Sunday Bulletin | January 31, 2021

Government Street Presbyterian Church Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 10am F o u r t h S u n d ay a f t e r E p i p h a n y Annual Congregational Meeting Wherever you are worshiping today, we pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you through the scripture, prayers, music, Prelude and sermon. We are called to worship by the promises of God in whom we place our Chiming of the Hour faith and trust.

Gathering

Welcome

Prelude in G major, BWV 557

J.S. Bach (1685-1750) WESTMINSTER

Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar

Scripture and Hymn settings Call to Worship can be found on pages 5-8 of I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart. the bulletin. We invite you to reflect on the hymn texts as God sent redemption to his people for the covenant they are sung, and the of the Lord is forever.

Scriptures as they are read.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

from Psalm 111

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

Let us praise the Lord forever.

Hymn 12

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

ST. DENIO

Hymn 12—The opening line of this hymn was inspired by the Prayer of Confession unison three divine attributes listed in Merciful God, we confess that we have heard the words of your prophets 1 Timothy 1:17 (King James but have chosen to ignore them.

Version), and it continues by We know you have called us to live righteous lives, considering how God’s life but we have chosen our own way. exceeds our own finite You have shown us your strength, existence. The text is well set but we continue to mistake it for weakness. to a Welsh melody shaped by Forgive our many failings, Lord, many three-note units. and guide us again to the way of faith and holiness.

In the name of our Savior we pray, Amen.

1

Assurance of Pardon Response | Hymn 581

Glory Be to the Father GLORIA PATRI

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

P roclaiming the Word In the Prayer for Illumination, we ask the Holy Spirit to be present with us as we hear God’s word read and preached. We seek to better understand God’s will so that we can follow Christ more faithfully.

Prayer for Illumination First Reading

Jeanie Lindsey Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Children’s Sermon

Rev. Alexandra Hutson

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.

Second Reading Sermon Hymn 722—Two great truths inform this text: first, that the testimony of experience is Hymn 722 powerful and persuasive; and second, that no one should venture to minister on one’s own strength rather than God’s. The tune reflects a 19th -century practice of adapting piano pieces as hymn tunes.

Mark 1:21-28

“With Authority”

Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar

Thanksgiving Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak CANONBURY

2

ď ˜Affirmation of Faith unison

Rev. Alexandra Hutson

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;

Confessions define what we as a community believe, affirming our beliefs about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and about humanity, the church and the world. The Apostles’ Creed affirms the historical nature of Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and confirms the Trinitarian nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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.

Doxology | Hymn 607

Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow OLD HUNDREDTH

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below.

Praise God above ye Heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!

Offertory

Prayer of Intercession & Thanksgiving

3

Sending Hymn 450

Be Thou My Vision SLANE

Hymn 450—These stanzas are selected from a 20th- Benediction Rev. Rebekah Abel Lamar century English poetic version of an Irish monastic prayer Postlude Festive Trumpet Tune David German (b. 1954) dating to the 10th century or before. They are set to an Irish Congregational Meeting folk melody that has proved Please refer to the Annual Report for the Agenda of the meeting. popular and easily sung despite its lack of repetition and its wide range.

At the conclusion of the service, please leave in a distanced fashion without standing in or blocking the aisles.

Celebrating in Worship Sami Anselmo Jacob Mohr

NOTICE OF

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING To receive the Annual Report and to approve the pastors’ terms of call.

Immediately following worship today.

This meeting is also broadcast on the Zoom platform.

4

Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Mark 1:21-28

15 The Lord your God will raise up for

21 They went to Capernaum; and when

you a prophet like me from among your

the sabbath came, he entered the

own people; you shall heed such a

synagogue and taught. 22 They were

prophet. 16 This is what you requested of

astounded at his teaching, for he taught

the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of

them as one having authority, and not as

the assembly when you said: “If I hear

the scribes. 23 Just then there was in

the voice of the Lord my God any more,

their synagogue a man with an unclean

or ever again see this great fire, I will

spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have

die.” 17 Then the Lord replied to me:

you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?

“They are right in what they have

Have you come to destroy us? I know

said. 18 I will raise up for them a

who

prophet like you from among their own

God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying,

people; I will put my words in the mouth

“Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And

of the prophet, who shall speak to them

the unclean spirit, convulsing him and

everything that I command. 19 Anyone

crying with a loud voice, came out of

who does not heed the words that the

him. 27 They were all amazed, and they

prophet shall speak in my name, I myself

kept on asking one another, “What is

will hold accountable. 20 But any prophet

this? A new teaching—with authority! He

who speaks in the name of other gods, or

[a] commands even the unclean spirits,

who presumes to speak in my name a

and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame

word that I have not commanded the

began

prophet to speak—that prophet shall

surrounding region of Galilee.

you

to

are,

the

spread

Holy

One

throughout

of

the

die.”

5

6

7

8

9

10

CopyrightŠ Certificate Hymn settings, scripture, and other materials used by permission.

Government Street Presbyterian Church CCLI# 11115660 Valid thru 10/31/2021 11

The Sanctuary Flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Dr. & Mrs. Theo Middleton by their daughters, Barbara Haas, Mary Knox McMurphy, and Margaret Brown 300 Government Street Mobile, Alabama 36602 251.432.1749 | gspcmobile.org Member PC(USA)

 Staff REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR Pastor & Head of Staff rebekah@gspcmobile.org REV. ALEXANDRA HUTSON Associate Pastor alexandra@gspcmobile.org TOMMY WATTS Director of Music & Organist Communications tommy@gspcmobile.org

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Women’s Bible Study Tuesdays at 10AM via Zoom Contact: Laurie Shorter or Mary Elizabeth Perry Sunday Book Study Group Sundays at 12PM via Zoom Contact: Laurie Shorter Presbyterian Women P.W. Circle & Bible Study Second Monday night of each month via Zoom (2/8, 3/8, 4/12, 5/10) Contact: Bligh Jones

SAMANTHA ANSELMO Children’s Choir Director

KATY PARTRIDGE Office & Property Manager katy@gspcmobile.org DAWN HEARN Bookkeeper dawn@gspcmobile.org BARBARA WILLIAMS Hostess barbara@gspcmobile.org SHELIA SMITH Director of Food Services MARILYN MILLS Sexton ARTHUR LEWIS Sexton 

@GSPCMOBILE 12