KINDERHOOK REFORMED CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE JULY 26, 2015

 “To Know Christ and to Make Him Known”

Rev. Rudy Visser, Pastor

A warm welcome to visitors.  We invite you to sign our Guest Book

 in the entranceway  and fill out a pew card and place it in the offering plate.

9 A.M.  CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP

  All are invited to refreshments and fellowship at the Lemonade Stand hosted today by Bob and Jean Wildermuth on the front lawn of the church following worship.

Ushers:  Jim Dunham, Gary Leggett, Barry Knights, Keith Garwood

  Greeter(s):                          Preschool Nursery available downstairs.

KRC family and friends are encouraged to volunteer as front-door greeters for our 9 a.m. combined summer worship service.  A sign-up sheet for this purpose may be found on the back table of the sanctuary, and your willingness to participate in this important ministry is much appreciated.

  Prelude   Day by Day, and with Each Passing Moment  (Hymnal p. 367)  C. Berg, O Ahnfelt

  Announcements

  Welcome and God’s Greeting

  Drawing Near To God

  Call to Worship (Responsive) Based on Psalm 111:1-4

Great are the works of the Lord;
       they are pondered by all who delight in them.

Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
       and his righteousness endures forever.

I will exalt the Lord with all my heart,
       In the council of the upright and in the assembly

       I will praise Him. Praise the Lord.

*Hymn of Praise and Assurance #78                                      O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Allowing God to Shape Us

  Call to Confession        

In spoken word and silent thought, unfold your prayer to our God who is our  shelter and strength.

  Prayer of Confession (Unison)

Redeeming God, you bring life out of dead ends and hope in the midst of despair. Forgive us for doubting that you are still at work even in the darkest hour, even in the most painful moments. Forgive us for our hesitant action, our cautious compassion, our too-frequent reluctance.  Redeeming God, teach us a stillness that leads to acts of kindness and clarity of vision. Shape in us a trust that leads to faithful witness and bold compassion. Form us in your love that loosens our worry and eases our anger. Make us true disciples, filled with love, acting with justice and living out hope. Amen.

  Assurance of Pardon (Unison)

God's love dries our tears;
God's forgiveness picks us up;
God's peace settles our worry.
In the name of the risen Christ, you are forgiven.

       Alleluia! Amen.

Coming before God’s Open Word

  Prayer for Illumination

  Scripture                                                                                         Ephesians 5:15-20 (p. 829)

  Message                                                                                    “To Be Able to Tell the Time”

  Prayer of Thanks

 Celebrating God

  Offering and Offertory       Make Me a Blessing   (Hymnal p. 656)     I. Wilson, G. Schuler

  Doxology and Offertory Prayer  (Unison) 

Holy God, use these offerings to renew our vision of your glory; our grasp of your will for us; our understanding of the wisdom and freedom that is ours through the work your Son, Jesus Christ; and our passion to be Spirit-filled servants to you and to all around us.  Amen.

  Prayer Requests, Pastoral Prayer, and The Lord’s Prayer

*Closing Hymn (On screen)                                                             This Is My Father’s World

*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                                               I Exalt Thee                                               Sanchez, Jr.  

~ABOUT TODAY’S CLOSING HYMN~

       Maltbie Babcock, a brilliant scholar with a winning personality, was arguably the most remarkable student Syracuse University had ever seen.  Tall and steel-muscled, he was an outstanding athlete, expert swimmer, and captain of the baseball team. He also directed the university’s orchestra, played several instruments, and composed original music.  A proficient vocalist, he directed the university glee club.  He entertained his fellow classmates by drawing and doing impersonations.  On the side, he was an avid fisherman.

       He would have been successful in any profession, but God called him to the ministry, and after training at Auburn Theological Seminary, he became pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lockport, New York.  It was a beautiful area midway between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, not far from Niagara Falls, and Maltbie enjoyed hiking and running in the nearby hills. Telling his secretary, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world,” he would run or hike a couple of miles into the countryside, where he’d lose himself in nature. It was during his pastorate at Lockport that he wrote a sixteen-stanza poem, each verse beginning with the words, “This is my Father’s world.”

       In 1866, Maltbie was called to Brown Memorial Church in Baltimore.  While there, he traveled widely and was in great demand on college campuses.  He was am engaging speaker who never failed to stimulate students.  In 1899, he moved to Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City, where he found it difficult to take off on his hikes.  The work load was enormous, but Maltbie faced it stoically, and wrote, “Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift. We have hard work to do and loads to lift.  Shun not the struggle. Face it. ‘Tis God’s gift.  Be strong!

       When he was forty-two, his church presented him with a special gift – a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  With great excitement, Maltbie departed by ship.  While en route, in Naples, Italy, he was seized with a deadly bacterial fever and died at the International Hospital on May 18, 1901. After his death, his wife compiled his writings into a book entitled Thoughts for Everyday Living, published in 1901.  Included was Maltbie’s “This Is My Father’s World.”     Robert J. Morgan

~CCRM’S 7^TH ANNUAL BACKPACK GIVEAWAY PARTY~

As you know, many disadvantaged families struggle to provide some essentials for their children, like new school supplies. Stewart's Shops has again generously donated $1,000 to purchase backpacks for Capital City Rescue Mission’s 7th Annual Backpack Giveaway Party in August. But we need your help to fill them! KRC’s is collecting school supplies for the mission again this year, and we are asking church family and friends to join us in this effort. Labeled collection containers will be available at the church’s entryways, and OUR DONATIONS NEED TO BE IN THE CONTAINERS NO LATER THAN SUNDAY, AUGUST 9^TH.  What better way to help school kids than by making sure they are well-equipped to begin the new school year? Gender-neutral items are appreciated. Thanks for helping! 

● 2-pocket folders                                            â— 3-ring binders

● Loose-leaf paper (wide-ruled)                  ● Colored pencils & crayons

● Elmer's glue & glue sticks                           ● Erasers (all types)

● Markers (all types)                                         ● Marble & spiral notebooks (wide-ruled)

● Pencil sharpeners & pencil cases             â— Pencils & pens

● Rulers & scissors (round-tipped)              â— Highlighters

The Reformed Dutch Church of Schodack at Muitzeskill will hold its annual Mini-Market and Chicken Barbeque on Saturday, August 8^th. Cleaning out your attic or storage unit and not sure what to do with unwanted items?  Had a garage sale and have items that didn't sell? Should have had a sale, but didn't get around to it? Well, let us help! We will take your donations of unwanted items!  (Please no clothing, stuffed animals, or outdated electronics.) Call 732-7976 or 732-2471 to make arrangements for drop-off of Mini-Market items. The Mini-Market opens at 9:00 a.m., while the BBQ will be served between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. BBQ price: adults $12.00, children under 12 $6.00.  Reservations are not needed, but BBQ is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Take out available.  Questions? Call 732-2471.   The church is located at the intersection of Muitzeskill Rd. and Schodack Landing Rd., in the town of Schodack Landing.

~NOTE OF APPRECIATION & UPDATE FROM STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY~

Dear Kinderhook Reformed Church Family and Friends,

     We truly thank God for the financial support he has enabled each of you to provide to KRC’s general operating budget so far this year.  The blessing of your gifts is much appreciated, and has gone a long way toward meeting day-to-day expenses. 

     A recent assessment of how we are doing financially showed that operating expenses ($92,000 to date) have stayed within the current year’s projected budget.  Income, however, ($87,000 to date) has not quite kept up, leaving us $5,000 behind.  On average, giving has totaled around $2,600 each Sunday, but at least $3,000 a week is required in order to meet financial obligations. Considering that active membership and regular adherents together number over 80, an average increase of $5 each in weekly giving would keep the current shortfall from getting bigger. 

     We are very conscious of the fact that some are unable to manage a full $5 increase, but there may be many others who can do this much, and some who can do even more.  A priority goal for Stewardship is to end the year without having to draw upon reserves to balance the budget, and we would ask that you prayerfully consider how you might be able to respond to help us meet this goal.   

LOOKING AHEAD

KRC VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2015         

VBS will run this summer at KRC from AUGUST 17^th to 21^st, 9 am to Noon, with arrival and sign-in at 8:45 to 9 am daily.  All kids of our community ages Pre-K (3 and potty-trained) through Grade 6 are invited to this year’s fun and spiritually-nurturing program.  Forms are now available on the back table for pre-registering your children or grandchildren, and Christian Ed Ministry is looking for VBS volunteers to teach and to help. For information about the positive rewards of serving in this ministry and the relatively small time commitment involved, please speak with Patti Varga.

HAPPY JULY BIRHTDAY!

Jeff Barmen (2^nd), Edward Bailey (2^nd), Sally Heimroth (3^rd), Virginia Rothermel (3^rd),

Patrice Lyons (5^th), Jay Rippel, (6^th), Will Ferguson (7^th), Haley Hickman (12^th,)

 Dick Van Alstyne (13^th), Ted Tuttle (18^th), Edward Arnold (26^th), Glenn Warren (26^th), Carien Zietsman (28^th), Patti Varga (30^th), Stacey Dunbar (31^st)

CLASSIS ASSESSMENT 2015

KRC’s share of support this year is $5,633.28 for services and resources to be provided for us by the Reformed Church in 
America at the local, regional, and national levels. EACH MEMBER’S SHARE OF THIS YEAR’S CLASSIS ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN 
SET AT $88.02.  All who are able to do so are encouraged to offer, over and above regular giving, their share of this support.  The 
full share does not have to be given at one time, but may be given in as many increments as are convenient. If offered weekly, 
that’s around $4 for each of the remaining weeks in this year. All contributions made for this purpose should be designated 
“Classis Assessment.”  

REMEMBER TO THANK & PRAISE GOD FOR  

• Pastor Rudy Visser, our Spirit-filled minister and leader of vision.
• those men and women who have served or are now serving our country, and those who have sacrificed their well-being and lives for the peace & liberties we enjoy.
• all His provisions for our basic life needs, and the wonderful ways God shows His love to us, especially during difficult times.
• the many dedicated and hard-working friends and members of the Kinderhook Reformed Church Family who serve on Consistory, church ministries, and committees; teach Sunday School; lead Youth Group, Bible studies, and prayer group; organize and carry out special church events; prepare food, serve, and clean up for coffee hours, receptions, and dinners; and who are always ready to offer whatever help and support they can to those in need.

REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR

• those who do not know Christ or who are struggling in their faith,
• KRC programs & projects and those planning & administering them: adult and children’s VBS; KRC’s youth; small group ministries; adult Bible studies; Community Prayer Group; outreach programs. 
• KRC’s Consistory members and administrative ministries.
• our military men & women, their families, and friends, that they may know God’s presence, protection, and peace, especially Tom Eastman, fulfilling a tour of military duty in Afghanistan. Pray for Tom's safety, and for his family’s peace & reassurance.
• survivors of warfare, terrorism, violence, and natural and other disasters.
• our state, national, and world leaders, that God will grant them the leadership skills, wisdom, and the personal protection needed to govern effectively and safely.
• those, especially children, suffering poverty and hunger; abuse; exploitation; neglect; family hostility.
• families and friends grieving the death of loved ones, especially the Frisbee family, grieving the recent death of Priscilla Frisbee, 97, the oldest member of the KRC congregation;  the Milem and LaTorre families, grieving the death of Marie Milem, grandmother of Derick Latorre; the Tuttle and Carroll families grieving the death of Faity Tuttle, 104, mother of Ted Tuttle and grandmother of Liz Carroll; Karen, friend of Isabelle Bosquet-Morra, grieving the loss of her husband.
• others in hospice care or battling or recovering from cancer:  2-year-old Logan; Sandy; Charlie Ropollo Donna Scalera; Zoe Covey; Elizabeth Clinton; Diane, friend of Cricket Warren; Jack; Bob Mellott; Marlene; Daniel; Andy; Lucy B. and Rodrigo; Jean.
• Deborah Spaulding, hospitalized recently with pneumonia, that she will quickly be back to full health.
• Harriet Simpkins, fighting bronchitis.  Pray for comfort and a speedy recovery for Harriet.
• Adam Spaulding, being treated for Lyme disease. Pray that medications will act quickly and effectively, and result in a complete recovery for Adam.
• Cheryl Johnson, wife of Eddie Johnson, dealing with breast cancer, that she may know God’s  strength and comfort during this difficult time.
• those awaiting test results or surgery; recovering from surgery, injury, or illness; or chronically ill: Rick Skiermont; Bruce Hawver; Merrill Johnson; Jean Skipper; Florence Rivera; Steve Shpur; Carley Rippel; Stacey Baker; Harriet Stockhoff; John Bowen; Floyd Haber; Art Gross; Alan Dick; Paul Varga; Jane Smith; Blanche Rogers; Liz Carroll; Ruth Edge; Laurie Maul.
• those facing challenges, stressful circumstances, and difficult decisions:  Caleb; Vince Beaudoin; Libby Little; Susan Lamont and her children; Bill and Abby; Greg L; Craig Johnson; those facing the challenges of graduation, beginning a higher level of education, or seeking a career - pray that God will bless them with wisdom in all of the many choices and decisions they face.
• those who are traveling.
• reassurance, peace, and dignity for our loved ones who are nearing the close of this life; those caring for the elderly, displaced, disabled, or ill.
• Residence-bound members Murray Leonardson, Doris Schmieder, Joan Van Alstyne.