Service of the Lord's Day | September 6, 2020

Outdoor Service

There is an outdoor worship service, weather-permitting, at 9:30 in the West Parking Lot. (See our recent update regarding outdoor worship.)

Session has reviewed and amended the policy approved for outdoor worship. A Level 3 (red) emergency will be one factor among others in determining the availability of in-person, outdoor worship. Outdoor worship will be held on September 6 at 9:30 a.m. in the West Parking Lot.

Live-stream

The service will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Order of Worship

Welcome & Prayer of Adoration

Call to Worship: Psalm 149:1-9

   Praise the Lord!
     Sing to the Lord a new song,
          his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
  Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
          let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
  Let them praise his name with dancing,
          making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
  For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
          he adorns the humble with victory.
  Let the faithful exult in glory;
          let them sing for joy on their couches.
  Let the high praises of God be in their throats
          and two-edged swords in their hands,
  to execute vengeance on the nations
          and punishment on the peoples,
  to bind their kings with fetters
          and their nobles with chains of iron,
  to execute on them the judgment decreed.
          This is glory for all his faithful ones.
  Praise the Lord!

Hymn #741: Guide My Feet

Silent Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:15-20

“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Scripture Reading: Exodus 12:1-14

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

Sermon: “Ready to Go”

Epistle Reading: Romans 13:8-14

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Song of Preparation: Lamb of God

The Lord’s Supper

Postlude: Joyful, Joyful

Benediction

CCLI License #768739

Service of the Lord's Day | August 30, 2020

Outdoor Service

There is an outdoor worship service, weather-permitting, at 9:30 in the West Parking Lot. (See our recent update regarding outdoor worship.)

Live-stream

The service will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Order of Worship

Welcome & Prayer of Adoration

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c

   O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
          make known his deeds among the peoples.
   Sing to him, sing praises to him;
          tell of all his wonderful works.
  Glory in his holy name;
          let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
   Seek the LORD and his strength;
          seek his presence continually.
   Remember the wonderful works he has done,
          his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
   O offspring of his servant Abraham,
          children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

  Then Israel came to Egypt;
          Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
  And the LORD made his people very fruitful,
          and made them stronger than their foes,
  whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,
          to deal craftily with his servants.

  He sent his servant Moses,
          and Aaron whom he had chosen.

Praise the LORD!

Opening Hymn: Here I am Lord

Silent Prayer of Confession

Assurance of Forgiveness

Gloria Patri

Circle Time

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:21-28

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

“For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:1-15

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.”

Sermon: “The Great Becoming”

Special Music: Tara Downie and Cyndi Zopff

Epistle Reading: Romans 12:9-21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Prayers of the People

Postlude

Benediction

CCLI License #768739

Service of the Lord's Day | August 23, 2020

Worship options

There is an outdoor worship service, weather-permitting, at 9:30 in the West Parking Lot. (See our recent update regarding outdoor worship.)

The service will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Below you will also find a virtual version of the worship service. As we improve our live-streaming abilities, we hope to phase-out this format. This may possibly be next Sunday.

Live-stream

CALL TO WORSHIP

Our Call to Worship today is a selection of verses from Psalm 124.

   If it had not been the LORD who was on our side
          — let Israel now say —
  if it had not been the LORD who was on our side,
          when our enemies attacked us,
  then they would have swallowed us up alive,
          when their anger was kindled against us;
   then the flood would have swept us away,
          the torrent would have gone over us;
   then over us would have gone
          the raging waters.

   Blessed be the LORD,
          who has not given us
          as prey to their teeth.
   We have escaped like a bird
          from the snare of the fowlers;
     the snare is broken,
          and we have escaped.

   Our help is in the name of the LORD,
          who made heaven and earth.

Opening Hymn

Prayer of Confession

Trusting in the grace of God, honor a moment of silence admitting the places how you separate yourself from God and one another.

We are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Sing along with this assurance of forgiveness.

We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.
We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

THE WORD

Exodus 1:8-2:10

Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites. and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Duet

Affirmation of Faith

Our affirmation of faith today is the Apostles’ Creed.

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.

Welcome & Prayer

Circle Time

Lisa shares a story for the whole family.

Postlude & Offering

Contributions to the ministry of First Presbyterian Church may be made online by clicking the button below or mailed to First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 45044.

CCLI License #768739

Service of the Lord's Day | August 16, 2020

Worship options

There is an outdoor worship service, weather-permitting, at 9:30 in the West Parking Lot. (See our recent update regarding outdoor worship.) We will attempt to live-stream that service on our YouTube channel. Below you will also find a virtual version of the worship service. As we improve our live-streaming abilities, we hope to ease-out this format.

Sunday morning updates:

7:45 a.m.: We still plan to worship in the West Parking Lot at 9:30 this morning. There is a small chance of rain, but we think we could play baseball through it (the probability of rain increases midday). We will adapt the service, if needed, to ensure that we make it at least "five innings," to extend the metaphor.

9:00 a.m.: Everything is a “go.” We will be gathering in the parking lot and live-streaming.

Live-stream

Here is a recording of the live-stream from the outdoor service.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Our Call to Worship today is a selection of verses from Psalm 133.

   How very good and pleasant it is
          when kindred live together in unity!
   It is like the precious oil on the head,
          running down upon the beard,
     on the beard of Aaron,
          running down over the collar of his robes.
   It is like the dew of Hermon,
          which falls on the mountains of Zion.
     For there the LORD ordained his blessing,
          life forevermore.

Opening Hymn

Prayer of Confession

Trusting in the grace of God, honor a moment of silence admitting the places how you separate yourself from God and one another.

We are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Sing along with this assurance of forgiveness.

We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.
We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

THE WORD

Matthew 15:21-28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Solo

Affirmation of Faith

Our affirmation of faith today is the Apostles’ Creed.

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.

Welcome & Prayer

Circle Time

Lisa shares a story for the whole family.

Postlude & Offering

Contributions to the ministry of First Presbyterian Church may be made online by clicking the button below or mailed to First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 45044.

CCLI License #768739

Service of the Lord's Day | August 9, 2020

Worship options

Outdoor worship begins today, August 9, at 9:30 in the West Parking Lot. (See our recent update regarding outdoor worship.) We will attempt to live-stream that service on our YouTube channel. Below you will also find a virtual version of the worship service. As we improve our live-streaming abilities, we hope to ease-out this format.

Livestream

CALL TO WORSHIP

Our Call to Worship today is a selection of verses from Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b.

   O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
          make known his deeds among the peoples.
   Sing to him, sing praises to him;
          tell of all his wonderful works.
   Glory in his holy name;
          let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
   Seek the Lord and his strength;
          seek his presence continually.
  Remember the wonderful works he has done,
          his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
   O offspring of his servant Abraham,
          children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

When he summoned famine against the land,
          and broke every staff of bread,
  he had sent a man ahead of them,
          Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
  His feet were hurt with fetters,
          his neck was put in a collar of iron;
  until what he had said came to pass,
          the word of the Lord kept testing him.
  The king sent and released him;
          the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house,
          and ruler of all his possessions,
to instruct his officials at his pleasure,
          and to teach his elders wisdom.

Praise the Lord!

Opening Hymn

Prayer of Confession

Trusting in the grace of God, honor a moment of silence admitting the places how you separate yourself from God and one another.

We are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Sing along with this assurance of forgiveness.

We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.
We are forgiven. We are forgiven. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

THE WORD

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Solo

Affirmation of Faith

Our affirmation of faith today is the Apostles’ Creed.

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.

Welcome & Prayer

Circle Time

Lisa shares a story for the whole family.

Postlude & Offering

Contributions to the ministry of First Presbyterian Church may be made online by clicking the button below or mailed to First Presbyterian Church, 2910 Central Ave., Middletown, OH 45044.

CCLI License #768739