The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director Reuven Aristigueta, Tenor Prelude: Moderato in D, Caspar Ett - Steven Frank, organ WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship L: Though storms rage around me, I will clothe myself with the whole armor of God. P: I will fasten the belt of truth around my waist. L: I will place strength and determination as my shoes to help me in my ministry for God and his church. P: I will take up the shield of faith with which I shall defend against evil ways. L: I will pray diligently at all times, offering prayers and supplication to God. P: The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit will accompany me on my journey. L: Be strong in the Lord who provides for your every need. P: I place my confidence and trust in God always. Amen! Hymn of Praise: I Sing th’Almighty Power of God, Ellacombe I sing th’ almighty power of God that made the mountains rise, that spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule by day; the moon shines full at his command, and all the stars obey. Creatures, as num’rous as they be, are subject to thy care; there’s not a place where we can flee, but God is present there. His hand is my perpetual guard, he keeps me with his eye; Why should I then forget the Lord, who is forever nigh? Call to Confession We know that we have not lived according to God’s desires for us. The brokenness in the world, and the sin and despair in our hearts, threaten to consume us. Yet God is our hope and our firm foundation. Let us confess our sin before our gracious God. Prayer of Confession Merciful God, forgive us for failing to understand and accept the great demands placed upon us by your love. We enlist in your causes, but find ourselves losing interest. We promise to be courageous, but find ourselves afraid. We want to be sensitive, but find ourselves hard and callous. Forgive us; take our limitations and turn them into possibilities for service. Have mercy on us and grant us your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Words of Assurance L: By God’s grace and in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. P: In our forgiveness, may we blossom fully with purpose and resolve, so that the world will know us by our love. The Law of God: 1 John 4:7b-8; 21 Love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. Passing the Peace Extend the sign of God’s peace to one another. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon - Pastor Albert Hymn of Preparation: Take Thou Our Minds, Dear Lord, Sursum Corda Take Thou our minds, dear Lord, we humbly pray; give us the mind of Christ each passing day; teach us to know the truth that sets us free; grant us in all our thoughts to honor thee. Take thou ourselves, O Lord, mind, heart, and will; through our surrendered souls thy plan fulfill. We yield ourselves to thee, time, talents, all; we hear, and henceforth heed, thy sov’reign call. Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20 – The Whole Armor of God Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. Message: A Fight to the Finish - Pastor Albert If Christianity is a crutch or a cane, it's a pretty powerful one for defending ourselves against the powers of darkness. And it is the simple things us believers carry with us every day that can be our best defense against spiritual attack. So we can, by God’s grace and in the power of the Spirit, fight to the finish. The belt of . Ephesians 10:14a (NRSV) The breastplate of . Ephesians 10:14b (NRSV) Shoes for your . Ephesians 10:15 (NRSV) The shield of . Ephesians 6:16 (NRSV) The helmet of . Ephesians 6:17 (NRSV) The sword of the . Ephesians 6:18 (NCV) WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Time of Offering and Thanksgiving Your offering may be placed in the plate near the entrance door or sent to the church via check in the mail to: CCD, 39-50 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, NY 11363, or digitally through Tithe.ly: https://tithe.ly/give?c=1332203 Offertory Music: Andantino, Franciszek Walczyński - Steven Frank, organ Prayer of Dedication/Offering The Prayers - Concluding with The Lord’s Prayer in unison: 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 power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Closing Hymn: God of Grace and God of Glory, CWM Rhondda God of grace and God of glory, on thy people pour thy power; crown thine ancient church’s story; bring her bud to glorious flower. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour, for the facing of this hour. Set our feet on lofty places, gird our lives that they may be, armored with all Christ-like graces, pledged to set all captives free. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, that we fail not them nor thee! That we fail not them nor thee! Blessing