Welcome We are so glad you are here

Welcome! We are so glad you are here!

Before the worship service begins, please turn off your God may be calling YOU, but probably not on your cell phone. Please turn off your cell phone, or put it on vibrate.

CALL TO REFLECTION PRELUDE: Praise Him! arr. Lloyd Larson

The News of the Community

Visitors, to First Church! Following worship, please join us on the patio for juice and coffee

Monday, June 4 th , 9: 00 a. m. – Noon Friday, June 8 th, 9: 00 a. m. – Noon

For information about First Church and our activities, please visit our website: fpcoh. org

PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION

*Hymn More Love to Thee, O Christ # 359 in the Blue Hymnal

More love to Thee, O Christ, More love to Thee! Hear Thou the prayer I make On bended knee. This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee; More love to Thee, More love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, Sought peace and rest; Now Thee alone I seek, Give what is best. This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee; More love to Thee, More love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath Whisper Thy praise; This be the parting cry My heart shall raise; This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee; More love to Thee, More love to Thee!

PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS – (IN UNISON) Adapted from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834 -92

To come to you is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labor, to come to the goal of our desires and the summit of our wishes.

But Lord, how can a stone rise, how can a lump of clay come away? O raise us, draw us. Your grace can do it. Forgive us for the time when we miss the wonder of who you are.

Send forth your Holy Spirit to kindle sacred flames of love in our hearts, and we will continue to rise until we leave life and time behind us, and indeed come away.

In the name of the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life we pray. Amen.

A TIME OF SILENCE

Assurance of Forgiveness

Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

A TIME WITH THE

Who are you?

Who are we? We are the body of Christ.

Why are we here? To know God’s love for us.

The News of the Community

Visitors, to First Church! Following worship, please join us on the patio for Juice and coffee.

A Congregational Meeting is Called for TODAY, June 3, 2018, for the purpose of electing two elders to fill vacancies in the Session Classes of 2019 and 2020.

If you would like to purchase a Navy blue polo shirt with the church logo embroidered on it, please complete the form in your bulletin, and place it in the offering plate Cost: $15, payable in advance DEADLINE FOR ORDERING: June 10 th

ANTHEM — Peace I Give to You Craig Courtney The Anthem is a prayer. Please, no applause.

Thanksgiving for the Word

O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky: We praise You for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age.

SCRIPTURE READING— Philippians 1: 1 -11 (New Testament, Page 196 in NRSV pew Bible)

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.

It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight

to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

* This We Believe (in unison) Philippians 2: 5 -11 NRSV

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name which is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

*HYMN OF COMMITMENT – Help Us Accept Each Other # 358 in the Blue Hymnal

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.

Lord, for today's encounters With all who are in need, Who hunger for acceptance, For righteousness and bread, We need new eyes for seeing, New hands for holding on: Renew us with Your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!

OFFERING OUR TITHES AND GIFTS (Visitors, in the pew rack you will find a Guest Information card. Please complete the card, then place it in the offering plate. )

OFFERTORY ANTHEM Leaning on the Everlasting Arms arr. Joel Raney

* The Response of Praise — DOXOLOGY ( #593) Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Christ, all people here below; Praise Holy Spirit evermore; Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.

Offering of Prayer (in unison) Adapted from St. Gertrude the Great (1256 -c. 1302)

Lord, in union with your love, unite our work with your great work, and perfect it. As a drop of water, poured into a river, is taken up into the activity of the river, so may our labor become part of your work.

Thus may those among whom we live and work be drawn into your love. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

Celebration of the Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper

Invitation to the Lord’s Table Great Thanksgiving (CONGREGATION READS WORDS IN BOLD)

All Sing: In the Lord, I’ll be ever thankful, In the Lord I will rejoice, Look to God, do not be afraid. Lift up your voices, the Lord is near; Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

The Lord’s Prayer (Debtors version)

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. Forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. Amen.

Words of Institution Communion of Bread & Cup

Closing Let us talents and tongues employ, reaching out with a shout of joy: bread is broken, the wine is poured, Christ is spoken and seen and heard. Jesus lives again, earth can breathe again, pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Christ is able to make us one, at the table He sets the tone, teaching people to live to bless, Love in word and in deed express. Jesus lives again, earth can breathe again, pass the Word around: loaves abound! Prayer

* CHARGE AND BLESSING Congregational Response: God be with you till we meet again; Loving counsels guide, uphold you, With a Shepherd’s care enfold you; God be with you till we meet again.

Postlude — Celebration Charles Callahan

MORE News of the Community

A Congregational Meeting is Called for TODAY, June 3, 2018, for the purpose of electing two elders to fill vacancies in the Session Classes of 2019 and 2020.

Monday, June 4 th , 9: 00 a. m. – Noon Friday, June 8 th, 9: 00 a. m. – Noon

If you would like to purchase a Navy blue polo shirt with the church logo embroidered on it, please complete the form in your bulletin, and place it in the offering plate Cost: $15, payable in advance DEADLINE FOR ORDERING: June 10 th

For information about First Church and our activities, please visit our website: fpcoh. org