the presbyterian church of chestnut hill ......today · order of worship eighteenth sunday after...
TRANSCRIPT
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CHESTNUT HILL
PHILADELPHIA
Neither the Ten Commandments nor the great commandment is revelatory
if separated from the divine covenant with Israel or from the presence of the
Kingdom of God in the Christ. These commandments were meant and
should be taken as interpretations of a new reality,
not as orders directed against the old reality.
They are descriptions and not laws.
~ Paul Tillich
Systematic Theology
ORDER OF WORSHIP
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
October 4, 2020 10:00 a.m.
OPENING VOLUNTARY Aria Flor Peeters (1903-1986)
CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 19)
Leader: The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
People: the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
Leader: the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
People: the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
Leader: the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring for ever;
People: the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
Leader: More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
People: sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
INVOCATION
HYMN
WELCOME
CHILDREN’S MOMENT
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (unison—adapted from Psalm 19)
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable to you, O God, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Exodus 20:1-4,7-9, 12-20
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol,
whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the
Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember
the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Honor
your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your
God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not
steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your
neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or
ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. When all the people witnessed
the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were
afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we
will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do
not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so
that you do not sin.”
Leader: Holy wisdom, holy Word.
People: Thanks be to God.
PSALTER Psalm 19:7-14 C. H. H. Parry (1848-1918)
The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever;
the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often he offends?
Cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep you servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
EPISTLE LESSON Philippians 3:4b-14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the
eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of
Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to
righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to
regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of
the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the
loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be
found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one
that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to
know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by
becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to
make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider
that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and
straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the
heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Leader: Holy wisdom, holy Word.
People: Thanks be to God.
SERMON “Ground Rules” John Wilkinson
ANTHEM Pilgrim’s Hymn Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
Even before we call on your name
to ask you, O God,
when we seek for the words to glorify you,
you hear our prayer;
unceasing love, O unceasing love,
surpassing all we know.
Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
Even with darkness sealing us in,
we breathe your name,
and through all the days that follow so fast,
we trust in you;
endless your grace, O endless your grace,
beyond all mortal dream.
Both now and forever,
and unto ages and ages, Amen.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (unison) A New Creed, United Church of Canada
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and LORD’S PRAYER (unison)
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE Peter Lutkin (1858-1931)
The Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord lift his countenance upon you;
and give you peace,
the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you.
Amen.
WORSHIP LEADERS: Brian Russo, Associate Pastor; Austin Crenshaw Shelley, Associate
Pastor; John Wilkinson, Pastor
LITURGISTS: Kathy Krantz and Bill Toffey
MUSIC: Members of the Gallery Choir: Katy Avery, Joanna Gates, Rebecca Siler, Julie
Snyder, Colin Dill, Kevin Radtke, Jackson Williams, Steven Williamson; Daniel Spratlan,
conductor; Ken Lovett, organist
Music and texts reprinted and performed with permission.
CCLI Copyright License #3140916; Streaming License #4387474
Church Staff
John Wilkinson, Pastor
Brian D. Russo, Associate Pastor for Youth and Senior Adults
Austin Crenshaw Shelley, Associate Pastor for Christian Education
Daniel Spratlan, Director of Music
Ken Lovett, Organist/Associate Director of Music
Esther Cole, Church Administrator
Carla James, Director, Preschool
Mariangela Saavedra, Director, Center on the Hill
Leslie A. Lefer, Communications Coordinator
Evelyn F. Carpenter, Administrative Assistant
Felix Delgado, Sexton
Owintier Charles, Sunday Sexton
Icilda James and Debbie Lambeth, Sunday Child Care Givers
The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
8855 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118
telephone: 215.247.8855
web site: http://chestnuthillpres.org email: [email protected]
facebook link: www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill
Preschool: 215.247.8865
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
IN SYMPATHY
Our sympathy is extended to Libby Knerr, whose husband, Barry, died on Saturday,
September 26.
CHURCH SCHOOL
Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
Log onto https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/ and click on the Church School tab.
Church School begins at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday prior to worship for children of all ages.
We would love to have the adults tuning in to pay attention to what we do in church school—
often a purely behind the scenes venture. The sessions continue to be available on the website.
EVENING PRAYER SERVICES at 5:00 p.m. – Socially Distanced and Under the Tent!
October 4 – Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
October 11
October 18 – Focus on Stewardship
October 25 – Reformation Sunday
Join us each Sunday through the end of October under the tent for a service of evening prayer.
These services – approximately 45 minutes – will feature scripture, prayers, readings, a brief
reflection as well as solos and hymns offered by our soloists.
Please wear masks and observe social distancing guidelines.
It will help us in our planning if you RSVP by contacting the church office at 215.247.8855 or
[email protected]. We will have extra chairs set out if you decide to attend at the
last minute.
Join us for any and all of the Sundays and invite friends. We will continue to offer online
worship at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday.
COLLECTING FOOD and TOILETRY DONATIONS EVERY SUNDAY
At every Evening Prayer Service in October, we will be collecting much needed items for
two of our mission partners, Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry and Face to Face. As you are
aware, the needs of these communities have greatly increased in recent months.
We will be collecting shelf stable food pantry items, as well as toiletry items including
TRAVEL SIZED shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, disposable razors,
combs, and feminine products.
SECOND HOUR ONLINE
Second Hour Online Continues to Welcome Mission Partners…
Join us LIVE at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday morning for conversations with the leaders of our
mission partners.
October 11 – Eileen Jones of the Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry
October 18 – Adan Mairena of West Kensington Ministry
October 25 – Beth Vaccaro of the Community Partnership School
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82157837121?pwd=cXB4d2l2WnJuM0VCQzB3d1VxTmxTUT09
Dial by your location
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
Meeting ID: 821 5783 7121
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbRuy85FYx
SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP
Sr. High (8th—12th Grades): Sunday, October 4, 5:45—7:15 p.m., under the tent
CANTATAS AND CHAMBER MUSIC
Friday, October 9, 7:00 p.m. Livestream Performance
Tune in to hear the Franklin Trio (Kimberly Fisher, violin; John Koen, Cello; Mark
Livshits, piano) in a live-streamed performance from our Sanctuary. These stellar musicians
from the Philadelphia Orchestra will perform Schumann’s Piano Trio in D minor, along with
works by John Ireland, Fred Hersch, and Lili Boulanger. To watch, please log onto
https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/ and click on the Music and Arts tab.
OCTOBER ART EXHIBIT
Kass Dymecki, Watercolors.
To view the exhibit please call 215-247-4654 or email [email protected]
to reserve a time slot Monday—Thursday, 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
CENTER ON THE HILL
The Center on the Hill will be re-opening on October 5 for limited in-person classes and
events, with strict guidelines and precautions in place. We will also be offering many of our
activities streamed online as well for people who want to participate or watch from home. New
online content, such as virtual tours, fitness videos, art lessons, recorded presentations and more,
will now be posted Monday—Thursday at 12:00 noon on our programs page here:
https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-hill/programs/. The Fall newsletter, and the links
and schedule for upcoming events, can also be found there.
Upcoming events and classes in-person and online: REGISTRATION REQUIRED
for both in-person and online participation, call 215-247-4654 or email [email protected] .
Nutrition and Diabetes Education- Wednesdays ongoing starting October 5, 12:00
p.m.-1:00 p.m. FREE. Limited in person, and streamed live on Zoom. Recorded sessions will be
posted online on Thursdays. Ambler Nutrition's certified diabetes educator Kirsten Puskar, CDE,
will help you understand managing diabetes to stay healthy. All are welcome to take part in this
series of four interactive discussions, where participants receive personalized attention and learn
what it takes to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Learning to Look at Art : Grandma Moses- Thursday October 8, 11:00 a.m. Cost:
$15 Everyone loves Grandma Moses and her charming slice-of-life paintings, but did you know
that she became most famous in her seventh decade of life! In this class, we will learn about her
“rags-to-riches story”, examining her depictions of her early rural upbringing. Presented LIVE
through Zoom and also broadcasted for a limited in person audience at the Center.
Grief Support Group-Mondays, October 12 & 26, November 9 & 16, December 7 &
14, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Free. Registration required. Limited number of participants for in
person and online access to the group through phone/Zoom is also available. Group is closed to
new members after October 26. We acknowledge the value of sharing time and stories with
others who have also experienced a loss. Please join us for six informal gatherings as you grieve
the loss of a loved one.
PICNIC FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Sunday, October 11, 3:00-5:00 p.m. (church lawn, under the tent if necessary) Please pack your own picnic, a blanket for the lawn if the weather’s nice, and masks for
the family. The children will participate in masked, socially-distanced activity that will
encourage our neighbors who walk or drive past PCCH on Germantown Avenue.
SPEAKERS SERIES ON THE HILL
Thursday, October 15, 12:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation
Speaker: Margaret Montet Topic: Twentieth Century American Music- Part 1
Minimalist, Dodecaphonic, Electronic, and Aleatoric music, serious art music,
experimental opera, Bop, and Free Jazz: The twentieth century saw a plethora of musical styles
flourish and falter. Let's look back on the previous century to follow these trends and genres into
the 21st century. Presented to a limited in-person audience and live streamed online. Recorded
version posted online following the live stream. Access live stream and then recorded version
after here: https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/education/speaker-series-hill/.
ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES
Wednesday – Bible Study, 12:00 noon, Facebook Live
Friday – Morning Prayer, 7:30 a.m., Facebook Live
Visit our website www.chestnuthillpres.org and our Facebook page regularly for updates
and events. Let us know if you have prayer concerns.
VIRTUAL GALLERY EXHIBITION—NEW ART ON VIEW NOW!
We miss your face! The dedicated curators of the on-going PCCH Virtual Gallery
encourage you to share your smile with your PCCH pals! For “Homecoming,” our next online
exhibit, we ask you to take a second to take a selfie of your smiling face in your favorite place!
(And, yes, if the spirit moves you, we encourage you to embrace your creative, wacky, silly
side!) The deadline for submission has been extended to October 15. Send your photos to
[email protected]. Please include some text to accompany the image. Tell us why
this is your favorite place right now or just share what’s on your mind at the moment. Your text
can be attached in a Word doc or included in your email. We can’t wait to see your beautiful –
even silly – smiles! Visit www.chestnuthillpres.org and click the “Music & Arts” tab for all of
our virtual gallery exhibitions. Thanks to all of our contributing artists.
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE UPDATES AND OCTOBER SCHEDULE
In October PCCH will host two blood drives:
Friday, October 9 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Friday, October 16 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
If you can volunteer to greet and take temperatures of potential donors and check them in
using the Red Cross computerized system, please email Liz Podraza at [email protected].
Volunteer shifts are flexible, but two hours is the minimum. All Red Cross employees and
donors wear masks and the number of people in Widener Hall at any time is fewer than ten.
If you would like to be a blood donor, go to redcrossblood.org and search for Presbyterian
Church of Chestnut Hill using the zip code 19118. You must have an appointment to donate; no
walk-ins can be accepted in an effort to control the number of people in the room.
CONVERSATIONS ON FAITH AND PUBLIC LIFE
Sundays, October 18 and 25, 4:00 p.m.
Join us under the big tent – masked and socially distanced – as we engage in important
conversations about what it means to live out our faith in the world. These two conversations
will help us explore what that might look like in 2020.
Each conversation will be followed by our 5:00 p.m. service of Evening Prayer, offered
throughout the month of October.
OCTOBER 18 at 4:00 p.m. with Beth Shalom Hessel
“How Honesty about our History can Help us become a City on a Hill”
Join Beth Shalom Hessel for a conversation about the vital and difficult work of
dismantling the mythologies that have upheld our national narratives in order to create more
honest and fulsome histories that create space for confession, healing, and reconciliation.
Beth Shalom Hessel is a Presbyterian minister and church historian. Her family actively
participates in life at PCCH. Prior to her appointment as the Executive Director of The
Athenaeum of Philadelphia in 2019, Beth served as the Executive Director of the Presbyterian
Historical Society. Beth received her Ph.D. from Texas Christian University, where her
dissertation was titled “Let the Voice of Christian America Speak: Religion and Empire in the
Japanese American Incarceration Camps, 1942–1945.”
OCTOBER 25 at 4:00 p.m. with John Wilkinson
“Why Voting Matters to Presbyterians”
Join John Wilkinson for a conversation about the importance of voting in the American
Presbyterian tradition. Presbyterians have been committed to living out their faith in the public
(not partisan) arena, and have issued statements on the importance of voting. We will explore
aspects of these statements and consider their contemporary relevance.
PASTORAL CARE
As Fall approaches and the COVID season persists, we continue to be in prayer for one
another as we face physical, emotional and spiritual challenges. If you have prayer concerns,
either for yourself or others, please be in touch with one of the pastors.
Also, did you knew we have a Prayer Chain that regularly prays for the concerns of
church members? If you’d like a concern added to the prayer list, please be in touch with Brian
Russo at [email protected].
RACIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE
The Session has established a Racial Justice Task Force, whose work will be to respond
to and address issues of racial justice and equity in church and culture. If you are interested in
participating in this work, or would like more information, please contact John Wilkinson at
MAKING MASKS FOR STEWARDSHIP The Stewardship Committee has identified “Walking in Faith” as our theme for 2021. As
part of our unique fall effort, we are making special masks for the congregation, that you can
wear out and about or when you gather under the big tent. If you’d like to help sew the masks,
please contact Trish Franklin at [email protected].
PCCH PRESCHOOL HELP WANTED
The Preschool is looking for substitute teachers. All applicants must have child care
experience and clearance to work with children. Pay is $60 per morning from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00
noon or $120 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Interested parties should call or email Carla DiOrio at
215.247.8865 or [email protected].
UPDATE ON ONLINE GIVING AT PCCH
PCCH has partnered with the Presbyterian Foundation to securely process your electronic
giving, whether through your computer or smartphone. These options can save you—and the
church office—time!
If you wish to make a tax-deductible gift, please use this Give Now button (also
on our website) to set up new one-time, or recurring gifts.
The Presbyterian Foundation also offers the GivePlus Church app which is available
through the App Store and Google Play. Search for “GivePlus Church” to download the app.
GivePlus Church is free to download and there are no fees to make a donation.