1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

October 26, 2014
9:00 AM
Gathering for Worship
It is You
Welcome
Affirming Our Faith in Song WB
At the Name of Jesus
Prayers and Song of Praise
Prayers of Praise
How Great Is Our God
Scripture Reading – Exodus 32:1-14
Moment with the Children
Scripture Reading – John 6:30-35
Reflection and Sharing’s – The I Am Sayings of Jesus
Song of Faith
Knowing You
Minute for Mission
Time of Prayer –
Song of Dedication and Praise
God Is Great
Benediction
WORSHIP LEADERS
Worship Band Director: David Lawson
Worship Music Team:
Jane Sexton, Henry Sun
Lector: Nita Foote
IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
October 26, 2014
WELCOME!
It is good to have you in worship with
us this morning. Please join us in the
Fellowship Hall after worship service
for a time of fellowship.
Listening devices for the hearing impaired are available
for your convenience. Large print bulletins are also
available. Please see an usher for these items.
FRIENDSHIP PADS
are for everyone to sign.
Please take a moment to sign and
pass it to the person next to you.
THANK YOU to Charlotte Fagan and
Earline Barfield for providing goodies for the
Fellowship time following the 11:00 am
worship service.
Today is CENTS-ABILITY (FORMERLY
KNOWN AS TWO (2) CENTS A MEAL
SUNDAY) (each 4th Sunday of the month) We
hope you remembered to bring your donation
– at least two (2) cents for each meal you have
eaten this past month - and put it in the jar
located in the narthex. If you gave two (2) cents for three
(3) meals a day, in a 31 day month, that would be $1.86. If
you haven’t given every month you can always put in more
this month. We welcome all your coins, and we invite you
to use paper money or checks (made out to the church) as
well! It is a tangible way to give thanks for the blessings
we’ve received and to help our local food bank provide for
those in need. Thank you for your help!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31ST
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
All children 5th grade and younger are
invited to our Annual Harvest Festival.
Make plans for you and your children or grandchildren to
attend this special festive time. This is a great opportunity
to host something fun for our neighbors and surrounding
community. Kids and adults are encouraged to come in
costume if they want, but please - no gore, blood or
weapons. The Festival will include a light meal that will be
served all evening. Games, Candy and Lots of Fun!
Your help is needed in following ways:
· Donations of individually wrapped candy and/or
little prizes
· Fall or Halloween decorations or “mood music of the
season.” (Lending or donating)
· Help with decorating on Wednesday, October 29, 5:30
pm to 7:00 pm.
· Help with and/or running games or crafts
· Bring KIDS!
Come and have fun!
Please see Pastor Joanne, Pastor Jon, or
Jeff Pribyl if you can help in any way.
We’re counting on you!
COFFEE HOSTS NEEDED! Just check the Hospitality &
Evangelism bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall. Available
dates are listed and instructions are provided. Sign your
name on the date you want and pick up an instruction
sheet. If you have questions, you may call Lani Puzey,
645-8269.
COMMUNION will be served next Sunday, the first Sunday
of the month. The 9:00 am service is served by intinction,
the 11:00 am service is served by trays.
CHILDREN & YOUTH NEWS
LOGOS, K - 5th grade children
meet Wednesday October 29th
5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE – LOGOS – LOGOS will be
meeting with a modified
program. A meal will be served
as usual but the theme will be “setting up”
for the Harvest Festival on Friday
evening.
MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH GROUP
meets this Sunday evening at 4:30 p.m.
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH
GROUP meets this Sunday evening at
6:00 p.m.
CHILDREN’S ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. Thank you to
Elli and Laura Levin (9:00 am worship service) and Donna
Nunes and Carol Shiner (11:00 am worship service) who
are volunteers for Children’s Enrichment Program. After
the Moment with the Children of God in the worship
service, preschoolers go to the Nursery where they have
a Bible story and play time. Elementary school students
go to Room 2 for their Bible studies. The curriculum is
designed for grades K-2 and grades 3-5 so is age appropriate. After a half hour they rejoin the worship service.
Please mark your calendars for one
10:00 am worship service on Sunday
November 9th – and plan to stay afterwards for another Mission Study
round table dialogue session. We will be sharing some
of the survey results at that time, and will be talking about
how we can best serve our neighborhood.
FAIR TRADE COFFEE, TEA AND COCOA
SALES NEXT SUNDAY. Coffees cost $7.00
and/or $8.00, teas, $3.00 and cocoa, $5.00. We
will also be providing chocolate bars starting
next week. We appreciate your providing exact
change.
SERMON SERIES - “...that you might
have life...” Jesus in the Gospel of
John. John is the most deeply spiritual
of the four gospels. He includes some
of the loftiest and most loved verses in all the Bible: “The
Word became fleshI”, “For God so loved the worldI”,
“You who are without sin cast the first stoneI”, “I am the
resurrection and the lifeI”, and “I am the way, the truth
and the life.” His writing is filled with rich images and
profound truths to help us understand who Jesus is, but
John notes that his aim in writing the gospel is that his
readers will not only believe in Jesus Christ, but that they
“might have life in his name.” Join us for a fall season of
spiritual growth and renewal that could change your life.
We invite you to worship each week as we explore the
major themes of the gospel of John.
MAKING SENSE OF THE BIBLE –
Rediscovering the Power of
Scripture Today. The Wednesday
Adult Study group begins a new
session using Adam Hamilton’s book,
Making Sense of the Bible. This week we will be looking
at the Nature of Scripture:
• Is the Bible Inspired?
• Is the Bible the Word of God?
• How does God speak to and through us?
• Is the Bible inerrant and infallible?
• A high view of Scripture
Join us on Wednesday nights for this Study. The class
begins at 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information, talk
with Pastor Jon.
INTERIM CHOIR DIRECTOR. The Session approved the
hiring of Celia Bryan as our Interim Choir Director through
the end of this calendar year, with the possibility of
extension as needed. Celia’s already been serving in that
capacity ever since Andrew Brown resigned, and has
done a wonderful job for us. Thank you, Celia, for all you
do!
EXTRA CALENDARS. What to do with all those
calendars you receive in the mail? Bring them to church!
Two places use them – either Steffan Manor Elementary
or the Veteran’s Home in Yountville. You can put them in
the bookcase, the office or to Carol Shiner who takes
them to the Veteran’s home in Yountville.
HAVE YOU NOTICED? We are now, for your convenience:
·
Listing the Missions Giving for each Sunday
(highlighting the Mission Emphasis of the day),
including special offerings.
·
Placing the appropriate basket in the narthex for the
Mission giving of each respective Sunday.
These items were included at the suggestion of one of our
members. If you have other good suggestions for the
bulletin announcements, please let the office know of
them.
Stewardship Kick-off, October 26th
Modified LOGOS, October 29th
Harvest Festival, October 31st
MONTHLY MISSION GIVING OFFERINGS
1st Sunday is Fair Trade Sales (Sept. – May)
2nd Sunday is Local Missions Sunday
3rd Sunday is Food Cupboard Sunday
4th Sunday is CENTS-ABILITY Sunday
Weekly Event Calendar
Sunday, October 26th - Reformation Sunday
9:00 am
Celebration Worship Service / Fellowship Hall
11:00 am
Traditional Worship Service / Sanctuary
1:00 pm
Samoan Congregation Worship / Sanctuary
1:30 pm
NA / Room 10
4:30 pm
Middle School Youth Fellowship
6:00 pm
Senior High School Youth Fellowship
7:30 pm
Mission Study Comm. Meeting / Fireside Room
Monday, October 27th
1:30 pm
Monday Bible Study / Room 2
2:30 pm
Blood Centers / Front of Building
6:30 pm
NA / Room 10
7:00 pm
Handbell Rehearsal / Room 4
7:45 pm
Boy Scouts / Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, October 28th
6:00 pm
NA / Room 10
6:00 pm
AA / Room 2
6:00 pm
Stephen Ministers / Fireside Room
Wednesday, October 29th
3:00 pm
Faith Dev. Comm. Meeting / Fireside Room
5:00 pm
LOGOS / Fellowship Hall
6:00 pm
Worship Band Rehearsal / Sanctuary
6:30 pm
Adult Ed Class / Fireside Room
Thursday, October 30th
6:30 pm
Samoan Adult Bible Study / Wee Kirk
7:30 pm
Chancel Choir Rehearsal / Sanctuary
Friday, October 31st
9:30 am
Bulletin Folding / Fireside Room
5:30 pm
Harvest Festival / Fellowship Hall
6:00 pm
Samoan Cong. Youth Bible Study / Rm 2
Saturday, November 1st
9:00 am
Samoan Band Rehearsal / Sanctuary
Community Presbyterian Church
2800 Georgia Street, Vallejo, CA 94591
Telephone 707.643.3222 - Fax 707. 643.4404
Pastor Jon Read, [email protected]
Website: www.cpcvallejo.org - email:[email protected]
Office Administrator: Julia Glenn, [email protected]
Parish Associates: Rev. John Collister, Rev. Joanne Martindale,
Rev. Charles Morey, Rev. Henry Sun, Like us on
Current Joys and Concerns:
Carol Hoover’s cousin, Joanne Yahiro – who has
pancreatic cancer
Dottie Plautz’ great granddaughter Payton – had
surgery and is doing well
Lollie Hilton – has a pinched nerve in her back
Judy Sullivan – had foot surgery Friday and is doing
well
Kelly Fate – is home from hospital after a mini-strokeis
Continuing Prayers for:
Shane Chalmers (Harry and Sara’s son); Nicholas
Fitzpatrick (Howard’s son); Lisa Hansen; Lisa Harrison
(Dottie Plautz’ granddaughter); Payton Roche (Dottie
Plautz’ great-granddaughter); Lisa Slight (Don & Bev
Emery’s daughter); Craig Standafer; Maggie Stuenkle
(Dottie Plautz’ friend)
Remember also in Your Prayers Those at:
Brookdale, Vallejo
Joe Bruggman, Altheia Clumpner, JoAnn Cox,
Bev & Mitch Garsee, Donna Minnick,
Marilyn Nickles, Sue Ellen Paedon, Betty Sloan,
Helene Wardlaw
Brookdale, Tuolumne
Fanny Wise
Golden Living Center:
Becky Bosuego
Those recovering at home:
Bill Day (Kate’s husband), Norma Dendas, Elizabeth
Gibson, Craig Standafer
Those out of town:
Janet Bodwell, Shirley Love, Estela McKnight,
Bernice Osborne
Students out of the Area:
Colleen Bohannan, Toria Denofrio, Michael Mills–
Krutilek, Amy MacArthur,
Ryan Martindale-George, Quinn Martindale-George,
Eva Pearson, Christine Read, Paul Rohrberg,
Megan Shiner, Michael Simmerman,
Alexandra Strychacz, Angie Strychacz, Isabel
Strychacz, Tyler Sun, Jennifer Woods-Tyler
Grow–Pray–Study
Community Presbyterian Church
Weekly Study Guide, October 26, 2014
That You Might Have Life The I Am Sayings of Jesus
Pastor Jon Read
Scripture References: Exodus 32:1-14; John 8:56-58 and other
selected verses
Things I'd like to remember from the sermon:
Our Vision
Loving God
Loving People
Transforming the World
Exodus 3:13-14, John 8:56-58 (and other selected verses)
But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say
to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”,
and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to
them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ He said
further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I AM has
sent me to you.”’ (Emphasis added)
‘Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my
day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him,
‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen
Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you,
before Abraham was, I AM.’ (Emphasis added)
Jesus said to them,
• I am the bread of life. (John 6.35)
• I am the light of the world. (John 8.12)
• I am the door for the sheep. (John 10.7; cf. v. 9)
• I am the good shepherd. (John 10.11, 14)
• I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11.25)
• I am the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14.6)
• I am the true vine. (John 15.1; cf. v. 5)
October 26, 2014
The I Am Sayings of Jesus
Use this weekly prayer to help you begin with God
each day.
Lord God, keep me open and receptive to your
voice. Create in me a willingness to live a life
“from above,” to let your truth truly set me free.
Continue your heavenly “eye surgery” in me.
Make it more and more true in all parts of my life
that “I was blind, but now I see.” Lord Jesus, I
want to bear fruit that honors and glorifies you.
Plant the seed of your word in my heart, and
grow it into a life that nourishes life in others.
Lord, give me the ability to see life from your
perspective. And at the times when sorrow
weighs me down, thank you for standing with me,
and mingling your tears with mine. Amen.
Prayers for the Week
As you pray this week, we encourage you to drop a card in the
mail, or make a call to these folks to let them know that you are
holding them in your prayers.
Prayer Families this week:
Celia Bryan
660 Russell Street
Vallejo, CA 94591-6544
707-557-5426
Bob & Sarah Minahen,
Garrett, Ryan
166 Wetlands Edge Road
American Canyon, CA
94503-1161
707-552-1183
Deacons’ Special Friends this week:
Shirley Love
Dorothy Mayhew
Courtside Cottages of
224 Cortland Circle
Vacaville
Vallejo, CA 94589-3700
431 Nut Tree Road
707-552-2009
Vacaville, CA 95687-3508
707-449-1350
Military Person this week:
Sgt. Steven Hurley (Judy Clemmons’ grandson)
22409 2 Cottonwood Drive
Fort Riley, KS 66442
Student of the month:
Michael Simmerman
Salt Lake City Community College
859 E. Logan Avenue
Salt Lake City, Utah 84105
The light of the world … even before Abraham
MONDAY, October 27 - John 8:12-59
This section begins with Jesus saying, “I am the light of the
world” (verse 12) and ends with his amazing statement,
“Before Abraham was, I Am” (verse 58). Between these two
“I Am” sayings (associating himself with God’s name in
Exodus 3:14), he declared that he was “from above” and his
foes “from below” (verse 23). His self-righteous enemies
were furious, ready to stone Jesus for blasphemy.
• When Jesus said, “The truth will set you free” (verse 32),
his foes replied, “We’ve never been anyone’s slaves. How
can you say that we will be set free?” They were in denial
politically—one historian called Israel’s life under Rome a
“semi-slavery.” Worse, they were spiritually captive to
their own self-importance. Has there ever been a time
when you felt, “I’m fine—I don’t need what Christ
offers”? Is there any part of your life now where it’s hard
to accept that you need Christ’s light and truth to set you
free?
• Don’t miss the central issue in this section. Jesus said, “I
come from heaven—God is my father, and I do what he
says.” His opponents wouldn’t even consider that his claim
might be true, because he didn’t fit into their way of doing
things. Pastor Hamilton often asks: If Jesus came today,
would we recognize him? How open are you to changing
habits or patterns if you sense that God might be calling
you to change?
Who was blind, and who could see?
TUESDAY, October 28 - John 9:1-38
John again echoed the creation story. In it, God formed
humans from dust (cf. Genesis 2:7). John said Jesus created
sight for a blind man using mud made from dust (verse 6).
Then John portrayed the difference between physical and
spiritual blindness. Rather than admit anything good about
Jesus, the religious leaders scrambled to deny the plain fact
that a man born blind could now see! In his beautiful
confession of faith in verse 25, the man showed that he could
“see” more clearly than the religious leaders.
• Jesus repeated his claim to be “the light of the world.” At
what age or stage did Christ’s light first shine into your
life? What were some of the first things that you remember
seeing more clearly in the light of Jesus' love and grace?
What are one or two ways that Christ’s light has helped to
clear your sight in the recent days and weeks of your walk
with him?
• The synagogue was the center of community life in most
Israelite towns. A person put out of the synagogue often
found it necessary to move to another area. When have
you found your faith putting you at odds with a social
community, maybe even your church? What did you do
about it? How has God led you so that you can live out
your commitment to follow Jesus?
“I am the good shepherd”
WEDNESDAY, October 29 - John 9:39-10:21
Jesus said the spiritual blindness of Israel’s leaders hurt, not
only them, but the human “flock” God had entrusted to their
care. (His words strongly echoed those of the prophet
Ezekiel—cf. Ezekiel 34:1-16.) But God had promised Israel
that he would shepherd them himself, and Jesus came as “the
good shepherd” who would safely guide and protect all who
trusted him.
• “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they
could live life to the fullest,” Jesus said in John 10:10. In
what ways have you seen ads for everything from banks to
automobiles, from alcoholic beverages to hair-care
products, hold out a similar promise? How easy or hard do
you find it to trust, in your day-to-day life, that Jesus' way
truly offers you the fullest, most satisfying life?
• Jesus said, “I have other sheep that don’t belong to this
sheep pen” (John 10:16). When John wrote his gospel,
Gentiles probably outnumbered those who shared John’s
Jewish heritage by a large margin among Christians. When
have you been happily surprised to meet a fellow believer
from a “sheep pen” you didn’t realize was included in
Jesus’ love? Have you been able to lift up and bless people
you’d have been uncomfortable being in contact with
before you met Jesus?
“I and the Father are one”
THURSDAY, October 30 - John 10:22-42
John described the behavior of Jesus’ foes in aggressive
language, writing that they “circled around him.” They asked
a serious-enough question: “If you are the Christ (Greek for
“anointed one,” i.e. the Messiah), tell us plainly.” The
problem was that they’d already settled on a negative
answer. When Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (verse
30), they picked up stones with the intention of stoning him
to death!
• Given everything you’ve read in John so far, what made
the question Jesus’ circling opponents asked (“How long
will you test our patience? If you are the Christ, tell us
plainly”) ring hollow? Were Jesus’ claims about himself
evasive or fuzzy, or were they just so big that his enemies
refused to grapple with them? Do you believe Jesus was
more than a good teacher and wise man; that he was all he
claimed to be?
• Jesus challenged his enemies: “If I don’t do the works of
my Father, don’t believe me. But if I do them, and you
don’t believe me, believe the works so that you can know
and recognize that the Father is in me and I am in the
Father” (verses 38-39). Jesus said we can tell the
difference between false and true prophets by the kind of
fruit they bear (Matthew 7:16-20). What kind of “fruit”
could the people see in Jesus’ own life? Are you more
concerned with whether others speak and think as you do,
or with the kind of fruit you see their life bearing?
“I am the resurrection and the life”
FRIDAY, October 31 - John 11:1-27
Bethany is just a few miles from Jerusalem. Going there
could expose Jesus to the malice of his enemies again (verse
8, 16). Jesus intentionally waited before going to where his
friend lay deathly ill (verse 15). By the time he reached
Bethany, Lazarus had died. Grieving her brother’s death,
Martha told Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother
wouldn’t have died.” He answered with one of his greatest “I
am” sayings: “I am the resurrection and the life.”
• Imagine the scene: Mary and Martha worried, wept,
prayed and sent to Jesus for help (they knew Jesus could
heal!). Yet Lazarus still died. Scholar N.T. Wright noted
that that is our story, too. We pray for justice, peace or
personal concerns. But at times praying forces us to
confront the humbling reality that God's timing is not our
timing (see Isaiah 55:8-9). Martha greeted Jesus with a sad
“if-only” statement. Do you have any “if-onlys” on your
heart right now? If so, like Martha, express that to Jesus.
Then listen and watch for what comfort and hope he has to
offer you.
• Of Jesus’ seven “I am” statements in John, his words to
Martha are probably the most cherished: “I am the
resurrection and the life… everyone who believes in me
will never die.” Jesus’ response to our “if-only” questions
often surprises us, as it did Martha. Jesus has many ways
of bringing good news, hope and new possibilities into the
mess and grief of life. We face the same question Jesus
asked Martha: “Do you believe this?”
Life in and of God
SATURDAY, November 1 - John 11:28-57
Jesus’ seventh miraculous sign was his mightiest: Lazarus,
who had been dead for four days (verse 39), was restored
to life. His act also gave Mary and Martha back the chance
to live a decent life—in their world, a woman with no
living male relative had no legal standing. Yet the darkness
hated the light more than ever, and Jesus’ enemies
increased their efforts to kill the one who gave life.
• John 11:35 is often known solely for being “the shortest
verse in the Bible.” But it carried an important message,
when we remember that Jesus was to say, “Whoever has
seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). What does
Jesus’ ability to weep with his friends in their sorrow tell
you about the heart of God toward you when you are
hurting?
Family Activity: In the Gospel of John, Jesus describes
himself to people in many ways. Two important ones are
“I am the resurrection and the life” and “I am the vine and
you are the branches.” These statements of identification
help others know Jesus more fully and meaningfully.
Gather as a family, giving each person paper and markers.
Ask the question, “If someone were to ask you who you
are, how would you identify yourself?” Invite each person
to choose pictures and/or words they might use to describe
themselves to others. Ask them to narrow their
descriptions down to one sentence, and then share those
sentences with each other. Welcome input from one
another. Pray about your descriptions and ask God to guide
you as you develop your identity in him..
The study material for this GPS is from The United Methodist Church
of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Used by permission.