Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

July 2, 2023
Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
July 2, 2023 10:00AM
* Please stand if you are able.

Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

Call to Worship
One: Let us sing of God’s steadfast love.
All: We will offer our praise in songs of joy.
One: God’s faithfulness is as vast as the heavens.
All: We will proclaim God’s faithfulness to all generations.
One: Let us worship God in our prayers and our praise.
All: We will give God glory now and always!
Prayer of Adoration
Lord God, Loving God, how majestic is your name in all the earth. From
north and south, from east and west, drawn by your majesty, we come to
worship you. For the gift of this new day, fresh from your hand, we rejoice.
For the renewal we know through friendship with Christ, we praise you. For
the Spirit’s energy, blessing us in each moment, we honour you. Lord God,
Loving God, all of life is your gift, so give us glimpses of your splendor and
love in this time of worship. Accept our praise offered in word and action,
Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit, here and everywhere, now and always.
Amen.

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*Hymn
Morning Has Broken
Morning has broken like the first morning;
blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning,
born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation; praise every morning,
God’s recreation of the new day!
Prayer of Confession
Lord of all life and each life, We confess we can forget that life is your gift,
especially when we face struggles. We confuse our own desires for your
will, and sometimes fail to hear or understand your guidance. Forgive any
hurt we have caused others or ourselves by action or inaction, and show
us how to make amend or forgive. Guide us in ways to live with you and
with each other in Your reconciling grace through the mercy of our Lord
Jesus, the Christ. Amen
Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon

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*Affirmation of Faith 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
I believe Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or
arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or
resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for
tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we
know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete
comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like
a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an
adult, I put an end to childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly,
but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know
fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And now faith, hope, and love
abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Special Music
Heal Our Land
Solo – Susan Taylor

Prayer of Illumination
Reading from the Old Testament
Psalms 89
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, for ever; I will proclaim your faithfulness to
all generations. I will declare that your steadfast love is established for ever; your
faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings
is like the Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. The heavens are yours, the earth
also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. The north and
the south—you created them; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your
throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Happy are the people who
know you; who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance in faithfulness.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989)
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Reading from the New Testament
Romans 1:7-12
To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God
through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout
the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of
his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my
prayers, 10 asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming
to you. 11 For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual
gift to strengthen you— 12 or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by
each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989)

One: This is the Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!
Family Choir
Lord, I Lift Your Name on High
Lord, I lift your name on high;
Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I'm so glad you're in my life;
I'm so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth
to show the way;
from the earth to the cross,
my debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave,
from the grave to the sky,
Lord, I lift your name on high. x2

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Reading from the Gospel
Matthew 10:40-42
‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes
the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in
the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and
whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name
of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989)

One: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon Rev. William Cowfer
“Even a Cup of Cold Water”
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Hymn
Help Us Accept Each Other
Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us and bring us to believe
we are ourselves accepted, and meant to love and live.
Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life
we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,
to love them as we find them, or as they may become.
Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
in living situations to do the truth in love;
to practice your acceptance until we know by heart
the table of forgiveness, and laughter's healing art.
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 Lord, for today's encounters with all who are in need,
who hunger for acceptance, for justice and for bread,
we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on:
renew us with your Spirit; Lord, free us; make us one!
Invitation to Giving
Offertory
*Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Invitation to The Lord’s Table
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One: It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and
praise, O Lord our God, creator and ruler of the universe
who forever sing to the glory of your name:
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 All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven
and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
One: You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus
Christ, your Son, our Lord. In Jesus, born of Mary, your
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and
truth. Great is the mystery of Faith:
All: Christ has died, Christ is Risen. Christ will come again.
One: Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon
these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break
and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body
and blood of Christ
Receiving the Bread and Cup
Post Communion Prayer
Gracious God, through the gift of this spiritual feast you heal our
brokenness and strengthen our spirits. Increase our faith that the power of
your Holy Sacrament will bring us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN!
GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

*Hymn
For the Bread Which You Have Broken
For the bread which You have broken,
For the wine which You have poured,
For the words which You have spoken,
Now we give You thanks, O Lord.

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 By this promise that You love us,
By Your gift of peace restored,
By Your call to heaven above us,
Hallow all our lives, O Lord.
With the saints who now adore You
Seated at the heavenly board,
May the church still waiting for You
Keep love’s tie unbroken, Lord.
In Your service, Lord, defend us;
In our hearts keep watch and ward;
In the world to which You send us
Let Your kingdom come, O Lord.
Benediction
Postlude

Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Narthex E after worship.

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mid-Year 2023 CPC Status Report
After 3 months of having contributions exceed expenses, April and May dip
negative. Our loss year to date was ($8,650) at the end of May, compared to our
budgeted loss of ($36,192) for that time. Expenses are almost exactly as
budgeted, but contributions have been considerably more than budgeted, mainly
in the Envelopes - unpledged category. Reimbursements are also exceeding our
budget. Our expenses are considerably lower than 2022 due in large part to
lower personnel costs.
Please note:
Thru May, 100 percent of our budgeted Honduras mission payment was made
and 50 percent of our other budgeted mission payments were made.
Our Per Capita payments to Presbytery are up to date.
The Presbytery CCV grant to help replace our damaged electronic sign is not
included in contributions. This grant is included in the dedicated account
Res(Self insured), along with the insurance settlement payment.
Please note that the partial payment toward repairing our sign is not included in
expenses. This payment was received to the dedicated account Res(Self
insured). Expected installation of the sign is 8 weeks.
We are still running short in our Neighborhood food donations, so we are using
the carry over from 2022 donations in the dedicated account. The Neighborhood
food missions programs seem to be helping, but are costing more than our
donations.
The lease for our copier is signed, and delivery is expected in about 6 weeks.
This new lease will save CPC about one third of our existing lease costs.
In July, we will have major expenses of $15,000 for insurance and $7,000 for
replacement of a classroom A/C system.
All in all, CPC is doing extremely well, considering our situation.

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Church Office Hours
The church office will be closed on Tuesday July 4th, in observance of the Fourth of
July. The office will be open on Monday and Thursday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM.
CPC Night Out on The Town
Join us on Thursday July 13th at 5 PM for dinner at Hibachi Buffett on Gulf to Bay
Blvd. If interested, please contact the church office at 727-584-8695 or Chad at
727-304-7577 by Monday July 10th to make a reservation.
Neighborhood Ministries
*Currently the “Neighborhood Funds” are running low any financial
contributions to support the food ministries will be welcomed.*
Our “Blessing Box” food pantry delivery method has changed to a bag
distribution on Wednesdays from 5PM to 6PM. These bags provide additional
food items to supplement caring for the families in need. Food items can continue
to be dropped off on Sunday mornings and placed in the wheeled grocery cart
or at the church office.
The Neighborhood Meals continue to provide bagged meals on Tuesdays at
5PM in front of the church.
Donation of Toiletries
If you have traveled lately and have unused toiletries articles that can donated
to one of mission groups at St Vincent de Paul in their work with homeless.
Please contact Jeanne Gres.
Pastor Bill Cowfer’s Schedule and Contact Information
Tuesdays and most Thursdays in the Church Office from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Appointments, Office Visits & Phone Calls ; invited and welcome.
Home & Residence Pastoral Visitation, generally in the afternoons.
Emergency or Special Pastoral Care as needed or requested.
Email address - cowferwj@gmail.com and Cell Phone # 727-434-2768

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Ways to support your church in tithes and offerings
1. Online at www.largocpc.org
2. Through Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement App on Apple or Android
devices
3. Mail a gift directly to the church or drop in office mail slot
4. Use the bill pay option through your bank
5. Scan the QR code to the right using your phone

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Phone: 727-584-8695 • Fax: 727-585-1079 • 3115 Dryer Ave, Largo FL 33770
www.LargoCPC.org • email: Office.largocpc@gmail.com •
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9 AM – 11:30 AM or by appointment.
Pastor Cowfer will be in the office on Tuesdays and most Thursdays from 9:00 AM – 12:00PM,
if you would like to reach him, please call 727-434-2768 or the church office.

Pastor Rev. William Cowfer email: Cowferwj@gmail.com

Secretary Sarah Reeves email: Office.largocpc@gmail.com
Director of Music Steven Radeck email: StevenRadeck@gmail.com
Custodian June Sanchez email: JuBug616@aol.com
All songs used by permission CCLI #863215 and streaming CPSL 139714, Expiration date 7/31/2023
FYI - Video and audio equipment are used for the livestreaming & recording of the worship service.

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