West Center Congregational Church ~~~United Church of Christ~~~
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FEBRUARY 02, 2025 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY 11:00 AM

WORSHIP THROUGH PRAISE/HOLY COMMUNION

PRELUDE: “SIMPLE GIFTS” (ARR. J. CARTER)
INTROIT :

*RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP:
Pastor: We gather now to praise the Lord,
People: and to learn how we might better serve God.
Pastor: God strengthens us in our journey
People: Help us God that we might grow into spiritual maturity
Pastor: God sends us out to minister to the needy
People: Help us God to be your instruments of love and Peace.
Pastor: Let us joyfully worship in the name of Christ, our Lord.
People: Come, O people of God, let us praise the Lord.

* OPENING HYMN: NO. 464 “JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE”

UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION: Contemporary Collect – pg. 1

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE: How often, O God, have we failed to listen for your voice, or having heard it, have chosen to ignore it so that we might choose our wills over your own. We repent that we so often have failed to seek your holy will and have not come when you call us to follow. Strengthen us to prefer your will always to our own. Give us wise discernment that we might recognize your words when you speak to us. Keep us safe from deception and ever walking in your holy ways. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

MOMENT OF SILENT MEDITATION/SELF REFLECTION:

LORD’S PRAYER (DEBTS)

* RESPONSIVE READING OF PSALM 71: 1 - 6 pg. 2

* GLORIA PATRI:

WORSHIP THROUGH CARING, PRAYING AND GIVING

MEDITATIONAL HYMN: NO. 341 “BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE”

MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER/THE CHURCH AT PRAYER

SHARING OF OUR GIFTS, TITHES AND OFFERING PRECEDED BY PRAYER

PRAYER OF DEDICATION: These gifts, O God, represent our lives, our possessions, all that we are and have.
​We offer them now to you as symbols of ourselves, so that you may take us and bless us and, through the power of your Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN.

OFFERTORY: “SEEK, AND YOU WILL FIND”
Seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened; ask, and you will receive, for such is the way of the Lord.
Who knows in truth what God for all creatures can do? If you believe, great happiness will come to you.


* DOXOLOGY AND PRAYER OF GRATITUDE

PASSING OF PEACE, JOYS, CONCERNS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND
RECEIVING OF NEW MEMBER, MR. JOHN STRYBOS

WORSHIP THROUGH REFLECTION AND MEDITATION

NEW TESTAMENT WITNESS: I CORINTHIANS 13: 1 - 13 pg. 3

ANTHEM: “THE GIFT OF LOVE”
Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift to all inspire,
And have not love, my words are vain, as sounding brass, and hopeless gain.
Though I may give all I possess, and striving so my love profess,
But not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin.
Come, spirit, come, our hearts control, our spirits long to be made whole.
Let inward love guide every deed; By this we worship and are freed.

THE GOSPEL WITNESS: ST. LUKE 4: 21 - 30, pg. 4

PREACHING OF THE WORD: PROPHET ON THE EDGE - Rev. Dr. Chris. Ponnuraj
​

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (NICENE CREED): We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

HOLY COMMUNION SERVICE
(Follow the separate Holy Communion worship sheet)

* CLOSING HYMN: NO. 343: "CALLED AS PARTNERS IN CHRIST'S SERVICE"

* BENEDICTION:

RESPONSE:
​

POSTLUDE: “TRUMPET TUNE” (LANG)

*Please stand as you are able and comfortable standing.
In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ a cordial welcome to those who have come to this house of worship. We thank you for worshiping with us today. Your presence encourages and strengthens us. Guests are invited to sign the guest book in the narthex. We look forward to seeing you again.

Our Friendship and Fellowship Coffee Hour will be held in Bodge Lounge. Come and share the joy of Christ’s love with us. Please sign up if you wish to host a Coffee hour.

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, the Board of World Services requests you to bring in 1 or 2 cans of soup which will be donated to the Yonkers Emergency Food Pantry.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS
02/02 Ms. Georgia LaBlanc, 02/09 Ms. JoAnn Lou,
02/28 Mr. Thomas Riggs, 02/29 Ms. JoAnn Dierks

COVENANT OF CARE"

Nargis Abbas, Cindi Barna, Dave Carbray, Dante Ferraro, Anna Fishman, Judy Ross Francis,
Peter Gill, Frank Ingram, Ann Jamison, Edie Jamison-Koenig, Jeanette Johnson,
Peter Koenig, Manoris Long, Ray Lopat, Rick Macerata, Joe Miller, Martin Morua,
June Nickerson, Tommy Nicholson, Sue Nuding, Master Sgt. Timothy Peters, John Polvere,
Nancy Protzman, Meghan Ellen Quinlan, Tony Roque, Rev. Allan Ross, Anthony Russo,
Richard Z. Steinhaus Jr., Eric Symons, Charles and Margaret Torrey, Edith Unger,
Maryella Ward Leigh, Amanda Wilson, Jane Wong & family (Pono, Alex & Hilary & Jackson)
The Breen family for the loss of Patrick.
Family and Friends of Jim Gallagher
The victims of the wildfires in southern California & the victims of the plane & helicopter crash.

WEST CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (UCC)
101 Pondfield Road West
Bronxville, New York 10708
Tel No. (914) 337-3829 www.westcenterchurch.org
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj – Minister
[email protected] (917) 743-1574

Mr. John Strybos – Director of Music & Organist
[email protected] (203) 921-5210
Chancel Choir: Eiza Bonet, Lauren Mitchell, Robert Orbach, Susie Reisinger

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