Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

A Place for New Beginnings

February 25, 2024

Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
2nd Sunday in Lent
February 25, 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: I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters, and lead them in praise.
All: You did not despise the afflicted nor turn a deaf ear when they cried to you.
One: All the ends of the earth shall turn to you, O God; all families shall worship the Lord.
All: We will tell of your deeds to those who follow, and proclaim your deliverance
to all.
One: Let us worship God!

Prayer of Adoration
Spirit of life anew, Your mystery embraces all your creation, and yet you are present
with us in the course of our daily lives. Even a spark of your wisdom reveals a glimpse
life’s mysteries. Your love renew our hope. Deepen our sense of your holy presence
this day. Your love assures us of eternal grace. So here we offer our praise and our
prayers to you this day. Lord hear our prayer; with humble hearts and faith we seek to
open our hearts and minds to deeper understanding. AMEN.

*Hymn
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;
behold the King of glory waits;
the King of kings is drawing near;
the Savior of the world is here.

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 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heaven’s employ,
adorned with prayer and love and joy.
Redeemer, come! I open wide
my heart to thee; here, Lord, abide.
Let me thy inner presence feel;
thy grace and love in me reveal.
Prayer of Confession
God of compassion and mercy, look with favor upon us as we confess our sins. Our
faith is weak in the face of crisis. Our hope collapses when we are threatened or
maligned. We seek our own safety and abandon those you love. We trust in objects we
can create and control. We speak much and risk little. But you, O God, have given your
promise that you will never forsake us. Forgive our failure to take you at your word.

Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
One: God’s promises rest on grace and guaranteed to all who believe in Christ. “I will
establish my covenant between me and you, and your off-spring after you throughout
their generations.” “It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our
Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised
for our justification.” Trust the promises of grace, and accept the righteousness of
God bestowed in Christ.
All: Together we are the Body of Christ. Thanks be to God!

*Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ
his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the
right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick
and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of
saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
AMEN.

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Special Music
In Christ Alone
Solo – Susan Taylor
PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination
Reading from the Old Testament
Isaiah 45:1-3
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue
nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates
shall not be closed: 2 I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the
doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of
Israel, who call you by your name.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

Reading from the New Testament

Colossians 4:2-6
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for
us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of
Christ, for which I am in prison, 4 so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should. 5 Conduct
yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be
gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
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!

Family Choir
He Is Lord
He is Lord, he is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and he is Lord!
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord. x3

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Reading from the Gospel
Matthew 7:7-12
“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for
you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone
who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for
bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then,
who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in
heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 “In everything do to others as you would
have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

One: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!

Sermon Terry Mapes

“The Metaphor of the Door”

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Hymn
Seek Ye First

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

and its righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, alleluia!
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
seek, and you shall find;
knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, alleluia!
You shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Allelu, alleluia!

Invitation to Giving
Offertory
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*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
GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

*Hymn
To God Be the Glory
To God be the glory; great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the lifegate that all may go in.
Refrain
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord; let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory; great things he has done!
Great things he hath taught us; great things he has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer and higher and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
refrain
Benediction
Postlude

**Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Parlor after worship.**

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
CPC Night Out on The Town
Join us on Thursday March 21st at 5 PM for dinner at O’Keefe’s 1219 S Ft
Harrison Ave, Clearwater. If interested, please contact the church office at
727-584-8695 or Chad Bender at 727-304-7577 by Monday March 18th to
make a reservation.
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 choir room. Hope to see you
there.
Wednesday Night Dinner
Take-out meals will be available for delivery or pickup at 4:45 PM on
Wednesdays. The cost is $10 per meal. This week’s menu is salad, spaghetti
& meatballs, garlic bread, and chocolate mousse 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.
Maundy Thursday Service and Dinner
No dinner on Wednesday March 27th.
Join us for Maundy Thursday Service on March 28th at 4:00 PM
followed by dinner by Chef June. The cost is $10 per meal.
Reservations are required for dinner, please contact June
Sanchez at 727-409-4199 or the church office at 727-584-8695.
Easter Dinner
Easter dinner will be held on Sunday March 31st at 12:00PM following the Easter
Wordship Service. The cost of dinner is $15.00 per person. Reservations are
required for dinner, please contact June Sanchez at 727-409-4199 or the
church office at 727-584-8695.

Easter Lilies
Easter is a beautiful time of year and time to beautify our Sanctuary in
honor of our Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection. The cost of the lilies is
$12.00 per plant. If you are interested and would like to dedicate a plant
in memory of or in honor of someone, please complete the order form and
place it offering the offering plate together with your payment.
The deadline for orders is March 24th. Extra forms will be available in
the Narthex as you come into church or in the church office.
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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 4PM to 5PM. 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 continues to provide food bags to students at Anona
Elementary.

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