First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time • September 13, 2020 • 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

178 OENOKE RIDGE, NEW CANAAN, CT 06840 • 203-966-0002 • FPCNC.ORG

Creating a loving and just world by serving others.

THE GATHERING

Prelude “Adagio” from Symphonie No. 3, Op. 28 Louis Vierne (8am)

Canzona Bergamasca Samuel Scheidt (10am)

Call to Worship The Rev. Mary Marple Thies (8am)

The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr (10am)

Minister: Come! Come praise the eternal God!

People: Let all that is within us— body, emotions, mind,

and will—praise God’s holy name!

Minister: Despite our failures, God forgives and frees us.

More than any doctor, God heals our diseases.

People: God crowns us with love and mercy!

When we are famished and weak,

God fills us with good and beautiful things,

satisfying our needs, and restoring our strength.

Minister: So come! Come, praise the eternal God!

All: Sing songs from a grateful heart, andremember all that God has done for us.

--Adapted from the Psalm of the Day, Psalm 103

Prayer of the Day

Please join us in singing hymns at our outdoor service with masks on.

Hymn Lord, You Give the Great Commission ABBOT’S LEIGH

(Omit verse 3)

Welcome and Announcements The Rev. Dr. R Scott Herr

Invitation to Confession Ellen Taylor Sisson (8am)

With confidence in God’s grace and love, let us confess our sin… Mark Magnusen (10am)

Confession of Sin (unison)

Merciful God, our maker and restorer,

we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed:

we have not loved you with our whole heart,

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves:

we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.

Loving God, forgive us. Help us to come home to you.

Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Silent Prayer of Confession)

Assurance of Forgiveness

Leader: The Psalmist declares, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in

steadfast love… As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is God’s steadfast love

toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far God removes our

transgressions from us.” So hear and believe the Good News:

People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made righteous. Amen!

Passing of the Peace

Leader: May the peace of Christ be with you all.

People: And also with you.

(Please greet one another with a sign of the peace of Christ.)

THE WORD

Prayer For Illumination (unison) Ellen Taylor Sisson (8am)

Audrey Magnusen (10am)

God of grace, may the Word you speak this day take root in our hearts, and bear fruit to your honor

and glory, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. First Lesson - Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-14

These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among

the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from

Jerusalem to Babylon. 4Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into

exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they

produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in

marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7But seek the welfare of

the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find

your welfare. 8For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who

are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9for it is a lie that they are

prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the LORD. 10For thus says the LORD: Only when

Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back

to this place. 11For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for

harm, to give you a future with hope. 12Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear

you. 13When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14I will let you find me,

says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I

have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

Second Lesson - Romans 14:1-12

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2Some believe in

eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and

those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4Who are you to

pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld,

for the Lord is able to make them stand. 5Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all

days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6Those who observe the day, observe it in honor

of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who

abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. 7We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die

to ourselves. 8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or

whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of

both the dead and the living. 10Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you

despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For it is written, “As I

live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12So then, each of

us will be accountable to God.

Minister: Holy wisdom, holy word.

People: Thanks be to God. Sermon “Beloved Community: Loving Inclusively” The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Prayers of the People The Rev. Mary Marple Thies (8am)

The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr (10am)

The 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 Ellen Taylor Sisson (8am)

Layla Magnusen (10am)

Offertory (8 am) “I Will Sing New Songs of Gladness” from Biblical Songs, Op. 99 Antonìn Dvorák

I will sing new songs of gladness,

I will sing Jehovah’s praises

Upon a ten-string psaltery.

Ev’ry day will I extol Thee

And will bless Thy Holy Name,

I will bless Thy Holy Name.

Great is God and great His mercy.

Who shall tell of all His greatness?

Who shall His pow’r declare?

My song shall be of praise and honor,

And of Thy glorious acts.

Thy works are wonderful,

Past our knowing.

Offertory (10 am) “Where’er you walk” from Semele G.F. Handel

Prayer of Dedication Ellen Taylor Sisson (8am)

Layla Magnusen (10am)

S E N D I N G

Hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah CWM RHONDDA

Charge and Benediction The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr

Ringing of the Church Bell

Postlude “Final” from Symphonie No. 3, Op. 28 Louis Vierne (8am)

Canzona septimi toni 2 Giovanni Gabrieli (10am)

Thank you to all of our musicians leading worship this morning!

Lisa Flanagan, soprano

Andrew Kemp, trumpet

Matthew Anderson, trumpet

Laura Weiner, horn

Burt Mason, trombone

Mark Broschinsky, bass trombone

CCLI #1120652

ONE LICENSE, License A-734274

Welcome! This morning, Scott will continue a four week series on “Beloved Community” and explore through

the lens of the lectionary texts the four aspects of the First Presbyterian Church Mission Statement: “Live

Spiritually; Love Inclusively; Learn Continuously; Leave A Legacy.” Today’s texts to help us reflect on what it

means to “love inclusively” are and Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14 and Romans 14:1-12.

Confirmation Class. Are you a student in the 8th grade or older and would like to explore the Christian faith and

learn more about the teachings of Jesus that have turned the world upside down? We would like to organize an

orientation and information meeting and BBQ, so please let us know of your interest by emailing Rev. Scott Herr

at scott@fpcnc.org.

Your 2020 Pledges Are Still Needed! Just a friendly reminder that our church continues to operate,

albeit in new and creative ways, to continue to serve our congregation during the COVID-19

pandemic. And so too, your pledges are still needed to sustain those operations, so please mail them

to the attention of Jim Riehl, FPCNC, 178 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT, 06840.

Glory to God hymnals. If you would like to make a contribution towards new hymnals, please

mail your check to FPCNC, 178 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT, 06840. We are asking $30 for

a hymnal that may be purchased in memory of a loved one, given in thanksgiving of, or for the

Glory of God. You may purchase more than one if you like!

UPDATE! Concert Fundraiser for the Phil Ramone Orchestra for Children

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Phil Ramone

Orchestra for Children! The concert for Juneteenth for trombone and

organ by Victoria Shields and trombonist, Burt Mason, has raised

$1915 in funds for this organization in need. The Phil Ramone

Orchestra promotes music education for children in underserved

neighborhoods in NYC. Because of our efforts, the orchestra will be

able to resume their mission this fall. Thank you to everyone who

contributed! If you haven’t contributed yet and would like to, you

may make a donation on their website www.ramoneorchestra.org

Dear Members and Friends of the First Presbyterian Church,

We are so excited to begin regathering as a church family on Rally Day, Sunday,

September 13! Following are some facts that we hope you will consider as you

decide whether or not to join us for the live service outside on the front lawn or on-

line for a pre-recorded service at our usual 10:00 hour.

Keeping our community healthy and safe is most important to us, so we are

implementing the following safety procedures for Rally Day Service on Sept 13:

• Just a couple of things for you to do in preparation to be in person

o Pre-register via our online link (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0b4aaaad2aa31-rally) or by

calling Tina at (203) 966-0002 M-F between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30.

o Upon arrival on Rally Day, you will be asked to complete the Mandatory Health, Travel, and

Exposure Form. To save time, we encourage you to download the form here (http://fpcnc.org/wp-

content/uploads/2020/09/fpc-covid-19-health-travel-and-exposure-form.docx) and complete it just

prior to going to Rally Day Service. Please note, one form should be completed for each person

attending. Temperature checks will be completed upon your arrival.

• The Rally Day worship service will be held outdoors on the lawn between the church and Oenoke Ridge.

The church building will remain closed which means there will be no restrooms available.

• Masks are recommended to be worn for anyone over the age of 2, as recommended by the CDC

(https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children/protect-children.html), but will

be required for anyone age 6 and above. Think of wearing the masks as a way to show respect and care to

those around you.

• Please bring your chair, blanket, and pop-up tent. We will be requiring each family to sit together and be

no closer than 6 feet from other families.

• For those who cannot easily transport chairs, we will have chairs available that are properly cleaned and

placed 6 feet apart. Please let us know if we can reserve chairs for you and your family.

• Sadly, to ensure safety, no food and beverage will be provided, but we invite you to pack a picnic.

• There will be some social time afterward the service to get to know Scott and Kim Herr (from a

distance)!

A special note to our seniors: We live in strange and surreal but also sadly deadly serious times of this

pandemic. Anyone over the age of 65 should think carefully about the wisdom of attending in-person. Anyone

over 70 or 80 should seriously consider NOT attending. Of course, we want to be together with you, but because

we love and care about you, we sure don’t want you to take any unnecessary health risks.

The preferred way to attend Sunday services for seniors during this deadly pandemic is to watch the online

virtual service at either 8 AM or at 10 AM. This will allow you to “attend” Sunday service without personal

health risks to you or your family. The service can be seen at this website: Events.Locallive.tv/worship/fpcnc

Finally, we know that information changes quickly, but we are trying to be responsible and err on the side of

caution. We hope these protocols will help you to make the best decision for you and your family.

On behalf of the whole Rally Day planning team, we look forward to worshipping together, both in person and

virtually. In the meantime, please stay safe and healthy,

In Christ,

Randy Ferguson, Serena Gillespie, and Scott Herr

Sunday School is Here!

While you are watching the live stream of Sunday's service, there is a Sunday School bulletin

for your children to do when the family gathers to worship. Please visit our website:

www.fpcnc@org. Look for the Sunday School links in the September 13 Sunday’s Service

blog. To download the children’s bulletin, click on, Live to the Lord.

Please keep the following people in your hearts: Continued concerns: Catherine Armstrong; Dan Bergfeld;

Gloria Bridgman; John Edwards; Graham Harden; James Marcotte; William Musser; The Stricos family (friends

of Joe and Diana Ruszkowski); Debbie Murphy Williams; Ronald Witt. The Abo Noktah family (our Syrian

refugees): father Khaldoun, mother Khawla Alzob, daughters Hanin, Zain and Hayat, and sons Yaman and Ahmed.

New Canaan Food Pantry has re-opened. Non-perishable food items can be dropped

off at St. Mark's, by the food pantry door on Mondays 8:30-10:30 AM. The items most

needed are apple juice, coffee (regular, decaf, drip or instant), cereal (sweet and

healthy), oatmeal, pancake mix, syrup, canned chicken, tuna, pasta sauce, vegetables,

fruit, chili, soup, tortilla chips, salsa, crackers, salad dressing, applesauce, peanut

butter, jelly, a packaged potato dish, rice (white or brown), toothpaste, toothbrushes,

dish-washing detergent, laundry detergent, ketchup, mustard, white vinegar.

THIS WEEK at FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of NEW CANAAN

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

8 a.m. Worship, via LocalLive

Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr

10 a.m. Worship, live on the front lawn

Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr

10:45 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour, via

Facebook Live

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

10 a.m. Leadership Team, via zoom

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

10:30 a.m. Pastoral Care Team Meeting, via zoom

3 p.m. English Handbell Choir

4:15 p.m. FPC Men’s Choir Rehearsal

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

3 p.m. FPC Women’s Choir Rehearsal

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

8 a.m. Worship Service, via LocalLive

Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr 10 a.m. Worship, live on the front lawn

Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr

10:45 a.m. Virtual Coffee Hour, via zoom

MINISTERS

The Entire Congregation

OUR PASTORS

The Rev. Dr. R. Scott Herr, Senior Pastor • The Rev. Mary Marple Thies, Parish Associate

LAY READERS

Ellen Taylor Sisson (8 am)

Mark, Audrey and Layla Magnusen (10 am)

OUR STAFF

Victoria Shields, Director of Music and Arts • Sherry Tate, Cherub Choir Director

Jim Riehl, Interim Church Administrator • Tina St. Armand, Office Manager

Edgar Torres, Day Sexton • Kate Stringfellow, Operations Manager