Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

A Place for New Beginnings

November 12, 2023

Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
24th Sunday After Pentecost
November 12, 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: We gather in the presence of God;
All: We have come to worship and praise God’s name.
One: We gather in joy and expectancy;
All: We have come to encounter God in beauty and wonder.
One: Speak, Lord, for your servants are listening;
All: Speak your Word of life to us, O God.
Prayer of Adoration
Mysterious and merciful God, we praise you for all the ways you offer us
abundant life. When the sun rises and the earth blooms around us, we are
thankful for your gift of a new day. When evening falls and we find ourselves
in a lonely place, we count on your presence for comfort. For the times you
show us the way and give us guidance, we praise you. For the healing you
offer when we are broken and hurting, we rejoice. Your grace satisfies us in
every situation, and so we worship you for you are the Source of life and love,
comfort and courage day by day by day. Receive our prayers and praise, O
God, this day and every day, now and always. AMEN.

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*Hymn
Come Sing O Church in Joy
Come sing, O church in joy!
Come join, O church in song!
For Christ the Lord has led us through the ages long!
In bold accord, come celebrate
the journey now and praise the Lord!
Long years have come and gone,
and still God reigns supreme,
empowering us to catch the vision, dream the dream!
In bold accord, come celebrate
the journey now and praise the Lord!
Let courage be our friend;
let wisdom be our guide,
as we in mission magnify the Crucified!
In bold accord, come celebrate
the journey now and praise the Lord!
Come sing, O church in joy!
Come join, O church in song!
For Christ the Lord has triumphed the ages long!
In bold accord, come celebrate
the journey now and praise the Lord!
Prayer of Confession
Gracious and merciful God, In Jesus you show us the way of compassion
and forgiveness, yet we neglect the suffering of others. We blame and
judge each other in the moments you call us to act with kindness and
mercy. Free us from greed and from grievance. Open our hearts so that we
may embody Jesus’ teachings and walk in his way. Amen
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Silent Confession
Assurance of Pardon
*Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in
Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead,
and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the
dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the
Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the
dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion
of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life
everlasting. AMEN.
Special Music
Reach Out and Touch
Solo – Susan Taylor
PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination
Reading from the Old Testament
Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! 2 It is like
the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of
Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

4
Reading from the New Testament
II Corinthians 13:5-14
Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves.
Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless, indeed, you fail to meet
the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed. 7 But we pray to God
that you may not do anything wrong—not that we may appear to have met the
test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. 8 For
we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 For we rejoice
when we are weak and you are strong. This is what we pray for, that you may
become perfect. 10 So I write these things while I am away from you, so that
when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord
has given me for building up and not for tearing down. 11 Finally, brothers and
sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another,
live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one
another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. 13 The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
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!
Family Choir
Gift Thanks
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
repeat
And now let the weak say, “I am strong!”
let the poor say, “I am rich,”
because of what the Lord has done for us.
Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks!
repeat

5
Reading from the Gospel
John 17:20-26
”I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in
me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me
and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you
have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that
they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may
become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and
have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also,
whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which
you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25
“Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know
that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it
known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in
them.”
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 Terry Mapes
“Closing Words”
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Hymn
Bless Be the Tie That Binds
Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love.
The fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above.

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 Before our Father's throne
we pour our ardent prayers.
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares.
We share our mutual woes;
our mutual burdens bear.
And often for each other flows
the sympathizing tear.
When we are called to part,
it gives us inward pain;
but we shall still be joined in heart,
and hope to meet again.
From sorrow, toil, and pain,
and sin we shall be free;
and perfect love and friendship reign
through all eternity.
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
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Sacrament of Holy Communion
Invitation to The Lord’s Table
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One: It is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and
praise, O Lord our God, creator and ruler of the universe
who forever sing to the glory of your name:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven
and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
One: You are holy, O God of majesty, and blessed is Jesus
Christ, your Son, our Lord. In Jesus, born of Mary, your
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and
truth. Great is the mystery of Faith:
All: Christ has died, Christ is Risen. Christ will come again.
One: Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon
these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break
and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body
and blood of Christ
Receiving the Bread and Cup

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Post Communion Prayer
Gracious God, through the gift of this spiritual feast you heal our
brokenness and strengthen our spirits. Increase our faith that the power of
your Holy Sacrament will bring us to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN!
GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD

*Hymn
One Bread, One Body
Refrain
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, through-out the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more.
refrain
Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all.
refrain
Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
gathered to one, for all.
refrain
Benediction
Postlude

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
**Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Parlor after worship.**
Annual Congregational Meeting
The annual congregational meeting will be held on Sunday, November 19th
following the worship service to elect elders/deacons and discuss other business.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving dinner will in-person this year on Thursday November 23, 2023 at
12:00 PM. Takeout meals will be available as well as delivery upon request. The
meal includes salad, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet potato
casserole, green bean casserole, corn casserole, and pie. The cost is $15.00 per
dinner. Contact the church office at 727-584-8695 or June at 727-409-4199 to make
a reservation.
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, lasagna, garlic bread, and
cream puffs. 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.
CPC Night Out on The Town
Join us on Thursday November 16th at 5 PM for dinner at Roosterfish Grill on
Missouri Ave. If interested, please contact the church office at 727-584-8695 or
Chad Bender at 727-304-7577 by Monday November 13th to make a reservation.
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.

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Stewardship Letter
The Stewardship Committee has sent out the stewardship letter. Please prayerfully consider
the portion of your resources that you will give to the church in 2024. A pledge card was
enclosed for your convenience. The Joash box will be in the foyer each Sunday to deposit the
pledge card, or it can be mailed to the church. Please return your pledge by Sunday,
November 12, 2023. If you have not received a letter please contact the church office to be
mail to you or there is extra pledge cards and information next to the Joash box.
Projected 2024 Finances
2024 costs
@Essentially FIXED
*Personnel $ 83,000
#Insurance $ 72,000
Power $ 22,000
Water $ 10,000
Budgeted mission $ 4,925
$191,925
%Flexible
Maintenance & repairs $ 25,000
Other $ 12,000
$ 37,000
$228,925
2024 Donations and Reimbursements
Pledges $105,000
=Reimbursements $ 33,000
Unpledged, plate etc $ 20,000
$158,000
$158,000

@ These costs are essentially determined by our property and minimal staffing
*Personnel costs reduced by $50,000 from years before 2023 by using part time
senior minister
#Insurance costs will increase by up to 25% for 2024
%These costs are flexible to the degree that some maintenance and repairs may
not occur, or can be postponed
=Examples of reimbursements are payments for Wednesday meals, applying
Neighborhood Food donations to current purchases, applying NA, AA, Quilters,
Pipers etc donations to B&G expenses
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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

Our Vision:
To know God and to make Him known.

Our Mission:
We are a community of people committed to serve Jesus Christ,
empowered by the Holy Spirit, in the love of God,
and called to make that love real.

Our Core Values:

Seeking to be like Christ
Bringing the Good News to our world
Worshiping the Living God
Teaching and learning God’s Word
Supporting and serving one another.

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 7/31/2024
FYI - Video and audio equipment are used for the
12 livestreaming & recording of the worship service.