GRACE COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Awakening a Love for Christ in the Heart of Richmond

March 6, 2016 The Fourth Sunday in Lent 10:55 a.m.

Please fill out the communication card and place it in the offering plate during the offertory.

†Please stand for these parts of the service.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

WE GATHER TO GLORIFY GOD

PRELUDE Adagio (Organ Symphony No. 3, Op. 28 Louis Vierne, 1870-1937 †CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Psalm 121) Katie McCullough Ruling Elder

One: We lift up our eyes to the mountains— where does our help come from?

All: Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

One: It is the Lord who does not let our foot slip; it is the Lord who watches over us and will not slumber;

All: Indeed, the Lord watches over us — the Lord is the shade at our right hand;

One: The sun will not harm us by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will watch over our coming and going both now and forevermore.

All: Praise be to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

†HYMN 496 (Red Hymnal)

Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun Duke Street

†PRAYER OF CONFESSION (IN UNISON) Bobby Hulme-Lippert

Our Gracious God,

You have called us to come to you as a child before a loving parent.

You have called us to ask you, to seek you, to knock for you,

and you have assured us that you are abundantly faithful.

Yet we confess we do not believe you.

We often turn our eyes from you.

We do not readily ask you, seek you, or knock for you.

Instead, we anxiously rely on our strength and our ways.

Forgive us. Gracious Lord, turn our eyes upon you again.

May we trust you with childlike faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Music reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.

†ASSURANCE OF PARDON

†GLORIA PATRI 579 (Blue Hymnal) Greatorex 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.

At this time, children 6 years old and younger are invited to come to the front of the sanctuary with our volunteer leaders. The children and their leaders will worship in the chapel. They will be in "Children's Church" for the remainder of the morning and will meet parents in the social room.

WE HEAR THE WORD OF GOD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Katie McCullough OLD TESTAMENT READING Psalm 73:1-11, 21-26 Holy Bible, p. 523 Leader: The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks Be to God. NEW TESTAMENT READING Luke 11:5-13 Holy Bible, p. 949 Leader: The Word of the Lord. All: Thanks Be to God. SERMON “Prayer: Seeing as God Sees” Bobby Hulme-Lippert

RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

†HYMN 333 (Blue Hymnal)

Seek Ye First Lafferty

Music reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.

†APOSTLES’ CREED (IN UNISON) Lauren Voyles

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD

PRESENTATION OF TITHES, OFFERINGS, AND GIFTS ANTHEM

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us Arr. Lloyd Larson, b. 1954 Erin Cook, alto Tune: Bradbury; by William Bradbury, 1859 Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care, in Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou has bought us, Thine we are; blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou has bought us, Thine we are. We are Thine, do Thou befriend us, be the guardian of our way; keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray; blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray. Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will; blessed Lord and only Savior, with Thy love our bosoms fill. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou has loved us, love us still; blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou has loved us, love us still.

†DOXOLOGY 592 (Blue Hymnal) Old Hundredth

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. Amen. †PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER DISTRIBUTION OF THE ELEMENTS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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, for ever. Amen.

WE GO FORTH TO LOVE AND SERVE

†HYMN 473 (Red Hymnal; hymn printed on the following page) Blest Be the Tie That Binds Dennis †BENEDICTION AND CHORAL RESPONSE Cast Thy Burden upon the Lord Felix Mendelssohn †POSTLUDE Prelude in A Minor (BWV 543) Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750

Please join us in the Social Room following worship for refreshments and fellowship.

The flowers are given to the glory of God and in memory of my parents and other family members and

friends who have completed their time on earth, by Jo Garber.

Text reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-715262.

PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

Hearing Aids and Large-Print Hymnals are available from the ushers.

General Announcements

Baby Shower for Bobby, Michelle, and Baby Leo Sunday, March 13, 12:30-2:30 p.m. (This is a change in date!)

A baby shower and luncheon is being planned for Sunday, March 13, following worship. Everyone is invited!

The congregation is going in together to purchase a joint gift. If you wish to contribute, please make a donation to the church, indicating on the check or envelope that it is for the baby shower.. You may also add your own gifts to a congregational gift basket we are putting together. Please provide a gift (unwrapped for purposes of the basket) to Katherine Baird. Both donations for the joint gift and additional gifts for the gift basket are due on March 11.

Questions? Contact Katherine Baird at katherine.laybourn@gmail.com.

In lieu of cards, we invite you to help stock their family library by contributing a favorite children's book, with a personal note inside the front cover. Please drop off your unwrapped book in the Fellowship Hall on March 11 before worship (please don't wrap the books, as we'll be displaying them). Help us eliminate duplication by indicating your book of choice: contact Jessica Reveley (in person, at 908-433-1532 or jabreveley@gmail.com).

The children will also be assembling a small gift basket of their own to welcome Leo to the church. family!

Dedicate an Easter Lily

Please plan to purchase beautiful potted lily plants to help decorate our sanctuary for Easter Sunday.

The order forms will be available at the information table across from the Social Room, beginning today. Please fill out your form and drop it into the box with your check to cover the cost of the lilies.

This year the cost is $13.00 per plant. The deadline for lily orders is Monday, March 21, so that we have time to get all the information into the Easter Sunday bulletin.

As one body of Christ, composed of diverse individuals bound together by the Holy Spirit:

We will join in community across the generational, ethnic, racial, and economic barriers that separate God’s children. We will walk together in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called, with all humility and gentle-ness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

- from our 2012 Vision Statement

The true and proper work of the Christian, the most active workers and thinkers and fighters in the divine service in this world have at the same time, and manifestly, been the most active in prayer. - Karl Barth

Music Notes

Louis Vierne (1870-1937) was the principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death in 1937. Vierne had an elegant, clean style of writing that respected form above all else. His harmonic language was romantically rich, but not as sentimental or theatrical as that of his early mentor César Franck. Vierne composed six organ symphonies which are frequently performed in worship services and in recitals. Adagio from the Third Organ Symphony is Vierne’s “song without words” and is inspired by the long, winding melodies of Wagner and Franck. The melodies in this movement are melancholic and full of desire for resolution, which is realized at the work’s peaceful ending. Lloyd Larson (b. 1954) has been an active composer and arranger for several major publishing companies of church and school music. His compositions and arrangements include well over 1,000 published works—including choral anthems, numerous extended Christmas, Easter and non‑seasonal works, keyboard collections, vocal solo and duet collections, instrumental works for solo and ensembles, orchestrations, and handbell settings. Larson’s a cappella setting of Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us, is an arrangement of a beloved hymn, complete with rich choral writing and an emotive solo. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed his Prelude in A Minor sometime during his years as court organist to the Duke of Saxe-Weimar (1708-1717). The toccata-like prelude bears the marks of Bach's early, north German-influenced style.

We are grateful to have you join in worship with us this morning. We are an historic Presbyterian church, having celebrated our centennial anniversary in 2015. God has been immensely faithful for over 100 years, and we are eager to step faithfully into the future God has for us! We continue for-ward by walking in light of our mission which was adopted in 2012: to train grateful disciples of Christ, by doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. May you be blessed through worship and fellowship this morning.

WELCOME TO GRACE COVENANT

Wednesday Night Suppers- We are so glad to be back into the swing of hosting Wednesday night suppers

each week. This week continues our Lenten series. Please joins us each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. as we celebrate this holy season.

Wednesday, March 9 - Lenten prayer series and meal.

Snack: Cookie butter with celery and fruits Salad: House salad Entrée: Taco bar Dessert: Fruit parfait

Adults $7.00, Seniors (over 65) $5.00, Children under 5 are free, with a $15.00 max for families. And to make paying each week even easier, we will now be able to accept credit and debit payments.

Mission and Justice

Jobs for Life at Grace Covenant Has Begun

Tuesdays 6:00-8:30 p.m.

The STEP Jobs for Life program has officially begun. Enormous thanks to all those who have been able to volunteer to help out with this soft skills job training ministry. Jobs for Life uses a biblically based curriculum paired with a team of mentors, pastors, and business leaders to help this group of students discover who they are, what gifts and interests they possess, and what roadblocks they face in achieving their goals. The program will continue running Tuesday evenings through June 7. If you would like to sit in on a class or volunteer (help with set up, meals, or child care), please contact us at info@grace-covenant.org or 359-2463.

Shalom Farms Returns, Saturday Morning, March 19

Join us the third Saturday of the month at Shalom Farms - a local food access and community develop-ment ministry (www.shalomfarms.org). We will help ensure everyone in our city has access to God's bountiful gifts of nutritious produce. We'll be out on the farm from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Please RSVP to Nelson Reveley at nmr2uf@virginia.edu or 387-8094 if you can join us.

A group will be carpooling from the church parking lot at 8:00 a.m. (and returning by noon). Otherwise, you can meet us out on the farm at 9:00 a.m. (1033 Rock Castle Rd., Goochland, VA 23063).

Good Friday Blood Drive – join in for the 2nd Annual Good Friday Blood Drive sponsored by the Stuart Circle Parish! The Drive will take place in our Fellowship Hall on Friday, March 25th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can sign up to donate at redcrossblood.org (search keyword “goodfriday”) or look for a sign-up table at WNS during the month of March.

Refugee Family—After first training with Church World Service, several GCPC members met last weekend with a very sweet and hospitable refugee family. The Noori family of six has fled from a life-threatening situation in Kabul, Afghanistan. They now have safe housing here in Richmond and have been trying to get established with basic needs met since they moved about one month ago. The mother and father are working toward getting their driver's licenses so that the father can drive to work instead of paying $6 per day for a ride to work outside of the city. Another basic goal they are working toward is learning English. The family's greatest need right now is transportation to DMV and English language classes as well as some opportunities to visit some sights in their new home city. We are in need of vol-unteers to help with these weekly classes and perhaps some "fun" weekend outings. Very soon, they will also need a donated or very low cost vehicle for their family of six. Other donations needed are furni-ture, television, and some school supplies for the four children.

Please contact Leah at lunalupina@gmail.com to find out more or if you would like to help this family in any of the above ways.

Christian Education and Discipleship The nursery crib room and Sunday School are available for children ages 2 and up.

Sunday School is held every Sunday from 9:45-10:30 a.m.

The Vanguard Class, Basement, Room B4 - Jesus spoke a great deal in parables. A parable is an illus-tration, a story that is designed to teach a lesson. Jesus used them frequently and cited the common cul-ture, norms, and situation of the time He did so in order to teach the listeners in terms they would un-derstand. Join us each week as we explore these parables.

Forum of Grace, Room 212- A newly combined class that goes deeper into the theology and scripture of the Parables. Join us for great lecture and discussion.

Good Books, Room 303- If you are looking for some good books and conversation about God to in-tegrate into your everyday life, this is the group for you. The “Good Book Small Group” meets to en-gage in precisely those kinds of books and discussions. Conversations will be framed devotionally through scripture, hymn, and prayer (including prayer for each other) that relates to the book being ex-plored. Currently, this class is discussing Strength to Love by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Pre-K, Room 102- For our youngest Disciples this Pre-K class focuses on getting to know one another, getting in tune with teachers and their classmates, as well as just starting the process of learning what God's Love is, and just who is God anyway?

Early Elementary, Room 209- This year they begin with the stories of the patriarchs and matriarchs of our faith and move with the seasons through the liturgical year.

Pilgrims' Prep, Room 302- Confirmation is a big deal, here at GCPC even more so as we plan to take our Confirmands on an annual trip to Scotland following their confirmation! We spend our first year in preparation, getting to know one another, and finding out how God has an awesome purpose and plan for our lives.

Youth Mentors- This mentoring program has been walking through the little-known books of the Bi-ble. Every word that comes from the mouth of God is precious and awesome; this class is all about get-ting together and seeing how that Word is present in our life each day.

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER Lord, hear our prayer for...

Caleb Gibson, great-grandson of Jean Appich and grandson of Charlie and Sharon Appich, as he undergoes chemotherapy; Loretta Albertis; Ann Pais’ daughter-in-law, Jane Pais, with cancer; Susan Farrell’s father, Jim, facing health issues; Elizabeth Russell’s father, Dr. William Russell; Cynthia Holmes’ mother, Constance Lockman; Rosie and George Turner; Marjorie Adams; Dr. Carl and Mrs. Jo McMillin; Steve Cobb and his family; Carol Ann Moorhead-George, daughter of Logan R. Moorhead, who is fighting Lyme Disease; Mark Collins, nephew of Lisa Cardwell, Beverly Proffitt who is recovering from a broken shoulder; Grace Morse-Brumagin; Stuart Chapman, and David Russell, and all who are serving in our nation’s Armed Forces. Pray for peace in the Middle East.

1627 Monument Avenue • Richmond, Virginia 23220 • 804-359-2463 Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon

Email: info@grace-covenant.org Website: www.grace-covenant.org Radio: WLES 590 AM & 97.7 FM • Live Streaming www.truthnetwork.com (Click “Listen Live,” then “Richmond, Virginia”)

Pastor: Bobby Hulme-Lippert Child Development Center Director: Nicole Flournoy Director of Music: Christopher Martin Administrative Support: Martha Rubin Director of Christian Formation & Pastoral Asst.: Christopher Tweel Seminary Intern: Lauren Voyles Parish Associate for Outreach & Adult Discipleship: Nelson Reveley Communications Director: Denise Shafer

Sunday Morning Openers for February and Early March:

March 6- Brian Baird

March 13- Kent Cardwell

March 20– Cal Gray

March 27- Pete Sizemore

Our worship service is broadcast live from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on WLES 590 AM and 97.7 FM and is streamed live on www.truthnetwork.com (press “Listen Live,” then select “Richmond”). For podcasts, go to www.grace-covenant.org, click on “Worship,” then the pull-down “Sermons Online” and select the Full Service, Sunday Sermons, or Special Performances you wish to hear. The podcasts are uploaded within an hour of the end-of-broadcast. For Audio CDs, leave a note to the Radio Room in the Glass Office or call the main church office 359-2463. There is no charge for this service, but any contributions to “The Radio Fund” are greatly appreciated and will help to assure the continuation of this ministry.