altamont reformed church
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Altamont Reformed Church Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost
October 31, 2021
WE GATHER AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Prelude ...................................................................... “Priere a Notre-Dame” (Leon Boellmann) Audrey Daly, organist
Lighting of the Christ Candle Welcome
Call to Worship
Come! Let us gather: let us praise God in his sanctuary. Come, bring your hopes and your fears; come, bring your joys and your tears. Come as you are: known and beloved. Come! Let us gather: let us worship the One who has made his dwelling place among us. Let us praise our God.
Hymn* .................................. “Unless the Lord the House Shall Build” (pg. 7 of this bulletin)
Prayer of Confession God of grace and mercy, we often say that we love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, but when we look closely at our lives, we confess that our hearts are full of concerns that are not your concerns. Our souls are neglected. You are barely on our minds, and our strength is depleted by things that do not have anything to do with you.
Please forgive us our sin. Cleanse us. Renew us. Reform us. Make us ever new. We ask this in the name of the One who died to set us free, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon Romans 5:1-2 The Law of God
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Passing of the Peace* The peace of Christ be with you! And also with you!
Gloria Patri* Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Ministry of Music .................................................................................. “Peace” (Patricia Mock)
Oh, Lord, through the strife bring your peace. Where worry prevails, give release. As the shadows linger all around, troubled minds, and broken land. Let there be peace. Let there be peace.
Oh, Lord, through the dark shine your light. Where truth seems unclear, help our sight. Lift the veil that covers blinded eyes; give a vision of you, only wise. Let your light shine. Let your light shine.
Lord of all mercy and grace, rain down your love in this place. In a world where hatred seems so strong, may your grace right the wrong.
Oh, Lord, through the strife bring your peace. Where worry prevails, give release. As the shadows linger all around, troubled minds, and broken land. Let there be peace. Let there be peace.
Lord give your peace, peace, peace.
Children’s Message
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH THE WORD
Prayer of Illumination Scripture Text 1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:1-13 Sermon
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Affirmation of Faith From “A Brief Statement of Faith” (PCUSA) We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.
The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church.
WE RESPOND WITH GRATITUDE
Announcements Offering
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* Sharing of Joys and Concerns Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Closing Hymn* ......................................... “Let Us Build a House” (see pg. 8 of this bulletin)
Benediction* Postlude ....................................................... “Allegro Maestoso e Vivace” (Felix Mendelssohn)
*Indicates the congregation stands, if able
VOLUNTEERS TODAY
Ushers/Greeters .......................................................................... Jeff Countermine & Angie Stewart Side Door Usher/Greeter .......................................................................................... Sallie Townsend Offering Counters ....................................................................... Jeff Countermine & Angie Stewart AV Support ........................................................................................................................ Nancy Webb
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FUTURE VOLUNTEERS
November 7 November 14 November 21
Ushers/Greeters Hal & Mary Hughes Craig & Barb Sargent Judi Dineen & Noreen Novack
Offering Counters Hal Hughes & Sallie Townsend
Barb Sargent & Tracy Mayer
Judi Dineen & Noreen Novack
AV Support Ryan Brewer Mike Mayer Mike Gilman
COMING THIS WEEK
Mon., Nov. 1 Men’s Study Group in Fellowship Hall, 7 p.m.
Tues., Nov. 2 Altamont Free Library Story Time in Fellowship Hall, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Thurs., Nov. 4 Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the sanctuary, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 6 Fall Clean-Up and Project Morning, 9 a.m. - noon
Sun., Nov. 7 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS Teen/Adult Education in Fellowship Hall, 9:30 a.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the sanctuary, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service in the sanctuary and on Zoom, 10:30 a.m. Helderberg Heroes Christmas Project at Knox Reformed, 1 p.m. Community Youth Group at Lynnwood Reformed, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Annual Fall Cleanup and Project Day Please help members of the Property Committee at our annual Fall Cleanup and Project Day, rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m.-noon. We will work on raking and other projects. The event will be held rain or shine, as there are some indoor things that could be done as well. Bring a pair of gloves and a rake, and we will provide the cider, coffee, and doughnuts! Please call or email Greg Goutos, Property Chair, if you plan on attending. He can be contacted at 518-495-0148, or by email at [email protected].
Bring Holiday Cheer to Service Members The Helderberg Family & Community Organization together with the Helderberg Hearts and Hands has a new program called the Helderberg Heroes Project. They are collecting items to fill Christmas stockings that will be mailed to deployed service members in time for the holiday season.
The Congregational Life Committee encourages you to support our service members during the holidays by volunteering your time to help pack the holiday stockings. The packing begins on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. at Knox Reformed Church. Refreshments will be served, so please RSVP to [email protected] by Thursday, Nov. 4.
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Please wear a mask. Masks and sanitizers will be available at the site. You will sign in and provide a contact tracing number. There is space for social distancing.
Veteran Thank-You Cards Available Veteran’s Day is Thursday, Nov. 11. It’s become a tradition here at ARC to send thank you cards to our local veterans. Please join us in this effort and pick up a pack of cards today or next Sunday, Nov. 7. The note cards are already addressed and stamped. The packs of cards are located at the front and back of the sanctuary. Please drop your cards in the mail so that a veteran will receive the card before Nov. 11. Thank you!
Help Us Honor Veterans If you have a relative or friend who is a veteran and not on our present list, please send their name and address to Nancy McNiven ([email protected]) so we can include them in our mailing. These veterans do not have to be local. It’s not too late to add them to our list.
Altamont Boy Scout Troop 264 Food Drive The food drive will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Altamont Community Food Pantry, 122 Grand Street, Altamont. (St. Lucy’s/St. Bernadette Parish Center parking lot). This is a no-contact drive-up and drop off event. Items: canned veggies & fruit, tuna, mac and cheese, pasta, soup, PB & J, rice, beans, sauce, oatmeal, cereal, raisins, baking mixes, spices, salt, oil, flour, sugar, juice, dry milk, infant formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, toilet paper, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, soap, shampoo, deodorant, and tissues. You can also drop off bottles and cans to benefit the troop.
November Food Drive for Veterans Our Congregational Life Committee will be accepting donations to benefit the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition from Friday, Nov. 12 through Monday, Nov. 15. A bin will be located in the back parking lot entryway and at the top of the back staircase under the bulletin board. Baskets will also be in the front and back of the sanctuary on Sunday, Nov. 14.
Our donation list: stew, soups, microwave items, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, snack bags, snack items, juice boxes, and snack packs for children. Thank you!
Poinsettias for Advent and Christmas If you would like to purchase poinsettias to adorn the sanctuary during the coming Advent season, order forms are available in the front and back of the sanctuary and on our website.
The cost is $13 per plant. Checks can be made out to John or Natalie Drahzal. Please leave the form with a check or cash in their box downstairs, give it to them, or mail it to them.
You can call them at 518-871-9735. Their mailing address is PO Box 174, E. Berne, NY 12059.
The last day for forms and payments is Wednesday, Nov. 24.
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Altamont Free Library Story Time ARC will be hosting this special opportunity for children during the fall and winter months in Fellowship Hall, on Tuesdays from 10:30-11:15 a.m.
Guidelines for Worship in the Sanctuary During Covid Masks. The wearing of masks is optional for those who have been fully vaccinated (two weeks past receiving the final vaccine dose). Masks are still required indoors for people who have not been fully vaccinated.
Sanitizing. Please continue to use the hand sanitizers at each entrance to the sanctuary.
Worship Services Continue on Zoom ARC continues to offer the virtual option of Zoom services each week. It is the same link already posted on the homepage of our website. Our weekly bulletin is available as a download. The bulletin usually will be available by Friday afternoon.
Prayer Requests and Updates If you have an update or a name to add to our prayer corner list, please call the church office or email Nancy McNiven at [email protected].
Recordings of Sermons Recordings are available on the ARC website (altamontreformed.org). See the link on the home page under “Sermon Recordings.”
Save These Dates Sunday, Dec. 5: The annual Congregational meeting will be held in the sanctuary after our 10:30 a.m. worship service, both in person and on Zoom.
Sunday, Dec. 19: The annual Living Nativity will be presented on the church lawn at 3 p.m.
Altamont Reformed Church
PO Box 671 129 Lincoln Ave., Altamont, NY 12009 518-861-8711
Pastor Matthew J. van Maastricht 518-861-8711, ext. 301 Parsonage: 518-595-5125 Email: [email protected]
Church email: [email protected] Church website: www.altamontreformed.org
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