Thanksgiving Sunday Worship

Today is Thanksgiving Sunday, and our service included three traditional Thanksgiving hymns: We Gather Together, Come, Ye Thankful People, Come, and Now Thank We All Our God. The Bell Choir also played a Festival Thanksgiving piece. The sermon focused on the scripture reading, which included 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18—Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. It was a snowy day and attendance was low, but perhaps the online version of the worship service will get more views. This video is found here (click on "read more")

November 13 Worship

November 13 Worship 1

 

Today was Stewardship Sunday and the message was based on Hebrews 10:24. It concentrated on the theme of the church. The congregation's part in the opening prayer came from A New Zealand Prayer Book: O God, make your church like a rainbow shining and proclaiming to all the world that the storm is at an end, there is peace for those who seek it, and love for the forgiving.

Here's a video of the complete service (click on "read more") and beneath that is a transcript of the sermon.

All Saints Worship

All Saints Worship  PoyXnEgjYjU 1

On the first Sunday of November, we observe All Saints Day. We open with the traditional hymn For All the Saints, and we name before God those who have in the past twelve months joined the church triumphant.

The scripture reading this morning came from Ephesians 1, and the message was about the Name that is above all other names. 

Below is a video of the entire service (click on "read more") and beneath that is a transcript of today's sermon.

Reformation Sunday Worship

RIP Leslie Jordan—You'd have been the per-
fect leading man in a movie about Zacchæus.

On the last Sunday of October, we commemorate the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. Today our call to worship was based on Psalm 46, and our opening hymn was A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The message was on the story of Zacchæus found in Luke 19. 

We also baptized Leah Queen this morning, and, as is our tradition on such Sundays, sang I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry. 

Here's the video of today's worship service (click on "read more"), followed by a transcript of the sermon.

October 16 Worship

Today's theme was Psalm 121, which begins, I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? Our two hymns were Leaning on the Everlasting Arms and Shall We Gather at the River. The choir sang for the first time this fall. Their anthem was This Is My Father's World, the story of which was the theme of today's devotion at the beginning of the service.

Here is a video the service (click on "read more"). Below that is a transcript of the sermon.

October 9 Worship

This morning's service began with a recollection of the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, and that was our opening hymn in the worship service. The scripture reading came from Jeremiah 29, and the sermon compared Jeremiah 29:7 with the final words of Psalm 137. Our final hymn was a relatively modern one: All Who Love and Serve Your City.

Here is a video of the complete worship service (click on "read more") followed by a transcript of the sermon.

World Communion Sunday Worship

We celebrated World Communion Sunday today at Pilgrim Christian Church. Our call to worship, based on the writings of Alexander Campbell, began, "You, my beloved, once an alien, are now a citizen of heaven..." Our opening hymn was In Christ There Is No East or West, and our scripture lesson was 2 Timothy 2:3-10. During the sharing of the bread and cup, we sang One Bread, One Body. Here is a video of the complete service (click on "read more"),