Kinderhook Reformed Church Celebration of Worship, January 21, 2018
“To Know Christ and to Make Him Known”
Rev. Rudy Visser, Pastor
A warm welcome to visitors.
Welcome visitors! Pleases fill out a visitors’ pew card and place it in the offering plate.
8:30 A.M. CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP
Announcements, The Lord’s Greeting, and Morning Prayer
*Morning Praise
Scripture Reading Luke 7:11-17
Message “The Dead Sitting up in God's Presence – It Is a Theme in the Bible.”
Prayer of Thanks
Offering and Prayer of Blessing
Intercessory Prayer
*Closing Hymn and Benediction
10:00 A.M. CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP
Following worship, all are invited for refreshment and fellowship.
Thanks to today’s ushers, Jim Baker, Merrill Johnson, Wayne Van Allen.
Thanks to today’s greeters.
Nursery facility available downstairs.
Prelude Fantasia in D major Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow
Welcome, Announcements, and God's Greeting
Drawing Near to God
Call to Worship (Responsive)
Let us enter God’s house together and savor his presence and who he is:
In a world of thirst and hunger,
let us worship a God who offers living water and spiritual nourishment.
In a world of abuse and oppression,
let us worship a God who calls for compassion and justice.
In a world filled with violence and rumors of war,
let us worship a God who promises a world at peace.
In a world of spiritual desolation and death,
let us worship a God who offers spiritual renewal and life eternal.
Come, let us worship the Lord, whose grace and love are infinite!
*Hymn of Praise #50 Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above
Allowing God to Shape Us
Call to Confession
Proverbs 28:13 reads: “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Let us now confess together our failures and shortcomings before God.
Prayer of Confession (Unison)
Father of mercies, we confess that we have sinned against you. By your Holy Spirit, come and work repentance into our hearts. Help us to see you as you are: with outstretched arms, a loving heart, and power to save. Help us to see Jesus - friend of sinners, giver of new life - and to follow him more faithfully. As we have received him, so strengthen us to walk in him, depend on him, commune with him, and conform to him. Give us an experience of your grace that makes us bold for others, that we might joyfully share with our friends and neighbors your saving mercy. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon (Responsive) Based on Titus 2:13-14; 2 Cor. 9:15
Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! Amen.
Coming before God’s Open Word
Prayer of Blessing upon Our Children (Unison), and Invitation to Sunday School
Lord Jesus, grant our children an unshakable faith in the good news that you offered yourself up to suffering and death in love for them, and that God raised you from the dead. Assure them that you are now alive within them, and that because of you, they will live forever, never to be separated from his love. Amen.
Prayer for Illumination and Scripture Reading Luke 7:11-17
Message “The Dead Sitting up in God's Presence – It Is a Theme in the Bible.”
Prayer of Blessings
*Hymn of Affirmation #309 Wonderful Words of Life
Silent Prayer for Those Seeking to Accept Christ as Their Savior:
"Dear Jesus, I confess that I'm a sinner, and not right with you. I repent and ask forgiveness. I believe that you died on the cross to take my punishment and to pay the price for my sins. I believe that you rose from death to give me new life. Wash me clean from all sin, shame, and guilt, and come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. In your name I pray. Amen."
Celebrating God , His Care, and His Abundance
Offering/Offertory O blest Creator of the Light Jean Titelouze
*Doxology #809 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow
*Offertory Prayer (Unison) Based on 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
Holy God, we offer these gifts to be used to preach the truth of salvation and eternal life through Christ Jesus, your Son; to proclaim your promise of renewal of mind, body, and spirit; and to make known the blessings of your love, reassurance, and peace to those who are in need. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer
*Hymn of Exhortation #670 Rise Up O Saints of God
*Benediction, Blessing, and Response Hymn My Friends May You Grow in Grace
My friends, may you grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.
My friends, may you grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
To God be the glory, now and forever, now and forever, amen. (2x)
Postlude Canzona in F major Domenico Zipoli
2017 contribution statements are now available on the back table for pick-up, and envelopes are in alphabetical order for your convenience. Please Note: every two statements picked up from the back table saves the church nearly $1 in postage!
There is mail in the church family mailbox (upper left corner box) for
Amy Deweerd, Gary Leggett, Maureen Mooney
UPDATE ON WEDNESDAY’S COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
“Active Shooter Seminar/Training”
Praise God for such an excellent turnout from our community on such a cold, wintery evening this past Wednesday! Close to 70 people attended the very informative seminar, which presented the essential responses and strategies necessary for improving chances of survival in an active shooter situation. Thanks to all who made this event, and its potential for saving lives, such a success, with special thanks to seminar leader Anthony Brahm and event coordinator, Jean Hacker.
REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR
- those who do not know Christ or who are struggling in their faith journey. Pray also that God will provide opportunities for us to witness for Jesus, and give us the courage and winsome words needed to make the most of these opportunities.
- Pastor Rudy, as he fulfills his ministerial duties.
- KRC ministries, programs & projects and those planning & administering them: KRC’s Consistory, especially newly installed officers, Jane Deane, Jean Hacker; Susan Patterson, and Deborah Spaulding; KRC’s administrative ministries, KRC’s Youth Group; Sunday School; KRC’s small group ministries and Bible studies; Community Prayer Group; 1st Friday; and other outreach programs.
- our state, national, and world leaders, especially President Donald Trump and all of the government officials now in office, that God will grant them the leadership skills, wisdom, and the personal protection needed to govern effectively and safely.
- our military men & women, their families, and friends, that they may know God’s presence, protection, and peace, especially Jason Lansing serving in S. Korea.
- victims world-wide suffering natural and other hardships and tragedies, especially those caught in the California mudslides who have lost loved ones and homes; those suffering economic instability; poverty, hunger, and poor health; political oppression, unrest, terrorism, war, displacement.
- those grieving the death of loved ones, especially Dennis & Jody Stupplebeen, family, and friends grieving the sudden death of Jody's father; Kay Haber, family, and friends grieving the recent loss of Kay's oldest brother, James Morse.
- those who, even after many years, still hurt from the void left by loved ones who have passed on from this world.
- reassurance, peace, and dignity for loved ones nearing the close of this life.
- those battling or recovering from cancer or in hospice care: Charles Roppolo; Terri; Christine; Michael, brother of Mary Jane Haywood; Connie Witkowski; Michael; Don Morse; Jill; J.B.; Jen; Bill, Janet Smith's brother; Ronny; Ron Dick; Carol Nel; Jeff Peter; Mark; Ann; Steve; Dorothy Wheeler.
- those awaiting test results or surgery; recovering from surgery, injury, or illness; or chronically ill: Maggie C, a young girl from VBS; a young couple dealing with difficulties with their unborn baby; Gayle, Courtney Wood’s mother; John W, a family friend of Patti Varga; Thomas Appel; Seth Mooney; Asha and her baby; Connie; Esther Baker, Jim Baker’s mom; Ruth Edge; Virginia Rothermel.
- those facing challenges, stressful circumstances, and difficult decisions: Caleb L, a teen from youth group, suffering with severe depression; Merrill Johnson, dealing with a number of unspoken issues; our students as they deal with the challenges of higher levels of education in this school year, career choices, and job searches; Greg Clause Jr.; Libby Little-Saxton, working with Afghan refugees; the epidemic of addiction to life-threatening drugs.
- God’s protection for travelers.
- residence-bound KRC family, George Clowe, and those caring for the elderly, displaced, disabled, or ill.
Outreach Ministry is asking that those who submit a prayer request to KRC’s family and friends also inform us if they know of any additional material or physical needs, beyond the initial prayer request, that we might be able to meet. We would love the opportunity to engage with those in need of prayer in tangible ways as well, such as with meals, emergency monies, a ride, a listening ear, a visit, childcare - to name a few.
PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS OUR MISSIONS AND MISSIONARIES
Dave and Char Alexander, RCA missionaries, Taiwan;
Alight Pregnancy Center, Hudson
Perry Jones and Capital City Rescue Mission, Albany
Compassion International, KRC-Sponsored Children:
Evelin Chuquinia, 19
Alex and Fran Knauss, Trans-World Radio
Maureen Menard, Youth with a Mission
Dick and Carolyn Otterness, RCA missionaries, Hungary
Brian and Bea Post, Wycliffe Bible Translators
Seth and Melissa Rogati, missionaries, Young Life Ministry, St. Thomas
Betty Ann Stedwell, Christar International Mission
PLEASE TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO READ THE THANK-YOU NOTES ON THE MISSIONS BULLETIN BOARD IN THE FELLOWSHIP ROOM FROM SOME OF OUR MISSIONARIES.
REMEMBER TO THANK & PRAISE GOD FOR
- Pastor Rudy Visser, our Spirit-filled minister and leader of vision, and for the Christ-centered messages God gives to Pastor each and every Sunday for the spiritual nourishment and growth of our church family.
- the inspirational ministries of our guest preachers, Perry Jones, Tom McCrossan, John Bowen, Derek DeJager, and others who lead KRC worship from time to time.
- those men and women who have served or are now serving our country, and those who have sacrificed their wellbeing and lives for the peace & liberty we enjoy.
- all those of KRC's family and friends who volunteer their time, talent, and energy so generously and so selflessly to the various ministries and programs of our church, and who often do this quietly behind-the-scenes with little notice or recognition.
HAPPY JANUARY BIRTHDAY!
Paul Clause (2nd), Libby Little (2nd), Robert Carroll (12th), Jennifer Jennings (19th), Stacey Baker (20th), Noreen Dick (22nd), Sug Hawver (27th), Jean Skipper (29th),
William Carroll (31st), Ainsley Clinton (31st)
Stewardship Ministry urges that everyone give prayerful consideration to how they might adjust their giving to help keep income at a level that will meet daily operating expenses.
Inspired by the abundance with which the Lord has blessed us, let us continue, as his faithful stewards, to be ever mindful of the need to maintain a weekly offering sufficient to cover our commitments.
KRC 2018 CONSISTORY
Pastor Rev. Rudy Visser, President of Consistory
Deacons
Noreen Dick – ’18 Church Family. . . . . . . . . . . . 758-6640 noreend122@twc.com
Susan Patterson – ’19 Property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 755-4909 patterss@strose.edu
Beth Anne Rippel – ’18 Stewardship. . . . . . . . . . 392-5044 barippel@yahoo.com
Deborah Spaulding – ’19 Outreach. . . . . . . . . . . 758-7316 ber00519@fairpoint.net
Elders
Jane Deane – ’19 Christian Ed., Cemetery. . . . . . 758-7051 jdeane1943@gmail.com
Jean Hacker – ’19 Outreach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758-9412 jch9412@aol.com
Merrill Johnson – ’18 Worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 828-6726 docjohnson36@gmail.com
Dawn Van Buren – ’18 Consistory Vice-President, Cemetery, Pastoral Relations,
Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . 758-7564 dawnandleo@fairpoint.net
Clerk of Consistory
Patti Varga – 755-3054 patvarga66@gmail.com
KRC TREASURER
Derick LaTorre – 376-1882 derick.latorre@gmail.com
KRC STAFF
KRC Office Manager KRC Office Assistant
Paul Clause – 859-4158 Courtney Wood – 852-7172
KRC Sexton KRC Cemetery Supervisor
Steven Green – 505-4918 Greg Clause – 369-8472
COMING EVENTS
Today, Sun, January 21
8:30 am Early Worship Service
10:00 am Worship Service and Children’s Sunday School
Tues, January 23
7:00 pm KRC Youth Group meets
Thur, January 25
9:00 am Small Group Bible study @KRC.
Group continues its study, Grace, by Max Lucado – Please join us!
10:00 am Community Prayer Group @KRC
Sun, January 28
8:30 am Early Worship Service
10:00 am Worship Service and Children’s Sunday School
Fri, February 2
6:00 pm First Friday free community dinner. Doors open at 5:30.
Sat, February 10
5:30 - 8:30 pm Parents’ Night Out – more details coming soon!
Servers Next Sunday, January 28, 2018
Ushers: Jim Baker, Merrill Johnson, Wayne Van Allen
Greeter(s): The Hurst Family
