Commissioned Lay Pastor: Margaret Hartmann
FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1557 Main Street, Peckville, PA 18452
SUNDAY COMMUNION WORSHIP
February 07, 2021
Worship Video Link: https://youtu.be/6HxcwIMsW9A
Welcome and Announcements
Organ Prelude
Call to Worship
Let us worship and sing praises to God,
for the Lord is gracious and worthy of praise!
God gathers the outcasts and heals the broken-hearted.
God gives the stars their names and makes grass grow on the hills.
Let us hope in God’s steadfast love
and worship God together!
Prayer of Invocation (in unison)
- Faithful God, you have appointed us your witnesses, to be light that shines in the world. Let us not hide the bright hope you have given us, but tell everyone your love, revealed in Jesus Christ the Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Opening Hymn “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty”
Open now thy gates of beauty, Zion, let me enter there,
Where my soul in joyful duty waits for God who answers prayer;
O how blessed is this place, filled with solace, light and grace.
Speak, O Lord, and I will hear thee; let thy will be done indeed;
May I undisturbed draw near thee, while thou dost thy people feed.
Here of life the fountain flows; here is balm for all our woes.
Prayer of Confession (in unison)
- O God, you bring healing to our lives and comfort to our hearts. Forgive us, Lord, when we contribute to the things that break your heart. You would have us share our gifts with the world, but we keep our resources close and our minds closed. You would have us live in faithful community, but we isolate ourselves and eye our neighbors with mistrust. You would have us see all people as our siblings, but we try to separate ourselves from anyone whose existence challenges our comfort. Forgive us, God, by your grace, and free us to be agents of your healing.
Silent personal confession
Declaration of Pardon
Profession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed (in unison)
- 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 living and the dead. 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.
Prayer for Illumination
Gospel Lesson Mark 1:29-39
Sermon “Everyone Is Looking for You” CLP Margaret Hartmann
Joys and Concerns We wish Happy Birthday to Dolores Austin today even as we pray for quick healing of those young bones of yours!
We lift in prayer Dolores Austin, Shannon Austin, Lori Bilinski, Gary Blackledge, Alberta Evans, Sue Hine, Joyce Kurilla, Gretchen and Les Martin, Wade Ollendyke, Bob and Carol Paciotti, Andrea Phillippe, Neil Provanza, Dorie Rogers, Alley Rosser, Carol Thomas, Yolanda Vargas, Andrea White, Mary Beth Yanoshat, Craig Zapp and loved ones isolated at home and in nursing home facilities.
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Offertory
Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Communion Hymn “Lord, We Have Come at Your Own Invitation”
Lord, we have come at your own invitation, chosen by you, to be counted your friends;
Yours is the strength that sustains dedication;
Ours, a commitment we know never ends.
Here, at your table confirm our intention; give it your seal of forgiveness and grace;
Teach us to serve without pride or pretension,
Lord, in your kingdom, whatever our place.
When, at your table, each time of returning, vows are renewed and our courage restored,
May we increasingly glory in learning
All that it means to accept you as Lord.
Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
Closing Hymn “We Are One in the Spirit”
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord;
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored:
Refrain: And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other we will walk hand in hand,
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land: Refrain
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one: Refrain
Benediction
Organ Postlude
Announcements
These Online Worship Services will continue through February due to the pandemic. Vaccines are coming but please continue wearing masks and doing our part to diminish the spread of COVID-19 in our midst.
We celebrate Holy Communion today, partaken at home. Any versions of bread and the cup you have at home are acceptable symbols of the body and blood of Christ for communion.
Session meets at the church this Thursday, February 11 at 7:00 PM.
The Annual Congregational Meeting is called for Sunday, March 7 (2021) at 3:00 PM. We will hear reports of this church’s boards, groups and activities, receive the budget and vote on some nominations.
Today is also Super Bowl Sunday. We wish you safe celebration and enjoyment of the big game. In non-pandemic years this church has marked this day by receiving donations of food and funds for the Jessup Food Pantry, an ongoing mission we support. Money donations can always be mailed in or dropped off. Food donations will be encouraged when we reopen for in-house worship – which we all hope is soon!
