A Sanctuary of Welcome For All People - Immanuel Presbyterian ...

Russian Cross
A Sanctuary of Welcome
For All People

PRAYER AND MINISTRY CONCERNS February 24, 2013
Please pray for: Ted Hicks and his son, Thomas, Charles Friese, Veda Doss, Sam Kirk,
Arelle Middleton, Minetry Apperson Crowley and her family, Eliseo Marnez, Lisa
Busler, Beverly, Bob and Paul Morrison, Gina Stallings, the Finch family, Cheryl Lumpkin,
Angela, Melinda and their infant son, Isabella and her granddaughter, Syntheia
Nagel, Cindy Irvin, the Moody family, Marilyn Heard and family, Kim Connerley, Marilyn
Tucker, Tommy Paerson, David Coxe, Gena Norris, Irene Levya, Doris Sco, Heath
Evans, Madgie Grace Evans, Stephen Phillips, Linda Yasim, Rob Taylor, Don Berger,
Frizz Gray, Eddie and Ruby Johnson, Al Carmichael, Jodie Sims and partner Susanne,
Cynthia Bale, Kim and Martha Morgan, John and Elise Morgan, Barbara Hollis, Julie
Dunlap, Lily Jenkins, Evelyn George, Martha King, Corliss Landry, Kathleen Holdridge
and family, Willa and Glen O’Rourke and family, family of Robbie Hubbard, Sara Howell
Barbara Sims and her parents. Her father, Carl Sims, under hospice care, has been
given only days to live.
Cindy Sanders undergoing a series of radiaon treatments
Steve Trawick’s uncle passed away
Frizz Gray recovering from out paent surgery
Leslie Prim and family, and Leslie’s brother-in-law who suffered a heart aack
Bey Baldwin, our office volunteer fell and fractured her collarbone
Ann Cooper’s mother who is undergoing a series of medical tests
Amelia Sherman who is struggling with health issues
Cindy Sanders’ friend, Rod Curry, of Texas fell from a ladder and broke his back
Tracy and Claude Smith and family with the death of Claude’s youngest brother
Alice and Jim Stephens, Jim is recovering from surgery
Sara Howell and Andrew Bayley, on the death Sara’s brother, Jim Howell, January 5th
Jerry Johnson, Joey Brackner’s cousin, recently diagnosed with colon cancer
Keep the new preschool in your prayers as they embrace their calling and mission in
the community, also the owners, staff, and the families and children they serve.
Refreshments in the Narthex
Immanuel warmly invites you to refreshments in the narthex
following the service. Join us for coffee and conversation.
Cover Art: On the Russian cross the top bar signifies the sign that was placed above
Christ’s head. The middle bar is the beam on which Christ’s wrists or palms were
nailed And the slanted boom bar is the footrest which Christ’s feet were nailed individually
rather than together. In earlier Byzanne iconography the bar was generally
depicted as being horizontal.

Prelude
Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Second Sunday in Lent
February 24, 2013
Gathering Around the Word
Introit O Come, and Let Us Sing Taize
(Venite, Exultemus Domino)
O come and let us sing to God, our hope, God’s mercy is forever.
O come and let us sing to God, our hope, God’s mercy is forever.
Remembering Our Bapsm
Welcome and Concerns
Call to Worship
We gather as pilgrims on a journey of faith.
We come, seeking the gi of God’s promise and presence as we journey.
We come seeking light for our darkness, strength in our weakness,
healing for our brokenness.
Shine your light upon us O God; guide us in the light of your jusce
and mercy.
Loving God, our light and salvaon, come and be home to us.
Come, let us worship God!
*Opening Hymn: #488 The God of Abraham Praise LEONI
Call to Confession
Our scriptures affirm this truth: When our faith falters, when we are
not sure which way to go, when we are broken-hearted, God is near,
ready to forgive us, ready to uphold us, ready to console us.
Let us confess our sins before God and one another:
Confession of Sin
Loving God, you have formed a covenant with us, comming yourself
to us and inving us to walk with you. Yet we have resisted, preferring
to go in different ways, seeking other companions, thinking
we know best. Now we find ourselves far from life, farther sll from
you. Can you help us find our way back? Have mercy on our waywardness,
sr us to accept what you have to offer, gi us with faith
so that we can hold the hand you have extended to us in Jesus, our
Christ.
* Those who are able, please stand

Amen.
Silence
Assurance of Forgiveness
God made a covenant with our ancestors in faith, Abram and Sarai,
and all generaons. “I give you life, life to the full, life renewed and
life reborn. All this I give you”.
God makes this covenant with us sll; we are God’s beloved; the descendants
of grace.
We affirm God’s mercy and grace, the blessing of God’s peace.
Response to Grace Goodness is Stronger than Evil John Bell
Goodness is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate;
light is stronger than darkness; life is stronger than death.
Victory is ours, victory is ours through him who loved us.
The Word with the Children
Proclaiming the Word
A Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis 15.1-12, 17-18
page 12
A Reading from the Psalter: (Insert) Psalm 27
Hal Hopson
A Reading from the Epistles: Philippians 3.17-4.1 page 198
A Dramac Reading from the Gospels: Luke 13.31-35 page 77
Sermon
Sealing the Word
*Hymn of Response: #272 God of the Sparrow ROEDER
Invitaon to the Table
Welcome to the table of life! Because life maers, because bread and
wine maer, because each of us maers –
all are welcome here.
Taste and see what good things God is doing.
Prayer of Communion
God of bread and wine,
Jesus, resurrecon’s promise,
Spirit, voice in the wilderness, in bread and wine we meet you to tell
the whole of salvaon’s story.
* Those who are able, please stand

On the edge of promise and teetering on the brink of the cross we
share your feast, waing, along with the world for jusce, for renewal,
for new life. And so may we hold silence and listen for your call.
May we hold silence and know such silence is all we can give in response
to the news of your journey towards the cross.
Silence
Hear us now as we sing with the angels and the whole realm of nature:
Holy, holy, holy God of presence and infinite space heaven and earth
are full of your glory; hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in your name; hosanna in the highest.
This is our thanksgiving for all you have done and will be doing for
truth and forgiveness, for promise and salvaon, for jusce and life.
Amen.
Communion of the People
Responding to the Word
The Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer
Call for the Offering
Offertory What Wondrous Love WONDROUS LOVE
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the heavy cross for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the heavy cross for my soul!
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
while millions join the theme I will sing!
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and thorough eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on!
* Those who are able, please stand

*Doxology
Rejoice in God, all earthly lands,
and li your hands in song and prayer.
Delight to live by God’s commands; sing joyful praises everywhere.
Bearing the Word
OLD HUNDREDTH
*Affirmaon of Faith The Confession of 1967 9.16,17
We believe that God has created the world of space and me to be
the sphere of God’s dealings with humankind. In its beauty and vastness,
sublimity and awfulness, order and disorder, the world reflects
to the eye of faith the majesty and mystery of its Creator.
We believe that God has created us for personal relaonship in which
we may respond to the love of the Creator.
Life is a gi to be received with gratude and a task to be pursued
with courage.
*Closing Hymn (insert) On A Hill Far Away THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
Announcements
Choral Benedicon Shalom, My Friends Tradional Israeli
Shalom, my friends, God’s peace my friends go with you now;
and stay with you in all you do. Shalom, shalom.
*Charge and Benedicon
Postlude
* Those who are able, please stand

SPECIAL NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Designated Monthly Mission Offering for February:
Alabama Arise
Study opportunies available for adult learners
during the Church School hour:
Peacemaking Class (Library): America and It’s Guns: A Theological Exposé by
The Rev. James E. Atwood
Pastor’s Class (C.E. Building): The Heart of Chrisanity by Marcus Borg
Leconary Class (C.E. Building): A deeper look into the Sunday’s scriptures
SUNDAY to SUNDAY
Today, February 24—First Sunday of Lent
9:30 a.m.—Worship
10:45 a.m.—Fellowship
11:00 a.m.—Church School
12:00 p.m.—8 p.m.—Read the Bible Through
5:30 p.m.—PYC
Wednesday, February 27
10:30 a.m.—Study Group—The Way of Discernment by Elizabeth Liebert
5:30 p.m.—Prayer Group
5:45 p.m.—LOGOS—Paper Airplane Night
7:30 p.m.—Choir Pracce
Friday, March 1
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.—Read the Bible Through
Saturday, March 2
8:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m.—Read the Bible Through
Sunday, March 3—Second Sunday of Lent
9:30 a.m.—Worship
10:45 a.m.—Fellowship
11:00 a.m.—Church School
12:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.—Read the Bible Through
5:30 p.m.—PYC
Finance and Stewardship Update
Tithes and undesignated gis received February 17— $5,361
Tithes and undesignated gis received month-to-date — $14,,898
Tithes and undesignated gis received year-to-date — $20,212
Monthly mission offering received February 17— $225
Monthly mission offering received month-to-date — $1,005
Monthly mission offering received year-to-date — $1,538
Per capita gis received February 17: $0
Per capita gis received year to date: $538.37
Per capita assessment for 2013: $2,417.76
(Or $13.14 per person)

Pastor
Liturgist
Ministers
Director of Chrisan Educaon.
Musician, Music Ministry Coordinator
Elders:
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Youth Elder
Treasurer
Website Coordinator
Rev. Elizabeth O’Neill
Ann Webb
All the members of the church
Phyllis Ward
Michael Keeling
Joey Brackner, Martha Morgan,
Calli Paerson
Linda Carter, Tom Rodman,
Cindy Sanders, Mary Wisdom
Carol Gundlach, Linda Jenkins,
Kelly Moody
Jeb Brackner
Mike Ward
Tom Rodman
The name Immanuel is a compound of the three Hebrew words, with us God, and
is used by the prophet Isaiah in 7.14 and 8.8, and by the gospel writer Mahew in
1.23, who quotes Isaiah 7.14 in reference to Jesus Christ. The name Immanuel
expresses our two-fold convicon that in Jesus Christ, the living God is with all
people and that all people are therefore welcome in this community of Chrisan
faith. The life, death, resurrecon, and reign of Jesus Christ tear down every wall
that divides people — racial and ethnic, ideological, age and gender, health and
disability, even walls of opinion — every wall.
At Immanuel Presbyterian Word and Sacrament are held together. The reading
and proclamaon from the Word prepare us to gather together as Immanuel’s
family around the LORD’s table and to partake in the gis of bread and cup. As
the pastor comes forward to greet you, please rise and come to the table, take a
piece of bread and dip the bread in the non­alcoholic wine, taste, and see that
the LORD is good. This is the church’s ancient pracce of “inncon.” If you are
unable to walk, please nofy the pastor or an usher; and you will be gladly
served.
Immanuel Presbyterian disnguishes between the and offering. Tithes are money
and service for Immanuel’s current operang budget. Mission Offerings are
forwarded to the designated mission recipient each month. Both thes and offerings
are given in thankful response to God’s gracious love. Undesignated gis are
allocated as thes to help meet operang expenses. For mission giving, please
indicate “Mission” on your check or envelope.
Immanuel Presbyterian Church, PCUSA
8790 Vaughn Road
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 260 0567
1 334 260 0567 www.immanuelpcusa.org
Church Office Hours:
Tuesday through Friday
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Closed Mondays
22 Years
of mission
and ministry