GOVERNMENT STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Sunday, November 22, 2020 | 10AM THE TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN PENTECOST CHRIST THE KING
Wherever you are worshiping GATHERING today, we pray that the Holy Improvisation on the theme of Christ the King Spirit will speak to you through PRELUDE arr. Watts the scripture, prayers, music, and sermon. We are called to Fantasia on ‘Duke Street’ arr. Diane Bish worship by the promises of God in whom we place our CHIMING OF THE HOUR WESTMINSTER faith and trust.
WELCOME
REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR
Scripture and Hymn settings can be found on pages 5-9 of CALL TO WORSHIP the bulletin. We invite you to The Lord is great, ruling over heaven and earth. reflect on the hymn texts as The Lord is great, seeking the lost, they are sung, and the feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger. Scriptures as they are read.
The Lord is great, empowering us to love and serve in Christ’s name. Let us worship God.
Hymn 268—This text is so familiar that it is easy to miss HYMN 268 Crown Him with Many Crowns! all its paradox, mystery, DIADEMATA suffering, and beauty; it PRAYER OF CONFESSION unison rewards careful reading and meditation outside corporate Sovereign God, we confess that we are not ready for your holy realm. You guide us toward right paths, worship. The tune’s composer, chapel organist at Windsor but we refuse to follow where you lead. Castle, had much experience You feed and care for us, in creating a royal sound. but we refuse to love and serve others.
Forgive us, merciful God, so that we may return to your fold and rejoice in your presence, through Jesus Christ our Lord, 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. 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.
PROCLAIMING THE WORD PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION FIRST READING
Ezekiel 34:11-24
CHILDREN’S SERMON SECOND READING SERMON
JOHN BROWNING
“Glory”
REV. ALEXANDRA HUTSON Matthew 25:31-46 REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR
Hymn 187—This unattributed THANKSGIVING hymn, like many that are now meaningful to adults, was HYMN 187 Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us written for children and BRADBURY develops shepherd imagery REV. ALEXANDRA HUTSON from Psalm 23 and John 10:1– AFFIRMATION OF FAITH unison 18. The tune, composed for I believe in God the Father Almighty, and sitteth on the right hand of maker of heaven and earth; God the Father Almighty; these words, was originally and in Jesus Christ from thence he shall come to judge named for the text but has his only Son our Lord; the quick and the dead. come to be known by the who was conceived by the Holy I believe in the Holy Ghost; composer’s name. 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,
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 OFFERTORY historical nature of Jesus of MINUTE FOR STEWARDSHIP Nazareth as the Christ and confirms the Trinitarian nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
CAROLINE NEWMAN
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The fourth century word “Doxology” is comprised of the Greek words doxa and logos. Doxa means splendor, or grandeur while the word logos means word or speaking. Doxologies are short hymns of expression of praise to God and are often sung or chanted. Since the early church, doxologies have been a way for Christians to express their love and thankfulness for what God has done in their lives.
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! PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION & THANKSGIVING
THE LORD’S PRAYER unison
Our Father, who art in heaven, For thine is the kingdom, hallowed be thy name, and the power, thy kingdom come, and the glory, forever. thy will be done, Amen. on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; Hymn 265—This hymn is a and forgive us our debts, classic example of how Isaac as we forgive our debtors; Watts Christianized the and lead us not into temptation, Psalms, in this case Psalm but deliver us from evil. 72:5–19, by turning their SENDING messianic language to New Testament equivalents. The Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun tune was at first nameless and HYMN 265 DUKE STREET anonymous, but is now called by the address of the BENEDICTION REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR supposed composer.
POSTLUDE
Please remain seated at the postlude. An usher will come by to dismiss your pew.
We Will Glorify
We will glorify the King of kings! We will glorify the Lamb. We will glorify the Lord of lords, Who is the great “I am.”
arr. Fred Bock
Celebrating in Worship Sami Anselmo Jacob Mohr
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Ezekiel 34:11-24 For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12 As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet? 20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, 22 I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.
17 As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what 4
Matthew 25:31-46 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to
drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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GSPC presents
AVAILABLE TODAY!
Advent Devotional 2020 Devotionals written for each day in Advent by members of GSPC.
Booklets will be available following worship at the
Government and Jackson Street exits. You may also view
the booklet online at gspcmobile.org/ adventdevotional 9
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Visit GSPC online at GSPCMOBILE . ORG
Social Media @GSPCMOBILE Have church photos? upload to Google Photos at GSPCMOBILE.ORG/PICS GSPC sends an email newsletter each Friday. If you do not currently receive this and would like to, you may sign up at GSPCMOBILE.ORG/SIGNUP or by calling the church office at 251.432.1749.
Copyright© Certificate Hymn settings, scripture, and other materials used by permission. Government Street Presbyterian Church CCLI# 11115660 Valid thru 10/31/2021 11
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 SAMANTHA ANSELMO Children’s Choir Director
KATY PARTRIDGE Office & Property Manager katy@gspcmobile.org DAWN HEARN Bookkeeper dawn@gspcmobile.org
The Sanctuary Flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Mr. John B. Waterman Mrs. Annie Louise Waterman Mr. Thaddeus Harrison Mr. Caroll B. Waterman Mrs. Helen Waterman Van Aken Mr. Thaddeus H. Waterman Mr. John B. Waterman, II By their descendants, Melissa Waterman Inge and Annise Waterman Uphaus
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Women’s Bible Study Tuesdays at 10AM via Zoom Contact: Laurie Shorter or Mary Elizabeth Perry Sunday Book Study Group Sundays at 12:00 p.m. via Zoom Contact: Laurie Shorter
Presbyterian Women P.W. Circle & Bible Study Second Monday night of each month via Zoom
Worship with us via Live-stream on
BARBARA WILLIAMS Hostess barbara@gspcmobile.org SHELIA SMITH Director of Food Services MARILYN MILLS Sexton ARTHUR LEWIS Sexton
Sundays at 10 a.m.
@GSPCMOBILE 12