Worship Services: Upcoming Sermons and Sermons from Past Sundays

All of us at First Presbyterian welcome you and your family to worship with us!
AUGUST 2011
 
Aug. 7 - "John Bunyan's Text" - John 6:37
John Bunyan, best known as author of The Pilgrim's Progress, was a Reformed Baptist whose journey of faith was rocky and uncertain. He referred to himself as "worthless and useless." In John 6:37 he found solace, strength and forgiveness. It is a promise of great love for all of us.
 
Aug. 14 - "John Wesley's Text" - Mark 12:34
John Wesley, father of modern Methodism, wrote in his journal: "What have I learned? ...that I, who went to America to convert the Indians, was never myself converted." The motivation of his ministry was the salvation of his own soul he told friends. What is our motivation?
 
Aug. 21 - "Sir Walter Scott's Text" - John 9:4
Sir Walter Scott's works influenced the great minds of his day - Hugo, Balzac, Tolstoy. A humble and gifted man, he took John 9:4 as his constant reminder that each day is eternally important. Is that so? Is today important?
 
Aug. 28 - "John Franklin's Text" - Isaiah 43:1-2
John Franklin pioneered Arctic exploration. His companions called him "quite a bishop" and services he led on board his ship were always full. He traveled through the silent, frozen north with the assurance of God's companionship. We share the promise of Isaiah 43:1-2 as we travel our own "wastelands" in search of truth.
 
 
JULY 2011
 
July 10 - "Remember Who You Are!" - Corinthians 1:26-31
Christians are ordinary people with an extraordinary character - a divine endowment of grace. We are who we are because God is a loving, sacrificing and redemptive creator who will not allow our lives to be wasted.
 
July 3 - "Liberating Prayer" - Acts 4:23-31
 
 
JUNE 2011
 
June 5 - "What Now?" - Acts 1:1-11
The Ascension assures us that the power, presence and purpose of God are our inheritance as it calls us forward into the task of gospel witness.
 
June 12 - "A Celebration of Grace" - Acts 2:1-4
The Spirit descends upon us because God is good and loving and desires to shower us with His grace. We receive the gift, and the world marvels and people are saved. How can we not celebrate?
 
June 19 - "Why the Trinity?" - John 16:12-16
Trinity Sunday calls us to meditate on God's mysterious nature and in that mystery find consolation, companionship and confidence for living.
 
June 26 - "Are You Ordinary?" Acts 4:1-21
The difference between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" is Christ. He precedes us in the "ordinary" days of lives to create extraordinary opportunities for us to change our world.
 
MAY 2011
 
May 1 - "Resurrection Extras" - I Peter 1:3-5
The resurrection truth is that God is willing to meet the deepest needs of our lives with sacrificial love.
 
May 8 - "Resurrection Living" - I Peter 1:17-25
The resurrection life seems to be a paradox of "here and now" and "there and then." But, in reality, resurrection living is allowing the "there and then" to shape the "here and now."
 
May 15 - "Resurrection Fellowship" - Acts 2:42-47
Recapturing the fervor of faith is only possible through fellowship. But resurrection fellowship is more than "pot-luck" living. It is dynamic discipleship which remakes the world through passion, perspective and patience.
 
May 22 - [ guest pastor - Astor Simpson]
 
May 29 - "Making Memorial Day Meaningful" - I Thessalonians 4:13-18
Memorial Day is our culture's annual effort to come to grips with life's final reality. The message of the cross-filled decorations can be lost or muted. We can challenge the "muting" by offering the power of our resurrection faith.
 
 
APRIL 2011
 
April 17 (Palm Sunday) - "If Jesus Came Today" - Matthew 25:1-13
If Jesus walked into the service this morning, what would you think? What would you do? What is the appropriate response to the promised return of Christ?
 
MARCH 2011

March 6 - "Mid-Life Christianity" - Luke 5:1-11
Jesus continually disrupted the lives of those He loved, to call them to something greater. Our faith is most meaningful when it calls us to rise above the mundane to respond to the miraculous. How's your Mid-Life Christianity?

March 13 - "Tasty Testimony" - Matthew 5:13
Don't you just love samples of tasty food? The varied textures and spices engage the imagination with wonder at the possibilities. That's our calling according to Jesus - to spice life with God's possibilities.

March 20 - "A Motel 6 Life" - Matthew 5:14-16
Motel 6 beckons the weary traveler to find rest with the promise - "We'll leave the light on for you." The church is a spiritual Motel 6. How brightly is our light burning?

March 27 - "Practical Perfection" - Matthew 5:43-48
Practical perfection is doing the unexpected. It's imitating God, whose unpredictable love captures our imaginations and our souls.

FEBRUARY 2011
Feb. 20 - "Happy to be God's People" - Deuteronomy 33:29

The Bible is full of admonitions about happiness. Israel and her patriarchs and prophets rejoiced to be God's people. How do  you feel about being God's people? We know God and are known by God, and our future is with God. Let's be happy!

 

 

You can see more updates in the Calendar of Events and read Dr. Phil's monthly newsletter in the Pastor's Message.

 

 
If you would like to hear a previous Sunday's scripture reading and sermon, you can access the audio file below. Scroll down this page, and you'll see that you can click on files to listen to the "live" recordings delivered in past Sundays. 

 


 

Feb. 6 - "What's In A Name?" - Acts 4:5-12

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2010

 

Nov. 7 - On this Sunday, the Vision Committee presented results of the vision survey along with the mission statement and goals (presented at the last Session) during our morning worship. A light lunch (provided by the ladies of our church) followed the service. This is an exciting time in the life of our church!

 

Nov. 14- A Song for Doubt - Psalm 73

 

Nov. 21- A Song for Fear- Psalm 91:1-16

 


 

OCTOBER

 

Oct. 3 - A Song of Happiness - Psalm 118:24-29

 

Oct. 10** - Sacrificial Fruit - 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 and John 15:1-8**

 

Oct. 17 - A Song of Confidence - Psalm 139:1-14

 

Oct. 24 - A Song of Wisdom - Psalm 90:1-12

 

Oct. 31* - A Song of Remembrance - Psalm 42:6 (*NOTE: This is All Saints' Eve and we observed communion in the morning service.) 

 

 **We welcomed visiting pastor Dr. Russell Sisson to our pulpit on Oct. 10. He is professor of religious studies at Union College and an ordained United Methodist minister.

 

Sept. 26 - "Rescue Me" - Matthew 6:13

 

The final petition of The Lord's Prayer teaches us to face life in the strength of God's loving embrace. As a loving parent willingly stands between the child and danger, so God willingly interjects Himself into our times of testing and temptation to rescue us from failure and futility. Below is an audio file of the message presented on Sept. 26, 2010. To begin listening, click on arrow in icon below.

 

 


 

Sept. 19 - "The Forgiveness Factor"  -Matthew 6:12

 

Forgiveness is the spiritual DNA of a Christian. In Christ's forgiveness we have become new creatures - creatures of grace offering peace and hope to those around us. Below is an audio file of the message presented on Sept. 19, 2010. To begin listening, click on arrow in icon below.

 

 

   

 

Sept. 12** - "How Does God Feel About People Who Mess Up?" - Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

 

**Dr. Phil was on vacation this Sunday, and our church welcomed Dr. Kirby Clark to the pulpit. Dr. Clark is associate professor of religion and director of supervised ministry at University of the Cumberlands. He holds degrees from the University of New Mexico, Western Kentucky University, and Southwestern Seminary. Dr. Clark and his wife, Debby, have three grown children and two grandchildren.

 


 

Sept. 5 - "Bread for the Journey" - Matthew 6:11

 

Praying for "daily bread" connects us to the sacred history of our faith. The Israelites were sustained in the desert by God's daily provision of "manna" (Exodus 16).  Jesus refers to himself as "the bread of life" and, at the Last Supper, identified the bread with his body broken for us. The images teach that "where God guides, He provides."

 

Below is an audio file of the message presented on Sept. 5, 2010. To begin listening, click on arrow in icon below.

 

 

       

 

Aug. 29 - "Welcoming the Kingdom" - Matthew 6:10

 

The Kingdom of God - often mentioned and earnestly desired by the early church - remains a shadowy symbol with overtones of tyranny drawn from history's record of earthly kingdoms. Still, we are instructed to pray, "Thy kingdom come ... on earth," a petition appealing to our hope for justice and appalling to our sense of individualism.

 

Aug. 22 - "The God Called Hallowed" - Matthew 6:9

 

 

In Christian prayer we encounter the God who is intimate and distant; holy yet approachable. Paradoxically the distance enhances the intimacy and the holiness ensures our approach. Praying to the Father "in heaven" whose very name is to be "hallowed" incorporates our lives and actions into the eternal tapestry which began with God's the creation of the world.

 


 

Some General Questions: What's Presbyterian worship like?

 

At First Presbyterian our worship is designed to be inclusive, inspirational and instructional. The pastor and worship committee meet regularly to evaluate the worship and discuss ways to enhance the experience through special events and emphases.        

 

  • Prelude (This is usually an organ solo performed before the start of worship)
  • Chiming of the Hour Welcome and Announcements Introit (This is an opening hymn or piece performed by the choir)
  • Call to Worship Children's Moment Call to Confession (A corporate confession to prepare our hearts and minds for God's word)
  • Prayer of Confession Declarations of Forgiveness (A reminder that in Jesus Christ we are all forgiven)
  • Prayers of the People and Pastoral Prayer
  • The Lord's Prayer
  • The Offering Prayer of Dedication
  • Hymn of Preparation
  • Scripture Reading
  • Anthem
  • Sermon
  • Affirmation of Faith (This is a response to God's word. Corporately we affirm our belief by reciting The Apostles Creed* or the Nicene Creed**.)
  • Hymn of Dedication
  • Benediction
  • Choral Response
  • Postlude       

 

*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.  

 

**The Nicene Creed:

 

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.