THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW CANAAN4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME JANUARY 28, 2018

* ALL WHO ARE ABLE ARE INVITED TO STAND.

GATHERING

Please prayerfully allow the silent, sacred space of the sanctuaryand the quiet stirrings of the Spirit to prepare your heart and mind for worship.

PRELUDE “Allegro” from Sonata in G Major, KV 189h W.A. Mozart

INTROIT “O Splendor of God’s Glory Bright” Robert LehmanSchola Cantorum

* CALL TO WORSHIP Rev. Mary Marple ThiesMinister: Why have you come this morning?People: We have come to worship God who gives life.Minister: Why have you come?People: We have come because we are dazzled by the ways God has remained constant among us.Minister: Why have you come?People: We have come because God is present in season and out, for better and for worse,

in sickness and in health.Minister: Why have you come?People: We come because there is God, only God.

* PROCESSIONAL HYMN No. 491 “Stand Up and Bless the Lord” CARLISLE

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison) Rev. Christopher G. TateYou are the God from whom no secret can be hidden, and we are a people with many secrets.We have secrets that we want to tell for the sake of our lives, yet we dare not tell because they are deep, risky and painful. Some are about having done that which we ought not to have done. Some are about having not done that which we ought to have done. Some are so deep that we cannot even name them. Hear what we can name. Name what we cannot. Call our secrets to the light of your mercy that we may know your forgiveness in Christ. Amen.

TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION…

KYRIE ELEISON James MacMillan

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESSMinister: Here is the good news: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—People: To forgive us in our failure, to set us free from evil’s power, to make us the people

he means us to be.* CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE No. 579 The Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

SHARING OUR LIFE AND MINISTRYPlease sign the card and pass it to your neighbor. As you pass it back to the center, take note of who is here so we can become better acquainted. Visitors, please give your address, telephone, and e-mail information.

A TIME WITH CHILDREN

CHILDREN ARE INVITED TO SUNDAY’S COOL ROTATION(Please bring your buck and a can offering with you to Sunday’s Cool)

THE WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (unison) Melody LibonatiHoly God, we gather to hear your word. Free us from every distraction that we may listen, that we may hear, that we may be changed. Amen.

FIRST LESSON Psalm 111 (OT page 562)Minister: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.People: Thanks be to God.

ANTHEM “O All Ye Nations” Heinrich Schütz O all ye nations, praise the Lord, O praise the Lord all ye people. Praise ye Jehovah in His strength;all that hath life and breath, now praise Jehovah. God's loving-kindness unto us is great and merciful. With heart and with voice in Him rejoice; For His truth endureth evermore. Alleluia, sing praises!Alleluia, praise ye the Lord!

SECOND LESSON Mark 1:21-28 (NT page 35)Minister: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.People: Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Battling with Demons” Rev. Mary Marple Thies

RESPONDING

* HYMN No. 380 “O Christ, the Healer” ERHALT UNS, HERR

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Kathryn Kibbie Laird Leader: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Leader: Let us pray...

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.

PRESENTATION OF TITHES, OFFERINGS AND OURSELVES

OFFERTORY “Christ is the World’s True Light” W.K. Stanton Christ is the world's true light, Its Captain of salvation, The Day-star clear and bright Of every man and nation; New life, new hope awakes, Where'er men own his sway; Freedom her bondage breaks, And night is turned to day. In Christ all races meet, Their ancient feuds forgetting, The whole round world complete, From sunrise to its setting: When Christ is throned as Lord, Men shall forsake their fear, To ploughshare bear the sword, To pruning-hook the spear. One Lord, in one great Name Unite us all who own thee; Cast out our pride and shame That hinder to enthrone thee; The world has waited long, Has travailed long in pain; To heal its ancient wrong, Come, Prince of Peace, and reign. Amen.

* DOXOLOGY OLD HUNDREDTHPraise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise God all creatures here below; Praise God above ye heavenly host; Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

* PRAYER OF DEDICATION

SENDING

* HYMN No. 379 “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” SOLID ROCK

* CHARGE AND BLESSING (Please be seated for the Choral Response & the Ringing of the Church Bell)

CHORAL RESPONSE “O Send Thy Light” M.A. Balakireff

RINGING THE CHURCH BELL

* POSTLUDE “Presto” from Sonata in G Major, KV 189h W.A. Mozart

TODAY AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

Welcome to the Service of Worship for the Lord’s Day. Parents of infants through age four are encouraged to take their children to the Nursery School classrooms during our services. Students in preK-7 should follow their teachers to class.

Today in Sunday’s Cool we will learn The Disciples by playing games and making snacks that tell a story! The younger grades will play Drop it! and the older grades will make Disciple Drop Dip to practice dropping what we’re doing to follow Jesus. Please bring your buck and a can and join us. In the Barn, our Tweens will shout praises with the psalmist as they celebrate the ways that God is at work in the world by exploring Psalm 111. Teachers assisting with preK-4th grade Spark Rotations today – Lauren Tate, Laurel Carlson, Stefanie Howarth; 5-7th grade in the Barn for Feasting on the Word with Kristen Rodgers and Catherine Walker.

Greeters: David and Donna HillWorship Coordinator: Bob SpanglerUshers: Kip Farrell, Mike Farrell, Drew Gurley, Gigi GuthrieCross Bearer: Ed LibonatiLay Reader: Melody LibonatiMusicians: First Presbyterian Church Choir; Schola Cantorum

Let us keep in our thoughts and prayers: Continued concerns: Neil Coakley; Ann Depuy; Graham Harden; Vince Lombardi; Jim Mierendorf; Alanna Ruszkowski; The Stricos family (friends of Joe and Diana Ruszkowski); John Voorhies. The Abo Noktah family (our Syrian refugees): Khaldoun (father), Khawla Alzob (mother), daughters Hanin and Zain, and sons Yaman and Ahmed.Flower Memorials: If you wish to have flowers in the sanctuary to celebrate an anniversary, a baptism, a birthday, or to memorialize a loved family member or friend please call Barbara Wentzel, Flower Coordinator, at 203-966-5402 or email at barbarawentzel@mac.com.

No Gift Too Small! The Bell Tower Society welcomes gifts and bequests of all sizes. Every dollar given makes a difference in serving the long-term welfare of our church. If you have questions about remembering the church in your estate plans, please contact Peter Flournoy in the church office.

New Canaan Food Pantry: Items in need now due to low/no stock are Pancake Mix – Add Water Only, Syrup, Herbal Tea, Taco Kit, Corned Beef Hash, Cookies, Crackers, Tortilla Chips, Pretzels, Kids Juice Boxes. No beans or soup are needed now. Please drop these items in the shopping cart at the back of the Sanctuary and we will make sure they are delivered to the New Canaan Food Pantry.

Cents-ability: On January 7, we collected $171. Our total collection since we began Cents-ability at our church in November 2011 is $18,561. Thank you for your awareness and generous response to hunger. If you would like more information on Cents-ability or need a Cents-ability cup, please call the church office. Remember to fill up your Cents-ability cup ‘til it runneth over! Our next collection is February 4.

Giving Up the Organ for Lent: It’s a little early for Lent, actually. But due to the new roof being put on the sanctuary, we will be without the beautiful sounds of the organ for a few months. It is necessary to cover the organ console and certain pipes during the roof project so dust cannot damage more sensitive pipes. We will still present beautiful music with piano accompaniment and a capella anthems, which we are already accustomed to. The organ should be in use by Sunday, March 18th, in time for the choir's presentation of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem with Round Hill Community Church, Greenwich.

Sunday, February 11, at 11:30 a.m.

VALENTINE'S DAY COFFEE CONCERT: Isn't It Loverly?Back by popular demand, we will be doing a Valentine's Day Coffee Concert again this year! Featured performers

this year are YOU! Anyone wishing to sing or play a song about love in this cabaret-style performance, please contact Victoria at victoria@fpcnc.org. I hope you will consider sharing your talents for this fun time together! If

you're not singing, I hope you'll come to enjoy the loverly music and treats!

Sunday, March 18, at 4:00 p.m.On Sunday, March 18th at 4:00 p.m. the combined choirs of FPC and Round Hill Community Church will present Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in an evening service for the fifth Sunday of Lent. Anyone currently not is choir is welcome to join us! Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 8:30-9:30 p.m. If you are interested in singing, please email Victoria at victoria@fpcnc.org so she can organize music for you. If you can't sing, we hope you will join us in a service of music preparing us for the journey to Holy Week and Easter.

You are invited to suggest members of the congregation of this church to be considered by the Nominating Committee for leadership roles in the life of the church as elders or deacons. As a very general distinction, elders are responsible, together with the pastors, for congregational life, church policy, program administration, management and caregiving, while deacons are responsible for ministries of compassion, witness and service.

Officers to be elected by the congregation on June 3, 2018 include both elders and deacons who will be installed on September 9, 2018. We also welcome your suggestions for the names of people to serve on the 2018-2019 Nominating Committee. You may nominate yourself.

Please recommend members by completing the Church Officer Suggestion Form as soon as possible. Once you have completed your form, please deposit it in Linda Ferguson’s Elder mailbox next to the church office.

Youth Happenings….

Shareholder’s Luncheon: Today in the Common Room2017 Shareholder’s Luncheon following Worship in the Common Room. The youth who went on our summer mission trips to Providence, RI and to Palmer, Alaska will give short talks about the work and ministry of these incredible weeks. We will show brief slideshows of each trip so you can better understand what we did and the relationships we built. We are extremely grateful for your help in making these trips possible and for providing scholarship funds for those in need. We could not have done it without you.

Souperbowl Sunday Café: February 4Transforming Super Bowl weekend into the nation's largest youth-led weekend of giving and serving.

Since 1990, young people have been leading the charge and inspiring others to collect dollars and food weeks leading up to the Big Game. Teaming up with local partners, these groups give 100% of donations to local charities, changing the nation’s largest weekend of football into the largest weekend of caring.

On Feb 4th, our Middle and High School Youth Groups will be raising money for the New Canaan Food Pantry by selling soup in the common room following Worship. Bring $5, and either stay and eat or take some to go!

Youth Sunday: February 11 On February 11, our youth will lead us in worship for Youth Sunday. This is always an inspiring service, and we hope you will come hear how God is working in our youth’s lives and

support them with your presence and prayers. Our theme for 2018 is “Christians Under Construction.”

Beginning February 2nd!

Drop in at FPC on Friday mornings anytime between 9:30-11:30am – we’ll have the fire going, coffee and treats, and good company!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – I Thessalonians 5:11

THIS WEEK AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH178 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840

Tel.: 203-966-0002 // www.fpcnc.orgChurch Office Hours are Monday-Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2810:00 AM Worship

Rev. Mary Marple Thies preaching 10:15 AM Sunday’s Cool for Grades preK-7 11:15 AM Coffee Hour11:15 AM Cherub Choir11:30 AM Children’s Ministry Committee 11:30 AM Shareholder’s Luncheon

MONDAY, JANUARY 292:00 PM Meditation Group6:30 PM Purple Heather Dancers

TUESDAY, JANUARY 309:30 AM Leadership Team8:00 PM Men’s A.A.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3110:00 AM Music Librarians5:00 PM Carol Choir5:00 PM Confirmation Class

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13:30 PM Special Church7:30 PM FPC Choir

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29:30 AM Morning Mingle

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 39:15 AM A.A. (closed discussion)

10:30 AM A.A. (open discussion)2:00 PM Preparing dinner at New Covenant House 4:00 PM Serving dinner at New Covenant House

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4: Souper Bowl Sunday 10:00 AM Holy Communion

Rev. Kathryn Kibbie Laird preaching10:15 AM Sunday’s Cool for Grades preK-7 11:00 AM Blood Pressure Clinic11:15 AM Cherub Choir11:15 AM Coffee Hour11:15 AM Superbowl Sunday Café during Coffee Hour

“Jesus Casting Out Demons”

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. - Mark 1:21-28

O UR M INISTERS

The Entire Congregation

O UR P ASTORS The Rev. Kathryn Kibbie Laird, Interim Acting Head of Staff

The Rev. Mary Marple Thies, Parish AssociateRev. Christopher G. Tate, Parish Associate

O UR S TAFF Victoria Shields, Director of Music / Sherry Tate, Cherub Choir director

Peter Flournoy, Interim Church Administrator / Tina St. Armand, Office ManagerErika Hagan, Administrative Assistant to Children and Youth Ministries

Kuky and Andres Pereira, Operations/Security Managers / Edgar Torres, Day Sexton

T HE S ESSION Our Pastors

Scott Beyer, Clerk of Session

George Benington, Bell Tower Society Sue Benko, Communications

Laurel Carlson, Youth Ministries Carole Clarkson, Worship, Music and Arts

Linda Ferguson, Nominating Lisa Gifford, Congregational Life

Jennifer Gulden, PersonnelJulie Hoffman, Member-At-Large

Freia Mierendorf, Co-Youth Glenn Mierendorf, Outreach

Dede McEvoy, Strategic Planning Andy Petitjean, Finance

Lynn Quinn, Adult Education Julie Reeves, Membership Involvement Kevin Thomson, Advisory Committee

Spencer Reeves, Co-Youth Jenny Volanakis, Children's Ministries

Barbara Wentzel, Stewardship

T HE D E ACONS Jen and Steve Van de Graaf, Co-Moderators

Carson Allsteadt, Co-Youth Erica Bergmans, Inspirica

Mary Jane Bolin, Senior Lunch Peg Bull, Flock Program

William Dooley, Co-Youth Cindy Hagopian, Inspirica

Karen Hanson, Memorial Services and ReceptionsBeth Hersam, Flowers and Cards Chris Kniffin, Member-At-Large

Nichole LaBadie, Co-YouthLinda Martin, Baptisms; Flock Program

Sarah Robinson, Pastoral Care Team Kristen Rodgers, Cards and Flowers

Kathleen Servidea, Cards and FlowersElizabeth Stuart, Flowers and Cards, Treasurer

Ashley Walker, Co-YouthRev. T. Guthrie Speers, Jr., Pastor Emeritus - Mrs. Marilyn J. Ballantine, Minister of Music Emerita