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fpchw logo 2016

Worship Service

"Every Creeping Thing That Creeps Upon the Earth"

THE CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
trinity sunday
june 4, 2023

  • In Person Sunday,June 4, 11 a.m. This Sunday, Pastor Matt Lang's sermon is "Every Creeping Thing That Creeps Upon the Earth"  
  • Worship Live Music Streaming at 11 a.m.  Click here for June 4 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!

  • Perks Enter Image 3976

    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
Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I offer words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.
~Henri Nouwen

PRELUDE

*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
We gather to worship the God of all creation
who crafted the seas and mountains, and yet cares for each of us.
We gather to worship the God of all mystery
who rejoices in our being, and invites us to join the cosmic dance!

*HYMN 1  ||| Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! ||| Nicaea 
CALL TO CONFESSION
We are created in God’s image, and we are called good, but too often our actions distort that image and fail to reflect goodness in this world. Let us return to who we were made to be as we confess.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Majestic God, You have called us to live in peace, but we turn to conflict and hatred. You yearn for us to work together, but we keep finding reasons to dismiss each other. Forgive us and show us a better way to be your people, your body, your church.
(silent prayer)
Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
God knows who we were made to be and has been waiting to help restore us to ourselves, to each other, to community.
Thanks be to God! We are forgiven.

*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 ||| Genesis 1:1-2:4a
1In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16God made the two great lights — the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night — and the stars. 17God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 2:1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. 4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

SPECIAL MUSIC

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Matthew 28:16-20
16Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

SERMON ||| "Every Creeping Thing That Creeps Upon the Earth" ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 20 ||| All Things Bright and Beautiful ||| Royal Oak
 
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The 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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

INVITATION TO OFFERING
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Let us offer our lives to the Lord.

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
Holy God, by the gift of your Spirit you have blessed and filled us. Now send us out to share the vision of new creation you have begun; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SEALING OF THE WORD

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

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.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION
SHARING OF THE MEAL
All who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord, regardless of age or denomination, are invited to partake in the Sacrament of Communion. Please come forward down the side aisle. Take a piece of the bread and a cup and eat. Please dispose of the cups in the waste baskets by the table. We have gluten free bread available. Return to your seat by the center aisle.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Holy Spirit, you have filled us with your life. Christ our Savior, you have embraced us in your love. God our Mother, you have fed us with your grace. Now send us out into your beloved world to share your life, your love, your grace with all. Blessing and honor and glory to you, holy, holy, holy Lord. Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 32 ||| I Sing the Almighty Power of God ||| Ellacombe

BLESSING & CHARGE
May the blessing of the Trinity—holy, holy, holy Lord—be with you now and always.
Alleluia!

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am; send me!”
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: Vern Moore
Usher: Laura Dillman
Web Techs: Shirley Armistead, Nancy Beaudoin, Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazzlett, Scott Senftner

WELCOME – God himself is with us! Let us now adore him! We welcome every worshiper today. May the Holy Spirit fill your hearts to praise the Lord. Praise the Father! Praise the Son! Praise the Holy Spirit! God, three in one! Let us praise the Lord for all the blessings of his grace today.

SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday we will be reading Genesis 12:1-9 and Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26.

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..

HEAVENLY PERKS – Please join us for fellowship via Zoom immediately after worship from 12:00-12:45 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Next ...

Calendar of Upcoming Virtual & in-Person Meetings .... Welcome to June

SPECIAL AND ONGOING EVENTS

    • SPECIAL

      • The combined choirs of Calvary and FPCHW-Homewood will  Rehearse at Calvary, June 7 @7:00 p.m. (click on photo to enlarge)

      • IMG 20230528 095302
    • ONGOING
    1. Tuesdays: 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday Morning  at a Zoom meeting.  We are ordering our new book: "Watch this space about how to order the next book"'. 
    2. Change: we are now meeting First Tuesdays (June 6): Book Study | Kathleen O'Hanlon | We are exploring with a sample of a new book, "Me, and White Supremacy", How to Recognise Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World", by Layla Saad | Call Kathie Hazlett 708-471-3626 if you need more info about access.  Zoom Link:  7:00-8:30 p.m. (Central time) 
    3. Wed, June 7 – Combined Choir Rehearsal @ Calvary, 7:00 p.m.
    4. Thursday, June 15 at 6:00 pm: Men's Fellowship Gathering || Join us at Paulie's Pub ||| 2736 Chicago Rd, South Chicago Heights, for a few pops, a devotion, and Christian fellowship. Hope to see you there. 
    5. Sunday: Access to our Live Streaming Service can be found on the "Worship Page" | Post Sunday Streaming Worship Meet-up (aka Heavenly Perks) which also meets, in person. 
    6. Healing & Wholeness Service date is: TBD.  We offer access to a Healing & Wholeness Service online  at any time.  This service is a time of reflection, prayer, and meditation.  This service can help us to experience anew God’s healing, peace-giving grace or refuel us for becoming agents of healing and reconciliation.  Taking time for this mimics a pattern for Jesus and his disciples.  They would be out in the thick of a clamoring multitude and then retreat to a quiet place to reconnect, recharge, and clarify their mission.  Our quiet place awaits us in this service online.  (Watch for an announcement for maybe private prayer time on Zoom after this service.) | Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for prayer needs request.

Looking forward | scripture readings for sUNDAY, June 11 -- Genesis 12:1-9  and mATTHEW 9:9-13, 18-26

Genesis 12:1-9 ||| New Revised Standard Version

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. 9And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 ||| New Revised Standard Version

9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

18While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26And the report of this spread throughout that district.

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