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God Moment - Kathy Patten - April 6, 2020
Our daughter in Greenville (under the name Mrs. Foggybottom) is homeschooling her 4 children for the time being (they’re 7, 7, 5, & 5) and this was one of the 5-year-old’s papers. The application is, “I feel safe!” — I thought this was a good God Moment. The verse used was from Psalm 36:7 (NIV), “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
An Order of Worship for the Lord’s Day
April 5, 2020
Palm & Passion Sunday
Prelude
“For the Beauty of the Earth” – performed by Michael Collings
Call to Worship – Psalm 118:1, 19-24
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever!
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, as we journey with your Son in this week of remembrance and hope, help us to understand you and your love for the world more clearly. Transform us by your Spirit and with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and prepare us for service in your kingdom, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Opening Song
“All Glory, Laud, and Honor”
Prayer of Confession
Jesus, our Lord, we shout Hosannas to praise you. With eager hands, we place our cloaks and palms on the path before you. Yet the mouths that seek to praise you so often deny or defy you, and the hands that seek to serve you so often become fists. Please hear us as we confess this and all our sins, trusting in your forgiveness. (Silent confession)
Assurance of Pardon
Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! For Christ came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him should be saved. Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Amen!
Children’s Message
Scripture Reading
Matthew 21:1-11 - read by Whitney Murajda
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Sermon – The Prayer of Jesus: Doxology
Hymn of Response
“Who Is Like the Lord Our God” - Wendell Kimbrough
Affirmation of Faith – 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.
Prayers of the People
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are God and you are good. On this Palm Sunday, we rejoice in Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and into our lives. And yet we consider the difficult way that he walked to the cross for our redemption. We hear the false charges against him, we see the crowds and disciples abandoning him, we feel the weight of our sin and the cost of his sacrifice, and we are humbled. We ask that you deepen our faith this week. Strengthen the measure of our gratitude and Christian obedience. Move us, who have so much, to share with others who have so little. Uphold us when we summon our courage to speak out for those in need and those long denied dignity and freedom. Guard and guide us through this season of crisis and through all our days until at last we might come into your presence and sit at your table in glory.
We offer you now our cries of joy and lament, trusting that you hear us as we pray for:
Our family, friends, and church family from whom we are separated this morning…
Our neighbors in need in Jackson County and Western North Carolina…
Those currently infected by the coronavirus, and those who care for them…
Healthcare staff providing medical care, scientific experts working for a vaccine and a cure, and all who are working double-time so that we may live…
Children out of school, employees out of work, and all who find their lives upended by the coronavirus…
Public officials making difficult decisions about closings and quarantines, and those who feel burdened by those decisions…
Christians throughout the globe who endeavor to bring healing, justice, and peace…
We lift up these prayers, trusting that you hear us. And we pray now as Jesus taught us:
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 forever. Amen.
(To share individual prayer requests, visit this online form: https://bit.ly/2TTLAF3)
Tithes and Offerings
With gratitude for the gospel, we share our time, talents, and resources with the Lord.
(You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. Thank you!)
Offertory
“La Filadora” - performed by Michael Collings
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Closing Song
“Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed?”
Benediction
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God Moment - Clark Pearson - April 3, 2020
For those of you who are fans of Beethoven 9th Symphony, this video is of The Rotterdam Philharmonic. They teamed up with a Dutch healthcare provider to film the finale of Beethoven’s 9th with all the musicians playing their parts by video from their homes.
It’s an extraordinary achievement, overwhelming in the final minutes. Enjoy!
God Moment - Tim & Barbara Boyer - April 2, 2020
Hello from the sands of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are now in Week 3 of distance learning. Presently, we are in a 21-day lock down state in which we have a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. that we must stay in our homes. Even during the day, we are not allowed to be in large groups in our neighborhood-which is good! There have been no restaurants, malls, or other type of stores open now for 2 weeks. Grocery stories and pharmacies are still open. No buses, taxis, Ubers, trains, or airplanes moving. We are to be still...
So we think about the scripture that says to "Be still and know that I am God!". I like to think of it as being still and being mindful of God's presence. We all find it difficult to be still. Long hours on the computer, trying to help families continue with their educational program is really tough for everyone, but God is ever presence and we find ourselves talking to God out loud!
We have a community of believers here and we have been meeting in a home to share prayers, scripture reading, and supporting one another, which we will now do virtual and we are grateful. We have a prayer group in What's App...people I don't even know...and we pray for one another.
So we pray for everyone, especially for our health care providers who are truly on the front lines of this. We wish we could do more!
Kindly,
Barbara and Tim Boyer
This Sunday, April 5, is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. It’s also Communion Sunday. Ordinarily, on the first Sunday of the month, we share in the Lord’s Supper together as part of our corporate worship. This isn’t just a nice add-on to our normal order of service, but it’s part and parcel of our worship of the Triune God. Indeed, we Presbyterians believe that the Lord’s Supper is a sacrament: an outward sign of an inward grace that has been instituted by Christ himself. So we do not take it lightly.
In the Lord’s Supper, we come more deeply into a relationship with Jesus by the power of his Spirit. We give thanks for his historic sacrifice on our behalf. We rejoice in his real presence among us and within us. We look ahead in hope to the great banquet table that he will set for us in his coming kingdom. All of this is happening when I break a simple loaf of bread and pour out a simple cup of juice and when we share that meal together, as the body of Christ.
And yet. Due to our current circumstances, we are suspending all corporate worship services at First Presbyterian Church — which includes the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. As before, this decision did not come easily, and it grieves me even now. Couldn’t we find some other way to share in this sacred meal? What about curbside “drive-thru” communion? What about virtual communion, using today’s live-stream technology? Many faithful Christians are taking these approaches, albeit in different and creative ways — but ultimately they did not seem to fit our life together. Instead, I want to invite you to observe what one pastor calls “spiritual communion.”
In a thoughtful article written by Anglican pastor Jonathan Warren, we are reminded that the church throughout the centuries has often faced obstacles to her corporate worship practices. (Some of you have read Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren; Jonathan is her husband.) Times of plague and disease, not to mention war and oppression, have kept Christians from gathering and celebrating the sacraments as they might desire. “In these circumstances,” Warren says, “the church has reached for the practice of spiritual communion — that is, meditating upon the sacrament and cultivating an ardent desire for it, asking Jesus to be present to you as he is in the sacrament, even while you are unable to receive it.”
Such spiritual communion is, of course, not ideal. Like so many things in our world today, it is a concession, a temporary solution to our current predicament. But I am heartened to know there are many Christians the world over who are following this same practice, and I want to invite us as a congregation to do the same. So in the suspension of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, what do we do? Following Warren:
We reaffirm the centrality of gathered worship in word and sacrament.
We grow in our passionate desire to receive Christ in the sacrament.
We lament until we can gather publicly again to receive him and confess him together once more.
We will still be posting worship resources each and every Sunday morning at www.sylvapres.org. I encourage you to use these resources to nurture your relationship with God and his church. And in the meantime, may this season be for us a true wilderness experience, so that as we hunger and yearn for those things which we once took for granted, we can discover Christ sustaining us all the more.
With you in the wilderness,
Blake
I don’t often agree with the sign in front of the meditation center on 107 (no offense to them!), but the message this past week was spot-on. What did it say? “Breathe. We’re going to get through this.”
“This,” of course, is the coronavirus and the various ways it is affecting our community, country, and world. Within a matter of weeks, what we thought was a far-off problem has become strikingly close and personal. The number of infections and deaths related to the virus continues to rise. Schools, businesses, parks, and – yes – worship services and other church events – are closed or canceled for the foreseeable future. We have taken up the strange but important practices of social distancing and self-isolation and are examining our values and reprioritizing our lives like never before.
In the face of such change and confusion, what do we do? We breathe. Breathing keeps us alive. Breathing slows us down. Breathing reminds us to stop and to think and, most importantly, to pray: We’re going to get through this… by the grace of God.
My friend Nick is a pastor down east in Calypso, NC. In a recent conversation, Nick reminded me of the importance of perspective and the need to take the long view – and he’s exactly right. While the contours of the coronavirus and our present cultural moment might be unique, the overarching challenge facing us is nothing new. People throughout the ages have always faced struggles and they have always asked the same kinds of questions: What hope do we have? What peace can we find? In light of our circumstances, how then shall we live?
Indeed, we see these questions in the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and C.S. Lewis, who wrote many of their now-classic works during World War II. We see them in the writings of Martin Luther and John Calvin, both of whom led the church during plague and famine in the 1500s. We see them in Saint Augustine, who cared for others during the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. And we certainly see these questions in the pages of Scripture, the lives of the apostles, and the people of Israel. Where do we find hope, peace, guidance, direction when the world is turned upside down?
Jesus is the answer. “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” Hebrews tells us. “He is before all things,” Colossians says, “and in him all things hold together.” He is “the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 1) and nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from him and the love of God that he reveals (Romans 8).
Jesus is the answer. And perhaps for many of us, he has been the pat answer, the Sunday School answer, the answer we go to when we’re feeling spiritual on a sunny day. But now, in the darkness, we get to discover what that really means. We get to trust his Spirit not beyond the wilderness but in the wilderness. We get to learn what difference the gospel actually makes.
Of course, this doesn’t mean we don’t take our present circumstances seriously. Hopefully you know this by now. We heed the call to healthy practices and responsible living because people and viruses and other dangers still loom, and our fragile bodies remain subject to sickness and sadness and death. But we know this does not have the final word. This is not the end of the story. The hope of Easter is the hope for all of us: Jesus is with us. Out of the darkness of death, he lives again as the light of life. And because he lives, we will too.
So, breathe. And as you breathe, think. And as you think, pray. We’ll get through this, one day at a time – all by the grace of God.
Yours, Blake
God Moment - Linda Burgin - April 1, 2020
My God Moment happened while photographing these spring flowers. Their fragrance was a balm for my soul. Their delicate beauty lifted my spirits and filled me with joy. As I looked through the camera lens, what came into focus was so much more than the flowers. It was God’s intense love for me and I felt very grateful.
God Moment - Sara Beth Foti - March 31, 2020
1. I have to postpone my vocal chord treatment. I will lose most of my voice probably. But God came through and blessed me, my doctors, and speech therapy team. My doctors are able to use current dosing that works and I don’t have to start all over. God also helped my speech therapy team to come up with exercises that will lessen the voice loss.
2. In all of my working life I’ve never been on unemployment. God showed up by encouraging me to do it and let go of my pride. In doing so, God placed a friend/coworker to help me and support me in this unknown process.
Be blessed,
Sara Beth Foti
God Moment - Erin Daniel - March 30, 2020
My word to myself for the week ahead is this: it's OK to live in the tension.
I don't know about you, but I was telling my husband over dinner that just today alone, there were moments I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me (when I read the latest death toll in Italy), and moments I laughed so hard I cried, and moments I lost my cool over (rare) 8-year-old tantrums, and moments I felt so tired I was sleepwalking through normal conversation.
My point is, we are all processing this pandemic so uniquely that it requires exponential grace for myself and for others. It's OK to live in the tension between sadness and joy, between fear and hope, and between discontentment and gratitude. There is so much outside our control about what the next few weeks and months will look like, but on the other hand, there is so much WITHIN our control, too. Here's to week three and living in the tension, with abundant grace.
An Order of Worship for the Lord’s Day
March 29, 2020
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Prelude
“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” – performed by Michael Collings
Call to Worship – Psalm 23 (NLT)
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Opening Prayer
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity. In all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
Opening Song
“Come, Christians, Join to Sing”
Prayer of Confession
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness. Please hear me as I confess my sins, and please remind me of your unending grace. (Silent confession)
Assurance of Pardon – Psalm 130:7-8
Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Scripture Reading – Romans 7:14-8:4
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Sermon – The Prayer of Jesus: Lead Us Not into Temptation
Hymn of Response
“I Want Jesus to Walk With Me”
Affirmation of Faith – from The Second Helvetic Confession
Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, and the true awaited messiah. For we teach and believe that this Jesus Christ our Lord is the unique and eternal Savior of the human race, and thus of the whole world, in whom by faith are saved all who before the law, under the law, and under the Gospel were saved, and however many will be saved at the end of the world… Now there only remains for all of us to give all glory to Christ, believe in him, rest in him alone, despising and rejecting all other aids in life.
Prayers of the People
Heavenly Father, maker of heaven and earth, you are our help; we lift our eyes to you. As we walk this Lenten journey during such a strange and disorienting time, we trust in your Son to sustain us. Please hear our prayers of joy and our prayers of lament, that they may rise like incense to you. Confident of your love and led by your Spirit, we lift up:
Our family, friends, and church family from whom we are separated this morning…
Our neighbors in need in Jackson County…
Healthcare staff providing medical care and working double-time…
Those currently infected by the coronavirus, and those who care for them…
Medical and scientific experts seeking ways to control the spread of the virus…
Children out of school, employees out of work, and all who find their lives upended by the coronavirus…
Public officials making difficult decisions about closings and quarantines, and those who feel burdened by those decisions…
Christians throughout the globe who endeavor to bring healing, justice, and peace…
We lift up these prayers, trusting that you hear us. And we pray now as Jesus taught us:
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 forever. Amen.
(To share individual prayer requests, visit this online form: https://bit.ly/2TTLAF3)
Tithes and Offerings
What do we have that we did not receive? With gratitude for the gospel, we share our time, talents, and resources with the Lord. You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. Thank you!
Offertory
”Canco del Lladre” - performed by Michael Collings
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Closing Song
“O Love that Will Not Let Me Go”
Benediction
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Children’s Church Lesson
God Moment - Lynda Parlett - March 27, 2020
“Beauty in the Midst”
I’ve always been an animal lover. My Dad called me “Ellie Mae” (as in Ellie Mae Clampit from the Beverly Hillbillies television show) when I was young. So, when I moved here from eastern NC nearly 9 years ago, I was thrilled to have a home from which I could observe so many of God’s furry and feathered creatures.
Visitors to our yard regularly include turkeys, chipmunks, raccoons, bobcats, foxes, bears and lately, even deer. Since the start of our social distancing here on our mountain, I have enjoyed spending time observing nature even more. And God has provided me with new delight to show me the true beauty of his creation in the midst of such a challenging and unusual time. For the first time this spring, there are two pairs of bluebirds nesting in our birdhouses. We’ve always had chickadees and wrens and last year even had tree swallows who were dislodged from their previous homes by the clear cutting of a stand of pines. But we’ve never been graced by the presence of these beautiful and melodious bluebirds.
Job 12: 7- 10
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of every human being.
God Moment - Courtney Umphlett - March 26, 2020
I have often heard it said that God takes the bad and turns it into good. Although I use to think technology had some benefits, I honestly saw it has something pushing us apart and distracting us. Who knew that would be used by God to bring us together during this time. On Sunday, churches around the world live streamed their services. In our home, we were able to participate in our church’s service but also “visit” a church that was just started by some friends of ours. Humans are stepping up at a surprising rate to bring life and joy to people through technology. Cc and I love to dance and it hasn’t had to stop. Yesterday, I did a Zumba class with others live online and the American Ballet Theater has offered free live classes for kids under 5. Companies are offering subscriptions to their online platforms to continue education. Bible studies are meeting online via Zoom. And every day there is more good coming from technology to keep us together during a time when we must stay apart. It has been incredible to see how God has used something we worried would pull us apart to bring us together as a human race.
God Moment - Jae Crawford - March 25, 2020
I fondly remember when we could gather together and pray, play, and praise.
Now we are doing things by ourselves, with family or online. What a difference a few weeks make.
Pictures from "social camp out" from 2019. God moments.
Second, hiking with Susan, hiking with Honey, hiking with my grandson, David, and picking collards with Tom.
Third, my sister from Wisconsin staying in touch. Hugging her chicken, as we cannot hug friends.
Blessed to get to go outside and enjoy God's beautiful world. A friend had too many collards and wanted us to get bunches. Manna from God, as we had no part in the work to produce them.
Grateful for family that keep a sense of humor and make me laugh.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Jae
God Moment - Blake Daniel - March 24, 2020
Several years ago, I built a raised garden bed behind our house. Erin loves to garden (me, not so much), so the boys and I gathered the materials and put it together for Mother’s Day to surprise her. We had one good season of beans and veggies and tomatoes, but, I’m sorry to say, it’s been neglected ever since. So, what do we do when the coronavirus looms and we’re stuck at home in an effort to practice healthy social distancing? We go back to the garden.
At Erin’s request, I (quickly) ran to Lowe’s on Saturday for some fresh topsoil and compost, and the boys and I set to work yet again: tilling the soil, spreading the dirt, working with the sun on our backs as the spring breeze blew. It was so fun. We didn’t plant any seeds yet – that will come after the rain subsides – but we have recommitted ourselves to the garden. Who knows if anything will grow this year? Who knows if our work will pay off? Who knows what the future holds? We do this work just because it matters, because it is good and healthy, because it connects us to the soil and to each other and to God, who is the creator of life, the giver of all good things, and the one who loves us so much that he died that we may live.
Martin Luther supposedly said, “If I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree today.” This is a good word for us. Not because the world is ending but because, as Christians, we live with the end in mind. We have the hope of heaven. Because Jesus was raised and lives for eternity, we will too! But this doesn’t mean our current circumstances don’t matter. On the contrary, having a robust faith for the future causes us to care about the present even more. This, I think, is what Jesus meant when he said, “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21).
In other words, now might be the perfect time to plant a garden.
An Order of Worship for the Lord’s Day
March 22, 2020
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Prelude
“Blessed Be the Tie That Binds” – performed by Michael Collings
I chose this week's prelude specifically because of the meaning of the lyrics. I hope this arrangement conveys some of the lyrics' sentiment. I look forward to meeting with you in person again soon. – Michael
Blessed be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love;
the fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above.
When we are called to part,
it gives us inner pain;
but we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
Call to Worship – Psalm 103:1-5
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Opening Prayer
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day. Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity. In all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
Opening Song
“Grace Greater than Our Sin”
(Listen to a version online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je22nSpTZVQ)
Prayer of Confession
Lord God, Scripture says that if I say I have no sin, I am deceiving myself; but when I confess my sin, you are ready to forgive. And so, I come into your presence with humility and hope, naming the ways I have denied you and denied others. Please forgive me and renew my heart by the power of your Spirit, that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. (Silent confession)
Assurance of Pardon – Psalm 103:8-12
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us!
Scripture Reading – Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Sermon
The Prayer of Jesus: Forgive us our Debts – Rev. Sam Hale
Hymn of Response
“I Then Shall Live”
(Listen to a version online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA1HtHal-vo)
Affirmation of Faith – from The Heidelberg Catechism
Question: How are you right with God?
Answer: Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, and of never having kept any of them, and even though I am still inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without my deserving it at all, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. All I need to do is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart. Thanks be to God!
Prayers of the People
Heavenly Father, maker of heaven and earth, you are our help; we lift our eyes to you.
As we walk this Lenten journey during such a strange and disorienting time, we trust in you. You watch over our coming and our going both now and forevermore. You are our shade and our protection. You keep us from all harm.
We ask that you strengthen and guide us as we do your work in your world. Convict us of our disobedience, enable us to forgive others as we have been forgiven, and equip us to obey your call in our lives. Open our ears to the cry of the sick and the poor. Teach us to seek and to do justice, to stay in the path of understanding, to pursue righteousness and love in the strong name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Confident of your love and led by your Spirit, we intercede for the needs of others:
All our family, friends, and church family from whom we are separated this morning…
Our neighbors in need in Jackson County…
Healthcare staff providing medical care and working double-time…
Those currently infected by the coronavirus, and those who care for them…
Medical and scientific experts seeking ways to control the spread of the virus…
Children out of school, employees out of work, and all who find their lives upended by the coronavirus…
Public officials making difficult decisions about closings and quarantines, and those who feel burdened by those decisions…
Christians throughout the globe who endeavor to bring healing, justice, and peace…
We lift up these prayers, trusting that you hear us. And we pray now as Jesus taught us:
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 forever. Amen.
(To share individual prayer requests, visit this online form: https://bit.ly/2TTLAF3)
Tithes and Offerings
What do I have that I did not receive? With gratitude for the gospel, I share my time, talents, and resources with the Lord.
(You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. Thank you!)
Closing Song
“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
(Listen to a version online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w3DXMkyj7Q)
Benediction
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Children’s Church Lesson
”Jesus & Zaccheus” led by Courtney Umphlett
Here is a compilation of resources that might be helpful for children as we move through the COVID-19 crisis:
How to Talk to Your Kids about COVID-19 (from the Humanitarian Disaster Institute)
How to Talk to Your Kids about COVID-19 (from Psychology Today)
Illustrated Ministry (worship, spiritual formation, and family resources)
Recommended Articles, Books, and Spiritual Formation Resources for our time in the wilderness:
Articles
“Love in the Time of Coronavirus” and “Leading Beyond the Blizzard” by Andy Crouch
Coronavirus and Christian Theology by Patrick Mitchel
“The Exchange” blog by Ed Stetzer (Christian author compiling helpful articles)
“Christianity Offers No Answers About the Coronavirus. It's Not Supposed To” by N.T. Wright
“Where Is God in a Pandemic?” by James Martin
“On the Spirituality of Quarantine” by Craig Barnes
“Balancing Life: Teens, Stress, and Anxiety” from researchers at Virginia Tech
Books
“Liturgy of the Ordinary” by Tish Harrison Warren (since we’re all stuck in the ordinary right now)
“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (since we can’t be together)
“Acedia and Me” and “The Cloister Walk” by Kathleen Norris (since this is a season for contemplation)
“Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering” by Timothy Keller (since this is a difficult time for so many)
“Living the Resurrection” by Eugene Peterson and “Surprised by Hope” by N.T. Wright (since Christ is risen!)
Prayer Resources
20 Prayers to Pray During This Pandemic by Jen Pollock Michel
Daily Prayer hosted by the Trinity Mission
Introduction to Contemplative Prayer taught by Chuck Degroat
“God Moments” from members and friends of First Presbyterian Church
Dear church family,
I am sure your inboxes have been filling up with news about the coronavirus and all that it entails. What a strange experience that is painful and frightening for so many, yet what a gift it is to know that God is with us even now.
If you haven’t been tracking the spread of the virus on the news, I encourage you to do so — not to stir up fear and anxiety, but simply to be informed. There are several good, trustworthy sources for information that I recommend you visit, such as the CDC and WHO (linked below).
In addition, if you haven’t been following the recommended safety precautions, please do so. I know it’s obvious, but wash your hands regularly. Refrain from coughing or sneezing openly or into your hands. Don’t go into big crowds if you don’t have to and certainly stay home if you are sick. Use common sense to keep contact to a minimum. And let’s switch over to the fist- and elbow-bump method of passing the peace for the foreseeable future.
Finally, if you haven’t been praying and immersing yourself in Scripture, then do so. Put this whole ordeal in its proper place by centering yourself in the One who holds the oceans in his hands, who’s numbered every grain of sand, and who alone knows the outcome of this pandemic. Jesus, after all, was no stranger to sickness. Lepers, the blind, the lame, the bleeding, the dead — he saw them all and offered healing to many. He said, “Do not worry.” He said, “Trust in me.” He says the same to us today. As the writer Marilynne Robinson once said, “Fear is not a Christian habit of mind.” Be reminded of that gospel news and be at peace.
As of now, Sunday worship will continue on a weekly basis. Should that change, we will let you know ASAP. Should you wish to stay home for whatever reason, you can always listen to the sermon from the Sunday before by visiting our church website (www.sylvapres.org/sermons). Should you be sick and in need of church support, please call the church office. And should you have additional concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
Yours in Christ,
Blake
CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
WHO website: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
Wilderness is a major theme in Scripture. Think of Moses and the Israelites in the book of Exodus, or Jesus being tempted by the devil in the Gospels. The wilderness is a place of testing and trial, in which we see our sins with honesty and humility. It’s also a time of restoration and renewal, as we learn to trust God and receive his grace in a whole new way. We may not always like the wilderness, but notice that the Lord always leads his people through it – and they never emerge the same as they were before.
The season of Lent is like that: a 40-day wilderness pilgrimage with Jesus as our guide. As we begin Lent together, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on this theme. What do you need to get rid of to start your wilderness journey? Are there temptations or distractions that stand in your way? If so, let them go and let the Lord take their place. On the flip side, what do you need to take on to help you along the way? Is there a Bible study, prayer retreat, or service project you can jump into to help with the journey ahead? If so, commit to it and trust that Jesus will use it for your betterment.
As a church we’ve been studying the Lord’s Prayer on Sunday mornings. If you need direction, why not start there and pray it slowly and intentionally every single day? We have prayer guides online and here at the church to guide you in this – just ask me or Emily and we’ll help you out. For now, I’ll leave you with Jesus’ own words from Matthew 6, beautifully translated by Eugene Peterson in The Message:
Here’s what I want you to do:
Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace…
This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best—
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
With you in the wilderness,
Blake
This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. If you didn’t grow up with Lent (and I know many of you didn’t, myself included), here’s a bit of background…
The word “Lent” comes from the Old English word for “springtime.” It refers to the length of time before Easter, traditionally forty days, when the Church prepares to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Just as Advent helps us prepare spiritually for Christmas, Lent helps us prepare spiritually for Holy Week and Easter.
You may be asking, Do I have to observe Lent? The first answer is, Of course not! But the second answer is, Why wouldn’t you? This season is a gift to us in which we may pause and reflect on our lives in light of Jesus Christ. So, I encourage you to observe it this year. Typically folks use this time as a chance to give something up: certain foods, certain media, certain habits. In recent years it’s become popular to take something on: daily prayer, for instance, or journaling and letter-writing. Regardless, the goal isn’t self-promotion (pride) but self-effacement (humility). What will help you humble yourself over the next forty days, so that you can see Jesus more clearly? Whatever the answer is… do it.
For a special focus during this Lenten season, we at First Presbyterian Church are studying and praying through the Lord’s Prayer. You can order a great study guide through City Lights bookstore by clicking here.
