Firelands Presbyterian Church

www.firelandschurch.org
July 18, 2021
2626 East Harbor Road Port Clinton, OH 43452
419-734-6211 https://www.facebook.com/firelandschurch
Pastor David Aber aberdavidrobert@gmail.com
 Welcome to Firelands Church, a community of believers gathered by the Holy Spirit and committed to serving God and growing
together in Jesus Christ.
We invite all of our worshippers to stay for fellowship following the service
so that we might become better acquainted.

THE ORDER OF THE LITURGY

*Those who are able are invited to stand.

GATHERING

Prelude Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart Atkinson/Vogt

Welcome and Announcements

*Call to Worship Psalm 121 (responsively)
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; God will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more.

*Prayer of Invocation
O God, we thank you for your Word and for the eternal truths that guide us day by day. We thank you most of all for the
living Word, Jesus Christ, and the sureness of his presence. Teach us how to turn unto you so that your thoughts may be our
thoughts, and your ways our ways. Amen.

*Hymn Come Thou, Almighty King Hymnal #2

Call to Confession
Our sin separates us from a holy and righteous God. Yet, God longs to wrap us in an embrace of forgiveness and love. Let us,
therefore, with confidence and gratitude name that which distorts our relationships with God, self and others. Let us pray:

Prayer of Confession
Merciful Savior, our best intentions, our most concentrated willpower, our greatest exertion and effort are no match for the
power of sin. We do the very thing we do not want to do and fail to do what is good and right and just. We feel the guilt of
our plight and are exhausted by continually trying to do better and be better -- efforts that are doomed to failure. Into this
wretched state of affairs you came, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.
In faith and gratitude we place ourselves in your loving and merciful hands, trusting not only in your forgiveness but also in
your power to transform us, renew us and set us free.

Silent Confession

Words of Assurance
God's mercy restores our lives. This is the Good News which we celebrate and proclaim: in Jesus Christ we are forgiven! Amen.
Psalm 34: 1- 8

WORD
Prayer for Illumination
Holy Spirit, pour out upon us wisdom and understanding, that, being taught by you in Holy Scripture, our hearts and minds may
be opened to receive all that leads to life and holiness. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

First Reading Psalm 23 (Read Responsively)

1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff
they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Second Reading Ephesians 2:11-22

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision,
which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in
Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has
made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments
expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and
might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace
to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the
Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the
household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in
whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built
together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Gospel Reading Mark 6:30 - 34, 53 – 56

30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by
yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And
they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran
there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had
compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the
boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their
beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the
marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made
well.

Sermon
Musical Interlude Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us Bradbury/Rice

*Affirmation of Faith
We believe in the power of faith, hope and love.
We believe that the greatest of these is love. A love that places you before I. A love that is patient and kind. A love that isn’t
boastful or rude. A love that doesn’t get angry or record mistakes but praises truth. A love that protects, hopes and endures
through hard times.
We believe in a love so great that when everything else is gone, even when heaven and earth are no more, love will remain.

*Hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah Hymnal #65

Prayers of the Church

The Lord’s Prayer (debts and debtors) p. 35

Communion

SENDING

*Hymn: My Hope is Built on Nothing Less Hymnal #353

*Charge
Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; return no one evil for evil, support the weak; help the
suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

*Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Alleluia! Amen!!

Postlude Be Thou My Vision Slane/Vogt

Ministers in This Sunday’s Service Ministers in Next Sunday’s Service

Preacher: Rev. David Aber
Reader: Dick Dietz
Musician: Susan Larcey
Facebook Recorder: John McIntosh
Greeter: Ginny McCook
Fellowship hos(s)t: Joyce DellaSantina
Deacon of the Month: Jean Witkowski
Preacher: Rev. David Aber
Reader: Marta Vielhaber
Musician: Susan Larcey
Facebook Recorder: Ed Bettendorf
Greeter: Cindy Constein
Fellowship host(s): Shirley & Ed Carlson
Deacon of the Month: Jean Witkowski
 THIS WEEK AT FIRELANDS
Today WORSHIP 9:30 AM
followed by Fellowship
Monday Office Open 10:30-1:30 PM
Knitwits 7-9
Tuesday Dulcimer Group 3:00-5 PM
Wednesday Office Open 10:30-1:30 PM
Reflections on Sermons 10:30 AM
Stein Hospice Healing Hearts 11-12 PM
Musical Arts Series Concert At MOM 7:00 PM
Thursday
Friday Office Open 10:30-1:30 PM
Saturday
Next Sunday WORSHIP 9:30 AM
followed by Fellowship

The Church Office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, 10:30 – 1:30 unless otherwise noted on the calendar above and/or
the calendar on the firelandschurch.org website.

Prayer Concerns
Sally& Dave Wahlers, Jennifer Carr, Christopher Longaker, Janet Miller, Ruth, Ron, Eric Pott, Tom Roush, Diane Jordan, Jeanne Black,
Karen Vardyan and Doris Rowbotham

If you have a name to add to the prayer list, please contact the office. Names remain on this list for up to one month unless they are
resubmitted.

Musical Arts Series in Downtown Port Clinton.

This month the Musical Arts Series hopes to present the Toledo Symphony Orchestra Jazz Trio on our new Live Nation stage in the
MOM area on Madison St. in downtown Port Clinton. The concert which will also feature a guest vocalist will be on Wednesday, July
21st at 7:00.

Thank You
Dear all of my Firelands Family,
I was overwhelmed by the reception following the service and I am grateful for all the cards, notes and gifts. I want all of you to be
blessed and you all are in my prayers.
God Bless,
Bob Reynolds

A New Opportunity
Shirley and Ed Carlson will be co-leading a six-or seven-week study, using a book entitled: "The Love Required of Us: A Small-Group
Discussion Guide to Racial Understanding and Reconciliation to a fuller understanding of race and racism in our society," by Liz
Cornell. This is a biblically based study. whose purpose is to guide groups of people in discussions of race and reconciliation within
a Christian context. We are all impacted by race. Each study section contains information interspersed with discussion questions.
A spiritual practice is also incorporated into each session.
The sessions will be 1-1/2 hour long, and the following times are being considered:
 `. 1. Monday Afternoon - 3-4:30pm 2. Tuesday Morning - 9:00-10:30am
3. Thursday Morning - 9:00-10:30am 4. Thursday Afternoon - 3-4:30pm
5. Thursday Evening - 7:00 - 8:30pm

If you are interested in joining us in this study, please email me at edgart902@hotmail.com, or call or text me at 419-307-5536. be
sure to let us know which of the times work for you. We will be announcing this at church on Sunday, and I will have a copy of the
book (I actually have a number of them available at $14 each.

Create a Garden for the Cure

Help us create a Garden for the Cure! Nearly every year (except the year of Covid) the Mission Committee at Firelands has created a
project to raise money for the American Cancer Society. We have flocked with flamingos and created walleye wishes! This year we
are creating a giant poster garden to honor and remember those who have battled cancer. Many of us have had personal experience
with this disease and have been touched by friends and family members who have struggled to overcome the hardship of cancer.
This year we are asking you to select one of our handcrafted flowers to post on our board in honor or in memory of a family member
or friend.
Choose 1 flower = $3.00 or 2 flowers = $5.00 AND 5 flowers $10.00
Any or all contributions are appreciated!
Make checks to: Firelands Presbyterian Church and write American Cancer
Society on the Memo Line.

ITEMS NEEDED

Pencil pouches Elmer’s Glue

Scissors Supply boxes

2 pocket folders Hi-lighters

Erasers Dry Erase markers

Colored pencils Crayons

Washable Markers Markers

Notebook paper Folders

Composition notebooks Pens

Glue sticks BOOK BAGS

Spiral 1 subject notebooks Pencils