Second Chances

Today’s guest speaker is Nellie Baker CRE.
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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.
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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!

 INVOCATION                                                    Nellie Baker CRE
 
HYMN          “God of Grace and God of Glory”                 528
 
PRAYER OF CONFESSION:                                      (unison)
We have been tempted, loving God, to go our own way without reference to eternal truths.  We seek our own gratification rather than the well-being of all your children.  We compare ourselves to others and find their failures but seldom discover our own shortcomings.  We seek to build our lives by our own limited design rather than by your larger purposes.  We engage in immorality in the name of freedom and become enslaved by our selfish ambitions.  The ground on which we stand is crumbling under our feet. O God, forgive us and grant us a firmer foundation.    Amen
 
 
 Assurance of Pardon
  *Time of silent prayer.
  *Passing the Peace
 
   L: The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
   P: And also, with you.
   Response – Gloria Patri 
 
  CHILDREN’S CHAT
  CHOIR ANTHEM:            “Christ be our light”      
          
  Prayer for Illumination
 Scripture reading:     Isaiah 55: 1-9
                                     Luke  13:  1-9

Isaiah 55:1-9
​Invitation to the Thirsty
55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
    listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

​8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Luke 13:1-9
​Repent or Perish
13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
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8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

​                       L:  The Word of the Lord
                       P:  Thanks be to God
 
 Sermon:    “Second Chances”
 
 HYMN                  “Just  as I Am”                                           417
 
 *Apostles Creed (found inside the back cover of the hymnal)
 
 Presentation of our tithes and offering
 CHOIR ANTHEM
 Offertory
 Doxology (Hymnal page 382)
 Prayer of dedication
 
 Concerns and Celebrations                                                             
 Prayers of the People                                Nellie Baker CRE
The Lord’s Prayer
 
HYMN                “ Amazing Grace”                                        107
Benediction
CHOIR POSTLUDE:   “Lord Dismiss Us With Your Blessing”

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​BIRTHDAYS:                Bob Fisher, Ed Caffrey, Lauren Phillips, John Cole
 
ANNIVERSASRIES:      Butch & Cindy Ward, Bryan & Cheryl Bell, Doug & Marilyn Ward
 
SYMPATHY:   Family of Jamie Lee Kearns
                        Family of Zona White
 
JOYS & CONCERNS   Evelyn Wood will be 100 years old on April 3rd, pass the word and send her a card shower. Maybe we can get her 100 cards.
 
James O’Hara had his wisdom teeth removed on Thursday, March 17th.  Oral surgeon reported all went well.  Barb says thanks for all the prayers.
 
Mary Esselstyn let us know that her brother Carl fell and broke his neck. Please pray for his speedy recovery.
 
Prayers for our soldiers that have been deployed to help overseas and pray for the Ukraine people.
 
CONTINUED PRAYERS for:
Susan Schively, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Chuck Dicks, June & Keith McGill, Tim Knabenshue, Frank Huffman, Frank & Nellie Baker, Tom Westfall, MaryAnn 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, Nancy Youmans, Ida Henderson, Jean Westfall, Don Cunningham , James O’Hara and Carl.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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.
 
You have until Sunday, April 10th, to order your Easter Flowers.  Order forms are on the table in the back of the sanctuary.  See Cheryl Bell with any questions.
 
We will be participating in the “One Great Hour of Sharing” during this Lenten Season as we always have.  Envelopes are in the pews for your convenience in giving to this much needed program.
 
Please notice there are session highlights on the inside of the Joys and Concerns.

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SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
 
Because of urgent needs both in our country and abroad, session has divided North Buffalo Church’s mission giving for this year among several worthy causes.  Our church will give $750 to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which will be used to help people wherever they are in need, from victims of war in Ukraine to victims of tornadoes in the Midwest.  Our church will contribute another $750 to the Synod of the Trinity’s effort to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine.  Our impact will double because the Synod has pledged to match gifts from individuals and churches up to a total of $24,000.
     Our church will also give $1,000 to Washington City Mission, $1,000 to Washington Christian Outreach’s backpack program for children, and $1,000 to support the missionary work of Jim and Jenny Knox in Uganda, in addition, North Buffalo will contribute $600 to Samaritan’s Purse, $500 to Upper Buffalo Church’s community outreach program, $500 to Resurrection Power of
Washington and its work helping adults recover from addiction, $500 to the Greater Washington County Food Bank, $300 to the Salvation Army, $300 to Washington Women’s Shelter and $300 to Washington Humane Society.
     Throughout the rest of Lent and until the Sunday after Easter, North Buffalo will also provide special colored offering envelopes so that worshipers can give to One Great Hour of Sharing.  For more than 70 years, One Great Hour has supported people in need through three separate mission programs of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
     After a two- year pause due to the pandemic, our church will hold a breakfast following the Easter sunrise service this year. The food selections may not be as abundant as in past years, but it will be wonderful to resume the tradition and enjoy food and fellowship after the early service and before our regular Easter service.
     Speaking of food, North Buffalo will again hold a church picnic in conjunction with Upper Buffalo Church.  The first one was a great success last year, and this year’s event will be held on August 28th at the same shelter in Cross Creek Park.