Sunday Bulletin | September 20, 2020

GOVERNMENT STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Mobile, Alabama Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 10AM THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN PENTECOST

Wherever

you

GATHERING

are

worshiping today, we pray that the Holy Spirit will

PRELUDE

IMPROVISED

speak to you through the CHIMING OF THE HOUR scripture, prayers, music, WELCOME and sermon. We are called to worship by the promises of God in whom we place our faith and trust.

Scripture

and

Hymn

settings can be found on pages 4-8 of the bulletin.

We invite you to reflect on the hymn texts as they are sung, and the Scriptures as they are read.

WESTMINSTER

REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR

CALL TO WORSHIP The people’s response is in bold.

Jesus, who calms the wind and waves, calms our hearts and minds Jesus, who heals the sick, gives us strength in times of trial.

Jesus, who fed the crowds, gathers us for this moment of worship.

The Lord is our rock and our refuge.

With gratitude and hope, Let us worship, God! HYMN 65

Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah CWM RHONNDA

Welsh PRAYER OF CONFESSION unison hymns are as well known Hymn

65—Few

or loved as this 18thcentury text that did not gain its popular tune until the early 20th century. In both its original text and in English translation, it is a

Holy God, You know us better than we know ourselves.

We celebrate while others are hurting.

We fail to see your provision in difficult times.

We struggle to trust you fully.

For these and our many other failings, we ask your forgiveness.

stirring hymn of pilgrimage filled with vivid imagery

(Time of silence for individual prayers.)

from Hebrew scripture.

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Grant us courage, O God, for the living of these days.

Make us brave for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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.

PROCLAIMING THE WORD PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

BO PERRY

FIRST READING

Exodus 16:2-15

CHILDREN’S SERMON

ALEXANDRA HUTSON

SECOND READING

Ezra 3:10-13

SERMON

REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR “Joyful Shouts & Weeping”

THANKSGIVING HYMN 819 Hymn

FINLANDIA

819—This

meditative text seems to be AFFIRMATION OF FAITH unison rooted in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am

God,” while also reaching forward to 1 Thessalonians 4:17b , “we will be with the Lord forever.” Much of the appeal of this hymn comes from its tune, named for the tone poem on which it is based.

Be Still, My Soul ALEXANDRA HUTSON

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 2

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.

OFFERTORY HONORING SALLY PEARSALL ERICSON

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!

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION & THANKSGIVING THE LORD’S PRAYER unison

Hymn 463—It seems odd now to think of singing this text to ADESTE FIDELIS, but mainline churches did so well into the 20th century because of a cultural bias against shape note music.

The vigor of the present tune seems especially right for the final line’s reference

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.

SENDING

to Hebrews 13:5.

HYMN 463

How Firm a Foundation FOUNDATION

GSPC Chorale Sami Anselmo

BENEDICTION POSTLUDE

REV. REBEKAH ABEL LAMAR Water Music Suite

G.F. Handel (1685-1759) 3

Exodus 16:2-15

near to the Lord, for he has heard your

2 The whole congregation of the Israelites

complaining.’” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the

complained against Moses and Aaron in the

whole congregation of the Israelites, they

wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If

looked toward the wilderness, and the glory

only we had died by the hand of the Lord in

of

the land of Egypt, when we sat by the

cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and

fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you

said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the

have brought us out into this wilderness to

Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall

kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

eat meat, and in the morning you shall have

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going

your fill of bread; then you shall know that I

to rain bread from heaven for you, and each

am the Lord your God.’”

day the people shall go out and gather

13 In the evening quails came up and

enough for that day. In that way I will test

covered the camp; and in the morning there

them,

was

whether

they

will

follow

my

the

a

Lord

layer

appeared

of

dew

in

around

the

the

instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when

camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there

they prepare what they bring in, it will be

on the surface of the wilderness was a fine

twice as much as they gather on other

flaky substance, as fine as frost on the

days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the

ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they

Israelites, “In the evening you shall know

said to one another, “What is it?”[a] For they

that it was the Lord who brought you out of

did not know what it was. Moses said to

the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you

them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given

shall see the glory of the Lord, because he

you to eat.

has heard your complaining against the Lord.

For what are we, that you complain against

us?”

8

And

Moses

said,

“When

the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him— what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the

whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw 4

Ezra 3:10-13 10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments

were

stationed

to

praise

the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11 and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For

he

is

good,

for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites

and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard

far away.

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6

7

8

9

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CONGREGATIONAL MEETING will be held on Sunday, September 27 at 11 a.m. to elect Elders and Deacons for the Class of 2023.

Those worshipping from home will be able to join in on the meeting via Zoom.

Please watch your e-mail for an invitation that will be in the 8 a.m. e-mail on that day.

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

Government Street Presbyterian Church

CCLI# 11115660 Valid thru 10/31/2020 11

The Sanctuary Flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Mr. & Mrs. John Elliott Moses

By Marilyn & John Moses.

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

ADULT BIBLE STUDY (online) Women’s Bible Study—Tuesdays at 10AM Contact: Laurie Shorter or Mary Elizabeth Perry Sunday Book Study Group Sundays at 12:00 p.m. via Zoom Contact: Laurie Shorter

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 bookkeeper@gspcmobile.org BARBARA WILLIAMS Hostess barbara@gspcmobile.org

THIS WEEK AT GSPC

Worship with us via Live-stream on

SHELIA SMITH Director of Food Services MARILYN MILLS Sexton

Sundays at 10 a.m.

ARTHUR LEWIS Sexton 

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