Blog Archives - NORTH BUFFALO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

NORTH BUFFALO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Who God Is

3/27/2022

Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Dave Mason.

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. Birthdays, anniversaries, the prayer list and announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Gathering Around the Word
Prelude                                                                   Robert Senay    ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHORAL INTROIT
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Let your lives witness to Christ’s love.
People: And may our words bring reconciliation.
Leader: Let your thoughts be of peace.
People: And our touch bring healing.
Leader: Let your actions count for justice,
People: And may our faith be a sign of hope.
Leader: Let our time of worship here and now be a true blessing
             for us all and restore joy and praise to our lives.

INVOCATION                                                             Rev. Mason

Sunday School: Free Because of the Lord

3/26/2022

Good morning!
We're so happy you decided to join us today!

When we meet in person, we share any joys or concerns from the past week. If you have any prayer requests you would like to share, you can add it as a comment. We have been praying for the people being affected by the war in Ukraine each week. Last week during our lesson, we talked about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. To get started, use this prayer written by Bonhoeffer for his fellow prisoners at a Nazi camp.

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me.

O Heavenly Father,
I praise and thank you
For rest in the night;
I praise and thank you for this new day;
I praise and thank you for all your goodness
and faithfulness throughout my life.

You have granted me many blessings;
Now let me also accept what is hard from your hand.
You will lay on me no more than I can bear.
You make all things work together for good for your children.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.

You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me when all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It is your will that I should know you and turn to you.
Lord, I hear your call and follow;
Help me.

O Holy Spirit,
Give me faith that will protect me
from despair, from passions, and from vice;
Give me such love for God and men
as will blot out all hatred and bitterness;
Give me the hope that will deliver me
from fear and faint-heartedness.

Amen.

Today's lesson is on Deuteronomy 8:1-11.

Second Chances

3/20/2022

Today’s guest speaker is Nellie Baker CRE.

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. Birthdays, anniversaries, the prayer list and announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Gathering Around the World

Prelude                Music Director                  Robert Senay

ANOUNCEMENTS:
CHORAL INTROIT:    “Come All Christians, Be Committed”

CALL TO WORSHIP:
Leader:   Oh God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirst
                for you.
People: So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
                beholding your power and glory.
Leader:   Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips
                will praise you.
People:   So, I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my
                hands and call on your name.
People:   Let us worship God!

Sunday School: Free to Celebrate

3/19/2022

Good morning!
We're so happy you chose to join us today!

When we meet together in person, we share our joys and concerns before we focus on our Sunday school lesson. Think about your needs and concerns right now, and if you like, you can share them in the comments.

Today’s lesson continues our study from the Old Testament book of Ezra. It is about a difficult time in the history of God’s people. God had restored them to their homeland after many years in captivity in Babylon, but now they were given the task to rebuild what had been destroyed, especially the temple. However, with the assistance of the Persian kings, the work was finally completed, and the temple was dedicated with a joyous celebration.

The lesson for today is also about the necessity of maintaining hope and joy, even when times are hard.

The following prayer is from Vanderbilt Divinity Library’s Revised Common Lectionary Prayers:

Unlike earthly kings, you, O Lord, are ever steadfast and faithful. You sent us your Son, Jesus the Christ, to rule over us, not as a tyrant, but as a gentle shepherd. Keep us united and strong in faith, that we may always know your presence in our lives, and, when you call us home, may we enter your heavenly kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

This week's lesson is on Ezra 6:13-22. This picks up where last week's lesson left off.

Gatorade from God

3/13/2022

Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Renny Domske

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. Birthdays, anniversaries, the prayer list and announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Please click here to view the information from our bulletin insert about contributing to the Presbyterian Church's humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine.

Gathering Around the Word

Prelude                     Music Director               Robert Senay

ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHORAL INTROIT         “40 Days and 40 Nights”

CALL TO WORSHIP                                         from Psalm 4
Leader:    Answer me when I call You, O my righteous God.
                Give me relief from my distress.
People:   Be merciful to me and hear my prayer. Know that
                the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself.
Leader:    In Your anger do not sin- -trust in the Lord. When you
                are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
People:   Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
                Let the light of Your face shine upon us, O Lord.
Leader:   You have filled my heart with greater joy than when
                their grain and new wine abound.
People:   I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone,
               O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Sunday School: Free to Worship

3/12/2022

Good morning!
We're so happy you decided to join us today!

When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns together. Take some time to consider the past week, and the worries or celebrations you may have. If there are any you would like to share, you can add a comment below. When you are ready, use the prayer below from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to get started.

Living God, our refuge and strength, even the wind and sea obey your voice.
Put the wind back in its place, and say to the sea: Peace! Be still!
Fill us with great faith, and save us from the surging water,
so that we may tell the good news of your saving love;
through Jesus Christ, our hope in the storm.
Amen.

Today's lesson is on Ezra 6:1-12.

Chewing Gum Without Fear

3/6/2022

Today’s guest speaker is Rev. Renny Domske.

Birthdays, anniversaries, the prayer list and announcements can be found at the bottom of this service.

Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

2 Corinthians 5:11-21
The Ministry of Reconciliation
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

BIRTHDAYS       Mason Miklic, Steve Jackson, Meghan Dyson, Dennis Marton, Doug King, Jim Westfall, Cody Clifford, Gary Donaldson

ANNIVERSARIES    Ed & Dorothy Caffrey

JOYS AND CONCERNS -

SYMPATHY       Family of Emma Jean Loughry
           Family of Tom Teagarden
           Family of Dayle Esther McCoy Kelley

Continued prayers for Susan Schively, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Chuck Dicks, June and Keith McGill, Tim Knabenshue, Frank Huffman, Nellie and Frank Baker, Tom Westfall, Mary Ann Durila, Elaine Belcascro, Sandy Stone, Diane Bednarski, Matt Petrola, Laura Davis, Nancy Hepinger, Betsy Martin, Ed Horne, Sarah Wilson, Robin Durila, Bill Poland, Amy Ward, Don Matthews, the Warlow Family, Pat Haggerty, Norma Kelso, Jean Westfall, and Nancy Youmans.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Women’s Missionary Group will meet this Tuesday, March 8th at 9:30 AM in the social hall downstairs. Please come join us as we gather in fellowship.

Remember the Trustees Work Day this coming Saturday March 12th from 9:00 - 12:00. If you have an hour or two to spare they will have a job for you. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Remember our Food Collection. - And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” Mark 6: 37. Please let Betty Fisher know if you are aware of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time.

Sunday School: Freed from Captivity

3/5/2022

Good morning!
We're so glad you decided to join us on this first Sunday of Lent.

When we meet in person, we share together our joys and concerns. If you have anything you would like to share, feel free to include a comment on this post. Last week, we spent some time talking about events in Ukraine, and how it has affected so many people. This week, please continue to pray. When you are ready, use Pope Francis' prayer for peace below to get started.

Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain.

Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: "Never again war!"; "With war everything is lost". Instill in our hearts the courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness.

Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war" be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together will be "brother", and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!

Amen.

Today's lesson is on Ezra 1:1-8, 11; 2:64-70.