Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

A Place for New Beginnings

January 7, 2024
Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
First Sunday after Epiphany
January 7, 2024 10:00AM
* Please stand if you are able.

Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
One: The Peace of Christ be with You.
All: And also with You.
GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

Call to Worship
One: The time has come!
All: The time is now!
One: The reign of God has drawn near.
All: The kingdom of heaven is here.
One: Let us turn our lives around and accept the good news.
All: We will follow Christ and worship in his name.
Prayer of Adoration
God of possibility and power, on this first day of the week, you began
creating, bringing light to shine and bringing order out of chaos. On this
first day of the week, you began your new creation, raising Christ out of
death, breathing new life into the world. On this first day of the week, you
call us to waken from sleep and gather in your holy name. So we come to
listen and wonder, to sing, pray, and be fed. By the gift of your Holy Spirit,
make us your instruments of hope in a hurting world, in answer to the
prayer and praise we offer this day in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

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*Hymn
Of the Father’s Love Begotten
Of the Father's love begotten,
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega;
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!
By his Word was all created;
he commanded; it was done:
heaven and earth and depths of ocean,
universe of three in one,
all that sees the moon’s soft shining,
all that breathes beneath the sun,
evermore and evermore!
This is he whom seers in old time
chanted of with one accord,
whom the voices of the prophets
promised in their faithful word.
Now he shines, the long-expected.
Let creation praise its Lord,
evermore and evermore!
Prayer of Confession
God of majesty and mercy, we confess to you our wrong-doing: things we
may have done knowingly and things we have left undone; hurts we may
have unintentionally Caused. Have Mercy when some things we have done
just to please others, and those just to please ourselves. Forgive when Our
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hope gets folded away with the gift wrap, our energy for the future feels a
bit tattered. Forgive us when our faithfulness flickers like a candle burning
down.
Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
*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.
Special Music
Tender Mary, Gentle Mary
Solo – Susan Taylor
PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination

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Reading from the Old Testament
Psalm 29
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor. 3
The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord,
over mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is
full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the
cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young
wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 8 The voice of the
Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The
voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his
temple all say, “Glory!” 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits
enthroned as king forever. 11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the
Lord bless his people with peace!
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

Reading from the New Testament

Acts 19.1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came
to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive
the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not
even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 Then he said, “Into what then were you
baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized
with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was
to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit
came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— 7 altogether
there were about twelve of them.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

One: This is the Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!

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Family Choir
Spirit Song
O let the Son of God enfold you with his Spirit and his love.
Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul.
O let him have the things that hold you, and his Spirit like a dove
will descend upon your life and make you whole.
Refrain
Jesus O Jesus, come and fill your lambs.
Jesus O Jesus, come and fill Your lambs
O come and sing this song with gladness as your hearts are filled with
joy.
Lift your hands in sweet surrender to his name.
O give him all your tears and sadness;
give him all your years of pain, and you'll enter into life in Jesus name.
refrain
Reading from the Gospel
Mark 1:4-11
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean
countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were
baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was
clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts
and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming
after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I
have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 In
those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in
the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the
heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice
came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)
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One: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
Sermon Rev. William Cowfer
“Light and Life Still Shine”
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Hymn
Lord, The Light of Your Love Is Shining
Lord, the light of
your love is shining,
in the midst of
the darkness, shining;
Jesus, Light of the World
shine upon us;
set us free by the truth
you now bring us,
Shine in me; shine on me.
Refrain
Shine, Jesus, shine;
fill this land with the Father's glory.
Blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow;
flood the nations
with grace and mercy.
Send forth your word,
Lord, and let there be light.

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 Lord, I come to
your awesome presence,
from the shadows
into your radiance;
by the blood I may
enter your brightness.
Search me, try me;
consume all the darkness.
Shine in me; shine on me.
refrain
As we gaze on
your kingly brightness,
so our faces display your likeness;
ever changing from glory to glory,
mirrored here may
our lives tell your story.
Shine in me; shine on me.
refrain
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
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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:
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

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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
Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns:
Let us our songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders, of his love.
Benediction
Postlude
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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
**Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Parlor after worship.**
Adult Education
Rev. Jim Glenn is leading a Bible study on the book of Romans. The class is on
Tuesdays at 10:00 AM in the pantry room next to the office. Hope to see you
there.
Wednesday Night Take-Out Dinner
Take-out meals will be available for delivery or pickup at 4:45 PM on
Wednesdays. The cost per meal is $10. This week’s menu is chicken fajitas,
Spanish rice, pinto beans, and chocolate cake. If interested in receiving a meal,
please contact June Sanchez at 727-409-4199 or the church office at 727-584-
8695. The delivery area is limited.
CPC Night Out on The Town
Join us on Thursday January 18th at 5 PM for dinner. Location yet to be
determined. If interested, please contact the church office at 727-584-8695 or
Chad Bender at 727-304-7577 by Monday January 15th make a reservation.
Neighborhood Ministries
* To help support our food ministries you can make financial contribution
to the “Neighborhood Funds.”
The Neighborhood Food Program distributes bags of groceries 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.
Pak-a-Snack has resumed providing food bags to students at Anona
Elementary.

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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

Our Vision:
To know God and to make Him known.

Our Mission:
We are a community of people committed to serve Jesus Christ,
empowered by the Holy Spirit, in the love of God,
and called to make that love real.

Our Core Values:

Seeking to be like Christ
Bringing the Good News to our world
Worshiping the Living God
Teaching and learning God’s Word
Supporting and serving one another.

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 7/31/2024
FYI - Video and audio equipment are used for the12
livestreaming & recording of the worship service.