:45 every Sunday morning to join in and contribute. We need your student leadership in our church family, and our community! Let's see what God has in store for us together. Good Books, Third Floor (Room 303): All are invited to dive into these theological books with us. Last spring we had a chance to learn from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Strength to Love, Luther's The Freedom of a Christian, and Calvin's The Christian Life. This fall we will have a chance to check out N. T. Wright's Scripture and the Authori-ty of God from Sept. 18 to Nov. 6 and then will launch into the Book of Job from Nov. 13 to Dec. 18. Reading ahead enlivens the discussion, but all are welcome even if unable to check out the week's reading. If you'd like to get on our email list, simply contact Nelson Reveley at [email protected].
The Forum of Grace Class, Second Floor (Room 212): This class will be diving into a study of the Miracles of Jesus Christ. Come and take part in this study about the most incredible parts of Jesus' ministry, healing, cast-ing out demons, feeding thousands, and bringing folks back from the dead! It's an incredible part of the Incredi-ble Story.
The Vanguard Class, Basement (Room B4): This class meets in Room B4. Nate McKinnon is currently lead-ing the study on The Ten Commandments.
Inquirers’ Class: Are you interested in learning more about the mission and ministries of Grace Covenant? Are you considering membership? If so, join Rev. Bobby Hulme-Lippert for the next Inquirers’ Class on Sunday, November 6, from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. in room 212 (the conference room located on the second floor). Light breakfast and coffee will be served. You may RSVP to the church office at [email protected] or indicate your RSVP on the communication card located in your bulletin.
Wednesday Night Supper Save yourself the midweek hassle of cooking dinner and come join us Wednesday nights at 6:00 p.m. for a time of growth in fellowship and faith! Every night we'll have arts and crafts for the kids, timely announcements, worship preparation cards for the coming Sunday, and either faith-infused live music, a trivia night, or an excellent speaker! $7 per person, $5 for seniors (over 65), and $15 max per family.
This Week’s Program: Jim McCullough will present "It's Gonna Hurt," a discussion on the benefit of play and risk for children.
This Week’s Meal: Snack: Graham Crackers with Nutella and Banana
Salad: Caesar
Entrée: Turkey Chili with Cornbread
Dessert: S’mores Cupcakes
Looking Forward:
October 19, 2016 Camp Hanover Presentation - Doug Walters October 26, 2016 Preschool Picasso’s Art Show and Intergenerational Art Program - Meredith Bond November 2, 2016 Kirktet Jazz Ensemble
November 9, 2016 Improv. in the Spirit
November 16, 2016 Carol Choir Sings and Charlie Ross Magic Show
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER Lord, hear our prayer for...
Elizabeth Russell and family as they grieve the passing of Elizabeth’s father, Dr. William Russell; the family of Ainura and Steve Satterfield in the passing of Ainura’s father; the family and friends of Jed Wilson, Ken Mace, and John Roberts as they mourn their passing; Jack Corley’s daughter, Suzanne Corley; Rosie Turner; Ann Pais’ daughter-in-law, Jane Pais, with cancer; Susan Farrell’s father, Jim, facing health issues; Cynthia Holmes’ mother, Constance Lockman; the Holmes family after the recent passing of Cynthia’s grandmother; George Turner; Dr. Carl and Mrs. Jo McMillin; Steve Cobb and his family; Carol Ann Moorhead-George, daughter of Logan R. Moorhead, who is fighting Lyme Disease; Stuart Chapman, David Russell, all who are serving in our nation’s Armed Forces; and all those who lost loved ones in the 9/11 terrorist attack and all who continue to suffer because of that day.
1627 Monument Avenue • Richmond, Virginia 23220 • 804-359-2463 Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Email: [email protected] Website: www.grace-covenant.org Radio: WLES 590 AM & 97.7 FM • Live Streaming www.truthnetwork.com (Click “Listen Live,” then “Richmond, Virginia”)
Pastor: Bobby Hulme-Lippert Child Development Center Director: Nicole Flournoy Associate Pastor for Christian Education: Christopher Tweel Administrative Support: Martha Rubin Director of Music and Organist: Christopher Martin Office Manager: Meredith Bond Parish Associate for Outreach & Adult Discipleship: Nelson Reveley
Sunday Morning Openers
October 9 - Lloyd Bostian
October 16 - Cal Gray
October 23 - Rob Rosebro
October 30 - Hank Downing
Our worship service is broadcast live from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on WLES 590 AM and 97.7 FM and is streamed live on www.truthnetwork.com (press “Listen Live,” then select “Richmond”). For podcasts, go to www.grace-covenant.org, click on “Worship,” then the pull-down “Sermons Online” and select the Full Service, Sunday Sermons, or Special Performances you wish to hear. The podcasts are uploaded within an hour of the end-of-broadcast. For Audio CDs, leave a note to the Radio Room in the Glass Office or call the main church office 359-2463. There is no charge for this service, but any contributions to “The Radio Fund” are greatly appreciated and will help to assure the continuation of this ministry.
Fellowship Hour
October 9 - Lewis and Rob Rosebro
October 16 - Elizabeth Russell
October 23 - Laura Leigh and Jake Savage
October 30 - Marcia and Tony Manning
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