Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 11 a.m.
PRELU DE Forty days and forty nights
Alvin Blount, organ
CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP
WELCOME
INVITATION TO WORSHIP
HYMN NO. 315
Malcolm Archer
Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 11 a.m.
SILENCE & PASTORAL PRAYER
NEW TESTAMENT Luke 10:27
Rev. Jonathan Hall
Welcome to church! Make yourself at home here.
Pamela James
Pamela James
MIT FREUDEN ZART
Sing Praise to God, Who Reigns Above
CONFESSION OF SIN/ASSURANCE OF PARDON Rev. Allie Osborne
All: Holy and merciful God, in Your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings and our offenses against You. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from Your ways, in wasting Your gifts, in forgetting Your love. Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are ashamed and sorry for all we have done to displease You. Forgive our sins, and help us to live in Your light and walk in Your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
Leader: Hear the good news! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun. Know that in Jesus, God embraces you, forgives you and strengthens you to live a renewed life.
All: Thanks be to God. Amen!
OLD TESTAMENT Psalm 51:1–13 Lynn Handley (p. 452–453 in your pew bible)
ANTHEM Create in Me a Clean Heart Leavitt Sanctuary Choir; Alvin Blount, organ
OFFERTORY PRAYER Deborah Painter
OFFERTORY In the Garden Gerald Near Alvin Blount, organ
DOXOLOGY (HYMN NO. 706) OLD 100TH
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Rev. Ronnie Brewer (p. 844 in your pew bible)
All: You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
SERMON Dark Corners: Change and Sin Rev. Brewer
THE LORD'S SUPPER
Anyone who proclaims Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is invited to join us in the Lord's Supper.
HYMN OF RESPONSE (HYMN INSERT) TOPLADY Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Those wishing to join Second-Ponce today are invited to come down front at this time.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT
BENEDICTION
CONGREGATIONAL BENEDICTION
Bow down before Him, love and adore Him; His name is wonderful! Jesus, my Lord.
Rev. Hall
Rev. Brewer
GREEN GUEST CARD: FOR FIRST TIMERS
Use it to share as much information as you like and drop it in the offering plate. We understand that some people are hesitant to fill out church cards. It's true—a member of our pastoral staff will reach out, but you won't be flooded with communication. Engagement with us will be at your own pace.
RED CARD: FOR RETURNING GUESTS & SPDL MEMBERS
If you're a guest who's ready to take the next step or a church member who wants to deepen your involvement, fill out the red pew card—I'm a Regular—and drop it in the offering plate. Let us know how we can help.
WHERE CAN I FIND ...
Bathrooms | There are restrooms on each floor of the church. Bathrooms with changing tables are on the third floor down from the Fellowship Hall. Restrooms closest to the Sanctuary are near the church office.
Emergency Care/First Aid Greeters and Bible study leaders can help you receive first aid before worship. If you need help during the service, see one of our uniformed officers just outside of the Sanctuary.
Water Fountains | Water fountains are by the restrooms on each floor.
POSTLUDE Sortie Richard Knight Alvin Blount, organ
The flowers in the Baptistry are in honor and celebration of
REID WHITAKER, FOR HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY ON MARCH 10.
They are given by his loving family, Edie, Lang, Isabel, Beck, Claire, Andrew, Liza, Megan, Abby and Caroline.
We love to see children at Second-Ponce, and we have a Kids’ Club area just for them! It's one floor up from the Sanctuary, and our greeters will be happy to show you the way. In the Kids' Club, there’s a nursery and Kids Worship for babies–5th grade. You may take your children to the Kids' Club before the service or, if you prefer, they can stay with you in the Sanctuary for the entire hour or until the Doxology when kids leave with ministry leaders.
Second-Ponce enthusiastically welcomes you to make a commitment to Christ and our community of faith. At any time during the Hymn of Response, simply walk to the front of the Sanctuary where a member of our ministry team will greet you with warmth and joy. If you're uncomfortable being "in the spotlight," but still want to join–that's ok! Speak with one of our ministers after worship and they'll walk you through an alternate plan.
Sun, Mar. 9 After Worship | The Home Depot Backyard
Second-Ponce is continuing the tradition of participating in the Atlanta Community Food Bank's Hunger Walk/Run, and we need your support! Donate and/or sign up to participate at www.spdl.org/events.
UPCOMING EVENTS
SUPPER & SPDLU | NEW SERIES FOR LENT
Wed, Mar. 12 | Supper: 5 p.m. Study: 6 p.m. | Meal Cost: $10/adult; $5/child
Join us for a 5-week Lenten study of The Grace of Les Misérables by Matt Rawle. This study will make powerful connections between scripture, Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel and its Broadway musical adaptation. Rev. Jonathan Hall will take us through a theme exploration of justice, poverty, grace and love.
Menu: Fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens, salad and dessert
RSVP: By Noon, Mon, Mar. 10, at www.spdl.org/events
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S LENTEN BUILD
Sat, Mar. 29 | 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. | Lunch included
We’re looking to send a team of 7 to help build a home for an Atlanta-area neighbor. This is day 6 of a 7-day build. Our group will help touch-up and finish exterior and interior painting, complete the soffit and fascia, as well as interior and exterior finishes. Sign up at www.spdl.org/events
Sat, Apr. 5 Meet at 8:30 a.m. to ride the bus or carpool from SPdL | Return: 4 p.m. Cost: $10 (includes lunch)
Join the Discipleship Council as we take a field trip to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers! We will visit the museum and visitor center, enjoy a presentation from a resident monk, participate in a mass, eat lunch and have a chance to wander the beautiful grounds. We'll be taking the small bus (so seating is limited) and will provide lunch. You may drive yourself or carpool but we still need an RSVP since our total space is limited. Sign up by Fri, March, 28, at www.spdl.org/events or through Karen Harwell (kharwell@spdl.org or 404.591.4357).
Sat, Apr. 12 | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | Egg hunting waves | Free and open to public Grab your baskets and your buddies and hop on down to our annual Community Egg Hunt! This free and fun event is open to everyone and includes inflatables, food, a raffle, games, face painting, a balloon artist and crafts. Children will hunt eggs in two waves by age. Don't miss this highly anticipated community gathering and invite your friends, too!
Candy collection happening now! Drop your individually wrapped candy donations in the designated bins in the Welcome Center.
True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World Mon, June 2–Fri, June 6 | 9 a.m.–Noon | $35/child
During this year's Vacation Bible School, we'll guide kids on the ultimate Alaskan adventure where northern lights glow over majestic mountains, racing rivers and glistening glaciers. As children trek the tundra, they’ll explore how easy it is to lose sight of what’s true in our wild world today. True North VBS points them toward Jesus and shows He is a faithful friend we can always trust. Register your child or sign up to volunteer at www.spdl.org/vbs.
Conceived during the pandemic, this series of paintings blends influences of Vanitas paintings and Day of the Dead imagery. Vanitas, a hallmark of the European Renaissance, serves as a reminder of life’s impermanence, while Day of the Dead references infuse the work with celebration and remembrance. The vibrant colors and lively depictions of insects and flowers embrace death as a natural part of the human experience. The work serves as a reminder to cherish life while contemplating our universal inevitable truth.
Joe Peragine's multidisciplinary practice spans public art, animation, and traditional media, with work exhibited nationally and internationally. His projects include commissions for Art in General (NYC), Islip Museum of Art (NY), and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Atlanta), where he received the Atlanta Urban Design Commission Award of Excellence for Public Art. In 2001, Peragine participated in an international symposium on art and science in Beijing, hosted by Tsing Hua University and the National Museum of Fine Art of China.
Peragine was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1961. He completed his undergraduate work in fine art at the University of Georgia, Athens, and in 1995 received his MFA in painting from Georgia State University, Atlanta. Joe Peragine is the Director of the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the same university.
March is Baptist Women in Ministry's Month of Advocacy. Jesus called women to proclaim the gospel, included them among His disciples and uplifted them as examples of deep faithfulness. As Jesus’ followers, we should do the same. Visit www.spdl.org/faithresources for information and inspiration to support God's call for women in the church.
40 WEEKS OF PRAYER GUIDE
Week 32 Mar. 9–15: Create in Me a Clean Heart
This week we begin a series of Lenten-themed prayers which will run through Good Friday.
Read/Pray: Pray the 51st Psalm aloud, pausing between key phrases as parsed below to confess your sins and ask God for forgiveness, restoration and joy, as the scripture prompts.
SUNDAY, MARCH 9
Noon ACFB Hunger Walk/Run
MONDAY, MARCH 10
Noon Fellowship Supper RSVP Due
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12
5 p.m. Fellowship Supper
6 p.m. Adult Discipleship (SPdLU)*
7:05 p.m. Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal
*This
SUNDAY, MARCH 16
9:15 a.m. Coffee & Fellowship 9:45 a.m. Bible Study & Sunday School for Children, Youth & Adults 11 a.m. Worship*