Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship Service

A Place for New Beginnings

January 28, 2024

Facebook Live: @christpc
Call and Listen: 351-888-7756
Sanctuary Parking Area: FM105.3
 Welcome to Sunday Worship Service
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
January 28, 2024 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: God’s praise endures forever,
All: and eternity meets us in fleeting moments.
One: God’s praise endures forever,
All: and glory bursts into ordinary activities.
One: God’s praise endures forever,
All: and faith is steadfast in the midst of change and challenge.
One: Let us worship the Eternal God who calls us to this time and place.

Prayer of Adoration
Loving God, you are the wisdom behind all mystery, the glory hidden in all that makes
us wonder, the strength in all that nourishes. With eyes open and spirits alert, we
experience your glory around us. Scattered throughout the earth, nurturing deep inside
us and radiating in acts of love, sparks of your glory reside. We feel joy each time we
encounter you. So we gather to express our praise and gratitude for all the good we
have experienced, knowing it all comes from your hand, for you are Creator, Christ and
Spirit, Ever Three and Ever One. AMEN.

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*Hymn
God, You Spin the Whirling Planets
God, you spin the whirling planets, fill the seas and spread the plain,
mold the mountains, fashion blossoms, call forth sunshine wind and rain.
We, created in your image, would a true reflection be
of your justice, grace, and mercy and the truth that makes us free.
You have called us to be faithful in our life and ministry.
We respond in grateful worship joined in one community.
When we blur your gracious image, focus us and make us whole.
Healed and strengthened as your people, we move onward toward your goal.
God, your will is still creating, calling us to life made new.
Now reveal to us fresh vistas where there's work to dare and do.
Keep us clear of all distortion. Polish us with loving care.
Thus, new creatures in your image, we'll proclaim Christ everywhere.

Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, we confess there are many times we forget you. We focus on what
troubles us and fil to see the help you offer. We seek wisdom and meaning in other
places. In any thoughtless moments, we may harm the earth and each another. Forgive
us. Inspire and enable us to live each day focused on your purposes revealed in Christ
who loves us all. Amen.

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
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childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.
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
No One Is Alone
Solo – Susan Taylor
PROCLAIMING THE WORD

Prayer of Illumination
Reading from the Old Testament
Psalm 111
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the
upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in
them. 3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He
has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful. 5 He provides
food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. 6 He has shown his people
the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. 7 The works of his hands
are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. 8 They are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 9 He sent redemption to his people; he has
commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name. 10 The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise
endures forever.
The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, 1989)

Reading from the New Testament

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet
have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him. 4 Hence, as to
the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that
“there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or
on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the
Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through
whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 It is not everyone, however, who has this
knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the
food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food
will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
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9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the
weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might
they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed
to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed.
12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when
it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never
eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.
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
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
Lord, I want to be a Christian
in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart.
In my heart, (In my heart,) in my heart (in my heart,)
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more loving

in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart.
In my heart, (In my heart,) in my heart (in my heart,)
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more holy

in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart.
In my heart, (In my heart,) in my heart (in my heart,)
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus

in my heart, in my heart;
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart.
In my heart, (In my heart,) in my heart (in my heart,)
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart.

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Reading from the Gospel
Mark 1:21-28
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.
22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not
as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and
come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came
out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A
new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28
At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
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

“The Gift of Wisdom”

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Hymn
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling; all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion; pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation; enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty, to deliver; let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.

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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
Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
thou my soul’s shelter, and thou my high tower;
raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise;
thou, mine inheritance, now and always;
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
Benediction
Postlude
**Please join us for coffee fellowship today in Parlor after worship.**

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 ANNOUNCEMENTS
Adult Education
Rev. Jim Glenn is leading a Bible study on the book of Romans. The class is on Tuesdays at 10:00 AM in
the choir room. Hope to see you there.
CPC Night Out on The Town
Join us on Thursday February 15th at 5 PM for dinner at PJ's Oyster Bar 500 1st St Indian Rocks Beach.
If interested, please contact the church office at 727-584-8695 or Chad Bender at 727-304-7577 by Monday
February 12th make a reservation.
Wednesday Night Take-Out Dinner
Chef June will be taking a break this week from cooking. Take-out dinners will resume on February 7th.
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 4PM to 5PM. 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 continues to provide food bags to students at Anona Elementary.
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 7/31/2024
FYI - Video and audio equipment are used for the livestreaming & recording of the worship service.