fpchw logo 2016

fpchw logo 2016

Worship Service

“God Hears Bubbles”

THE CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Fourth sunday in lent
march 19, 2023

  • In Person Sunday, March 19, 11 a.m. This Sunday, Rev Jeanne A. Johnston's sermon is "God Hears Bubbles"  
  • Worship Live Streaming at 11 a.m.  Click here for March 19 streaming of live service.   (If it is NOT blue "refresh" your page.)  
  • The Complete Bulletin is available below.
  •  After  the service, feel free to stay on Zoom for Heavenly Perks until 2:00 p.m., where we can see each other and visit just like we did at our Heavenly Perks coffee time (except you provide your own cuppa tea/coffee).

  • Perks Enter Image 3976

    gIVE -- electronically
    to contribute (ACTIVE link: a monetary offering) to first presbyterian church of homewood or you may also contribute by mail to:

    First Presbyterian Church of Homewood
    P.O. BOX 1519
    Homewood IL 60430 

  • Click on this Blue Link to Ask a Question or Leave a Comment

THE CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

March 19, 2023​                                                   ​​​​11:00  am

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD 

MISSION STATEMENT

Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul.         Adopted by Session 7/31/17

PRAYER FOR PEACE​​​​ ||| Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  Amen.

PRELUDE​​​

*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP

We come to sanctify ourselves,

We come seeking to be worthy of our call.

The Lord looks not at our outward selves,

But seeks to know what is in our hearts.

Let us learn what is pleasing to the Lord,

that we might live as childrenof the Most High.

*HYMN 729 |||  Lord, I Want to Be a Christian​I Want to Be a Christian

CALL TO CONFESSION

How do we know when our actions are right?  When the fruits of our labors are good and true.  Christ is the light that exposes all we keep hidden, but offers us healing and renewal instead of judgment.  Therefore, let us hold up our sins to Christ's gaze.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of compassion and mercy, we sometimes fail to see what you are doing in the world. We want you to act in ways we predict, but we forget: you do what is good, not what is expected.  Forgive us when we doubt the wisdom of your actions. Most of all, forgive us when we do not respond to your call, ignoring what we need to do to show the world your love and grace.

     (silent prayer)

Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

God leads us beside still waters.   God comforts us through dark valleys.God forgives us for all our sins. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord our whole lives long.

*THE GLORIA 581

MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN​​ ||| Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston

WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| 1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 He said, “Peaceably. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely his anointed is now before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

SPECIAL MUSIC         

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING​​​ ||| John 9:1-12, 18-21,30-33

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am he.” 10 But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” 18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

The Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God!

SERMON​ ||| "God Hears Bubbles"​ ||| Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 144 |||In the Bleak Midwinter​​​ ||| Cranham |||(verses 1 & 4 only)

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH  ​​|||The Brief Statement of Faith 1983

In life and in death we belong to God.  Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

…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.

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

We come with our gifts,our treasure, our time,our talents, ourselves.We come to make our offering to the Lord.

OFFERTORY

*DOXOLOGY 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

We give you thanks, Holy God, for the gifts we have from you. We bring you our gifts, our hands and feet, our words and our actions. Lead us to be true stewards of the world and willing partners in your love for all people. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 377 ||| I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light​​ |||Houston

BLESSING & CHARGE

May the ever flowing love of God fill you to overflowing

We go with the love of God in our hearts

May the peace of Jesus who came to save calm your soul

We go with the peace of Christ in our hearts

May the fire of the Holy Spirit be a light for all your days.

We go with the fire of the Holy Spirit in our hearts

We go from this place to give peace and fire and love to all we meet.  Amen.

POSTLUDE

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!  Thanks be to God!

Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor

Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

Worship Liturgist: Laura Dillman

Usher: PhilDillman

Today, we welcome Rev. Jeanne A. Johnston to the pulpit.  Rev. Johnstonis a retired UCC pastor. Ordained in 1978, Jeanne has served parishes in northwest Illinois, South Dakota, and Indiana. She has spent the last 18 years as an adjunct math teacher and tutor at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, Indiana and now resides in Park Forest.

WELCOME – During this Lenten season, we praise God for his righteous Son, who perfectly kept all of God’s commandments for us and paid the full price of our disobedience.  Let us praise him with hearts filled with Christ’s spirit of obedience

SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday wewill be readingEzekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11 and John 11:1-45.

PRAYER CHAIN – If you want prayer requests included on the prayer chain, contact Shirley Armistead at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING (OGHS) has been the focus of a special offering for Presbyterians and a varying number of other denominations during Lent for many years.  Begun in 1949 (four years after the end of World War II), OGHS funds are distributed in three ways: PDA (Presbyterian Disaster Assistance), PHP (Presbyterian Hunger Program) and SDOP (Self Development of People).  During Lent you will see posters, bulletin inserts, and hear minutes for offering.  Extra fish banks are available on the Welcome Center.  Designated OGHS envelopes will be available

Next ...

Calendar of Upcoming Virtual & in-Person Meetings .... moving through March toward April

SPECIAL AND ONGOING EVENTS

    • ONGOING
    1. Tuesdays: 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday Morning  at a Zoom meeting.  We are thoroughly enjoying the book, "From Widows to Warriors: Women's Stories from the Old Testament". The author is Lynn Japinga.  March 21, we will continue discussion, this time talking about "Jezebel" Always a great conversation! Best book ever! There are many ways to order the new book. --(In fact, I have been reading the weekly lessons to share with those who might not have the bool  If you want to hear a section, please call me, Kathie Hazlett.  If you have questions, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. 
    2. First Mondays April 3 and May1: Book Study | Kathleen O'Hanlon | Discussion of PBS Special, "The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song" narrated by Henry Louis Gates | available on Amazon Prime Video or PBS Passport | Call Kathie Hazlett 708-471-3626 if you need more info about access.
      Zoom Link:  7 pm-8:30 (Central time)  Our next meeting is: First Monday in April (the third). 
    3. Thursday, March 16 at 6:00: Men's Fellowship Gathering || Join us at Paulie's Pub ||| 2736 Chicago Rd, South Chicago Heights, for a few pops, a devotion, and Christian fellowship. Hope to see you there. ||| Upcoming Men's Fellowship dates April 13, May 18, June 15
    4. Sunday: Worship with us in person or live streaming, (11 a.m.) (Mask optional for all in live service. Streaming? no masks necessary)  
      Access to our Live Streaming Service can be found on the "Worship Page" | Post Sunday Streaming Worship Meet-up (aka Heavenly Perks) began, in person, on May 22. 
    5. Healing & Wholeness Service date is: TBD.  We offer access to a Healing & Wholeness Service online  at any time.  This service is a time of reflection, prayer, and meditation.  This service can help us to experience anew God’s healing, peace-giving grace or refuel us for becoming agents of healing and reconciliation.  Taking time for this mimics a pattern for Jesus and his disciples.  They would be out in the thick of a clamoring multitude and then retreat to a quiet place to reconnect, recharge, and clarify their mission.  Our quiet place awaits us in this service online.  (Watch for an announcement for maybe private prayer time on Zoom after this service.) | Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for prayer needs request.

Looking forward | scripture readings for sUNDAY, March 26 -- Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45

Ezekiel 37:1-14 ||| New Revised Standard Version

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 7So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” 10I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ 12Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.

Psalm 130 ||| New Revised Standard Version

1Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.

2Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

3If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

4But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

5I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

6my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

7O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

8It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Romans 8:6-11 ||| New Revised Standard Version

6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

John 11:1-45 ||| New Revised Standard Version

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” 11After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” 12The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” 13Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” 28When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 38Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.

 

 

Follow us