Reformed Community Church of Ithaca

Lord’s Day Worship, June 15, 2008

*Song:  Front of Red: I Belong To Jesus,  Testimony and Prayer Requests,   Heidelberg Catechism:  Lord’s Day 5

*GOD CALLS US  (stand for Worship)

                      Pastor:   The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you!     Congregation: And also with you!

                      P: If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

                      C: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

 Exhortation: This is the Lord’s service. When God calls us together to worship Him, we have confidence that His Kingdom is being advanced.  He is drawing us to heaven to prepare us to spread his truth in the world. 

P: Let us give thanks and praise to the Lord!

C: For it is proper and right to do so!

Doxology,   Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19  (responsively)    Sing:  Psalm 116

GOD CLEANSES US

P: Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

C: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

P: Who forgives all  your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;

C: Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies.

Call to Confession:   P: Dearly beloved, let us draw near with a sincere heart and confess our sins to God our Father, beseeching him in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
C: Who made heaven and earth.  P: When I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,   C: Then You forgave the liabilities of my sin.

P: Let us beseech our God. Together: Almighty God, merciful Father, we confess all our sins with which we have offended you.  We are sorry for them and we repent of them.  Forgive us through the blood of Christ our Savior and grant us power by the Holy Ghost to live a life pleasing to you.

(Silent prayer of confession.)

Pastor: Gracious Father, hear our prayer of confession, in Jesus name.

Congregation:  Lord have mercy on us!

*Declaration of Pardon: Pastor: Now lift up your heads and rejoice in the good news: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

Therefore, as Christ’s minister and by his authority, I declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.  Congregation: Amen!   *All stand and sing the Gloria Patri.

Ascension

P: Lift up your hearts!    C: We lift them up to the Lord!   

P: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

C : Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

P: Even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,

C: That we should be holy and blameless before Him.

P:  In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ,

C: According to the purpose of His will,

P: To the praise of His glorious grace,

C: With which He has blessed us in the Beloved.

P:  In Him we have redemption through His blood,

C: The forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,

P: Which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

C: Making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ!

Colloquy Prayer  followed by Our Lord’s Prayer.

 Tribute Offerings:  P: Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: C: Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King!   P: Let them praise his name in the dance:  C: Let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and the harp!  

 P:  For the LORD takes pleasure in his people:

Together:  Praise Ye the LORD!

Songs:     p330C The Spacious Firmament on High,   p76 and 77C Psalm 42,  #24R Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord

Tithes and Offerings:  P: Let us offer to God the first fruits of our labor.  C: For God gives us our abilities!  P: And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up,  C : and every one whose spirit moved him,  P: and they brought the LORD'S offering for  the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, C: and for all his service!

Prayer of Dedication.  P: Gracious heavenly Father, you are the giver of every good gift; as we return these offerings to you, may they be faithfully used in the work of the Kingdom.   C:  Lord, receive our offerings!  Together: Amen!

GOD  TEACHES US

Scriptures: See insert

Reader: The Word of the Lord. Congregation: Thanks be to God!

Sermon:   Walking Humbly With God                Elder Stephen Jones

Pastor:  Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word.   

Congregation: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

GOD FEEDS US

*The Invitation.  Pastor: Beloved people of God, our Lord Jesus Christ invites you to his table.  He said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” so let us feast together; and receive the grace offered in this Holy Supper.  By the work of the Holy Ghost we expect to be strengthened in the faith, which we profess by singing the Apostles’ Creed:  (Front of Red)

Pastor: Reformed Community Church of Ithaca practices open communion.  We invite all baptized Christians, who are members in good standing of a local church and under a pastor’s authority, to celebrate the Lord’s Table with us.

    Song:  #325B Here, O My Lord,  I See Thee Face to Face

Distribution of the Bread and the Cup.                         

Pastor:  The Lord Be With You!  Congregation; And also with you!

Prayer for the bread and communion led by minister: Almighty God, we thank you for this bread representing your broken body which was sacrificed for us on the cross.  We thank you that, through the Holy Spirit, we commune with you as we eat this bread, and we acknowledge that in you we are one loaf, fitly joined together in love and peace.  Congregation: Amen.

Pastor: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Congregation: Yes it is!

Pastor: Eat then to the health of both your body and soul.

Prayer for the cup and communion:

Pastor: Almighty God, we give you thanks for this cup, the new covenant in Christ’s blood.  We thank and praise you that through the precious blood of Jesus, we have been washed clean and made righteous in your sight.  Help us by the Holy Ghost, to walk in the newness of life.  Congregation: Amen.

Pastor: The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?  Congregation: Yes it is!

Pastor: Drink, then to the health of both your body and soul.   

                *GOD SENDS US

Benediction & Charge:  (Elder)                    Together:  Amen, Amen, and Amen. 

Welcome to

the Lord’s Service

at the

Reformed Community Church of Ithaca.

    Weekly Schedule

Sunday 10:00-1:00.  The Lord’s Service.

1st Friday 6:30-8:00  Prayer Meeting with New Life PC

Sunday, June 29th, Stewart Park Church Picnic after Lord’s Service: Dish (other than Meat) to pass, games, fun!

Sunday Service.

10-10:15 AM Prayer and Testimony.

10:15-10:30 Heidelberg Catechism

10:30-12:00 The Lord’s Service

12:00-12:30 Light snack

12:30-1:00 Sunday School

Today’s Sunday School:   More upbringing patterns

     Web site: www.reformedchurchofithaca.org

       Contacts:  Elder Stephen Jones  607-273-1017,  stephenm@twcny.rr.com

                        Elder Ralph Selin   607-227-3779,  rselin@rochester.rr.com

                        Elder Michael Jones  607-280-8217, mjones54@twcny.rr.com

*Where there is an asterisk, we ask the congregation to stand.  If you cannot always stand because of difficulties (babies, joints, etc.) please be comfortable.