THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW CANAAN5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME FEBRUARY 4, 2018

* ALL WHO ARE ABLE ARE INVITED TO STAND.

GATHERINGO God, make the door of this house wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship, narrow enough

to shut out all envy, pride, and strife. Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children, nor to straying feet, but rugged and strong enough to turn back the tempter’s power. God, make the door of this house the gateway to Thine eternal kingdom. Amen. --The Gathering at St. Stephen’s Wolbrook, England

PRELUDE "Idylle" from Suite for Flute and Piano,Op. 116 Benjamin GodardLauren Tate, flute

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

* CALL TO WORSHIP Rev. Kathryn Kibbie LairdMinister: In the midst of meaninglessness, People: You call us to meaning, O God. Minister: In the midst of divisiveness,People: You call us to community through Christ.Minister: Out of our brokenness,People: You call us to wholeness and new life in the Spirit.Minister: In praise and thanksgiving, let us worship God.

* PROCESSIONAL HYMN No. 442 “The Church’s One Foundation” AURELIA

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison) Rev. Christopher G. TateMerciful God, you call us to be salt and light and to live as your righteous, holy people. We want to, Lord, but we fall short. We confess that there is good and bad, light and dark within our own hearts. We want to do what is right, but our fears and anxieties lead us to self-protection rather than vulnerability, to hoarding rather than freely sharing, to self-righteousness rather than compassion. Forgive us, O God. Restore us by your mercy that having received the gift of your infinite love, we might turn to our neighbor and give your love away. For the sake of Christ, we pray. Amen.

TIME OF SILENT CONFESSION…

KYRIE ELEISON James MacMillan

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

* CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE No. 579 The Gloria PatriGlory 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.

TIME WITH CHILDREN/CENTS-ABILITY COLLECTION – New Canaan Food Pantry& Presbyterian Hunger Program

CHILDREN ARE INVITED TO SUNDAY’S COOL ROTATION

T H E W O R D

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (unison) Jennifer Frazer Gracious God, as we turn to your Word for us, may the Spirit of God rest upon us. Help us to be steadfast in our hearing, in our speaking, in our believing and in our living. Amen.

FIRST LESSON Isaiah 40:21-31 (OT page 668)Minister: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.People: Thanks be to God.

ANTHEM “O Blessed Spring” David Cherwein O blessed spring, where word and sign embrace us into Christ the Vine: here Christ enjoins each one tobe a branch of this life-giving Tree. Through summer heat of youthful years, uncertain faith, rebellious tears, sustained by Christ’s infusing rain, the boughs will shout for joy again. When autumn cools and youth is cold, when limbs their heavy harvest hold, then through us, warm, the Christ will move with gifts of beauty, wisdom, love. As winter comes, as winters must, we breathe our last, return to dust; still held in Christ, our souls take wing and trust the promise of the spring. Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree, be praised for this blest mystery: That word and water thus revive and join us to your Tree of Life.

SECOND LESSON 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NT page 172)Minister: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.People: Thanks be to God. ¿

SERMON “Welcome Home!” Rev. Kathryn Kibbie Laird

R E S P O N D I N G T O T H E W O R D* HYMN No. 504 “Draw Us In The Spirit’s Tether” UNION SEMINARY

PRESENTATION OF TITHES, OFFERINGS AND OURSELVES

OFFERTORY “Praise” Alec Rowley To the Master of music and loveliness: Praise, power, dominion forever. To the Lord of the Word of Creation be praise, power, dominion forever. To the Maker of movement, colour and light: Praise, power, dominion forever. To the Builder, Designer, Creator, be praise, power, dominion forever. To the Theme of all song, Inspiration of love: To the Artist of Life, to the Greatest and Least: Praise, power, dominion forever. For He is the greatest upon His high throne, and He was the least as the child of a maiden: Praise, then to Jesus whose Mother was Mary, And praise now to Christ who is God in the midst of us. Praise.Lord of all beauty, adoring we come to Thee: Give us Thyself both in time and eternity. Lord of all beauty, adoring we come to Thee, Offering all that we are or can hope to be, Lord of all beauty: Praise, power, dominion forever.

* 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.

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE Rev. Mary Marple Thies

PRAYER OF GREAT THANKSGIVINGMinister: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you. Minister: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them to the Lord.Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give our thanks and praise. Minister: It is truly right and our greatest joy...

The whole congregation sings:

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.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLECommunion will be served by intinction in which the bread is dipped into the cup. The wine is served in two chalices: the larger chalice contains wine, the smaller, grape juice. Gluten- free crackers are available on each plate. “Thanks be to God,” is a proper response to the receiving of communion.We will begin with people in the back rows and work our way to the front.

COMMUNION MUSIC “Sicilienne, Op. 78” Gabriel FauréLauren Tate, flute

COMMUNION PRAYERHow grateful we are for this family meal you have prepared for us, most gracious God. As we have gathered around your table, might we be open to receiving the gift of your love in the food we have shared. Let it nourish us when we feel depleted, sustain us when times are difficult, comfort us when we are sorrowful and enhance our joys when our cups overflow. Let it be that the meal we have shared will enable us to nurture others through the gift of this bread of life. For the meal we have eaten, O God, make us truly thankful. Amen.

S E N D I N G

* HYMN No. 538 “Lord Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing” SICILIAN MARINERS

* 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 “Variations, Op. 40, No. 1” Dmitri Kabalevsky

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 story of the Loaves and Fishes by exploring Jesus Feeds 5,000. Our younger and older grades will read the story together, and then solve a Fishy Puzzling Pieces game, ending with blessing Goldfish snack crackers and sharing with their neighbors. Please bring your buck and a can and join us. Our Tweens will not be in the Barn this week; the 5th-7th graders will be busy setting up for Souperbowl Sunday. Following Communion, all Sunday’s Cool classes will be creating and decorating Valentines to donate to our troops! Teachers assisting with preK-4th grade Spark Rotations today – Christina Thomson and Lindsay Tucker; 5-7th grade in the Common Room with Tindley Gilbert.

Greeters: The Caird family; Worship Coordinator: Jim Ely; Ushers: Lisa Gifford, Janet Lanaway, John Lanaway, Caroline Turpin; Cross Bearer: Rose-Scott Rothbart; Lay Reader: Jennifer Frazer; Communion Preparers: Dinny Lawrence and Denise Riehl; Communion Officers: Linda Ferguson and Lynn Quinn; Musicians: First Presbyterian Church Choir, Schola Cantorum; Lauren Tate, flute

Let us keep in our thoughts and prayers: New Concerns: Ronald Witt; 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 Jim Beall 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 March 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.

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.

Music Corner….Sunday, February 11, at 11:30 a.m.

VALENTINE'S DAY COFFEE CONCERT: Isn't It Loverly?Back by popular demand! Enjoy coffee and decadent chocolate treats while FPC musicians serenade you with music about love from opera, Broadway, and the American Songbook! Would you like your loved one to be serenaded with a singing Valentine during the concert? Before the concert begins, buy a singing valentine and your loved one will be surrounded by FPC musicians singing "Let me call you sweetheart" or "Once in love with (insert name)." Funds raised by the coffee concert will go to support our Syrian refugee family, the Abo Noktah family.

Vespers: An Evening Service for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, 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.

Youth Happenings….

Souperbowl Sunday Café: Today!Transforming 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.”

Friday Café: Every Friday Morning!Drop in at FPC on Friday mornings anytime between 9:30-10:30am – we’ll have the fire going, coffee and good company! Bring something yummy to share or just come for the fellowship. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – I Thessalonians 5:11

Update from Interim Pastor Nominating Committee:

We have begun receiving recommendations as well as inquiries from candidates through the PCUSA system and have begun scheduling preliminary interviews.

Your input is welcome!

Committee Members: Bob Caird, Chair Andrew GiffordNatasha Moore Lombardi Constanze Sheridan Lynn Jackson Quinn

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, 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 Souperbowl Sunday Café during Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Stewardship Committee Meeting11:30 AM Worship, Music and Arts Committee

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 52:00 PM Meditation Group6:30 PM Purple Heather Dancers

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 61:00 PM Leadership Team8:00 PM Men’s A.A.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 710:00 AM Music Librarians5:00 PM Carol Choir5:00 PM Confirmation Class

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 83:30 PM Special Church7:30 PM FPC Choir

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 109:15 AM A.A. (closed discussion)

10:30 AM A.A. (open discussion)11:00 AM Youth Sunday Rehearsal and lunch 1:00 PM Youth Work Day at FPCNC2:00 PM Preparing dinner at New Covenant House 4:00 PM Serving dinner at New Covenant House

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11: Youth Sunday 10:00 AM Worship10:15 AM Sunday’s Cool for ages 4 and under 11:15 AM Cherub Choir11:15 AM Coffee Hour in Sanctuary11:30 AM Coffee Concert

DEACONS’ FUND: Special envelopes are enclosed today, as they are on every Communion Sunday, for the Deacons’ Fund. These may be placed in the offering plates. The Deacons’ Fund enables the church, on a confidential basis, to help individuals in our congregation who are in special need. Please let the ministers know of any who might now be helped

by this Fund. Various specific needs are great at this moment, so do give generously.

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

Joanne Pirrone, Bookkeeper / 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-Youth

Rev. T. Guthrie Speers, Jr., Pastor Emeritus - Mrs. Marilyn J. Ballantine, Minister of Music Emerita