The Rev. Dr. Albert Potgieter, Pastor Elizabeth Frank, Music Director THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION WE APPROACH OUR GOD Welcome and Announcements Introit: I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me, Eric Thiman Call to Worship L: Come, take your rest this day P: Lord, free us from the stresses we have endured this week. L: Come, put your minds at ease. P: Lord, ease the burdens and frustrations of our lives. L: Come. For this is the house of the Lord. It is here that you will find peace. P: Praise and thanks be to God for giving us sanctuary. Amen! Hymn of Praise: From All That Dwell Below the Skies (Lasst Uns Erfreuen) From all that dwell below the skies, let the Creator's praise arise; O praise him, Alleluia! let the Redeemer's name be sung, through every land by every tongue. O praise him, O praise him Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Eternal are thy mercies, Lord; eternal truth attends thy Word. O praise him, Alleluia! Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, till suns shall rise and set no more. O praise him, O praise him Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Call to Confession L: Let us now come before God with repentant and open hearts. Let us strive to be honest and admit our shortcomings. Let us be open to receive forgiveness so that we might let go and move on. Prayer of Confession Gracious God, so often we look at ourselves, our gifts and our talents, and wonder what you would do with these offerings. We don't think that we have much to give. So, far too many times, we belittle the gifts and turn our backs on the needs and opportunities present to serve, believing that our gifts cannot possibly make a difference. We think that we must possess the greatest of talents and wealth in order to truly please and serve you. How foolish we are! Forgive us when we stop listening to your healing and comforting words and focus on our anxieties. Heal us, Lord. Help us know that you have given to us such blessings and that these blessings are truly wonderful and meant to be used to bring joy and service to others. Help us to bring our lives, just as they are, to you and to receive your gentle touch and healing grace. For we ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen! Lord Have Mercy John Weaver Words of Assurance: L: God has given to each one of us such blessings and talents. P: With joy we bring these gifts to God. L: You are blessed by God's absolute love for you. P: We rejoice in that love and find healing and hope. The Law of God: From Matthew 22 Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Passing the Peace L: Peace be with you. P: And also with you. L: Extend the sign of God’s peace to each other. WE LISTEN TO GOD’S WORD Children’s Sermon - Pastor Albert Hymn: We Give Thee but Thine Own, Schumann We give thee but thine own what e’er the gift may be: all that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee. May we thy bounties thus as stewards true receive, and gladly, as thou blessest us, to thee our firstfruits give To comfort and to bless, to find a balm for woe, to tend the lone and orphaned ones, is angels’ work below. And we believe thy word, though dim our faith may be: whate’er for thine we do, O Lord, we do it unto thee. Scripture Reading: Mark 12:38-44 (NRSV) Jesus Denounces the Scribes 38 As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! 40 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” The Widow’s Offering 41 He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. 43 Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. 44 For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Message: Penny Power - Pastor Albert Penny Principles The penny belongs to Hebrews 2:10 (NRSV) The penny alone is Do not for the penny 1 Timothy 6:10 (NRSV) Do not try to the penny Luke 12:15 (NRSV) Hebrews 13:5-6 (NRSV) Do not the penny The power to Mark 12:43-44 (MSG) The power to The power of WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Celebration of the Lord’s Supper L: Beloved in the Lord Jesus, the meal which we are about to celebrate is a feast of remembrance, communion, and hope. P: We come to remember that Jesus was sent into the world to assume our flesh and blood, to become God with us, that we might be redeemed. L: We come to have communion with this same Christ who has promised to be with us even to the end of the world. P: We come in hope, believing that this bread and this cup are a pledge and a foretaste of a new heaven and a new earth, where we shall behold God. L: Jesus said, I was hungry and you gave me food; P: I was thirsty and you gave me drink. L: Here is the bread of life given for us; P: let all who hunger come and eat. L: Here is the fruit of the vine, poured out for us; P: let all who thirst come and drink. L: The Lord be with you. P: And also with you. L: Lift up your hearts! P: We lift them up to the Lord. L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. P: It is right to give our thanks and praise! L: Holy and right it is to give you thanks and praise at all times and in all places, O God our Creator. Source of all life and goodness, You created heaven with all its hosts and the earth with all its plenty and preserve us by your providence. P: When we disobeyed, you sent Jesus to deliver us from sin and death and free us to joyful obedience. L: With your whole church on earth and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your glory. L: Most righteous God, we remember in this meal the perfect sacrifice offered once on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ for the sin of the whole world. P: United with Christ in his suffering, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, trusting in the power of God to triumph over evil, we wait in joyful hope for the fullness of God’s reign. L: Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray, that the bread which we break and the cup which we bless may be to us the communion of the body and blood of Christ. Grant that, being joined together in him, we may attain to the unity of the faith and grow up in all things into Christ our Lord. P: And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf, and these grapes from many hills into one cup, grant, O Lord, that your whole Church may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Thanksgiving after Communion Since the Lord has now fed us at his Table, let us praise God’s holy name with heartfelt thanksgiving. Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him, who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, and will also give us all things with him. Therefore, shall my mouth and heart show forth the praise of the Lord, from this time forth forevermore. Amen. 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 or you may text the word give to (844) 997-1849 Offertory: In This Moment Of Remembrance, Dale Wood Doxology Old Hundredth Prayer of Dedication/Offering 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: Blest Be the Tie That Binds, Dennis Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love: the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Before our Father's throne we pour our ardent prayers: our fears, our hopes, our aims are one, our comforts and our cares We share each other’s woes, each other’s burdens bear, and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear. When from all toil and pain and sin, we shall be free, and perfect love and friendship reign through all eternity Blessing