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Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Don Austin.
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.
Hymn: He Touched Me
Call to Worship O Lord You have searched me, and You know me. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O Lord. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the seas even there Your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast.
Prayer of Confession
Most Holy and Merciful God, we confess the power of sin that has bent and twisted our discipleship. You alone understand the wandering of our ways. Jesus is the light of the world. We continue to stumble in the shadows. Bless us with a vision of His love and reconciling presence in the world. Cleanse us for our secret faults. Empower us to see Your path and walk in Your ways. Forgive us by Your grace commuted Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Time of Personal Reflection Assurance of Pardon In Christ there is no east or west, In him no south or north, But one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth. In Jesus Christ, there is new life. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Hymn: Blessed Assurance Apostle's Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. On the third day he arose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Children's Sermon Prayer of Illumination Scripture Lesson Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 New Testament: John 1:43-51
Sermon: Revelation and Enlightenment
Hymn: O Jesus I Have Promised The Offering Prayer of Thanksgiving Lift up your hearts We lift them up to the Lord Let us give thanks to the Lord our God It is right to give God thanks and praise Church Joys and Concerns If you have a joy or concern to share that is not listed below, and you feel comfortable doing so, you may share it in the comments. Birthdays 19th Matthew Shrader 22nd Sandy Clutter 23rd David Cummings Announcements - Annual Congregational Meeting will be immediately after the Worship Service on January 31, 2021. SYMPATHY: Family of Lacey Renee Ring Added to our prayer chain this week was Jack Burnfield, Debbie Rugg, Joyce Pastorchalk and Ron Dobscha. Rick McFeeley’s surgery on Tuesday went well. Continued prayers for Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ed Horne, Donna West, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Chuck Montecello, April Hincy, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Ken Jackson, Doug Ward, Mark Knabenshue, Rick McFeeley, Deron Wood, Susan Alberti, Bryan Dunn, Dana Wilson, Marge McWreath, Marlene Huffman, Debbie Kelley, Tim Knabenshue, Gavin and Tracey Baker, David Riggs, and Pauley. Pastoral Prayer and the Lord's Prayer Hymn: Let There Be Peace on Earth Charge and Benediction
If you need anything during this time, please email the church at north.buffalo.church@gmail.com, or contact a member of session. If you have announcements or requests for our prayer chain, please contact Linda Miller. If you need food from our food pantry, please contact Becky Phillips
Remember, our annual Congregational Meeting will be directly following the worship service on Sunday, January 31.
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Good morning!
We're so happy you've joined us for Sunday School today!
It has been a little over ten months since we have met together for Sunday School. It seems like such a long time! When we met in person, we shared our joys and concerns with each other. Take some time this morning to think about what prayer requests you may have. If you would like, you can share them in the comments so that we can all pray.
Today's devotional reading is Psalm 103:1-14. I thought we could use that to build our prayer on. When you are ready, use the prayer below as a guide.
Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Don Herschell.
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.
Hymn: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Call to Worship On that first day, when time began You gave birth to creation; light danced through the darkness; the waters of hope flowed free and clear. On that first day at the Jordan, when redemption began You spoke of life for all your children, as Your Child stepped into the waters of forgiveness, dancing in hope with his cousin, John. On this first day of the week, when we begin anew You call us to faithfulness, as we open our hearts to You, Your voice claiming us as Your own.
Good morning!
We're so happy you've joined us today!
When we met together in person, we shared our joys and concerns with each other. Consider the past week. We certainly have a lot to pray for! If you have joys or concerns you would like to share, please feel free to put them in the comments so that everyone can also pray for your concern.
When you are ready, use the prayer below to begin. It is drawn from the St. Augustine's Confessions.
Today's guest speaker is Rev. Craig Kephart.
The scripture and this week's joys and concerns are written below the video. If you need anything during this time, please contact a session member. If you have prayer requests, you can contact Linda Miller or add a comment to this post. If you need food from our food pantry, please contact Becky Phillips. Isaiah 43:1-7
Church Joys and Concerns
If you have a joy or concern to share that is not listed below, and you feel comfortable doing so, you may share it in the comments. Birthdays Jan. 3 Beverly Calhoun 4 Kristin Shrader 7 Cathy Moore 8 Jim Kuhn Sympathy to The Family of Carolyn Grimes, The Family of Dick McFeeley, and The Family of Virginia Coffield We were able to take Ricky Amos off the prayer list this past week. Prayer works! Seth Cummings dental surgery at Children’s Hospital went very well on December 31st. Please pray for safe travels as Betty Francis, a retired teacher leaves for Ghana to serve in the mission field. She will be there through April. Continued prayers for Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ed Horne, Donna West, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Chuck Montecello, April Hincy, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Ken Jackson, Doug Ward, Mark Knabenshue, Rick McFeeley, Deron Wood, Susan Alberti, Bryan Dunn, Dana Wilson, Marge McWreath, Marlene Huffman, Debbie Kelley, Seth Cummings (3 yrs old) dental surgery on 31st and Tim Knabenshue.
Good morning!
Happy New Year!
Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season in the church, is this Wednesday. According to the Presbyterian Mission Agency:
"Epiphany is the celebration of God’s manifestation or self-revelation to the world in Jesus Christ. In particular, we celebrate the revelation of God’s promise and purpose to the nations of the world, as the magi came from the East to worship to the Christ child, and God’s covenant of grace is extended to all who believe the good news of Christ Jesus. The symbolism of light is important: not only because of the star that guided the magi, but as it relates to the bright dawning of God’s self-revelation in Christ."
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns together. Take a moment to consider your past week, especially as we have started a new year. What joys and concerns do you have? Who do you need to pray for? Feel free to share your prayer requests with us in the comments. When you are ready, pray the prayer below:
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. All joys and concerns that we know, as well as our continuing prayer list is within the Joys and Concerns. Announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.
Hymn: O Come, All Ye Faithful
Call to Worship As we gather as God's children on this Sunday after Christmas, we continue to feel the excitement that comes with the arrival of the Baby Jesus. And although the presents have been opened, the greatest gift of all is here for us to enjoy all year long. As we do our best to look forward to a new year, let us take with us the memories and accomplishments from days past. On this last Sunday of the year help us to reflect on your loving guiding presence that has been with each of us, every day.
Good morning!
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas this year, even if it looked a little different that most years. If you did not yet see this year's Christmas Program, you can click here to see it.
When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to think about your past week. Most notably it included the celebration of Christmas, which may have been much different this year than in years past.
Did you find any unexpected joys in the differences? Perhaps you had new insights into the core meaning of Jesus’s birth, free from all the trappings of modern Christmas celebrations. Or maybe you are mourning the season without so many traditions that have brought you comfort and joy in the past. Or maybe you have needs and concern of a whole different kind. You can share these in the comments if you would like. Then pray the prayer below, which is by the Rev. Susan A. Blain and is posted on the United Church of Christ website.
Welcome to our Christmas Eve Service this year.
Luke 2 Good morning!
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Choir Christmas Play
The choir's annual Christmas play was done for 22 years. These pictures are from the last several years.
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A favorite song for Christmas programs.
This snowy picture shows our church at the top left. |
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Advent Candle Lighting
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Lighting the Advent candles every Sunday has always been one of my favorite things leading up to Christmas. Every Sunday becomes quiet and thoughtful. We are reminded to consider the promises made to us, the peace that we will receive, the joy we experience, and the love we share. When I thought we might not be able to meet for worship this year, I decided that I still wanted to be able to light candles at home!
Christine |
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Christmas Greetings
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At our house we either make or buy a birthday cake for Jesus each year. Here is a picture of ours last year. Also our picture lighting the Advent candles. We are sad we can't be with everyone this year but please know we are there in our hearts. Merry Christmas!
From John, Barb and James |
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We want to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. Rise above today’s chaos and diversions to enjoy your blessings and the Gift of Christmas Day! This picture was taken at one of the Christmas Eve services and oh how we miss the beautiful music and voices brought to everyone during this joyful season! Rejoice in memories and thank God for all the photos we can share and enjoy. Merry Christmas!! Kenny and Becky.
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Martha says Merry Christmas too!
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Merry Christmas from our family to yours, Linda and Tom Miller
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Children's Christmas Party
and
Caroling
Each year, we have a small Christmas party right before Christmas for the children. Then, everyone goes caroling at The Grove (formerly Kade's). This is a favorite yearly activity for the children and for the residents!
Having been a member of North Buffalo for 66 years I have many many memories. It was hard to come up with only one but I cherish memories of past Sunday school classes when we had many more children than we do today. The children would make Christmas decorations for the Christmas tree. The anticipation and excitement of making decorations for Jesus birthday was joyous. They would take these decorations they created and with sparkling eyes and joyous smiles would hang them upon the tree as a gift to Jesus. They were so very proud and excited to be a part of decorating the tree. I am sorry I do not have a picture from one of those trees to share with you but it was a joyous time.
Linda
Linda
The Story of Christmas
Christmas Greetings
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Merry Christmas to ALL!
from Bryan, Garnet and Christine |
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We wish a blessed and merry Christmas to all of our church family.
From the Fisher family |
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Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!
from Frank and Nellie Baker |
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Sunday School Christmas Program
Another tradition has been the Christmas pageant during Sunday School hour on the Sunday before Christmas. A perennial favorite song among the children for that program has been "With a Star That Bright," about the Wise Men. We'd like to share that with you again this year.
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Christmas Eve
A North Buffalo Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of 50 years (or so) ago!
Well, Christine and I were talking about memories that make an impression on you when you are young. And I shared these memories with her, not really thinking of our virtual Christmas Program. But later Christine asked me to write this down to share. And it seems very fitting to share now, given that Rev. Scott has gone on to the sing in the heavenly choir this Christmas! And I’ll share another little fun Christmas Eve Memory too. (There are really too many!)
I think maybe we are very impressionable around 9 or 10 or so years old, I know I was, and maybe that’s why these memories are so vivid to me. Rev. Scott always prepared a beautiful Christmas Eve Service, and to me they seemed very reverent and mystical. This one stands out in my mind very much.
For this particular Christmas Eve, Rev. Scott moved all the chairs out of the choir area, and he put three medium size fresh cut evergreen trees there, and dressed them only with small white lights. The pulpit was moved over to the right hand side. The walls were hung with antique punched tin candle holder lanterns with candles burning in them. There was just one light for the readers at the pulpit. I don’t remember that there was any light on the choir, who were sitting over to the left (where we normally put the Christmas tree now.) Rev. Scott always emphasized memorizing the music, and so maybe they didn’t need much light. He always told us in the junior choir that he wanted us to be “looking up like angels” when we sang. So I suppose that was true for the adult choir too!
The program was the entire Christmas scripture, from the prophecy through the arrival of the magi. Interwoven were lovely hymns and poems. Rev. Scott sang bass (of course), and read some of the poetry. The scripture was all read by Mr. Smith. As a child I was impressed with how well he read, and his fine deep voice. I can picture him well, with his white hair and white beard and dark suit.
In the dark sanctuary with just one light on the readers and Bible at the pulpit, the three small trees, and the hanging lanterns, it seemed that everything else in the world fell away. We could have been worshipping outside. And it seemed very easy to feel the mystery, even for a pre-teen child, the great mystery of God coming to earth that first Christmas in the person of Baby Jesus to save all of human kind. And then we passed the candle light from one to another, as we still do now, and the dark sanctuary was slowly filled with light on the faces of all our dear congregation.
And for another fun memory! Rev. Scott loved including the youth and children in so many ways, and including things any of us suggested. I remember one of the Christmas Eve Services when we sang a “brand new” recently published (1969) Christmas Hymn. We sang two verses of “Pass it On” as we lit each other’s candles and passed the Light of Christ’s love through the congregation. And then we sang Silent Night after everyone’s candle was aglow.
OK, that was fun to share! I hope you each can remember a Christmas Eve service of your own when the love and light of Christ felt so close you could wrap it all around you. God Bless you all.
Lisa
Well, Christine and I were talking about memories that make an impression on you when you are young. And I shared these memories with her, not really thinking of our virtual Christmas Program. But later Christine asked me to write this down to share. And it seems very fitting to share now, given that Rev. Scott has gone on to the sing in the heavenly choir this Christmas! And I’ll share another little fun Christmas Eve Memory too. (There are really too many!)
I think maybe we are very impressionable around 9 or 10 or so years old, I know I was, and maybe that’s why these memories are so vivid to me. Rev. Scott always prepared a beautiful Christmas Eve Service, and to me they seemed very reverent and mystical. This one stands out in my mind very much.
For this particular Christmas Eve, Rev. Scott moved all the chairs out of the choir area, and he put three medium size fresh cut evergreen trees there, and dressed them only with small white lights. The pulpit was moved over to the right hand side. The walls were hung with antique punched tin candle holder lanterns with candles burning in them. There was just one light for the readers at the pulpit. I don’t remember that there was any light on the choir, who were sitting over to the left (where we normally put the Christmas tree now.) Rev. Scott always emphasized memorizing the music, and so maybe they didn’t need much light. He always told us in the junior choir that he wanted us to be “looking up like angels” when we sang. So I suppose that was true for the adult choir too!
The program was the entire Christmas scripture, from the prophecy through the arrival of the magi. Interwoven were lovely hymns and poems. Rev. Scott sang bass (of course), and read some of the poetry. The scripture was all read by Mr. Smith. As a child I was impressed with how well he read, and his fine deep voice. I can picture him well, with his white hair and white beard and dark suit.
In the dark sanctuary with just one light on the readers and Bible at the pulpit, the three small trees, and the hanging lanterns, it seemed that everything else in the world fell away. We could have been worshipping outside. And it seemed very easy to feel the mystery, even for a pre-teen child, the great mystery of God coming to earth that first Christmas in the person of Baby Jesus to save all of human kind. And then we passed the candle light from one to another, as we still do now, and the dark sanctuary was slowly filled with light on the faces of all our dear congregation.
And for another fun memory! Rev. Scott loved including the youth and children in so many ways, and including things any of us suggested. I remember one of the Christmas Eve Services when we sang a “brand new” recently published (1969) Christmas Hymn. We sang two verses of “Pass it On” as we lit each other’s candles and passed the Light of Christ’s love through the congregation. And then we sang Silent Night after everyone’s candle was aglow.
OK, that was fun to share! I hope you each can remember a Christmas Eve service of your own when the love and light of Christ felt so close you could wrap it all around you. God Bless you all.
Lisa
From all of us at North Buffalo ...
We hope that you enjoyed a little trip down memory lane. Thank you to everyone who shared pictures, videos, greetings and memories.
Author
We are a small, rural Presbyterian church in southwestern Pennsylvania.
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