Firelands Presbyterian Church

www.firelandschurch.org
October 31 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 Skye Boat Song Bill Poiry

Green Hills of Tyrol
The Battles O’er
Balmoral

Welcome and Announcements

*Call to Worship
In the silence before time began,
In the quiet of the womb,
In the stillness of the early morning,
Is Your beauty.
At the heart of all creation,
At the birth of every creature,
At the center of each moment,
Is Your splendor.
Rekindle in us the sparks of Your beauty
That we may be part of the splendor of this moment.
Rekindle in us the sparks of Your beauty
that we may be part of the blazing splendor
that burns from the heart of this moment
(The Call to Worship is from Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter, p 38.)

*Invocation
Holy God: Graciously inform and assist our worship so that it may be acceptable to you. Fill us with the spirit of the great
reformers of the church. Revive our awareness of their contributions, faith and zeal. Help us worthily to celebrate their
witness and vision. Grant us keen sight that we may be able to recognize prophets of your appointment in our own time.
Assist us in identifying and firmly opposing self-appointed prophets who, in your name, try to lead your people astray.
Reform your Son's church, O God, beginning with us, both individually and as a congregation. In the name of the greatest
prophet, the boldest reformer, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

*Hymn I Sing the Mighty Power of God Hymnal #32

Call to Confession
As we come to this place of prayer, let us come with open minds, willing to honestly confront our shortcomings and with open
hearts ready to receive God's forgiveness.
Prayer of Confession
Thanks to Thee, O God, that I have risen today, to the rising of this life itself;
May it be to Thine own glory, O God of every gift, and to the glory of my soul likewise.
O Great God, aid Thou my soul with the aiding of Thine own mercy;
even as I clothe my body with wool, cover Thou my soul with the shadow of Thy wing. Help me to avoid every sin, and the
source of every sin to forsake; and as the mists scatters along the shoreline of the lake, may each ill haze clear from my soul,
O God.
Celtic Prayers, selected by Avery Brooke from the collection of Alexander Carmichael, 33 – 35.

Silent Confession

Words of Assurance
The mercy of God has no beginning and no end but endures forever. Friends, receive the gift of God's grace that is yours this
day. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Amen.

*Response: Surely It Is God Who Saves Me Hymnal # 71

Surely it is God who saves me; I will trust and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and God will be my Savior.

WORD
Prayer for Illumination
Almighty God, through your only Son you overcame death and opened to us the light of eternity. Enlighten our minds and kindle
our hearts with the presence of your Spirit, that we may hear your words of comfort and challenge in the reading of the
scriptures, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

First Reading: : Psalm 146

1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed are they whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners; God upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked God brings to
ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!

Second Reading : Mark 12: 28 - 34

12:28 One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he
asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"
12:29 Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength.'
12:31 The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
12:32 Then the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that 'God is one, and besides God there is no
other';
12:33 and 'to love God with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor
as oneself,' --this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
12:34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one
dared to ask him any question.

The Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

Musical Interlude Amazing Grace Bill Poiry

*Affirmation of Faith: : Scots Confession, Chapter 1

We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we
must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent,
invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By whom we confess
and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be
ruled and guided by God’s inscrutable providence for such end as God’s eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice have
appointed, and to the manifestation of God’s own glory. Amen.

*Hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Hymnal #275

The Prayers of the Church

The Lord’s Prayer (debts and debtors), pg 35

Anthem When I Return Keen/Althouse

The Sometimes Serendipity Singers

COMMUNION

Invitation
Friends, this is the joyful feast of the people of God! This is the Lord’s table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the
feast which he has prepared.

Words Of The Institution

Hear the words of the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, as they are delivered by the Apostle Paul: I received
of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread, and after giving
thanks to God,
he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way he took the cup, saying: “This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me.” Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the saving death of the risen Lord, until he
comes.
Prayer Of Consecration

The Bread and The Cup

THE BREAD Take and eat: this is the body of Christ which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of him.

THE CUP “This cup is the new covenant in the blood of Christ, which is shed for the remission of sins. Do this, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of him.

(Please discard used communion cups in the available receptacles)

The Prayer of Thanksgiving

SENDING

*Hymn Lead On, O King Eternal! Hymnal #269

*Charge
In the gift of this new day, in the gift of the present moment, in the gift of time and eternity intertwined, let us be thankful. Let
us be attentive. Let us be open to what has never happened before, in the gift of this new day, in the gift of this present
moment, in the gift of time and eternity intertwined. (from Sounds of the Eternal, J. Philip Newell., p 53..)

*Benediction
I pray for you a joyous life, honor, estate and good repute:
No sigh from your breast, no tear from your eye,
No hindrance on your path, no shadow on your face,
Until you lie down in that mansion, in the arms of gentle Christ. Amen.
(from The Celtic Vision, De Waal, ed., p 237.)

*Benediction Response May the God of Hope Go with Us Hymnal #765

May the God of hope go with us everyday,
filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of Justice speed us on our way,
bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace; singing, share our joy with all;
working for a world that’s new, faithful when we hear Christ’s call.

Postlude Highland Cathedral Bill Poiry

 Ministers in This Sunday’s Service Ministers in Next Sunday’s Service
Preacher: Rev. David Aber Preacher: Rev. David Aber
Reader: Dick Dietz Reader: Marta Vielhaber
Musicians: Susan Larcey Musician: Kay McIntosh
Serendipity Singers Greeter: Bob Wilson
Bill Poiry, Bagpipes Fellowship host(s): TBD
Greeter: Dave Wahlers Deacon of the Month: Joyce DellaSantina
Fellowship host(s): John & Kay McIntosh
Deacon of the Month: Jean Witkowski

THIS WEEK AT FIRELANDS

Today Sunday School 9:30 AM
WORSHIP 10:30 AM
followed by Fellowship
MAS Concert 7:30 PM
Monday Office Open 10:30 -1:30 PM
Knitwits 7 PM
Tuesday Dulcimer Group 3:00-5 PM
Wednesday Office Open 10:30 -1:30 PM
Sermon Study 10:30-noon
Thursday
Friday Office Open 10:30 -1:30 PM
Clara Maag Graveside Service 11 AM

Saturday
Next Sunday Sunday School 9:30 AM
WORSHIP 10:30 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.orgwebsite.

Pastor Aber is in the office Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and is available by Phone at 419-357-0329.

Prayer Concerns
Nancy & Christopher Longaker, Pam Coykendale, John McLaughlin, Abby Joy, Karl, Genevieve Poole, Pam & family, Judy, Sally, Janet
Miller, Cindy Constein, Bill & Sheryl Sockman Tommy Rousch and Betty & Jim Layton,

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.

Firelands Tartan
The Firelands Tartan you see around the church was woven for Firelands Presbyterian Church by Christine Whalen. It is in the
Tartan Registry under the name, “Firelands”