CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY THANKSGIVING

Morning Worship - 9:30 a.m. November 22, 2020

Silent prayer for use in preparation for worship:

Grant that we may walk as Christ walked; grant that what the Spirit was

in Him, such He may also be in us; grant that our lives may be refashioned after the pattern of His life; grant that we may do today here

on earth what Christ would have done, and in the way He would have done it; grant that we may become vessels of His grace, instruments of His will, to Thy glory and honor, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

A prayer of J.H. Jowett (1864-1923), former pastor of Fifth Avenue

Presbyterian Church, New York City, and of Westminster Chapel, London

PRELUDE Chorale Prelude on We Gather Together C. Staten Come Thou, Almighty King arr. Stan Pethel

John Black, Organ; Alexandra Nichols, Piano *PSALTER from Psalm 57:9-11

We will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; WE WILL SING PRAISES TO THEE AMONG THE NATIONS. For Thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, Thy faithfulness to the

clouds. BE EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS! LET THY GLORY BE OVER ALL

THE EARTH! *CALL TO WORSHIP Be Exalted, O God Insert *PRAYER OF ADORATION *+HYMN Crown Him With Many Crowns

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (first silently, then in unison)

O GOD, WE BESEECH THEE, GUARD OUR SOULS; SUSTAIN OUR BODIES; EXALT OUR SENSES; DIRECT OUR COURSE; REGULATE OUR MANNERS; BLESS OUR UNDERTAKINGS; FULFILL OUR PETITIONS; INSPIRE US WITH HOLY THOUGHTS; PARDON WHAT IS PAST; RECTIFY WHAT IS PRESENT; ORDER WHAT IS TO COME; AND ALL FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, WHO ALONE CAN MAKE US PERFECT AS HE IS PERFECT. MAY THE POWER OF THE FATHER GOVERN US, MAY THE WISDOM OF THE SON ENLIGHTEN US, AND MAY THE OPERATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT QUICKEN US. AMEN.

A prayer of Bishop Lancelot Andrewes, 1555-1626)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (responsively; from Hebrews 10:15-18) And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS

THE LORD. I WILL PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR HEARTS, AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR MINDS.”

Then He adds: “I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS AND THEIR MISDEEDS NO MORE.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. The Word of the Lord. THANKS BE TO GOD!

*GLORIA PATRI Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen, amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name arr. L. Larsen Jay Swiatek, Tenor; Stephen Parkinson, Baritone

DEDICATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN THANK OFFERING

SCRIPTURE READINGS Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Matthew 25:31-46 A TIME WITH THE CHILDREN *HYMN Come, Ye Thankful People, Come SERMON “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” *A LITANY OF THANKSGIVING OFFERING

*Doxology Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

*Presentation of Pledges *Prayer of Dedication

*HYMN Now Thank We All Our God *BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Marche Triomphale on Nun Danket Alle Gott

Sigfrid Karg-Elert

*(the people standing, as able)

Ezekiel 34:11-14, 20-24 For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I Myself will search for My sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out My sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land.

I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. I Myself will be the shepherd of My sheep, and I Myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.

*** Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue My flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.”

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.’

“Then he will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

GREENWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH, PRESBYTERIAN 805 MAIN AVENUE

WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND, 02886 November 22, 2020

WELCOME to all who are worshiping in our sanctuary today; welcome, too, to all worshiping with us online! As done these past thirty-four weeks,

the service will be archived and posted @ twenty minutes after the benediction and will be available for viewing and/or downloading for at least one week. A special word of welcome to any and all visiting with us

in person or online this morning … welcome to our fellowship!

Flowers Today are given to the glory of God by Kristine Swanson in loving memory of her father, Paul Swanson, on his November 25 birthday, and by Julia and Adam D’Antico in loving memory of their father, Daniel D’Antico.

FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER. Thank you for your continued support of WEST BAY MARKETPLACE’S FOOD PANTRY. Please consider donating/contributing non-perishable items such as tuna, peanut butter, pasta, canned soups & vegetables; leave donation(s) in the narthex. If you would prefer not to come to the church building, please call elder Wayne Meunier (738-0480), and he will come to your home to pick up your donation(s). Thank you!

FROM THE MISSION COMMITTEE: PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORLD CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT will be offered via Zoom Thursdays 6:30-9:30 p.m. January 21-April 29. This brings their amazing instructors from all around the country to you in the comfort of your home! The class remains interactive and compelling. The cost is $225, but there is an early bird discount if you sign up by January 7. As a bonus, the Mission Committee will reimburse 50% of the cost. To learn more, go to www.perspectives.com, click on "Find A class Near You" and choose Rhode Island. For more information, contact Mission Chair samkoldyk@cox.net.

IN PERSON SUNDAY SCHOOL CONTINUES TODAY 10:30-11:00 A.M. Pre-K and Kindergarten students meet in the first floor Kindergarten classroom; Grades 1-5 meet in the third floor Sunday School wing and Grades 6-12 meet in the 29Eleven room. An online version of the Jesus Storybook Bible lesson is also available on GREENWOOD CHURCH’S SUNDAY SCHOOL FACEBOOK page (taught by Lisa David); it may be viewed at any time during the week.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: We will offer two Christmas mini-concerts on December 9 and 16 (Wednesday evenings) at 7:00 p.m. Special selections will be presented by our wonderful soloists of all ages, and by our music staff, and we will have a special virtual choir presentation from our Youth Choir. This will primarily be a live-streamed event on our Facebook page, with the sanctuary open for those who are not able to access the online broadcast. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit our music program.

HELP NEEDED: If you have technical and/or audio-visual expertise, we are in need of capable volunteers to help with the recording or our worship services! Please see Pastor Clark and/or Matthew Majeika if interested; THANK YOU! 

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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from

evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Clark, Pastor John C. Black, Director of Music and Choirs, Organist

Alexandra K. Nichols, Music Associate Matthew S. Majeika, Camera and Technical Master

Olivia R. Black, “Choir” Wayne A. Meunier, Lector

Greenwood Community Church, Presbyterian 805 Main Avenue, Warwick, Rhode Island, 02886 Tel. (401) 737-1230 The Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Clark, Pastor

Dear Members and Friends,

A friend recently quipped, “The dumbest thing I ever purchased was a 2020 planner.” “Lest we forget”, though (to borrow an oft-repeated poetic line from Rudyard Kipling’s “Recessional”, which he borrowed from Deuteronomy 4:9!) … after nearly eight months of restricted activities, cancellations, Zoom meetings and online worship services … life and ministry continues unabated at Greenwood Community Church as we seek to adapt to “today” and plan for “tomorrow” by making the most of the gifts and opportunities God has given us in the day we have … after all, we are where we are, when we are, how we are, in the midst of how it is, to do the work of the God Who placed us here. (All pictures here are from 2020 issues of Fishermen’s News.) November 22 we will observe STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY (a week later than we’ve usually observed it in the past). That is also CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY. November 26 is THANKSGIVING DAY, and November 29 is the FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. As you may remember, on the liturgical calendar CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY is the final Sunday of the church year, and the FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT begins the NEW YEAR. As I’ve written before, the common thread which wonderfully weaves these November observances together is that our faithful STEWARDSHIP reflects our THANKSGIVING, as well as our submission, to CHRIST THE KING, and enables our Session to better plan for a NEW YEAR of ministry and mission. We best express our THANKS by GIVING; which is THE Bible-honored and time-honored way of acknowledging our gratitude to God. We express not only our gratitude, but also our recognition of, and our submission to, CHRIST THE KING by acknowledging His Lordship over all things. We return a portion of what is already His, as succinctly expressed in the above doxology sung each Sunday at the Methodist church in which I was raised (from 1 Chronicles 29:14): “All things come of Thee, O Lord, and of Thine own have we given Thee.” I have said or written the following in some way or another each of the twenty-four years I've been privileged to be your pastor, as I (obviously) believe it: The overarching biblical context and motivation for giving is spiritual, not institutional; the people of God are to give primarily to God, not primarily to meet a budget. Yes, our church certainly has ongoing expenses and obligations requiring an operating budget funded by our donations, and it’s certainly true that the more we give, the more we may be enabled to do. And there is certainly always more we would all like to do … to strengthen what is good and right about all our various ministry endeavors, to maintain and beautify this center of worship so it may serve well into the future and to expand our horizons for outreach to our community and a world in need! However, let me again encourage each and every one of us to have the primary motivation of GIVING TO GOD. May we allow our giving to proportionally reflect our gratitude to the God Who has first given so much to us. As each of us prayerfully considers how we will fill out the enclosed card, may we consider that Jesus freely and even joyfully sacrificed and gave Himself for us. How will we gratefully, freely and joyfully sacrifice and give for Him?

Stephen L. Clark, Pastor

PLEASE BRING YOUR PLEDGE CARD NOVEMBER 22 for dedication during worship. If you can't be with

us that morning, please deliver it to the church office OR bring it to worship the following week(s).

THANK YOU !

A BASIC PRIMER FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE NEW TO ALL THIS (reprinted from the 2019 Stewardship letter)

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “STEWARDSHIP?”

The English word “steward” comes from the Anglo-Saxon words “stig” or “stye”, meaning an enclosure or a hall, and “wéord,” which means keeper. A steward is, literally, a “stye-

keeper;” the word now means a person in charge of the property or affairs of another.

A steward acts as a trusted supervisor and/or an administrator of finances and property on behalf of the owner of the property. The relationship between owner and steward is one of confidence; character traits of a good steward are integrity and trustworthiness.

As Psalm 24 succinctly says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it; the world, and all who live in it.” God is the Owner of all, and we are called to be His faithful stewards, using the time,

talent and treasure He has given us to manage according to His intention and will.

WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY “MAKE A PLEDGE?”

A pledge is a written declaration of intent to donate a specific amount of money over a certain length of time. In making a pledge to the church you are making a pledge for the next calendar year with the intention of paying in full by December 31. The pledge is not legally binding; we all understand life happens and circumstances can change; however,

you are encouraged to make a pledge that you may reasonably expect to uphold. We recognize that for various reasons some people may prefer to give without pledging; a

pledge is certainly not required for church membership. However, (a) those who pledge find a pledge commitment can serve as a gentle yet persistent reminder that we have the ongoing privilege and responsibility to consistently and dependably support the work of

the church's mission with our finances, and (b) pledging helps better enable our Session to responsibly and more accurately plan and budget for the future of our church.

WHAT IS THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR?

The Liturgical Calendar orders the annual life of the church according to the life of Christ and events of salvation history. The Common Lectionary recommends a set of Scripture

readings organized around the Christian year and attentive to the broad themes of the biblical story. In the Old Testament, seasons of fasting and feasting were observed as occasions for festival worship; for the New Testament church, Jesus’ birth, life, death,

resurrection, ascension, and promised return give meaning to the seasons, help order the annual cycle worship and guide the selection of Scriptures read and proclaimed in worship. Over the years a cycle of festivals and seasons has emerged and is now

generally observed throughout the ecumenical church, including these days and seasons:

• Advent, the season to recollect the hope of the coming of Christ, and to look forward to the Lord’s coming again,

• Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, • Epiphany, a day for commemorating God’s self-manifestation to all people, • Lent, a season of spiritual discipline and preparation, beginning with Ash

Wednesday, anticipating the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ, • Holy Week, a time of remembrance and proclamation of the atoning suffering and

death of Jesus Christ, • Easter, the day of the Lord’s resurrection and the season of rejoicing which

commemorates his ministry until his Ascension, and continues through • The Day of Pentecost, the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church.

The church also observes other days such as Baptism of the Lord, Transfiguration of the Lord, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day and Christ the King.Sunday

From the Chair of the Stewardship Committee and President of the Corporation, Dennis Charpentier

STEWARDSHIP: “Oh, the possibilities at Greenwood!”

Stewardship is a term used to describe how we use our gifts of time, talent, and treasure. The first letter in

this envelope addresses the gift of TREASURE; I would like to focus in this writing on how Greenwood members may give of their TIME AND TALENT through service to one of our church organizations and/committees. (editor’s note: during the Coronavirus restrictions, as many of you know, some of the following opportunities have been temporarily postponed, cancelled, adapted and/or otherwise altered … we hope to resume all these and more when the restrictions are lifted!)

The Greenwood Music Ministry led by our Director of Music John Black offers many opportunities for

you to contribute your talent to our worship services. Participation as an adult or youth choir member, soloist, musician, or bell ringer gives glory to our Lord and majesty to our worship.

Greenwood’s Sunday School, 29Eleven Ministry, and Adult Bible Studies offer opportunities to

enhance our knowledge of theology. Participation is welcome either as a student, a teacher, or a volunteer. Our Family Ministries Program continually seeks volunteers to help with: Parents Night Out, Family

Focus Wednesdays, Children’s Church, Crib Room, and King’s Kids. Your church session employs several committees to address and direct varying ministries and needs of

our congregation. Each committee is chaired by a session member who normally serves a three-year term. Committees normally meet once per month during the months of September through June. Committees have a varying focus that ebbs and flows throughout the year requiring more participates during the “busy” times and fewer members/meetings when there is less activity. As an example, the Stewardship Committee needs more help during the budgeting season (October-December) and the Investment Committee only meets once or twice per year to manage the church’s endowment fund in conjunction with our financial advisor.

Session Committees: Member Care: The Member Care Committee seeks to assist members of the congregation in need, often in coordination of the Board of Deacons. They also plan fellowship gatherings for the church family and generally monitor the congregation looking for ways to help where they can. Mission: The Mission committee monitors and disburses the mission funds from the church operating budget. This group searches for worthy causes worldwide that need the support of our congregation. Building & Grounds: This committee monitors the condition and functioning of the church property and schedules needed repair/update in conjunction with the sexton. This group organizes church workdays and is responsible for the maintenance of the property. Stewardship: The Stewardship committee writes and disburses the church operating budget and monitors the endowment fund with the approval of the full session and in conjunction with the church treasurer. This group also encourages the participation of the congregation in volunteering their time, talent, and treasure as in this stewardship campaign. Worship: The Worship committee schedules, monitors, and maintains items pertaining to worship, including attendance and communion supplies. Christian Education: In conjunction with the Sunday School superintendent/s, the Christian Education committee maintains and schedules matters pertaining to the Greenwood Church Sunday School and youth activities.

The Board of Deacons is a church organization comprised of elected ordained church members that provide services to those in need. The group is composed of the following service committees:

Board of Deacons Committees: Communion/Service Preparation: This group coordinates with the session’s Worship Committee to prepare the elements and supplies for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Coffee Hour Preparation: Schedules servers, purchases supplies, and prepares refreshments for the coffee hour in Fellowship Hall each Sunday. Chancel Flowers: Organizes the purchase/donation/setting of the chancel flowers each Sunday as well as seasonal decorations/arrangements for Easter, Advent and Christmas. Telephone/E-Mail Tree: Maintains and coordinates this system of communications to alert elders and deacons regarding congregational concerns. Community Ministries: Coordinates the distribution of “Deaconal Ministries of Compassion” funds to supported agencies, seeks ways to enhance congregational awareness of community ministries, special appeals and offerings, and evaluates and recommends projects and causes for support by the deacons. Beyond High School: Coordinates and prepares mailings of seasonal gift packages for post high school students at college or in the military. Prayer Ministry: Compiles prayer requests and updates and corrects the prayer list. Also, keeps prayer request cards supplied to the pews.

The Presbyterian Women is a true manifestation of how we are to behave as Christians. PW is fellowship. Whether it is the spring or fall gathering or the usual monthly Circle meetings, PW is when friends gather to enjoy each other’s company and support. It could be a phone call, a visit, providing a meal or the laughter and friendship experienced at a Circle meeting. However, it is shown, you know you’re not alone and others are concerned for you. This same concern is also demonstrated in outreach to the community. Whether it is a local social service agency, school kits, Blanket Sunday, Church World Services, Least Coin or one of the regular donations made within the Presbyterian organization, Presbyterian Women seek to care for others, too. The members are also good organizers, talented and resourceful craftsmen, and hard workers.

The annual May Breakfast is another example of the teamwork of Presbyterian Women and what can be accomplished in a spirit of fun and fellowship. The Christmas Bazaar and the May Breakfast are the main mission fundraisers for the organization and make possible the extensive outreach of the Presbyterian Women in our church, community, and the world. Six Circle groups meet monthly; days and times vary. The Picasso Quilters circle meets at various times to make sleeping bags for the homeless.

Finally, the Thirty-Niners: Monthly luncheon and program for our “post 39 years of age” members, usually held on the third Wednesday of the month at 11:30 at Chelo’s on Post Road.

None of these service groups is meant to be full-time but rather on an as needed basis. If you have expertise to assist in one or more of these activities, your Stewardship Committee invites you to get involved.

Thank you!

Dennis Charpentier, Chair Stewardship Committee