Calendar

Order of Worship

Service for the Lord’s Day

Gathering around the word

Prelude                                                                            Adoration, by Florence Price

Florence Price (1887-1953) was an African American pianist, organist, composer, and music teacher educated at the New England Conservatory.  A prolific composer, she was the first Black woman to have a composition premiered by a major symphony orchestra. In 2009, a substantial number of her writings, compositions, and papers were discovered and are today in the process of being catalogued and published.

† Call to Worship

Here in this place, there are no outsiders,
for all are welcome in God’s house.

Here in this worship, there is only acceptance,
for love is the language of faith.

Here in our lives, there are no divisions,
for each of us is God’s dwelling place.

Come, let us worship in unity and love.

† Hymn #301                                                                               “Let Us Build a House”

Prayer of Adoration

Call to Confession

Why do we confess our sin?
Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

But why do we do this together?
Because we are a community, a covenant people.

Then let us confess our sin, praying together…

Prayer of Confession

Holy and compassionate God,
we come to you to confess the truth about ourselves
so that we can begin anew.

Like the crowd who followed Jesus out of fascination,
we want to see you serve up something stunning.

Like the disciples, we have our own agendas,
and we grow impatient when you are not at our beck and call.

As we step out of the shadows into your light, forgive us.

Lift us up and heal us so that,
through our touch, others may be loved to life.

We who have dared to speak for you so often, pause now to listen.  

Silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Pardon

Isaiah proclaimed: “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.”

This is the word we have heard: Our faithful God forgives our sins and raises us to new life and loving service through Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!

† Response of praise: Hymn #613                                      “O Lord, Our Lord”

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

Holy God, through your Word in scripture, nourish us with better food
than we could ever purchase – your daily bread for our life’s journey,
in the company of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Scripture                                                                                              Isaiah 40:21-31

Scripture                                                                                                 Mark 1:29-39

Sermon                                                                          “If Jesus Came to My House”

The Rev. Moffett Churn

Responding to the Word

 Call to Offering

Offering of Tithes and Gifts

Offertory                                                               Steal Away, Traditional spiritual,

                                                                                                                Arr. Moses Hogan

Note: Steal Away, like many African-American spirituals, was a song that on the surface had a sacred text but had a hidden meaning. Enslaved people might sing this song as a covert message to attend a secret meeting at night or as a signal to escape to freedom, often through the Underground Railroad. It has also been suggested that “he calls me by the thunder” could signify that it was safer to flee during a storm, because the noise would hide movement and the rain would wash away the tracks left by those “stealing away.”

Refrain: Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!
Steal away, steal away home, I ain’t got time to stay here.

My Lord calls me, He calls me by the thunder
The trumpet sounds within-a my soul
I ain’t got long to stay here. Refrain

Green trees are bending, poor sinner stand a-trembling
The trumpet sounds within-a my soul
I ain’t got long to stay here. Refrain

† 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

Generous God, we give thanks for the good news of Jesus Christ, who calls us to give our time, our talents, and our treasure as tools in your service. Use what we offer to feed the hungry, to heal the broken, to lift up the helpless, to repair the world. Keep driving us deeper and deeper into our longing for your realm, until we seek it first, last, and always. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.

† Hymn #529                                                                 “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether”

Sacrament of the Lord’s supper

Invitation to the Table

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and the Lord’s Prayer

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Let us open our hearts.
We open them to God.

Let us give thanks to the Holy One.
It is right to lift up thanks and praise.

(The prayer continues…)

…And now, as Christ taught his first followers and still teaches his disciples today, we pray with one voice:

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.

Communion of God’s People

Prayer of Gratitude

By the example of Jesus…   Lord, teach us to live.

By the mercy of Jesus…       Lord, teach us to forgive.

By the cross of Jesus…         Lord, teach us to love.

As the body of Jesus…         Lord, teach us to serve. Amen.

† Passing of the Peace

† Hymn #727                                                           “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant”

† Charge and benediction

Postlude                               Lobe den Herren (“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”)

Setting by Johann Gottfried Walther

Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748) was not only a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, but also his first cousin. He was well-known for his organ transcriptions of German and Italian concertos, which became the model for his Bach’s famous organ transcriptions of Vivaldi’s violin concertos.

Sources

Image: Moyers, Mike. Awake My Soul, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. mikemoyersfineart.com

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

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

The Rev. Moffett Churn
Preacher and co-presider

The Rev. Ted Churn
Co-presider

Keith and Kathy Glennan
A/V Production

Wendy Johnston
Organist and Assistant Director of Music

Mark Kennedy
Liturgist

Greg Knauf
Director of Music

Vickie Lord
Social media support

Learning & Growing

Access the articles for Adult Education at catonsvillepres.org/belonging

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

Today’s Worship Leaders

We are grateful to the Revs. Ted and Moffett Churn for their leadership in worship today. Moffett and Ted are graduates of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. Since her ordination in 1977, Moffett has served in various capacities, including as the Dean of Students at UPS, as an associate pastor in North Carolina and Virginia, as well as interim calls to churches in transition. Ted served as a solo pastor and filled five interim positions before his call as the Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of New Hope. In addition to their individual calls, Moffett and Ted served for seventeen years as the organizing co-pastors of a multicultural church in Massachusetts.

In October 2021, the Churns moved to Charlestown to be closer to their children and grandchildren. After moving, they made their first local church visit, finding their way through the doors of Catonsville Presbyterian Church. That very Sunday, they decided the search was over. Welcome, Moffett and Ted!

Staff and Office Schedules

Ken Kovacs will return from his studies at the C. G. Jung Institute in Zürich, Switzerland on Sunday, February 18. 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.

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.

Dismantling Racism

The Presbytery of Baltimore is facilitating a presbytery-wide book study on The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays between April 8 and May 13, there will be 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.

Envision Board “Bouncers”

With less than a month until the Envision application deadline on March 1, today is the perfect day to stop by the table in Fellowship Hall and bounce your idea and any questions off of a board member. We are here to help you figure out the easiest path forward so that you have time to create a strong application. Come receive a dose of encouragement!

Children and Youth Choir

The children and youth choir will resume next Sunday, February 11, after worship. New singers are enthusiastically welcomed, and there is no commitment beyond the short weekly rehearsals and Palm Sunday worship. While the Souper Bowl of Caring luncheon is set up, children and youth should meet with Wendy for a few minutes in the choir room. Wendy will listen and sing with each child for 2-3 minutes to get a sense of their voice. Children and youth are free to leave immediately after.

Beginning February 18, regular rehearsals will be held every week leading up to Palm Sunday, when the children and youth choir will sing during worship. Children and youth should gather in the choir room after worship for a roughly thirty-minute rehearsal.

For more information, contact Wendy Johnston, Organist and Assistant Director of Music.

Souper Bowl of Caring and Scout Sunday

The Souper Bowl of Caring is right around the corner on February 11. It’s also Scout Sunday, when we celebrate Scouting and the contributions of Pack 306 and Troop 306 in Catonsville and beyond. The Souper Bowl of Caring is a national effort across the nation to tackle hunger in local communities through volunteering, fundraising, education, and advocacy. The Scouts and middle/high school youth are hosting a free soup and sandwich luncheon after worship on February 11, and all financial contributions will fund supplemental food assistance at Westside Men’s Shelter.