First Presbyterian Church of Potsdam

Holy Spirit: Heal and preserve us. Fill this place with songs of praise.
Fuel our lives with power and grace. Renew this world, we pray, that it
might glow with the light of your love and show forth your salvation.
*Assurance of Pardon
First Presbyterian Church
Worship joyfully the One who awaits your praise!
JUNE 12, 2011
PENTECOST and BICENTENNIAL SERVICE
*Gloria Patri
Preparation for Worship (for silent meditation)
“Thereafter the day shall come when I will pour out my spirit on all
humanity; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall
dream dreams and your young men see visions.” – Joel 2:28
WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Minister: Christ is risen.
People: He is risen indeed.
Tidings of the Church
Preludes
“Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty” – arr. Lloyd Larson
Handbell Choir
“Intrada”
-Pezel
The Riverside Brass
Introit
“O Rise and Sing”
– James Biery
“O rise and sing to God today! And call on our Creator’s might:
The will of God to be our guide, the eye of God to be our sight.
The word of God to be our song, the hand of God to be our stay
The shield of God to be our strength, the path of God to be our way.”
Call to Worship
One: How wonderful are God’s works! In wisdom God made them all
All: The sea, the creeping things, all living things both great
And small show forth the glory of God.
One: May the glory of God endure forever.
All: We will sing praise to God as long as we live.
One: I will sing praise while I have being.
All: May our meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
One: Bless the Lord, O my soul.
All: For God’s steadfast love endures forever.
*Processional Hymn
“On Pentecost They Gathered”
128
*Prayer of Confession (in unison) Holy Spirit, how we need you! Our
vision is dim, our dreams too small. Come Holy Spirit: Inspire and
direct us. Our hearts are cold. Our faith is feeble. Come, Holy Spirit:
Kindle fire within us. Our body is broken, our unity breached. Come,
601a
*Sharing of the Peace of Christ
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you
Psalm reading: 104:24-34,35b read by four generations of FPC
members
Joel Merriman: O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
The earth is full of your creatures.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
Creeping things innumerable are there,
Living things both small and great.
Ranota Hewitson: There go the ships,
And Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
These all look to you
To give them their food in due season;
When you give to them, they gather it up;
When you open your hand,
They are filled with good things.
Brad Hewitson: When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
When you take away their breath, they die
And return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit,
They are created;
And you renew the face of the ground.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in his works—
Who looks on the earth and it trembles,
Avery Raymonda: Who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God
While I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
For I rejoice in the Lord.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!
Acts Reading
Acts 2:8
We also hear in many tongues
Hebrew – Tom Ballard; German – Laura Toland: Arabic – Lora Lunt:
French – Richard Lunt; Mohawk – Tom Longshore; Russian – Ruth Kreuzer;
Latin – Dave Powers; Greek – Tom Ballard; Spanish – Dave Powers;
Norwegian – Pam Whittet; English – ALL.
A word about Pentecost, our 200th, and the future here.
- Rev. Dr. Tom Ballard
Epistle Reading
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
(see insert)
Anthem
“Legacy of Service” – Joseph Martin, Lloyd Larson
“Upon a firm foundation God has built this place;
A church of living stones, established by His grace.
The saints who went before us were faithful to the call.
Their legacy compels us to dedicate our all.
The work has just begun; the journey lies before us.
There’s music to be sung; a strong and mighty chorus.
God is always faithful; His promises are true.
The work has just begun, and God will see it through.
This day of celebration we lift our thanks above.
We sing to God our praise for all good gifts of love.
The voices of our founders still echo through these halls.
That heritage still calls us to answer Love’s great call.
Christ who began this holy work shall finish it in His own time.
We are the clay in the Potter’s hand, the living church,
God’s great and grand design! The work has just began!”
Julie Miller, Piano; Riverside Brass and the Westminster Homecoming Choir
“God is Like a Rock”
Children’s Time
– Natalie Sleeth
Sunday School and Martin Heintzelman, Piano
WE PROCLAIM GOD’S WORD
Prayer for Illumination
Gospel Reading
John 20:19-23
(see insert)
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
“Open Our Mouths”
The Rev. Scott Barton
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*Affirmation of Faith
Hymn/Anthem
The Apostles’ Creed
“Clouds of Witnesses Surround Us”
page 14
– Robert Hobby
Insert hymn here
Bicentennial Minute
Dedication of the “Clouds of Witnesses” Quilt
The Ladies Guild of First Presbyterian
Joys and Concerns, Recognition of Fifty Year Members Wanda Paro
and W. Nye Smith, and Prayer of Intercession
A Litany for the Cloud of Witnesses
MINISTER: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen.
LITURGIST: BY faith unknown Christians throughout the centuries have
labored for God, not knowing how great the results might be.
MINISTER: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice that
Cain…and through it he, being dead, yet speaks.
LITURGIST: By faith the first Christians defied the imperial power of
Rome, and through persecution, out of weakness were made strong:
Apostles, Martyrs and Saints.
MINISTER: By faith Enoch had witness borne to him that he was wellpleasing unto God.
LITURGIST: By faith, when wealth and power had corrupted the Church,
St. Francis and St. Theresa, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Bunyan and
Wesley revealed fresh truth. Martin Luther King, Jr. demonstrated the truth.
CONGREGATION: By faith joining the cloud of witnesses those in the
North Country continued the faith.
LITURGIST: By faith the believing community built the present sandstone
church.
CONGREGATION: By faith the Sisson family with Quaker roots
worked in all areas of the Presbyterian Church, provided music
leadership and gave the organ.
MINISTER: The faith continued with the leadership of Art and Mary Ellen
Frackenpohl in worship and service.
CONGREGATION: By faith we will, with the help of God, continue
the traditions for generations to come. We shall be witnesses to all
people, to the uttermost parts of the earth, teaching everyone to observe
all things which Christ has commanded us.
Presentation of Tithes and Offerings
Offertory
“Down By the Riverside”
-Arthur Frackenpohl
The Riverside Brass
*Doxology (591) and Prayer of Thanksgiving
*Bicentennial Hymn
(please turn the page)
Congregation, Choir, and Philhymnonic
WE GO IN GOD’S NAME
*Charge and Benediction
Congregation, Choir and Philhymnonic:
“God be with you till we meet again;
Loving counsels guide, uphold you,
With a Shepherd’s care enfold you:
God be with you till we meet again.”
-Rev. Jeremiah Rankin, 1880
*Postlude
“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
-David Cherwien
* Stand as you are able
The moment of silence after the Benediction is given for personal praise
and thanksgiving. The first note of the Postlude will dismiss us.
* Assisted hearing devices are available. Please see an usher if you would
like one.
* Bags of activities for children are available at the entrance of the Center.
Please pick up one for your child to use or see a greeter.
* Nursery care is available for infants and toddlers. Of course, children of
any age are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary during worship.
We welcome you to First Presbyterian Church, and invite you to coffee
hour after the service. We are strengthened by your presence, and hope
that being here brings blessings to you. If you would like to become a
member of the church, please speak to Pastor Tom, who will be happy to
help you get started. There are three ways to become a member: profession
of faith, reaffirmation of faith, or letter of transfer.
Participants:
Interim Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Tom Ballard
Guest Pastor: The Rev. Scott Barton
Readers of the Psalm:
Joel Merriman
Ranota Hewitson
Brad Hewitson
Avery Raymonda
Readers of the Acts Reading:
Rev. Dr. Tom Ballard – Hebrew & Greek
Laura Toland – German
Lora Lunt – Arabic
Richard Lunt – French
Tom Longshore – Mohawk
Ruth Kreuzer – Russian
Dave Powers – Latin & Spanish
Pam Whittet – Norwegian
The Riverside Brass;
Trumpets: Paul Buell, John Schorge
French Horn: Ray Schaberg
Trombone: Peter McCoy
Tuba: Charles Guy
The Potsdam Philhymnonic and Arthur Frackenpohl, Director
Westminister Homecoming Choir
Pianist: Julie Miller
Organist and Choir Director: Laura Toland
Liturgists:
The Rev. Dr. Tom Ballard
Dawn Bartow
Handbell Choir
Greeters: Robert & Sharon Pickard
Counters: Ranota Hewitson & JoAnne Partch
Coffee hour: Bicentennial Committee
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
A community gathering in Christ and ministering as God leads
The flowers on the communion table were given in honor of
Chip and Rosalie Hunter and "hometown" church family
with love from The Hunter Girls.
42 Elm Street
Potsdam, New York 13676
(315) 265-9434
Email: p1presch@twcny.rr.com
Website Address: www.potsdampresbyterian.org