SESSION

Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Melissa Barton Nancy Pienta Steve Hohneker Bill Ring Chuck Shattenkirk

Moderator: Rev. Kathi L. Jones

Clerk of Session: Melissa Barton

DEACONS

Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Alicia Albertson Rosalie Hemingway Laurae Hoffmann Tina Coons Hertha Matuszek Karen Leffingwell

Moderator: Rev. Kathi L. Jones

Church Treasurer: Sandra Hohneker

Assistant Treasurer: Vieve Gay Financial Secretary: Bill Ring

First Presbyterian Church 3212 Church Street P.O. Box 267, Valatie, NY 12184

Church Phone – 518-758-9658 Pastor’s Phone – 518-755-2557 www.firstpresbyterianvalatie.weebly.com

Church’s Email – ifirstpresbyter1@nycap.rr.com Pastor – Rev. Kathi L. Jones

Pastor’s Email – revkathiljones@yahoo.com Organist – Ardelle Stewart Secretary – Naomi Handley Sexton – Ginny Becker

December 24, 2017 11:00am.

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

Fourth Sunday of Advent

* * * * *

Gathering in the Name of the Lord (In silence and meditation prepare yourself for worship)

WELCOME

LIFE OF THE CONGREGATION

MISSION STATEMENT (Unison)

We are a small congregation, part of God’s larger family,

teaching and living God’s Word, and sharing God’s love

throughout the community.

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsively)

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;

with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all

generations.

I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;

with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all

generations.

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the

assembly of the holy ones.

with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all

generations.

*HYMN 9 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

THIS WEEK’S CALENDAR

TODAY Fourth Sunday of Advent 11:00am. Worship

12:15pm. Coffee Hour – hosted by the Deacons

8:00pm. Christmas Eve Service of Lessons,

Carols and Candlelight

MONDAY Merry Christmas!

WEDNESDAY 6:00pm. Food Pantry Open

Looking Ahead – NEXT SUNDAY – December 31, 2017

First Sunday after Christmas 9:30am. No Sunday School

11:00am. Worship

12:15pm. St. Luke’s Dinner Committee

Birthdays This Week

12/30 Bill Ring

12/31 Stark Jones

Given in Memory of:

Aunt Freide Courtney and Cindy Loucks

Betty and Bob VanAllen Richard Ludington and Family

Ruth and Don Williams Richard Ludington and Family

Family and Friends Carol Matthews

Lotus Petrie Marcus Petrie

Walter Pienta, Anna Pienta Nancy, Joe, Susan and Eleanore Pienta

Eleanore and George Wolf, Dick and MaryEllen Wolf Pienta Family

Loved ones, Malcolm Gay , Hertha Johnson Chris Wells

Greens were given by Vieve Gay and The Straub Family.

ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING

HYMN 2090 (v.4) Advent Song

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison)

Lord Jesus, we confess our frustration and confusion when you

do not come to us as we expect. In our society, we look for the

power of political clout, legal expertise, economic or

educational advantage, or religious officialdom to save us. We

consider that to be “down and out” is failure, and to be “up and

in” is success. So we wear ourselves out striving to be self-

sufficient materially and spiritually, certain that with enough

effort we can dig our way out of difficulties, and earn our way

into the kingdom of heaven. We pride ourselves in being big

people and forget the way you entered this world as a baby.

Forgive us, we pray, in Jesus’ name – that we may find new

birth in this season of hoped-for birth.

SILENT PRAYER OF PERSONAL CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

RESPONSE 8 (v.3) Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

Proclaiming the Word

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Unison)

God of mystery and manifestation, whose awesome holiness

often strikes us as puzzling and confounding, open now our

eyes and ears to your self-disclosure; that seeing we may

behold, and hearing we may understand the revelation and

redemption that you offer us in Christ, our salvation and hope.

Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON II Samuel 7:1-11, 16 (O.T. pg.278)

NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Romans 16:25-27 (N.T. pg.161)

NOT FOR CHILDREN ONLY

HYMN 14 Savior of the Nations, Come

SERMON A House is Not a Home

Responding to the Word

MINUTE FOR MISSION

SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE LORD’S PRAYER (sins, sin)

OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS

*RESPONSE 68 (v.4) What Star Is This, with Beams So Bright

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)

Dwell in us, Holy Spirit. Dwell in these gifts, and transform

them to be Christ’s presence for all who are touched through

these offerings. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

*HYMN 11 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You?

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

Given in Honor of:

Family past, present and yet to come Rob, Alicia, Randy and Leita Albertson

Our Family and Friends Laurae and Alexis Hoffmann

Family and Friends Karen and Jim Leffingwell

Phillip and Michael Paglialonga and their families Cheryle Paglialonga

The Birth of Christ and Family Chris Wells

Given in Memory of:

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Austin Their Sons

Ralph and Lillian Hobson Melissa Barton

Emma Read Melissa Barton

Barbara Leiden Vince, Maggie and Quinn Barton

Loved Ones Judy and Gale Bury

Hertha and Lars Johnson Their Children and Grandchildren

Loved Ones Tina and Jake Coons

Loved Ones Sharon and John Coons

My Grandmother, “GG” Alexander Cheryl Fitzgibbons

Our Parents Ruth and Paul Fuhrmann

Family Members Rosalie Hemingway

Our Parents Sandy and Steve Hohneker

J. Eugene Johnson Dorothy Johnson

James Laurie Marge and Chris Laurie

Join Us

For our

Christmas Eve Service

Of

Lessons and Carols

And

Candlelight

Special Solo Music

Tonight, December 24

8:00pm.

Children are invited to wear their pajamas!

*PASSING THE PEACE (Responsively)

The peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you.

Go in peace.

Amen.

* * * * * *

* - Indicates that all who are able, may stand.

Lay reader this morning is Jerry Dymond.

John Coons is greeting at the door today.

Lighting the Advent candles today are Judy and Gale Bury.

George Matuszek is Head Usher for the month of December.

The Presbyterian Women’s Mitten Tree is set up in the sanctuary to.

receive your gifts of mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for infants and

children of the Hudson Day Care Center and local children in the ICC

school district who are in need. Please make a donation to help these

children stay warm this winter. Thank you. The tree will be up through

January 7.

OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Jake Coons

Lucy Haemmerlein

Mary and Charles Heermance

Ricky Jacker

Geraldine and Bruce McCrum

EXTENDED FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THE WORLD

Beverly Goodell – a friend of Marge

Kyle Meredith - one of our Eagle Scouts serving in Iraq

Caren Stewart

Those who have lost loved ones

California residents

Gaza, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, The West Bank, Yemen

ANNOUNCEMENTS NURSERY CARE DURING WORSHIP is provided for infants and children through the second grade. Parents are asked to take their child(ren) to the nursery during the hymn just before the sermon. The nursery is found through the door to the left of the pulpit, down the hall on the left. Children who are in the third grade and older should remain with their families during the worship service. THE ECUMENICAL FOOD PANTRY continues to meet a growing need in the Ichabod Crane School district. They are grateful for all donations of non-perishable foods (that have a future expiration date) and are asking particularly at this time for strawberry jam, brownie mix and cold cereal. If you have any questions about the Food Pantry or how you might get involved, speak with Dorothy Johnson or Carol Matthews, our representatives on the Food Pantry Committee. A gift of 2018 calendars has been delivered from the Bonds Funeral Home. There are plenty of copies located on the table at the back of the sanctuary and around the building. Please feel free to pick up a couple and share them with family and friends. A great way to get information about our church into the hands of others! The January issues of The Upper Room and Our Daily Bread are available on the table at the back of the sanctuary. The Christian Nurture committee provides them for the congregation to use in personal devotions and invites you to take one to use or share with a neighbor. On Tuesday January 9 we are hosting the St. Luke’s Community Dinner. Steve Hadcock is chairing the event and will need some assistance. He can be reached at 518-755-1931 if you would like to help. Annual reports are due by January 10. If you are responsible for one, please turn it in to the office by then. Thank you for your cooperation. Please present your pledges and gifts to the church no later than December 31 in order to have them credited to 2017.