Welcome to worship at Northminster!

Thank you for worshiping with us today. If you are visiting with us

this morning we hope you feel the presence of God and the

hospitality of this congregation. If you have any questions about our

church please ask one of the pastors or a greeting host wearing a red

“Ask Me” badge.

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

Christ the King Sunday

November 26, 2017

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CENTERING THOUGHT

The Church must be different from, and often over against and

in contradiction to, the ways of all nations.

The alternative identity must be cherished and guarded

as the most important characteristic of the Church.

The richest gift the Church can give the world is to be different from

it.

It must be a constant irritant that the world doesn’t want,

but cannot do without.

Peter Storey, With God in the Crucible: Preaching Costly

Discipleship.

1660 Kessler Boulevard, East Drive

Indianapolis, IN 46220

317-251-9489

www.northminster-indy.org

APPROACHING GOD

Please silence your cell phone before worship begins.

WELCOME Carol McDonald

PRELUDE A Short Prelude on KING’S WESTON

Michael Cooley

(b. 1937)

Clarice Stegall, Organist

*CALL TO WORSHIP Jim Montgomery

The Lord is our shepherd.

We are the people of God’s pasture, the sheep of God’s hand.

God will seek the lost, feed the hungry, and strengthen the

weak.

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;

serve the Lord with gladness and come before God with a song.

Let us enter God’s gates with thanksgiving.

For good is the Lord, whose mercy is everlasting;

and whose faithfulness endures from age to age.

*HYMN NO. 264 At the Name of Jesus KING’S WESTON

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION

All: Holy God, we confess we have neglected to declare Jesus

the king and model for our lives.

Girls and Women: We confess we are not ready for your holy

realm.

Boys and Men: You guide us toward right paths, but we

refuse to follow where you lead.

Girls and Women: You love and feed and care for us, but we

fail to love and serve others.

Men and Boys: We have been bold in demanding generosity,

mercy, and forgiveness yet quiet when it comes to offering

inclusion, love, and compassion.

All: Forgive us, O God. Restore in us, yet again, the

commitment to be more Christ-like in word, in deed, and in

spirit.

*SILENCE FOR PERSONAL PRAYER AND REFLECTION

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

Friends, however long we wander, however far we stray,

God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Be assured – in Jesus Christ you are forgiven.

Praise God! We begin again, freed from the bonds of sin.

*RESPONSE Jesus Loves Me! JESUS LOVES ME

Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so,

Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong.

Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know, as he loved so long ago,

Taking children on his knee, saying, “Let them come to me.”

Refrain

*SHARING THE PEACE

The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

And also with you.

(Worshipers may greet one another with words of Christ’s peace.)

LISTENING FOR GOD’S WORD

ANTHEM (9:00) All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Kent Henry

Peace Choir

CHILDREN’S TIME

(Children may be excused to go to Church School at this time.)

ANTHEM (11:00) Ride On, King Jesus

African-American spiritual

arr. Robert Shaw and Alice Parker

Chancel Choir

Ride on King Jesus! No man can hinder me.

I was but young when I begun, No man can hinder me.

But now my race is almost done, No man can hinder me.

King Jesus rides on a milk white horse, No man can hinder me.

The river Jordan he did cross, No man can hinder me.

If you want to find your way to God, No man can hinder me.

The gospel highway must be trod, No man can hinder me.

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

EPISTLE LESSON Ephesians 1:15-23 (Pg. 192)

PSALM 100 Hal Hopson

GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 25: 31-46 (Pg. 29)

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SERMON What Sort of Kingdom? Jim Montgomery

SILENCE FOR REFLECTION

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Marland Pittman

from the Christian Reformed Church in North America

As followers of Jesus Christ,

living in this world—which some seek to control,

but which others view with despair—

we declare with joy and trust:

Our world belongs to God! From the beginning,

through all the crises of our times,

until his kingdom fully comes,

God keeps covenant forever.

Our world belongs to him!

God is King! Let the earth be glad!

Christ is Victor; his rule has begun. Hallelujah!

The Spirit is at work, renewing creation. Praise the Lord!

We rejoice in the goodness of God,

renounce the works of darkness,

and dedicate ourselves to holy living.

As covenant partners, called to faithful obedience,

and set free for joyful praise, we offer our hearts and lives

to do God's work in his world.

With tempered impatience, eager to see injustice ended,

we expect the Day of the Lord.

And we are confident

that the light which shines in the present darkness

will fill the earth when Christ appears.

Come, Lord Jesus! Our world belongs to you.

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.

OFFERING(Please sign the pew pad and pass it to your neighbor.)

OFFERTORY Hymn Preludes on LASST UNS ERFREUEN

Frank Speller

(1938-2017)

John A. Behnke

*DOXOLOGY LASST UNS ERFREUEN

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Praise God, the source of all our gifts!

Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!

Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

GOING FORTH

*HYMN NO. 367 Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

ST. GEORGE’S WINDSOR

*CHARGE AND BLESSING

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, serving faithfully until

Christ comes to welcome his people home.

Now go out into the world in peace;

have courage, hold on to what is good;

return no one evil for evil;

support the weak;

help the suffering;

dance with the happy;

weep with the sad;

honor all people;

love and serve the Lord,

rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Alleluia.

*RESPONSE, HYMN NO. 384 Soon and Very Soon

SOON AND VERY SOON

͏

Ruth Moore is with Church School this morning.

MUSIC IN WORSHIP

Today’ prelude was written for Clarice Stegall and is fresh from the

pen of her graduate-school classmate. Church musician and

composer Michael Cooley lives in Seattle. The piece is written in

the style of Ralph Vaughan Williams, composer of the tune KING’S

WESTON, the tune of our opening hymn.

At the close of today’s service we sing gospel singer and song

writer Andraé Crouch’s “Soon and Very Soon,” Hymn No. 384.

This hymn takes its text from the book of Revelation and is filled

with exuberant joy and hope. The hymn revels in the promise of

paradise, eternal communion with the King, where there will be no

more hurting or crying or dying. Specifically from Revelation:

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him;”

and “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall

be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying.” Crouch set

the words to a moderate tempo for four part harmony and gospel

piano accompaniment. Andraé Crouch was born in 1942 in Los

Angeles, California and began his musical life as a child

accompanist in his father’s worship services. He was the recipient

of seven Grammy Awards and four Dove Awards for his

accomplishments as a composer and recording artist.

Today we observe Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the

Christian year. On this day we celebrate the cosmic character of

Christ’s reign over the entire creation and we meditate on submitting

our lives joyfully and actively to Christ’s sovereign rule. The theme

of the Lordship of Christ is integral to the message of the entire New

Testament and to the faithful practice of Christian worship.

What’s Next?

Sunday Worship

December 3 – Restoring God’s Time

December 10 – Restoring God’s Geography

December 17 – Restoring God’s People. Bach’s Cantata No. 3

from Christmas Oratorio

December 24 – ONE MORNING SERVICE ONLY – 10am –

Restoring God’s Power

December 31 – Reflections and Hope

Christmas Eve Worship

December 24 – 4pm –The “Joyful Noise” Service – for all ages

December 24 – 7pm – Candlelight Communion

December 24 – 10:30pm – Candles, Carols and Choral Music

Mission and Outreach

Clothe-A-Child – School #55 – December 7, 9am-1pm

IHN – December 17-24

Christmas Joy Offering – Christmas Eve

Events and Education

4th Sunday Adult Ed – Painting the Stars – TODAY, 10am

Advent Adult Study – The Music of the Season – December 3,

10, 17 at 10am

Christmas Lite Lunch – December 3, Noon. Reservations

necessary

Presbyterian Women Bake Sale – December 3, 10am

Christmas Lite – December 3, 1pm

NorthStars – Avoiding Scams and Schemes – January 17, 10am

For more information, check out our website

(northminster-indy.org), ask to receive our weekly email,

pick up a newsletter from an information table,

or contact the church office.

To give by text message on a smartphone, text the amount you

would like to give to 317-316-3009. Our online giving system,

ShelbyNext, will then prompt you through a one-time set up for

giving.

MINISTRY

Teri L. Thomas

Pastor

Ruth Chadwick Moore

Associate Pastor

Carol McDonald

Acting Head of Staff

John M. Wright

Director, Music Ministries

Cheryl Plunkett

Acting Director, Christian Education

Maureen Wilson

Acting Director, Youth Ministry and

Kids Club

Marko Petričić

Music Associate/Organist

Marland Pittman

Seminary Intern

Denise Harrington

Senior Ministry Consultant

Barbara A. Sloop

Parish Associate

Carol Campbell

John Reed

Tony Dzwonar

Stephen Ministry Leaders

Donald R. Durrett

Associate Pastor Emeritus