Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

September 24, 2023

Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
17th Sunday After Pentecost
September 24, 2023 10:00AM
* Please stand if you are able.

Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
One: The Peace of Christ be with You.
All: And also with You.
GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

Call to Worship
One: Give thanks to the Lord for God is good.
All: We will call on God’s name and make known God’s wonderful works.
One: Seek the Lord continually.
All: We will watch and listen for signs of God’s grace.
One: Together let us worship God.
All: We will rejoice in God’s presence and praise God’s holy name.

Prayer of Adoration
God of all creation, you open the world around us and fill it with creatures of your love
and purpose. The wonder of each creature declares your praise – the mountains state
your majesty; the ripened field, your generosity; the oceans your power and the skies
your grandeur. Birds flying aloft sing of your freedom; the tiny ant works with your
persistence. We pray that our work will honour your justice and mercy; and our
relationships speak of your love and compassion. So may we praise you, O God, not
just in this hour of worship, but in all our waking and all our working. May we live your
praise and promise through Christ, our Living Lord. Amen

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*Hymn
All People That on Earth Do Dwell
All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell.
Come ye before him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed;
without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk; he doth us feed,
and for his sheep he doth us take.
For why? The Lord our God is good;
his mercy is forever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.

Prayer of Confession
God, you are the giver of all good gifts, yet our generosity is often limited. We complain
about our lot. We compare ourselves to others and see what they have that we lack. We
share some of what we have, but sometimes we worry about running short. Forgive us
our worries about tomorrow and give us generous hearts that trust in you day by day.

Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
*Affirmation of Faith 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
I believe Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or
rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice
in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come
to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9
For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; 10 but when the complete
comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to
childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.

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Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 And
now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
Special Music
Thee Will I Love
Solo – Susan Taylor

PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination
Reading from the Old Testament
Psalm 145:1-8
I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day I will
bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be
praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts. 5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your
wondrous works, I will meditate. 6 The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare your greatness. 7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger
and abounding in steadfast love.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

Reading from the New Testament

Philippians 1:21-30
For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful
labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my
desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more
necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with
all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting
in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the
gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will
know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith
of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence
of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For he has graciously
granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30
since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

One: This is the Word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!
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Family Choir
People Need the Lord
Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eyes.
Empty people filled with care.
And they headed who knows where?
On they go through private pain.
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries;
Only Jesus hears.
Refrain
People need the Lord,
people need the Lord;
At the end of broken dreams,
He's the open door.
People need the Lord,
people need the Lord;
When will we realize?
people need the Lord.

We are called to take His light

to a world where wrong seems right.
What could be too great a cost
for sharing life with one who's lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share!
refrain
Reading from the Gospel
Matthew 20:1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent
them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in
the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you
whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three
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o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing
around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him,
‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When
evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them
their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five
o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they
thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And
when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked
only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day
and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong;
did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I
choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose
with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be
first, and the first will be last.”
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

One: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God!

Sermon Rev. William Cowfer

“Fairness of Generosity”

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Hymn
You Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim
You servants of God, your Master proclaim,
and publish abroad Christ’s wonderful name.
The name all victorious of Jesus extol,
whose kingdom is glorious, who rules over all.
“Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!"
Let all cry aloud and honor the Son.
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim,
fall down on their faces, and worship the Lamb.
Then let us adore and give him his right:
all glory and power, all wisdom and might,
all honor and blessing, with angels above,
and thanks never ceasing, and infinite love!
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Invitation to Giving
Offertory
*Doxology
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

*Hymn
Jesus Calls Us
Jesus calls us: o'er the tumult
of our life's wild, restless sea;
day by day his sweet voice soundeth
saying, "Christian, follow me."
In our joys and in our sorrows,
days of toil and hours of ease,
still he calls, in cares and pleasures,
"Christian, love me more than these."
Jesus calls us: by thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear thy call,
give our hearts to thy obedience,
serve and love thee best of all.

Benediction
Postlude

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
**Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Parlor after worship.**
Thrift Store Volunteers Needed
The thrift store is looking for volunteers to help out once a month on Saturdays from 8:45 AM to 1:15 PM. If you
are interested, please contact June Sanchez at 727-409-4199.
Wednesday Night Take-Out Dinner
Take-out meals will be available for delivery or pickup at 4:45 PM on Wednesdays. The cost per meal is $10.
This week’s menu is salad, chicken breast, rice pilaf, carrots, and strawberry jello cake. If interested in receiving
a meal, please contact June Sanchez at 727-409-4199 or the church office at 727-584-8695. The delivery area
is limited.
Neighborhood Ministries
* To help support our food ministries you can make financial contribution to the “Neighborhood Funds.”
The Neighborhood Food Program distributes bags of groceries on Wednesdays from 5PM to 6PM. These bags
provide additional food items to supplement caring for the families in need. Food items can continue to be
dropped off on Sunday mornings and placed in the wheeled grocery cart or at the church office.
Pak-a-Snack has resumed providing food bags to students at Anona Elementary.
Church Office Hours
Office volunteers are always available on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 9 to 11:30 AM. Pastor Bill’s
office hours are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM if you would like to reach him, please
call 727-434-2768 or the church office.
Ways to support your church in tithes and offerings
1. Online at www.largocpc.org
2. Through Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement App on Apple or Android devices
3. Mail a gift directly to the church or drop in office mail slot
4. Use the bill pay option through your bank
5. Scan the QR code to the right using your phone

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Phone: 727-584-8695 • Fax: 727-585-1079 • 3115 Dryer Ave, Largo FL 33770
www.LargoCPC.org • email: Office.largocpc@gmail.com •
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9 AM – 11:30 AM or by appointment.
Pastor Cowfer will be in the office on Tuesdays and most Thursdays from 9:00 AM – 12:00PM,
if you would like to reach him, please call 727-434-2768 or the church office.

Pastor Rev. William Cowfer email: Cowferwj@gmail.com

Secretary Sarah Reeves email: Office.largocpc@gmail.com
Director of Music Steven Radeck email: StevenRadeck@gmail.com
Custodian June Sanchez email: JuBug616@aol.com
All songs used by permission CCLI #863215 and streaming CPSL 139714, Expiration date 7/31/2023
FYI - Video and audio equipment are used for the
8 livestreaming & recording of the worship service.