"Don't Tell Anyone"

THE CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
thirteenth sunday after pentecost
august 27, 2023

• In Person Sunday, August 27, 11 a.m. This Sunday, Pastor Matt Lang's sermon is "Don't Tell Anyone"  
• Worship Live Music Streaming at 11 a.m.  Click here for August 27 streaming of live service.   (If it is NOT blue "refresh" your page.)  
• The Complete Bulletin is available below.
•  Please join us for fellowship via Zoom immediately after worship from 12:00-12:45 p.m.  We look forward to seeing you there!
  
  

• 

  gIVE -- electronically
  to contribute (ACTIVE link: a monetary offering) to first presbyterian church of homewood or you may also contribute by mail to:

  First Presbyterian Church of Homewood
  P.O. BOX 1519
  Homewood IL 60430 

• Click on this Blue Link to Ask a Question or Leave a Comment

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD
MISSION STATEMENT

Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul. Adopted by Session 7/31/17

PRAYER FOR PEACE

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

PRELUDE

*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
We gather as the body of Christ.
We are many individuals, but together we are one.
Each of us has our own gifts, our own calling, our own role,
but all of us proclaim Jesus Christ is the Messiah!
 
*HYMN 81 ||| Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken ||| Austrian Hymn

CALL TO CONFESSION
We seek the will of God, but still find ourselves conformed to this world, instead of being transformed into God’s image. Let us seek forgiveness for the ways we have turned away from justice and mercy.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty God, when faced with earthly powers that seem overwhelming, we crumble. We fear this world. We fear losing our status, our stability, our station more than we fear you. Forgive our shortcomings and teach us to trust in you when we take a risk for what we know is right.
(silent prayer)
Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
If God was not on our side, we could not stand in the judgment. But God is with us, steadfast and faithful, as we seek to live in peace. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God!

*THE GLORIA 581

MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| Exodus 1:8-2:10
8Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites. 14and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them. 15The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16“When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” 17But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” 19The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.” 1Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman.2The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. 3When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. 4His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. 5The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. 6When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. 7Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. 10When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Matthew 16:13-20
13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

SERMON ||| "Don't Tell Anyone" ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 2197 ||| Lord of All Hopefulness ||| Slane

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The Brief Statement of Faith 1983
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

INVITATION TO OFFERING
We sing our praises to the Lord, for God is good and worthy! We give our gifts to the Church with the expectation that they be used to further God’s dream for our world. Please commit yourself and give as you’re able.
OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY 606 ||| Old Hundredth
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
Gracious Giver of all things, we ask that you use the gifts we bring as you use us to spread your peace and share your love with everyone. In Jesus name, Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 269 ||| Lead On, O King Eternal! ||| Lancashire

CHARGE & BLESSING
The blessing of the one God – Spirit, Son, and Father be with you now and always.
Alleluia!

Lead a life worthy of your calling, giving glory to God in all things.
Amen.

POSTLUDE

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor
Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

Worship Liturgist: Jay Ruklic
Usher: Laura Dillman
Web Techs: Shirley Armistead, Nancy Beaudoin, Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazlett, Scott Senffner 
A WARM WELCOME! –The Lord calls all of us to a new way of living under his wonderful grace in our Savior. If you are a guest, it is a pleasure to have you worshiping with us. Please help us to get to know who you are by introducing yourself at the door and signing our guest book.

SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday we will be reading Exodus 3:1-15 and Matthew 16:21-28.

PRAYER CHAIN – If you want prayer requests included on the prayer chain, contact Shirley Armistead at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..