Sunday February 2, 2025 Worship Service
Livestream at 11:10 a.m.

Ordination and Installation of Elders and Deacons

Gathering in God’s Name

Prelude —  Rhosymedre — Ralph Vaughan Williams
As the prelude begins, you are invited to begin your personal preparation for worship.

Silent Meditation — (from the Presbyterian Church USA Book of Order)|
“As there were in Old Testament times ELDERS for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people…”                                

“The ministry of DEACON as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures or anyone in distress.”

Call to Worship — (based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
Love is patient.
       Love is kind.
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
       Love does not insist on its own way.
Love is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing.
       Love rejoices in the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
       Love never ends. Let us worship the Lord who loves us without boundaries.

Praise and Adoration

*Hymn of Praise #767 — Together We Serve — SAN ANSELMO         
(*Please stand, if you are able)

Confession and Pardon

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, it’s tempting to give up and give in, to hide from the injustices of the world, to protect ourselves and our own, to avoid the news, fearing the worst.  Forgive our sins of escape, of ignoring, of turning our backs on those in need. Forgive our sins of apathy when you call us to action.

Silent Prayers of Confession and Petition

Kyrie Eleison (#434) — Restore in Us, O God — BAYLOR

Assurance of Pardon

*Gloria Patri (#581) — GLORIA PATRI (Greatorex)

*Welcome                
During the welcome, children are invited to come forward for their time with Dr. Zieman.

Time for Young Disciples

Announcements

Moment for Mission — Ellen Smith, Presbyterian Mission co-worker

Fellowship of Prayer

Joys and Concerns

Prayers of the People
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.

Anthem  — O Love (11:10)  — Elaine Hagenberg

Proclamation of God’s Word

Scripture Lesson — Luke 4: 21-30 — page 835 of the pew Bible

Sermon — “Lightning Rod” — Dr. Zieman

Our Response to God’s Word

*Affirmation of Faith — from The Confession of Belhar (South Africa, 1986)
We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.

*Sanctus — Holy, Holy, God Almighty — DIVINUM MYSTERIUM

Presentation of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory — Lord, Here Am I — John Ness Beck   

*Doxology (#607) — “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” OLD HUNDREDTH
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise Christ, all people here below;
praise Holy Spirit evermore; praise Triune God, whom we adore.  Amen.

*Prayer of Dedication

Service of Ordination, Installation, and Commissioning of Officers
Leader:           There are different gifts.
People:           But it is the same spirit who gives them.
Leader:           There are different ways of serving God.
People:           But it is the same Lord who is served.
Leader:           God works through different people in different ways.
People:           But it is the same God whose purpose is achieved through them all.
Leader:           Each one is given a gift by the Spirit,
People:           To use for the common good.
Leader:           Together we are the Body of Christ,
People:           And individually members of him.

Presentation
At last week’s Congregational Meeting, these individuals were elected to serve our church as a new class of Elders and Deacons.  Today they are presented for ordination and installation:

Elder (3-year term)
Jimmy Downes          
Jon Fritz                 
Susan Geschwender                                      
Charlotte Hubbard
Gary Marron               
Trudy Meyer        
Scott Stalnaker              
Pam Swenson

Deacon (3-year term)
Russ Beernink            
Cherri Carpenter 
Anna Flairty                                                  
Barbara Haar-Rightmyer
Ann Pearson               
Corey Prideaux    
Sandy Simpson                                                  
Barbara Thompson
Kristine Gasko (1-year term)

Constitutional Questions

Prayer of Ordination and Laying On of Hands to those Newly Ordained

*Hymn of Dedication #761 —  Called as Partners in Christ’s Service — BEECHER

*Charge and Benediction

*Benediction Response — Peace I Leave with You — Mrs. H. H. A. Beach                                                                    

Postlude — How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord — John Behnke