WELCOME TO FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF COVINGTON

If you would like information about membership or the programs, mission, and fellowship of the church, speak to the pastor as you leave or call the church office at 770-786-7321.

E-mail:

Pastor, Billy Wade: wbwade75@gmail.com

Dan Walden: djwalden@mac.com

Church Office/Peni Kehoe: penihaug@gmail.com Website: www.fpccov.org

Mailing Address: 1169 Clark Street, SW Covington, Georgia 30014

You may listen to recent sermons by visiting our website (www.fpccov.org) and clicking on “Media.”

Twelfth Sunday

after Pentecost

August 27, 2017

Order of Worship

GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

PRELUDE Trompette Dialogue Processional May Schwarz

Hear Us Now, Our God and Father Mark Sedio The King of Love My Shepherd Is Emma Lou Diemer

INTROIT Brethren, We Have Met to Worship HOLY MANNA

Sanctuary Choir

CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good. God’s steadfast love endures for ever!

HYMN 611 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee HYMN TO JOY

CALL TO CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Holy God, your grace startles us. Not only is it more than we deserve, it is more than we can imagine. Again and again you reach out to us, offering love without boundary, and mercy without exception. Forgive us for making you too small, for thinking that you are only our God, for believing that we have you all figured out. Expand our vision and enlarge our hearts, that we might grow in love and thanksgiving, and more nearly follow Jesus our Savior; in whose name we pray. Amen. (silence for personal prayer and reflection)

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE NETTLETON Hymn 475, stanza 3 O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

THE PASSING OF THE PEACE The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

THANKS TO THOSE SERVING US TODAY

August Gary Boteler September

Miriam Wheeler

Sound Engineer: Ken Walker

William B. Wade, Jr. Pastor Dan Walden Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry Peni Kehoe Secretary-Treasurer Alan Bunn Music Director

Alice Walker CAGO, AAGO Organist/Ambassador Choir Shaun and Aubrey Evans Nursery Kara Sugg Director of the Early Learning Center

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STAFF

MEMBERS OF SESSION

Class of 2017 Adriane Ivey

Michael Thompson Danny Vining

Jean Wolverton Jake McCarthy

Koen Ardis

Class of 2018 Gary Boteler Billy Fortson

Scarlett McCurry Stephanie Scarborough

Tom Stillerman

Class of 2019 Carter Gibson John McCarthy Teresa McCurry

Cheryl Meichsner Miriam Wheeler

Sunday, August 27 9:00 Handbell Choir 9:30 Children’s Choir 9:45 Breakfast 11:00 Worship Service 12:00 Congregational Meeting 4:00 Youth/Parent Picnic at the Stillerman’s home Tuesday, August 29 4:00 Exercise Class

Wednesday, August 30 6:45 Sanctuary Choir

Thursday, August 31 10:30 Ambassador Choir

Sunday, September 3 9:00 Handbell Choir 9:30 Children’s Choir 10:00 Sunday School 11:00 Worship Service

This Week at FPC

The Food Pantry is now open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 - 11:30. Donations of any non-perishable food items are welcome.

August suggested donations are: 2 lb. bags of sugar and flour

Baby Love is our program to collect diapers and wipes, or donations to-ward them, to give to local organiza-tions which distribute them to parents in need. Place diapers in the cradle in the narthex. Donations should be des-ignated to “Baby Love”.

Ongoing Activities in the Life

of the Church

Congregational Meeting Today The Congregational Meeting will take place at the conclusion of the 11:00 a.m. worship service for the purpose of electing 2 people to the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will pre-sent to the congregation a slate of elders for the Class of 2020. The Session representatives to the Nominating Committee are Scarlett McCurry and Tom Stillerman. There also will be 1 youth member to be approved by the congregation.

YOUTH CONNECTION PLANNING TODAY

Parents and youth (6th through 12th grades)...as we kick-off our activities for the new school year we will be planning together so that we can involve as many students as possible in all that we do. Pam & Jim Stillerman have once again graciously invited us out to their house for a pool party and dinner. Here are the details:

• Arrive at 4:00 p.m. for swimming • Dinner at 6:00 p.m. • Departure time is 7:00 p.m. • Bring appropriate swimming attire & sunscreen • Bring your calendars and we'll discuss plans in the shade while the kids soak up the sun.

We need to know how many people to expect so that we can make sure we have plenty of food for everyone. Please contact Dan Walden at the church office to let us know that you plan to attend ASAP. Friends are always welcomed!!

PROCLAIMING THE WORD ANTHEM The Gift of Love Hal Hopson

Sanctuary Choir

THE WORD FOR CHILDREN All the children are invited to come forward for the Word for Children. Afterward, children kindergarten and younger may go to children’s activities downstairs.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRAYER FOR ILLLUMINATION

SCRIPTURE READINGS I Corinthians 13 John 3:16-17

SERMON The Greater Gifts: Love William B. Wade, Jr.

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

HYMN 366 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling HYFRYDOL

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from A Brief Statement of Faith

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community.

But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.

In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.

CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE LORD’S PRAYER p. 35 in front of hymnal

THE OFFERING OF SUBSTANCE AND LIFE

OFFERTORY Barbara Harbach

Although I Speak with Angel's Tongue

DOXOLOGY (Hymn 606) 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 DEDICATION Gracious Lord, you have blessed us with gifts too many to count. Help us respond to your goodness. Enable us to live our lives as gifts to you, seeking your will and your help through all that life brings us. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD

INTO THE WORLD

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE GIFT OF LOVE

Hymn 693, stanza 3 Come, Spirit, come, our hearts control; Our spirits long to be made whole. Let inward love guide every deed; By this we worship, and are freed.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

POSTLUDE Robert J. Powell

Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven

Please stand if you are able.

Worship Notes

Dan Walden, Director of Youth and Children’s Ministries, is assisting with leading worship today. Please enter the sanctuary in a spirit of reverence as we prepare to worship God. Remember to turn on your cell phones when you leave. Recordings of Sunday sermons can be accessed on the church website: www.fpccov.org.

†Rob Lanford-foot infection, Piedmont

Newton

†Matthew Howell-motorcycle accident,

Atlanta Medical Center

†Charles Strickland-home, TIA

†Adriane Ivey-recovering from surgery

†David Cooper-lung cancer (father of

Rebecca Bates)

†Becky Ramsey-home after surgery

†Rick Gunter-home, shingles

†Krissy Jones-treatment for infection

†Shannon Dillon-found; now in hospital

(great niece of Faye Kitchens)

†Anderson Krieger-home, chemotherapy

†Louise Strickland-cancer

†Carol Capell-home, recovering from

back surgery

†Heaven Stephenson-healthy pregnancy

†Scarlett McCurry-job and house search

†William Cowden-Grady (father of

Rebecca Arnold)

†Donald Vining-recovering from back

surgery (brother of Danny Vining)

†Charlie Ann Cooley-chemotherapy

& radiation (great-niece of Sallie Paschal)

†Jeanette Davis-kidney failure

(mother of Maria Davis)

†Carol Baynes-cancer (friend of

Phyllis Yoder)

†Robin McKeown-cancer (friend of

Phyllis Yoder)

†Fran Prince-home

†Chuck Hodges-treatment for

lymphoma (friend of Patti Lanford)

†Ron Swatty-heart problems,

brother-in-law of Charles Ardis)

†Lecia Landolt-chemo for pancreatic

cancer (friend of Patti Lanford)

†Mitchell Jessup -cancer (father of

Nick Jessup)

†Sharon Walton-chemotherapy

(friend of Patti Lanford)

†Sophia Hawley-Cystic Fibrosis

†John Fish-cancer (Bryson Wade’s

uncle)

†Roger Gossage-awaiting transplant

†Jim Stalvey, Jr.-melanoma

Assisted Living/Nursing Homes:

†Bill Taylor-Bentley Assisted Living,

Jefferson, GA

†Russ Cole-Rockdale Healthcare

†Jeanne Cannon-St. Simon’s Island, GA

†J. L. Johnson -Dogwood Forest

Alpharetta, GA

Riverside

†Martha Borders

†Betty Goins

Merryvale

†Guy McGiboney

†Betty Robinson

†Louise White

†Alice Gadilhe

†Hughie Hudson

Home

†Jan Coulon

†Debi (Dee) Selin

Peace Corps Volunteer

†Pattie Lanford stationed in Zambia

We extend our sympathy and prayers for

Julie Epps and family in the death of her

mother, Charlotte Epps, who died last

Monday.

Hospital Visitor:

Day Kennon

In Our Thoughts and Prayers

Please update your prayer requests this week! Those requests that have not been

updated 4 weeks after the request will be removed. Thank you!

Email: penihaug@gmail.com or call the church office,

770-786-7321