Calendar

People caught up in the love of God not only began to give thanks for their daily bread, but daily offered to God whatever they had that might speak that gracious love to others.  What is far more dangerous than any plan of shared wealth or fair distribution of goods and services is a God who dares impose on us divine love. Such a love will not play fair.

Order of Worship

Service for the Lord’s Day

Gathering around the word

Prelude                                                                                                  Praise, My Soul, Setting by Robert Buckley Farlee

Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847), a Scottish Anglican clergyman and poet, wrote the text for this well-known hymn tune. In 1818, he experienced a spiritual conversion after attending a dying priest, and thereafter “began to study my Bible, and preach in another manner than I had previously done.” Lyte is the author of another beloved hymn, Abide With Me.

† Call to Worship

Jesus says:

“Come to me, all you that are weary, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me;
For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Come, let us worship God!

† Hymn #314                                               “Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness”

Prayer of Adoration

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we confess that we have wandered from your way of truth and life.

You call us to share all that we have and work together for the common good, but we hoard up treasures for ourselves and deny others their daily bread. 

You call us to set the captives free and seek justice for the oppressed, but we live in fear of our neighbors and hide ourselves from our own kin. 

You call us to walk in newness of life and to be witnesses to the resurrection, but we dwell in the valley of dry bones and keep silent about your saving love. 

Forgive us, God of grace. Set us free from sin, death and fear so that we may serve you with gladness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

Silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news: God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the gift of the Holy Spirit. I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

† Response of praise: Hymn #582                                  “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me”

† Passing of the Peace

Life in Community

Come in your faith, and in your doubt! If you are joining us for the first time, we invite you to share your information by scanning the QR code. We would love to connect.

Upcoming events and recent announcements are available in the back of the bulletin and on our website at catonsvillepres.org.

Proclaiming the Word

Children’s Message

Prayer for Illumination

Gracious God, may your Spirit illumine these words that we might hear what you would have us hear and be who you would us be, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Amen. 

Scripture                                                                                                      Psalm 100

† Hymn #432                                                           “How Clear is Our Vocation, Lord”

Scripture                                                                                                   Acts 2:43-47

Sermon                                                                          “Glad and Generous Hearts,” Ken Kovacs

Responding to the Word

 Call to Offering

Offering of Tithes and Gifts

Offertory                                                                  I Look to Mountains High Above, Hal H. Hopson, based on a canon by Antonio Caldara (1670-1736)

I look to mountains high above, where comes my help?
Help comes from the Lord, the Lord alone, the one who keeps my life,
my going out, my coming in, from this time forth, forevermore.

† Doxology #607                              “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ, all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.

† Prayer of Dedication

O God, with faith and hope, we offer these gifts. Use them, even as you use us, to accomplish your purposes in Jesus Christ, the Head of the church and the Lord of our lives. Amen.  

Prayers of the People & 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.

† Hymn #321                                                               “The Church’s One Foundation”

† Charge and benediction

Church, let us go from this place trusting that in Jesus Christ God is with us and for us in every place.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit be with you and abide with you this day and forevermore. Amen.

Postlude                                                                                         Finale and Fughetta, Johann Kaspar Ferdinand Fischer

German Baroque composer Fischer (1656-1746) was a well-known and highly regarded keyboardist of his day. Not many of his compositions have survived and his music is rarely played today, but he is responsible for bringing French influence to German music. Both Bach and Handel were familiar with Fischer’s compositions, and both borrowed from his works, as was the Baroque custom of the time.

Sources

Image: “Fractio Panis” fresco, Catacomb of St. Priscilla, Rome. Photo ©️ Vickie Carlson, 2014.

Call to Worship: Liturgy, Music, Preaching, and the Arts, Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Theology and Worship (Louisville: Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, 2023).

Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).

The Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Sorge, ed. Teri McDowell Ott (Richmond, VA: 2024).

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-734388; CCLI Copyright License B 20481088 + Streaming License B 481071

Worship Participants

Dorothy Boulton
Associate Pastor

Mokube Ewane
Liturgist

Keith and Kathy Glennan
A/V Production

Wendy Johnston
Organist and Assistant Director of Music

Greg Knauf
Director of Music

Ken Kovacs
Pastor

Vickie Lord
Social media support

Learning & Growing

Becoming A Matthew 25 ChurcH?

Sunday, February 4 | Led by Susan Krehbiel | 9:00 a.m. in the Library

The Session is in a season of discernment about CPC becoming a Matthew 25 Church. What is Matthew 25? This initiative of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), inspired by Matthew 25:31-46, encourages and supports our call to “serve the least of these” in our community, with special attention to three areas of ministry: building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating systemic poverty. Recently, Baltimore Presbytery voted to become a Matthew 25 Presbytery. We welcome Susan Krehbiel, who will introduce us to the program and help us explore what this might mean for us as a congregation. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/pcusa-matthew-25.

CEA: Welcome Caitlin Kirby

Sunday, February 18 | Led by Caitlin Kirby | 9:00 a.m. in the Library

Join us in welcoming Caitlin Kirby, the new executive director of Catonsville Emergency Assistance (CEA). Caitlin has been a Catonsville resident for over 16 years. She was a Communications Consultant to local businesses and non-profits, specializing in social media marketing and events, and former Assistant to the executive director of the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce. CPC has been a long and faithful partner with CEA’s vital ministry to the community, serving greater Catonsville residents with emergency food, utility turn-off intervention, and eviction prevention. Come and hear how the work of CEA is having a positive impact in Catonsville.

Thursday Morning Bible Study: A Theology of Death

Beginning February 22 | Led by Ken Kovacs | 10:30 a.m. in the Library

Thursday Morning Bible Study resumes in Lent for a special series that explores the Bible’s understanding of death. The Bible does not speak with one voice on this subject. What we find in Judaism is a gradual unfolding of insights into the nature of death, God’s relationship to death (and the dying), and speculations about life after death. Many of these ideas are present in the Old Testament but take on new and deeper meanings after the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection. Each week we’ll study a different passage of scripture, supported by additional articles and reflection pieces to inform our discussions.  We plan to look at the following texts: Genesis 3, Psalm 23 and Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel 37, John 11, and 1 Corinthians 15.

Middle and High School Youth

Souper Bowl of Caring | February 11

The Souper Bowl of Caring is right around the corner on February 11. The Souper Bowl of Caring is a national effort across the nation to tackle hunger in local communities through volunteering, fundraising, education, and advocacy. Middle and high school youth are hosting a free soup and sandwich luncheon after worship on February 11, and use all financial contributions to fund supplemental food assistance at Westside Men’s Shelter. Youth can sign up now at tinyurl.com/souper-2024. 

Announcements

Worship Next Week

We are excited to welcome the Revs. Ted and Moffett Churn to the pulpit and table next Sunday, February 4. Ted and Moffett are affiliate members of the congregation and recently retired Ministers of Word and Sacrament from the Presbytery of New Hope. They will co-preside at the table for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Staff and Office Schedules

Ken Kovacs will be out of the office beginning Tuesday, January 23, and will return for worship on Sunday, February 18. He will be studying at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zürich, Switzerland, and completing research in Jung’s personal library.

The church office will be closed on Friday, February 2 while staff attend the confirmation retreat at Massanetta Springs Conference Center with students. Dorothy Boulton will attend with CPC confirmands, and Michael Cuppett will attend with confirmands from Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church where he teaches.

Dismantling Racism

The Presbytery of Baltimore is facilitating a presbytery-wide book study on The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein. From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays between April 8 and May 13, there will be six weekly small group discussions. Special guests will provide insight on the book’s major themes. Online registration for these Zoom meetings is now open at baltimorepresbytery.org/dismantling-racism.

Catonsville Concerts at 3 News

If you haven’t already, subscribe to the Concerts at 3 email list. You’ll be reminded before upcoming events and be the first to know about new concerts. Visit tinyurl.com/concerts3 to sign up.

Envision Board “Bouncers”

With the Envision deadline of March 1 quickly approaching, today is a great day to stop by the table in Fellowship Hall and talk to board members about the application process. If you need any help cultivating your germ of an idea, don’t be shy! Stop on by. Questions happily answered!

Congregational Meeting

Session has called for the Annual Congregational Meeting to take place immediately following worship today. The purpose of this meeting is to receive the 2024 budget, review the pastors’ Terms of Call for 2024, and any other business the congregation wishes to address.

Ash Wednesday

A joint Ash Wednesday service will be held at Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church on February 14 at 7:00 p.m. Grace AME also extends an invitation to their Ash Wednesday service at noon. The Rev. Emmanuel Johnson, pastor of St. Lukes UMC in Reisterstown, will be the guest preacher.