Easter Brunch Sign-up

Join us in fellowship on Easter Sunday and plan to attend breakfast at the church. All are welcome.

Brunch is being served in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 10:15 a.m.

Please use the following form to indicate your attendance. There is no charge for you and your family to attend.

However, we would welcome your assistance if you wished to help with breakfast in some form. Please share if you are willing to assist with either a food donation, volunteer to help, or donate to offset costs. Thanks in advance.

PCM Board of Deacons.

1/12/2025

* Denotes all are invited to stand.
Bold text indicates portions of the service to be spoken or sung by the congregation.


January 12, 2025
“Baptism of the Lord” Sunday

 

Music for Gathering:
Brian Jay
Organist

 

Welcome:
Rev. Aaron J. White
Pastor

 

Call to Worship:
Holy Triune God, author of community,
come baptize us. Remind us what it means to belong to one another.
God who tears the heavens, come baptize us.
Reveal to us your power that ushers in new realms.
God who calls us beloved, come baptize us.
Declare to us your great delight and hold us in your pleasure.
God of vulnerability, come baptize us.
Welcome us into the paradox of strength that comes from weakness.
Together, let us remember this day.
In the Creator’s love we are held, into Christ’s body we are baptized,
and by the Spirit’s power, we are claimed. All glory to God. Amen.

 

* Hymn 484 “Out of Deep, Unordered Water”
Please see screens for lyrics.

 

* Confession of Sin:
Colleen Collins, Worship Leader

In the waters of baptism, O God, you have cleansed us and claimed us.
Forgive us for refusing your grace and rejecting your name. We have followed our own paths, and they have led us far from you. Help us to live into our baptisms, to trust that all we need is in you, for you have marked us as your own, loving us without limit. Wash us with your love again, that with clean hearts we may go in the way of Jesus.
Silence for personal confession

 

Assurance of Pardon
The love of God flows ceaselessly. The mercy of God never ends. This is good news!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

 

Song of Praise:
“All Praise to Our Redeeming Lord”

Please see screens for lyrics.

 

* Passing the Peace

 

Prayer for Illumination:
Colleen Collins, Worship Leader

 

First Reading:
Acts 8:14-17

 

Minute for Mission:
Brenda Norton

Topic: “Living Waters for the World”

 

Anthem:
“Hallelujah, By and By”

PCM Chancel Choir

 

Second Scripture:
Luke 3:15-22

 

Time for Children:
Chuck McGavren

 

Sermon:
Rev. Aaron J. White

 

* Hymn #480 “Take Me to the Water”
Please see screens for lyrics.

 

Pastoral Prayer:
Congregation Response:  Bless us with peace.

 

Invitation to Discipleship

 

The Lord’s Supper:
Invitation
Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you. 
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. 
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
…Therefore we praise you, joining the song of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
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 the name of the Lord,
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.
…great is the mystery of faith: 
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

 

The Lord’s Prayer
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 sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

The Bread is Broken and the Cup is Filled.
The Communion of the People.
The Prayer After Communion.

 

* Hymn #482  “Baptized in Water”
Please see screens for lyrics.

 

* News of the Kingdom

 

* Charge & Blessing

2024 Pantry Challenge

A generous PCM member has pledged $1,000 for donation to the “Little Pantry on Blondo” operated by All Saints Episcopal Church. The congregation is being challenged to match this gift. Please consider donating generously so PCM’s gift will be $2,000 to help fight hunger in our community. With the onset of winter, food shortages are more critical than ever. Thank you for your gift!

2024 Christmas Card Signup

 

Send your fellow PCM members holiday greetings by joining the annual Christmas Card. Plus, you will be supporting this Mission work of the church. Your suggested $15 donation to participate in the card will be used to purchase an item from the Presbyterian Giving Catalog.

Rev. Aaron White Called As PCM’s Next Pastor

We are thrilled to announce that Reverend Aaron White has accepted our call to be the next Pastor and Head of Staff at Church of the Master. Reverend White led the worship service this morning. He was joined by his family Kara, Rebecca, and Owen. His anticipated start date is April 8th.

The following is Aaron’s brief that he prepared for sharing with the congregation.

Reverend Aaron White

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, and raised in Clinton, South Carolina, Aaron’s journey into ministry began during his time as a member of the congregation and youth group of the First Presbyterian Church of Clinton. He first became aware of God’s call through his active participation in the Presbyterian Student Association during his undergraduate years at the University of South Carolina.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Religious Studies and Political Science, Aaron pursued theological education at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, graduating with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Christian Education. After seminary, Aaron accepted his first call to serve as the pastor of the Bowling Green Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green, SC. After five and a half years, he received a new call to serve as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Fulton, MO. where he has served for the past eight and a half years.

In his current call, Aaron has shown a deep commitment to addressing issues of food and housing insecurity. For many years, he has served as Vice President of the Board of Our House, a local shelter. And since March 2023, he has served as the volunteer Administrator for Open Table, a dine-in feeding program he helped to create. Aaron’s dedication to community extends to youth outreach. Five years ago, he and three colleagues founded The Rock, an ecumenical community youth group.

In his leisure time, Aaron loves cooking, especially for family feasts at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and during the Super Bowl. And he’s always searching for the next story to fall in love with! He loves sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and adventure. If he can read it, listen to it, watch it, or play it, he will! While he loves to listen to a wide variety of music, his favorite genre is classic jazz.

Rev. White is married to his wonderful wife, Kara, who is a strong advocate for literacy and literary freedom. An avid reader, she works in a university library where she coordinates programming and social media marketing.  Together they have two amazing children, Owen, age 14, and Rebecca, age 11, both of whom are outstanding students and leaders in their schools, scouting units, and church. Owen runs for his high school’s cross country and track teams, and he enjoys watching sports, especially football and auto racing.  Rebecca thrives in seasonal Children’s Theater productions and singing in her school’s honor choir.

Aaron is enthusiastic about the potential of ministering with the faithful servants of the Presbyterian Church of the Master. He first took interest in our congregation, when he learned of our identity as both a More Light Congregation and a Matthew 25 Church. He looks forward to ministering among faithful people who share his commitment to seeking justice, making peace, and sharing love, all in the name of our Lord Jesus!

 

Memorial Service For Kathy Kurtz

We are saddened at the news that long-time PCM member Kathy Kurtz has passed. Kathy has been an active member of the congregation for many years and will be greatly missed.

Please join us for a Memorial service in memory of Kathy Kurtz. It will be held at Presbyterian Church of the Master at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 17. A reception will follow.

Kathy’s husband Jim is encouraging guests to honor her by wearing blue which was Kathy’s favorite color.

New Pastor Candidate To Lead Worship February 18th

We invite you to attend church on Sunday, February 18th when the Pastor Nominating Committee’s candidate for the new Head Pastor at Presbyterian Church of the Master will lead the Worship service and be introduced to the congregation.
 
A congregational meeting will immediately follow the service to act upon the PNC’s recommendation. Additional information regarding the PNC’s pastoral nominee will be made available in the coming weeks prior to the 18th.
 
Don’t miss this service. Plan to attend in-person or online.

Palestine & Israel Topic For February Adult Classes

On February 4th and 11th Sandy Hanna and Kevin Bushnell will present a program about Israel and Palestine for the Adult Sunday School Class at 9:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall.  Please join them to find out information on the situation in these two countries.

Sunday, January 14 – Online Service Only

With the forecast of bitterly cold temperatures of -14 degrees and a projected windchill of -32, the decision has been made for Sunday’s Worship service to be online only. The church will not be open for in-person attendance. Furthermore, all Sunday school classes are cancelled. We felt it prudent to take this action for the safety of everyone.

Pastor Cindy and a couple other hearty individuals will venture out into the cold and to the church to bring you a live service. We hope you will tune-in to the live service or watch the replay later. The link is below. Please use the comment space below if you have any follow-up questions or comments.

Please stay safe and warm this weekend. Furthermore, please remember to keep all those facing the challenges of being out in the cold in your prayers. From first responders to the homeless, it is going to be brutal for anyone spending an extended time outdoors.

Worship Service Schedule Changing To 10:30 Beginning January 7th

PCM Congregation,
We would like to take this opportunity to share with you a change to our Sunday morning schedule. After spending the fall evaluating the success of the worship schedule change, the Session has decided to return to the 10:30 a.m. start time for Sunday morning.

This change is being made for several reasons. First, the Christian Education committee has recognized that the 9:00 a.m. start time for Sunday School does not provide for sufficient class time when they need to end before 10:00 a.m. Reluctant to schedule classes earlier, the prudent thing seems to be pushing back the worship service start time. Second, feedback from the congregation following the previous change favors a return to 10:30 a.m.

Thank you for your understanding of this change and we look forward to your continued support. Please feel free to share your thoughts or concerns with PCM Leadership.

Yours in Christ,
The Session
Presbyterian Church of the Master