The Love of God Is Here for You

Amazing Grace!!

Pastor Karen Crawford, The Presbyterian Church in Coshocton, Ohio

Sometimes we do things that we wish we hadn’t done. That happened to my cat, Seamus, today. He was horsing around with his brother and knocked over a lamp–and a lot of other stuff–from Jim’s nightstand. Here’s what it looked like after Seamus was done:

This is what happened when we started cleaning up the mess. Seamus suddenly disappeared! Jim found him hiding underneath his dresser. Of course, he didn’t know his legs were sticking out.

But there was no reason to hide from us. He wasn’t going to get in trouble. We didn’t scold him. We offered him grace and forgiveness. Jim said, “We’re not mad at you. And we know you will probably do it again.”

And this is what we do–we hide from the Lord when we have done something wrong. And yet, God is the one who will always forgive us and love us. He offers us, through belief in His Son, Jesus, the gift of living forever with him. We call this eternal life. Thanks be to God for His amazing grace and gift of eternal life!

Meditation on Genesis 21:8-21

Father’s Day, June 21, 2020

Pastor Karen Crawford

    

Happy Father’s Day to all our dads and grandads!

      I feel grateful and blessed on this day for my husband, Jim. He is a pretty special guy, a wonderful husband to me and father to both his biological children and those he gained when we got married nearly 15 years ago.

      We met when I was a busy journalist, working more than full time as a religion reporter for the York Daily Record in York, PA. He wasn’t scared away by my three boys, the youngest of whom was only 7 when we met. Our courtship was more like a pursuit, with me turning down every invitation Jim would extend. Would I go out to dinner? No, I didn’t have time. What about lunch? Well, I don’t take a lunch hour. What about coffee? Maybe someday. By the time I said yes and we got to the coffee shop he had told me all about, the restaurant had gone out of business. After we got married in 2005, we were a blended family with 6 kids, with his three grown and living on their own. Our family, however, was nothing like the fictitious Brady Bunch of the 1970s. The Bradys, though they had their little squabbles and problems, always worked them out before the credits rolled for the 30-minute sitcom.

    That isn’t how it has been for our family. Is this how it is for yours? We are still a work in progress. Real life is MUCH more complicated than anything we see on TV. Isn’t it?

***

This is how it is with Abraham and Sarah’s story. SO complicated for us in today’s world to understand. When we meet them in Genesis 21, their lives are strange even for their time because of Abraham’s relationship with God. In chapter 12, when he’s 75, God speaks to him for the first time. Can you imagine that day, when Abraham runs to tell Sarah, “Honey, pack your bags. We are going to the place God will show me. God is going to make a great nation of me!”

    The amazing thing was that they didn’t have any kids; not a one! And Sarah was no spring chicken. Still they go, obeying God’s voice. They have many adventures together in Genesis, including a trip to Egypt during a famine. Abraham, worried about Sarah’s beauty and Pharaoh killing him for his wife, passes her off as his sister. Pharaoh does try to take Sarah into his harem, but then discovers their deception. With God’s blessing and protection, Abraham and Sarah are miraculously freed to leave Egypt with all of their possessions.

    Years pass. Angels visit and promise the couple a child. Abraham believes, but then more time passes. It’s taking TOO long! Sarah decides that the only way Abraham is going to have the child he so desperately wants, is if he has a child with her Egyptian slave, Hagar.

     Talk about a complicated family situation!

     Abraham goes along with this plan because he loves Sarah. And yes, he wants a child–maybe more than he cares about pleasing the Lord. Perhaps he convinces himself that this IS God’s will, but he never asks the Lord. This choice they make, makes a BIG mess of things.

     A few years after Hagar gives birth to Ishmael, Abraham and Sarah have Isaac, the child God had promised the now 100- year old man when he was 75. But Ishmael is already Abraham’s legitimate son and heir, recognized also by Sarah as her own child.

   Things came to head at Isaac’s weaning party in verse 9, when he might have been as old has 3 or 4. Notice that the name Ishmael isn’t uttered in this passage; nor do we hear him speak. He is “the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham.” The straw that breaks the camel’s back is when Sarah sees him “playing” or isaacing with Isaac, a kind of play on words. Isaac’s name means laughing, loving, and playing in Hebrew and may have sexual connotations, meaning Isaac may have been the victim of inappropriate touch. Ishmael is a boy, not an infant by this time, contrary to how he is often portrayed with his mother in works of art. Sarah  demands that Abraham cast out and cut off Hagar and her son. Verse 11 reveals Abraham’s emotional state, “ The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son”—meaning his son, Ishmael, whom he loved, just as he loved Isaac.

    But being a man of faith, whom the prophet Isaiah 41:8 calls a “friend to God,” he turns to the Lord for comfort and guidance. The Lord offers both. Verse 12, “God says, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you.”

    God’s lavish grace is extended even to the son of a slave woman for whom God promises, “I will make a nation of him, also, because he is your offspring.’”

    In the next passage, we have a picture of a loving and sensitive man—Abraham—who doesn’t send a servant to do his dirty work. He rises early—before anyone else is up—and takes bread and a skin of water, and gives it to Hagar, gently putting it on her shoulder, along with the child. Can you imagine the emotional goodbye? Yes, he loves both women and sons. But he loves the Lord more and obeys, sending Hagar and the child away.

    This very well could have been the end for the Egyptian slave and her son. But no. We have a God who cares for the poor and oppressed, those without voice or rights in every society. God’s promise of blessing to all of Abraham’s offspring is fulfilled.

    God hears the voice of the boy and sends an angel. “What troubles you, Hagar?” he asks his mother. “Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.  Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” 

    And God our loving, heavenly Father sends a spring of water in the desert for the boy and his mom. God’s provision and protection don’t end there. In verse 20, we read, “God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness.” In this harsh and lonely environment, Abraham’s eldest child becomes a mighty hunter, an expert with the bow.

***

     This is my family’s first Father’s Day without my dad. And yet, the Lord has revealed in this time of wilderness, that God is filling us with springs of water in the desert. We are not just surviving, we are thriving, as God is still with us in our grief and loss. It’s a journey.

     What captivates me in our Scripture today is not so much the complicated family story of Abraham and Sarah, but the grace of God who works to bring order and clarity to the muddle that we make of our lives! God’s purposes are still accomplished through us. God is everyone’s heavenly father. He is the God of the poor and oppressed, rejected and despised, outcast and marginalized. He is the God of those who were given much, including us. But he has made us all that we are and given us all that we have so that we would be a blessing to him and grow the Kingdom. He wants us to join with Christ in his ministry of reconciliation, says Paul in 2 Cor. 5. We are called to be repairers of the breach, says Isaiah in 58:12. We are called to take up our crosses and follow him, says Jesus in Matthew 10.

     This coronavirus has led us all to a kind of scary wilderness, complicating our lives more than they were before. But the Lord knows everything about us and this wilderness. All things will work together for God’s purposes and our good, just as they did for Abraham and Sarah, though they waited for decades for the promises to be fulfilled.

      This is the Lord that knows and cares when one little sparrow falls from the sky and cares so much more for us.

     Do not be afraid.

     Trust and obey the one who hears you when you cry, just as he hears and responds with love, mercy and compassion to the son of a slave in the ancient world, the voice of a boy.

Let us pray.

Holy One, we thank you for all that we are and all that we have—knowing that everything has come from you. Thank you for the blessing of our families—people to love. We ask for a blessing on our fathers and grandfathers and that you will comfort those grieving the loss of their loved ones. Our family situations are complicated, Lord. We ask for your forgiveness for how we have sometimes have made a muddle of our lives and gone our own way, without seeking your will. Only you know how things really are and only you can bring order to chaos and clarity to what is unclear. Only you can heal broken hearts and wounded relationships. Send your Spirit to bring peace and reconciliation to our families and communities. Use us to be the voice for the oppressed, to befriend the despised and outcast, to draw near to the marginalized and walk with those who are struggling with illness or disease, joblessness, homelessness, or hopelessness. Stir us to be, first and foremost, your friend, like Abraham, and a friend to our neighbors in need. Amen.

Pastor Karen reads the book, Who Counts? 100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons

by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso.

https://sermons4kids.com/prodigal-son-colorpg.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/prodigal_son_crossword.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/prodigal_son_wordsearch.htm

Praise Song: Consider the Lilies, sung by Claire Crosby

The Presbyterian Church, 142 N. 4th St., Coshocton, OH 43812

Pastor Karen Crawford

Liturgist: Don Harrison

Musicians: Alice Hoover, Mark Wagner and Caroline Heading

Prelude: My Faith Is Firmly Found by J.S. Bach, ed. by Dorothy Wells; Alice Hoover, Organ

Greeting/Announcements with Pastor Karen

Opening Sentences and Gathering Prayer: Don and Betty Harrison

To you, O Lord, we lift our souls; to you we offer our lives.

For you are good and forgiving, and abounding in steadfast love.

In heaven, on earth, there is none like you. Your works are beyond compare.

For you are great; you work wonders. You alone are God.

Hymn: Faith of Our Fathers; Alice Hoover, Organ

Faith of our fathers, living still, in spite of dungeons, fire, and sword; O how our hearts beat high with joy whene’er we hear that glorious word!

Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death.

Faith of our fathers, we will strive to win all nations unto thee; and through the truth that comes from God, we all shall then be truly free.

Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death.

Faith of our fathers, we will love both friend and foe in all our strife; and preach thee, too, as love knows how by kindly words and virtuous life.

Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death.

Call to Confession/Confession/Assurance of Pardon

God of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, God of Hagar and Ishmael, who gave us your Son, Jesus Christ the crucified, send your Holy Spirit to help us confess and truly repent of our sins. We turn against one another; we fail to care for the weak and poor among us. We pay no heed to the cries of the powerless; we seek our own advantage. Your Son emptied himself upon a Roman cross and revealed your eternal, self-giving love. Forgive us, merciful God. Wipe sin from our lives and let us find ourselves wholly in Jesus Christ, our Savior. It is in his name that we pray. Amen.

Anthem: Be Not Afraid, Celebration Singers

“Celebration Singers gathered on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 to rehearse for Christmas Eve.  We were happy to have some alumni – home from college – with us!  At the end of the rehearsal we sang a favorite: Craig Courtney’s anthem based on Isaiah 43:1b-2;4a “Be Not Afraid.”  We shared thoughts about the text, and then talked about Mr. Courtney, who was grieving the death of his son.  We decided to record it and send it to him. Caroline Heading is the pianist.” —Chuck Snyder

Time With Children

Praise Song: Consider the Lilies, sung by Claire Crosby

Prayer for Illumination and Matthew 10:24-39: Don Harrison

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ!

Anthem: His Eye Is on the Sparrow, Caroline Heading, Piano

Genesis 21:8-21 Reading with Pastor Karen

Holy wisdom, holy word. Thanks be to God!

Message: God Heard the Voice of the Boy Pastor Karen

Hymn 393: Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said (Charles William Everest), Alice Hoover, Organ

Take up your cross,” the Savior said,
“if you would my disciple be;
take up your cross with willing heart,
and humbly follow after me.”

Take up your cross; let not its weight
fill your weak spirit with alarm;
Christ’s strength shall bear your spirit up
and brace your heart and nerve your arm.

Take up your cross, heed not the shame,
and let your foolish heart be still;
the Lord for you accepted death
upon a cross, on Calv’ry’s hill.

Take up your cross, then, in Christ’s strength,
and calmly ev’ry danger brave:
it guides you to abundant life
and leads to vict’ry o’er the grave.

Affirmation of Faith Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.32–33

The life, death, resurrection, and promised coming of Jesus Christ has set the pattern for the church’s mission. His human life involves the church in the common life of all people. His service to men and women commits the church to work for every form of human well-being. His suffering makes the church sensitive to all human suffering so that it sees the face of Christ in the faces of persons in every kind of need. His crucifixion discloses to the church God’s judgment on the inhumanity that marks human relations, and the awful consequences of the church’s own complicity in injustice. In the power of the risen Christ and the hope of his coming, the church sees the promise of God’s renewal of human life in society and of God’s victory over all wrong. The church follows this pattern in the form of its life and in the method of its action. So to live and serve is to confess Christ as Lord.

Invitation to the Offering with Pastor Karen

Offertory: This Is My Father’s World and Fairest Lord Jesus (Hailey Smith)

Prayer of Thanksgiving/Dedication and Lord’s Prayer with Pastor Karen

Holy One, incarnate One, dynamic One, God who is Trinity, we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving for the life in Christ Jesus that we receive from you. You have shown that your mercy overcomes sin and evil and brings relief from oppression. We thank you for your steadfast love that keeps covenant with your people. In Christ we know the depth of your care for all that you create. We invite the Holy Spirit to help us so that we can praise you eternally in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. 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.

Charge/Benediction

Postlude: Faith of Our Fathers, Mark Wagner, Piano

In Memory of Robert Stewart Kinkley

March 19, 1933-Feb. 21, 2020

Pastor Karen Crawford

 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.— Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

***

The first thing I noticed about Bob Kinkley was his smile. His whole face lit up!  And how happy he and Janie looked when they were in church together. Such a handsome couple. I remember a Sunday last summer, when Janie was our liturgist. She did a great job! I looked over at Bob while she was speaking, and, yes, he was smiling, so proud of his wife. I didn’t know then that he was a retired dentist, making the world a better, healthier place and encouraging people to feel good about themselves when they smiled and take care of their teeth and gums.

    My husband has a dentist story he shared some years ago. When he was a child, the only time he ever got a spanking was when he refused to go to the dentist. He had had a bad experience. It’s too bad he didn’t have Dr. Kinkley as his dentist. He was so gentle. Children loved him! Everybody loved him. The vet in Florida started to cry when Janie told them Bob had passed. He was the nicest client they ever had.

    Bob’s passions were his family, including his dogs, Ohio State football, and golf. Lulu, a 70-pound rescue dog, was Janie and Bob’s 12^th dog together. She held a special place in his heart, but he loved them all. Among his favorite pastimes were watching the Buckeyes play, walking his dog and riding the tractor, mowing the lawn to make a perfect putting green.

    Both Bob and Janie have a long history with Coshocton. They have known one another most of their lives. They didn’t meet in church because he grew up at Grace Methodist and Janie, The Presbyterian Church. Let me see if I have this right. Bob was a neighbor of Janie’s friend in high school. But there was a time for friendship before it blossomed into romantic love. It took time. Bob dated Janie’s older sister, Mary Ellen, first, but Mary Ellen fell in love and married another. Bob was crushed, not knowing God’s wonderful plan for him. Janie’s parents worshiped Bob or “Kink” as he was called. Janie’s mom assured him—not to worry. “I have another one for you,” she said.

     No, it wasn’t an arranged marriage, by any means. And there was never any tension between the sisters over boys. It just took some time before Bob realized that Janie was the one God had chosen for him and maybe to work up the courage to ask the beautiful young woman with a gorgeous smile to go out with him.

    First, Bob tried to fix Janie up with a friend of his on a blind date! Finally, Bob called and asked her to go to a dental fraternity dance. They got married in the main sanctuary of The Presbyterian Church on Dec. 28, 1957, just before the Buckeyes went to the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 1958 and defeated the Oregon Webfoots 10-7. Bob was extremely bright and hardworking. He graduated from Ohio State Dental School in May of that year after 6 years of study. During that time, he experienced the tragic loss of his father, Kenneth Kinkley. Janie was a college junior at OSU when they married. She didn’t want to wait any longer because she was worried about her father’s failing health and wanted him to be at their wedding. But she would finish her degree later and then a master’s from OSU, while serving her community as a teacher of young children.  

     Isn’t it strange how one’s life unfolds in unexpected ways? That’s how it was with Bob and Janie. In their early part of their marriage, Bob, who had completed ROTC, was drafted. It was the Korean War era. He served as a captain in the Army. He was sent to Fort Lee in Virginia. Janie went with him. They lived on the base, and he was so popular, they got invited to all the officer’s parties. Bob was being groomed for a career in the Army. But a car accident that left Janie with a broken back and in a cast for 3 months changed their plans. They returned to their family and hometown in Ohio. Bob began to serve Coshocton with his gifts and talents, setting up practice as a dentist in the home that had belonged to Janie’s dad’s mother, her paternal grandmother. He offered kindness, friendship, and gentle care to our community for 40 years at the corner of Mulberry and South 4^th Street, retiring in 2000.

      The writer of Ecclesiastes emphasizes the many seasons of our lives, seasons that we live out very differently, but seasons we all must go through. There is a time and a purpose for everything—and the time and purpose are always known by the Lord—and not by us at least, not while we are going through these times and seasons. We don’t have control over all these things—certainly not when we are born or when we die. God leads us to plant and keep on planting. We are called to sow seeds throughout our lives and trust God for the harvest. Bob did. He sowed seeds of kindness and love, always trying to be God’s instrument to help make the world that is broken and hurting, whole and healed.

    Throughout their 62 years together, Bob was devoted to Janie—giving her whatever she wanted, even the things that seemed impractical to him. She always wanted a convertible. She got it. And he was right. It was impractical. He was the homebody, and she liked to travel. But he wanted to be with her. So he went to Hawaii in 2014, even though he didn’t want to go. One year, they went to the Rose Bowl and took their two daughters. Wonderful memories were made on vacations at The Greenbrier in West Virginia and winters spent in Florida.

    When we are grieving the loss of a loved one, and struggling with all the life changes that inevitably means, we may lose sight of our hope in the Spirit that is with us now and working in us. One day, in God’s time, our mourning will turn to joy. God will make beauty from ashes, order from chaos. Our hearts and lives will be transformed in unexpected ways. But grief is unpredictable. You think it is gone, over and done, then it returns suddenly in waves, without warning with a thought, a sudden memory or a word someone says, a smell, sight or sound, maybe a song that you both loved. Some days, the tears will flow. Other days, the laughter will come and you will have God’s peace, living out your new life in Jesus Christ and all the surprises that come from walking with Him. You will have peace when you remember the promise of everlasting life with Him. This world that we see isn’t all there is. This is just the beginning.

    One day, we will see Him face to face. There will be no more suffering, sickness or disease. No more hunger or poverty, hatred or fear, division or war. The Body of Christ will be gathered around the heavenly banquet table, with all the saints from every time and place. Singing God’s praise. The Lord will wipe our tears away.

Amen.

Devotion on Matthew 9:35-10:8

Diane Jones, guest speaker

The Presbyterian Church, Coshocton, Ohio

June 14, 2020

    

As many of you may know, I am a city girl. Yes, I grew up in a suburb of Cleveland, so I do not know much about farming. In fact, my children tease me about how I once killed a cactus houseplant because I forgot to water it.  I do not particularly like to get my hands dirty and dig in the soil to plant impatiens in our yard.  But, nevertheless, every spring, I buy a flat of impatiens to plant around my light pole and six small starters of various herbs to transplant in six separate hanging baskets along our picket fence. This year, I planted white impatiens in our yard and in my herb garden, I planted parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, dill, and basil.  Speaking of my basil, it’s rather droopy, even though, I was told, “It will just perk up when you water it.”  I marvel at the wisdom of expert gardeners and farmers.  Perhaps I would be more successful if I read more books about gardening, took a sample of our soil to be tested at The Extension Office, or sought the expertise of a local Master Gardener. With all this talk about planting, I was even more amazed at how much I did not know about agriculture when I read Beth Moore’s recent book, Chasing Vines: Finding Your Way to an Immensely Fruitful Life. This was the selection for our church’s recent book discussion.

     A little over a month ago, during Ohio’s stay-at-home-order, Pastor Karen put out an email asking if there would be any interest in “gathering” once a week, to discuss Beth Moore’s recent book.  Of course, this would not be like our last, in-person book discussion in the Church Parlor.  Instead, this would be done virtually, through the technological forum called Zoom. Interest was expressed; we ordered our books, and shortly thereafter, our book discussion began. Every Thursday afternoon, our group of 9 women logged onto our personal, home computers and “Zoomed” into our gathering.  Here we were, looking at our monitors, and seeing each other in a Tic-Tac Toe, Brady Bunch style. Picture the layout of the 60s’ TV game show, Hollywood Squares: a 3 x 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes. In this configuration, we could share our thoughts about the chapters we had read, prompted by questions in the Group Experience Study Guide.  We discussed scriptures and Biblical commentary, talked about some of our own experiences, and watched a Vimeo recording in each session, led by Beth Moore, herself.  And along the way, we learned about the complicated process of growing grapes: finding the proper soil, planting, pruning, securing the supports, tending the vines; grafting, . . . etc. Before we began our study, Pastor Karen had asked if anyone would like to volunteer to lead a week’s discussion, and my turn came at the conclusion of our six-week study. My Session was titled, “The Harvest.” 

     In this session about the harvest, Beth Moore writes, “After the laboring, rock clearing, hoeing, weeding, waiting, growing, staking, guarding, pruning, weather watching, and clock watching, the time has finally come for grape picking.” The harvest has finally come! And the harvest provides a reason to be joyful and to celebrate. The field hands fill the rows for the ingathering; the less fortunate come along the perimeters to glean what was left behind, and the feasting begins.

     We read in today’s Psalm, 

“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2). “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through the generations” (Psalm 100:5).

God has provided us with many blessings, and for this, and so much more, we are to be thankful and joyful.  Harvesting, though it takes effort, should not be dreaded.  Gathering the abundant fruit of the field should be a joyful process.

   And now, this brings us to today’s New Testament Lesson: In the Book of Matthew, Chapter 9, verses 35-37, we read:

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus then called his twelve disciples to him and gave them these instructions: go into the towns and villages, preach the message and perform miracles of healing.  They would be the harvesters, gathering more believers in Christ.  Moreover, in other scriptures, we learn this harvesting is not to be limited to only the original 12 disciples, whom Jesus first sent.  It is our privilege, as Christians, to go out, tend the “fields,” and harvest a “crop” of followers of Christ.  How can we spread the good news?   How we live, the choices we make, the examples we set of loving service, and the words we share, are some of the ways we can bear witness to the love of God, the Father, the sacrifice of Christ, His Son, and the bountiful gift of The Holy Spirit. We are called to gather a harvest of souls, as we spread the good news of the saving grace of Christ, with the hope, peace, love, and joy available to all who believe, for now and forever.

Thanks be to God.

The Presbyterian Church, 142 N. 4th Street, Coshocton, Ohio 43812

Second Sunday After Pentecost

Pastor Karen Crawford

Guest Speaker: Diane Jones

Liturgists: George and Joani Brode and Jim Crawford

Musicians: Alice Hoover, Mark Wagner, and Caroline Heading

Prelude: Amazing Grace, Caroline Heading, Piano

Greeting/Announcements: Pastor Karen

Opening Sentences and Gathering Prayer: George and Joani Brode

Whether we stray like sheep or follow faithfully,

God welcomes us here.

Whether we seek healing and wholeness, or stand ready to extend compassion,

God welcomes us here.

Whether exhausted from journeys across rough terrain, or renewed and refreshed, our souls at peace, we gather to hear the good news:

The kingdom of heaven is at hand!

Hymn 386: O for a World, Alice Hoover, Organ

O for a world where everyone
respects each other’s ways,
where love is lived and all is done
with justice and with praise.

O for a world where goods are shared
and misery relieved,
where truth is spoken, children spared,
equality achieved.

We welcome one world family
and struggle with each choice
that opens us to unity
and gives our vision voice.

The poor are rich, the weak are strong,
the foolish ones are wise.
Tell all who mourn, outcasts belong,
who perishes will rise.

O for a world preparing for
God’s glorious reign of peace,
where time and tears will be no more,
and all but love will cease.

Call to Confession/Prayer of Confession/Assurance of Pardon with Pastor Karen

Holy God, you send us to proclaim the good news of your kingdom to all who are lost, all who are afflicted, all who are captive, all who have been cast out. But we are content to proclaim the in-breaking of your kingdom within familiar communities where we know others will receive this news with nods of agreement. Push us beyond what is comfortable and safe, and strengthen us for lives of compassionate service, that we might be the laborers you call us to be. Amen.

Anthem: Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Mark Wagner, Piano

Time with Children

Praise Song: 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman, Cover by Tiffany Kimberly Utama

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship his holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I’ll worship your holy name

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship his holy name
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name.

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul
Oh my soul, worship His holy name
Sing like never before, oh my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name.

I’ll worship Your holy name.
I’ll worship Your holy name.

Prayer for Illumination and Romans 5:1-8: George and Joani Brode

Matthew 9:35—10:8: Jim Crawford

This is the gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ!

Devotion: The Harvest, with guest speaker Diane Jones

Hymn: Standing on the Promises by Russell Kelso Carter

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Affirmation of Faith: Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.32–33

The life, death, resurrection, and promised coming of Jesus Christ has set the pattern for the church’s mission. His human life involves the church in the common life of all people. His service to men and women commits the church to work for every form of human well-being. His suffering makes the church sensitive to all human suffering so that it sees the face of Christ in the faces of persons in every kind of need. His crucifixion discloses to the church God’s judgment on the inhumanity that marks human relations, and the awful consequences of the church’s own complicity in injustice. In the power of the risen Christ and the hope of his coming, the church sees the promise of God’s renewal of human life in society and of God’s victory over all wrong. The church follows this pattern in the form of its life and in the method of its action. So to live and serve is to confess Christ as Lord.

Invitation to the Offering/Prayer of Dedication/Lord’s Prayer with Pastor Karen

Good and Holy God, for your steadfast love and faithfulness we give you thanks and bless your name. Let our whole lives become songs of gratitude, joy, and praise so that all the earth may know that we are your people and you are our God. 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, the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Praise Song: In Christ Alone, sung by Kristyn Getty with the All Souls Orchestra

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

Charge/Benediction: Pastor Karen

Postlude: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, setting by Lani Smith, Alice Hoover, Organ

Pastor Karen Crawford from The Presbyterian Church in Coshocton, Ohio, reads The Marvelous Mustard Seed by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso.

Activities for Children:

https://sermons4kids.com/jesus_calls_for_workers_wordsearch.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/jesus_calls_for_workers_choice.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/jesus_calls_for_workers_crossword.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/tell-friends-colorpg.htm

Trinity Sunday

142 N. 4th. Street, Coshocton, OH 43812

Pastor Karen Crawford

Liturgists: Jeff, Janice and Lukas Sycks

Musicians: Alice Hoover and Mark Wagner

Prelude: Near to the Heart of God, Mark Wagner, Piano

Greeting/Announcements: Pastor Karen

Choral Introit: Let There Be Peace On Earth

Opening Sentences/Gathering Prayer

Mighty Wind, who danced over the deep and surveyed the shapeless void,

dance over us now and ready us for your creative purpose.

Divine Word, who commanded unruly chaos and called forth light and life, 

call to us now and open us to new expressions of grace.

Eternal Artist, who formed us in your likeness and claimed us as kin,

Re-form and refine us to be bearers of your blessing.

Holy Trinity—Creator, Christ, Spirit—who gathered the primeval waters,

gather us in, then send us out, our voices echoing creation’s song:

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Call to Confession/Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon

Lord Jesus, you send us to make disciples of all nations, but we focus our energies inward and shy away from sharing the good news in word and deed. You charge us to teach your commandments, but we struggle to obey them and neglect to model them for others. You assure us of your abiding presence, but we doubt this promise and disregard your Spirit, denying the power you give us to do your work. Forgive us, Lord, and renew us to be the church you created us to be. Wash us with your grace and commission us for service in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn 132   Come, Great God of All the Ages by Mary Jackson Cathey, Alice Hoover, Organ

Come, great God of all the ages,
Make Your earthly mission known;
Speak through every deed and person,
Let Your way and will be shown.
Guide the church to true commitment,
Give direction now, we ask;
Fit us for the work of building,
Dedicate us to the task.

Come, Christ Jesus, flesh and spirit,
Sure foundation, cornerstone,
Help us form the church eternal,
May Your vision be our own.
Send a message to each follower,
Lead all people to Your way;
Urge us to strong faith and action
As we build the church today.

Come, great Spirit, in and with us,
Tune our ears to hear Your call;
Through the moving of Your presence.
Let redeeming love recall
Ministry in dedication,
Love embodied in our deeds;
Challenge us to do Your bidding,
See Your purpose, fill all needs.

Come, O come, in celebration,
Household of the one true God.
In commitment and rejoicing
Let us go where Christ has trod;
As we act in faith and reverence.
Let us, Lord, the future see;
Place us in the church triumphant,
Now and for eternity.

Mary Jackson Cathey (b. 1926) was born in Florence, SC, and educated at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC. She received an advanced degree from Union Seminary – Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond. As a Christian Educator she finds hymn text writing a profound way to express her faith. She has four hymns in The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990) and others published by Selah Press, Choristers Guild, and Zimbel Press. She is an elder at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. –www.hopepublishing.com

Time with Children: Who Is My Neighbor?

Praise Song: Children of God by Monica Scott

Prayer for Illumination and 2 Cor. 13:11-13

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.  

Matthew 28:16-20: Pastor Karen

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ!

Message    Let Us Break Bread Together

Hymn: Let Us Break Bread Together

Affirmation of Faith: Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.07

Jesus Christ is God with humankind. He is the eternal Son of the Father, who became human and lived among us to fulfill the work of reconciliation. He is present in the church by the power of the Holy Spirit to continue and complete his mission. This work of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the foundation of all confessional statements about God, humanity, and the world. Therefore, the church calls all people to be reconciled to God and to one another.

Invitation to Offering/Pastor Karen

Offertory: Come, Live in the Light

Prayer of Thanksgiving/Dedication

God of unending gifts, we praise you for your abundant goodness. As you are generous, we want to be generous too. May the gifts we bring extend your generosity into the world, so that all people may be made whole by your goodness and grace. Amen.

Invitation to the Table/Great Thanksgiving Prayer/Lord’s Prayer/Communion/Prayer After Communion

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.

Hymn 241  Behold the Goodness of Our Lord by Fred R. Anderson, Alice Hoover, Organ

Behold the goodness of our Lord,
how blest it is to be
a company of God’s beloved,
in holy unity.

Like precious oil upon the head,
a healing for our strife,
it flows throughout our common bond,
refreshing all of life.

 As dew on Zion’s mountaintop
brings freshness to its door,
our Lord commands this in our midst
and brings life evermore.

Charge and Blessing

Choral Response: The Lord Bless You and Keep You, arr. by John Rutter

Postlude: Fughetta No. 5 George Frederic Handel, Alice Hoover, Organ

Pastor Karen Crawford

Today, I am sharing a book with you by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg-Sasso and illustrated by Denise Turu called Who Is My Neighbor? Sometimes adults have trouble getting along with each other. Sometimes, children do, too, don’t they? Who IS our neighbor? Do we have to love everybody?

Other activities for Children:

https://sermons4kids.com/good-samaritan_group_activities.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/good_samaritan_colorpg_2

https://sermons4kids.com/good_samaritan_crossword.htm

https://sermons4kids.com/good_samaritan_wordsearch.htm