Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

January 1, 2012 

Prelude 

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #   35  Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord of Hosts (2x)

                   #  248 O Come Let Us Adore Him

                   #  244 Let’s Just Praise the Lord (3x) 

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

Let us celebrate!  We are members of God’s family.  We are children of God, through our faith in Jesus Christ.

We were slaves, slaves to sin and slaves to the law.  But now we are baptized in Christ.

It no longer matters if we are male or female, rich or poor.  In Christ we are all children, all heirs to God’s extravagant grace.

God withholds nothing from us, his heirs.  God blesses us with every spiritual blessing.

The Lord lavishes us with his presence and grants us wisdom and understanding.

The Lord forgives our sin and bestows his peace upon us.

It is a family celebration!

Let us rejoice and give thanks.  We are the children of God! 

Thanksgiving Prayer 

Prayer of Confession

Isaiah 61: 10-11 

Father God, it is a new year, but we fall prey to old ways.

We resist letting go, we cling to memories that hurt, we want revenge.  We forget how much you love us. 

SILENT MEDITATION 

We ask your forgiveness Gracious God.

Open us to your ways, even when they have not been our choices.  Bring us your light, that it may illuminate your way ahead.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father 

Message             Being Adopted

                             Galatians 4: 4-7

Hymn         #  317  Blessed Assurance  

Prayers of the People         

Offering   

Gift of music from Hanqing Kong 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow 

Service of Holy Communion

          The Invitation

                   The Prayer of Thanksgiving

                             The Words of Institution

                                      The Communion of the People

                                                The Closing Prayer 

Hymn         #513 In Christ There Is No East or West

Benediction

Postlude 

 Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

December 24, 2011 

Prelude 

Invocation         

Songs       #120 Joy To The World (1st verse)

                   #115 Go Tell It On The Mountain (ref, 1, ref)

                   #106 Hark!  The Herald Angels Sing (all verses) 

Call to Worship

We gather this night to share good news and tidings of great joy!

Today, in the town of Bethlehem, a Savior has been born to us.

He is Christ the Lord!

With the angels, let us sing our praises.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to all on whom God’s favor rests! 

Special Music 

Sharing the Light of the Love of Christ

On this holy night, we light the Christ candle.  As we have been called to be peaceful, hopeful, joyful and loving, let us now proclaim Christ as the Light of the world. 

The Word           Isaiah 9: 2, 6-7 

Song          # 108         The First Noel         

The Word           John 1: 1-14 

Special Music         

The Word           Luke 2: 1-7 

Song           # 113         Angels We Have Heard On High                  

The Word           Luke 2: 8-14 

Song          # 105 What Child Is This    

 The Word           Luke 2: 15-20 

Special Music 

The Word           John 12: 44-47 

Song          #  104 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear 

Special Music 

Benediction 

          Everyone invited to share the light of Christ

                   candles will be lighted during the music 

You are invited to sing as we process from the sanctuary:

          #120          Joy To The World!                                                        

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

December 11, 2011

The Fourth Week of Advent 

Prelude 

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #   206       Jesus Is King  (1,2,3)

                   #   182       Seek Ye First  (1,2,1) 

Invocation 

Call to Worship    

          Pastor Vanessa Cummins, St. Luke AME 

God meets us in the power of the gospel.

In the gospel, we find hope, peace and love.

God moves us by the power of the gospel.

God moves us to bring hope into a despairing world.

God sends us to proclaim the gospel of God’s peace.

God sends us to friends and strangers to embody reconciling love.

God calls us to obedience in the gospel.

May we be joyful in following the One whose birth draws near!

Lighting of the Advent Candle

          David Gulden, Elder, Eastminster 

Children’s Message

          Pastor Vicki Abend, Calvary Presbyterian

Thanksgiving Prayer 

Prayer of Confession

Isaiah 7: 13b-14 

Lord Jesus, we confess our confusion when you do not come to us as we expect.  We wear ourselves out trying to be self-sufficient, certain that our efforts will earn our way into the kingdom of heaven.

We forget the way you entered this world as a baby. 

SILENT MEDITATION 

We confess that we are not always pleasing in your sight.

Forgive us we pray, in Jesus’ name, that we may find new birth in this season.  May we now become your people of peace.  This we pray, determined to change. Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father

 Message             Mary said, “Yes!”

                             Luke 1: 26-38 

Hymn         #    67         Fairest Lord Jesus

Prayers of the People 

Offering   

Gift of music from Zach Lopes

Offering Prayer  

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow                  

Hymn         #   110       Angels From the Realms of Glory 

Benediction

Postlude 

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

December 4, 2011

Worship and Service of Holy Communion 

Prelude 

Welcome & Announcements

Song                   #   72                   I Love You Lord

                   #  244        Let’s Just Praise the Lord 

Invocation 

Call to Worship

Comfort, comfort ye, my people.

We find sustaining comfort in the midst of daily struggle.

Comfort, comfort, ye, my people.

We find joyous comfort in the promise of daily blessing.

Comfort, comfort, ye, my people.

We find empowering comfort in the grace of daily service.

Comfort, comfort, ye, my people.

We find trustworthy comfort in God’s surprising timing.

Comfort, comfort, ye, my people.

We find holy comfort in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son

of God.

Thanksgiving Prayer 

Prayer of Confession

Isaiah 40:  1-5 

God of Advent, as we await your coming, we confess the rough places of our own hearts.

We confess the angers that become stony roadblocks to your peace, and the mountains of hurt feelings we leave behind us through our thoughtlessness. 

SILENT MEDITATION

Gracious God, we ask for your forgiveness because we have been all these things and more.

Straighten our spirits, God of Advent, that our lives may reveal not our brokenness, but that your glory may be revealed in all we say and do.  We pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

 Assurance of Pardon

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father 

Message             Getting Ready

                             Mark 1: 1-8                            

Hymn         #   102       Come Thou Long Expected Jesus 

Prayers of the People

Offering   

Gift of music from Zach Lopes 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow 

Service of Holy Communion

          The Invitation

                   The Prayer of Thanksgiving

                             The Words of Institution

                                      The Communion of the People

                                                The Closing Prayer                  

Hymn         #   103       O Come All Ye Faithful 

Benediction

Postlude 

DATELINE:   November 2011

This is a season of “Thanksgiving!”

Thank you, Father God for blessing us                                                another year! 

This year those who support the church, and the members addressed the issue of finances head on and we met all of our responsibilities.  Also we continue to support all of the missions here and around the world.  Many of you stretched and stepped up and God continues to honor your faithfulness.

Thanks to St. Luke for hosting a shared worship on 11/20, where we were inspired by the words of their new pastor Rev. Vanessa Cummins, as well as the singing of the choir and the wonderful fellowship which followed at lunch.  The morning was a blessing to all!

Thanks to Bob Brakvill, who continues to help by supplying our printing from time to time.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the dirty job of cleaning out the dirt basement!  (no pun intended!)

Thanks to Cheryl Salwasser, for inviting your friends, Ann and John to join us in worship.  We are happy to share our love of God with them and with all.

Thanks to Bruce Conway for meeting and greeting every Sunday, and keeping the attendance records.

Thanks Carol Kraemer for the beautiful flowers every Sunday.

Each and every one of you come forward in some way or another to help keep your church beautiful and cheerful and clean and welcoming!  You know who you are….and so does God.

The Season of Advent begins

                             dates to remember:

Nov. 26 – trim tree McCord 9:30am

Nov. 27 – Pledge Cards to be accepted

                                      Special celebration

                                      Mitten tree goes up

December dates to remember:

12/3 – Calvary turkey dinner

12/4 – Communion

                             Mittens down, Chrismons up

12/6 – Bible study

12/13 – Bible study

12/14 – Pot Luck

12/18 – Special Sunday worship

          St Luke to visit

          Special guest speaker

          lunch to follow

12/24 – Christmas Eve service 11:00pm

          St. Luke may join us

          Special music provided by Zach & co.

12/25 – Christmas Day worship service

                             usual 10:45am

January 1 – usual worship service with

          communion

1/5 – Session meeting 7pm

Christmas Boxes

          A total of 24  boxes were delivered!!!

          Another job well done!

Thank you all for sharing your blessings of time, talent and resources…..

                   May God bless and keep you!

                                                                   Pastor Sandy

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

November 13, 2011 

Prelude 

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #   35                   Holy, Holy, Holy

                   #  193        Make Me a Servant 

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

Sun, moon, and stars in their wild, rushing courses,

Joyously spin in your heavenly rounds.

Glad, happy rivers released from your sources,

Crashing and splashing with leaps and bounds,

Untamed and glorious, deer, bears and horses,

All of creation, praise loudly as sounds

The trumpets of tempests.  Mount rattles and pounds!

God’s in the heavens and glory resounds!

                                                Author unknown 

  Thanksgiving Prayer 

  Psalm 123 

Prayer of Confession 

   Gracious God, you are the risk taker, taking a chance on our response, loving us totally, loving us enough to let us choose.

   Are we willing to take as great a risk, as you have in creating us? Will we accept the challenge, and invest the heart and soul you have given us? 

SILENT MEDITATION 

   Lord, we confess how inadequately we have honored the talents you have given to us.

   Forgive us, both our unfaithfulness of doubt, fear and our self-pride.  We pray in the holy name of Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

   Assurance of Pardon

   Celebration     #575 Glory Be To The Father 

   Message                   Remember Your Destiny

                            1 Thessalonians 5: 1 – 13       

  Hymn         #  204        There’s a Quiet Understanding

Prayers of the People   

 Offering   

Gift of music from Zach Lopes 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow                  

Hymn         #  460        Who Is On the Lord’s Side? 

Benediction 

Postlude 

 ”God can make you anything you want to be, but you have to put everything in his hands”           Mahalia Jackson

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

October 30, 2011

Prelude 

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #  182  Seek Ye First                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                   #  200  As The Deer  

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

Be of one mind with our Lord Jesus, who emptied himself and took the form of a servant.

Who lived a fully human life and died a fully human death,

who gave us an example of radical obedience, even to the point of dying upon the cross.

For God honored Christ and raised him from death to new life, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.

                                                adapted from Philippians 2: 5-11

Thanksgiving Prayer  

Romans 6:  6, 11 

Prayer of Confession 

Merciful God, we confess that we honor Christ with our words, but seek our own glory and greatness.  We prefer our own ease to the difficult way of discipleship.

We have received much, but returned little; we have learned many things, but have forgotten the great lessons to be faithful and to serve God, not ourselves. 

SILENT MEDITATION 

Lord, enlarge the narrowness of our perspective with the wideness of your mercy.  Fill the poverty of our imaginations with the greatness of your vision.

Warm the coldness of our hearts with the fire of your love, draw us out of loneliness into your fellowship, through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father

Message             Trust God, Be Faithful…..and see what happens!

                             Joshua 3: 7-17

Hymn         #   37            Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Prayers of the People         

Offering   

Gift of music from Andy Villemez 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow                 

Hymn         #  317  Blessed Assurance 

Benediction 

Postlude 

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

October 23, 2011 

Prelude

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #    206      Jesus Is King

                   #    236      This Is The Day 

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

We are called to be faithful followers of the Living God.  God’s faithfulness to us, calls for a faithful response!

Even when we cannot see where we are going, God is faithfully leading us.  We trust in God, and God will not disappoint us.

God is sovereign and good; we depend on the Lord’s unfailing grace.

Our trails and difficulties do not diminish our hope.

Faith is believing in what we do not see.

Our faith stands firm.  We are confident is God’s love.

Like Moses, let us be found faithful, holding fast to God’s promises and mercy. 

Thanksgiving Prayer

 Psalm 90: 1 – 2, 17 

Prayer of Confession 

Gracious God, we ask your forgiveness.

Your Word is glorious, wonderful in its complexity, astounding in its simplicity. 

SILENT MEDITATION 

Lord, may we receive others as you have received  us.

And may we proclaim to all that we intend, to love you with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  We pray in the name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father 

Message             First and Foremost….

                              Matthew 22: 34 – 40 

Hymn         #  196        O Breath of Life 

Prayers of the People         

Offering   

Gift of music 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow                  

Hymn         #    169      Welcome Happy Morning 

Benediction 

Postlude 

 Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

October 16, 2011 

Prelude         

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   # 108         Alleluia

                   #   66                   He Is Exalted (3x)                                               

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

Lord, for who you are, and all you do in our lives, for all the times you gave us a shove in the right direction,

We thank you!

For the times that we were so wrapped up in what was going on, that we forgot to say it, and for all of the answered prayers,

We thank you!

Mighty God, we know that you want justice and equality among your people,

So we praise your awesome name.

Speak to us now; shape our lives by your Spirit;  because you alone are holy.

You alone are God and we thank you!

Prayer of Thanksgiving

          What if you woke up today, with only the things you thanked

                   God for yesterday? 

Children’s Time 

Acts 13: 38 – 39          Prayer of Confession 

Gracious God, almost every day we wrestle with overwhelming choices: life or death, love or hate, possessions or freedom.  Often we choose wisely, but then there are those other times.

Our wants get confused with our needs.  Our “must haves” overshadow our satisfaction with ourselves, our loved ones, even life itself. 

SILENT MEDITATION 

Lord, give us the vision and wisdom to see your way clearly.

Then empower us with your grace and courage, that we might take the higher path.  In all things keep us faithful.  Forgive us as we pray in the name of Jesus.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon 

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father 

Message            Two Little Words

                             1 Thessalonians 1: 1 – 10           

Hymn         #  564        Now Thank We All Our God

Prayers of the People 

Offering

Gift of music from Zach Lopes 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow         

Hymn         #  55           For the Beauty

Benediction 

Postlude 

Eastminster Presbyterian Church

WELCOME EVERYONE!

October 9, 2011 

Prelude         

Welcome & Announcements 

Song                   #   35                   Holy, Holy Is the Lord        

                   # 182                   Seek Ye First                            

Invocation 

Call to Worship 

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name.

You have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress.

This is our God for whom we have waited, so that we might be saved.

This is God for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in God’s salvation. 

Prayer of Thanksgiving

          What if you woke up today, with only the things you thanked

                   God for yesterday?

Philippians 4: 1 – 4 

Prayer of Confession

Remembering Exodus 32: 1 -14, “The Golden Calf” 

Remember me, O God, when you show favor to your people;

We have sinned.

Our ancestors made a calf at Horeb;

We worship money, good looks and possessions.

Our ancestors exchanged your glory for the image of an ox that eats grass.

We exchange your glory for cars, perfect children and younger skin.

Our ancestors forgot the great things you had done in Egypt, and the

awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

We forget you, too, O God, even though you continue to move in and through our lives. 

SILENT MEDITATION

Moses stood his ground with you  O God, and asked for a second chance.

Jesus Christ is our ground and our second chance.

Let us accept your love, Lord, and live as if it matters.

With your help, it may be so.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon 

Celebration        #575 Glory Be To The Father 

Message            Have You Accepted?                  

                             Matthew 22: 1 – 14 

Hymn   #  312    ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus 

Prayers of the People 

Offering

Gift of music from Zach Lopes 

Offering Prayer

Doxology  #572  Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow         

Hymn         #  331        He’s Got the Whole World 

Benediction 

Postlude