THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CHESTNUT HILL

PHILADELPHIA

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.

In a broken and fearful world

the Spirit gives us courage

to pray without ceasing,

to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,

to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,

to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,

and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.

In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,

we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks

and to live holy and joyful lives…

~ Brief Statement of Faith

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

ORDER OF WORSHIP

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

September 27, 2020 10:00 a.m.

INTROIT Edward Fissinger (1920-1990)

Incline your ear, and come unto me.

CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 78)

Leader: Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

People: We will tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the Lord,

and the wonders that God has done.

Leader: God divided the sea and let the ancestors pass through it,

and made the waters stand like a heap.

People: In the daytime God led them with a cloud,

and all night long with a fiery light.

Leader: God split rocks open in the wilderness,

and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

People: God made streams come out of the rock,

and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

INVOCATION

HYMN

WELCOME

CHILDREN’S MOMENT

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (unison)

Almighty God, be present with us as we read and engage your word together. Come bring

your understanding and reveal your truth. Come open our minds, hearts and souls to all

that these words of life offer us. We long to be continually challenged, transformed and

renewed by your word. May we hear your voice of life as we read and draw close to you.

Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages,

as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the

people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the

people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why

did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So

Moses cried out to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to

stone me.” The Lord said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the

elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and

go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and

water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the

elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled

and tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Leader: Holy wisdom, holy Word.

People: Thanks be to God.

PSALTER Psalm 78:14-15, 17-19, 23-25 Peter Hallock (1924-2014)

He led them with a cloud by day,

and all the night through with a glow of fire.

He split the hard rocks in the wilderness

and gave them drink as from the great deep.

But they went on sinning against him,

rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

They tested God in their hearts,

demanding food for their craving.

They railed against God and said,

“Can God set a table in the wilderness?”

So he commanded the clouds above

and opened the doors of heaven.

He rained down manna upon them to eat

and gave them grain from heaven.

So mortals ate the bread of angels;

he provided for them food enough.

EPISTLE LESSON Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in

the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind,

having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish

ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of

you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in

you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard

equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a

slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled

himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God

also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the

name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and

every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but

much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for

it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good

pleasure.

Leader: Holy wisdom, holy Word.

People: Thanks be to God.

SERMON “Getting Beyond Looking Forward to the Good Old Days” Kevin Porter

ANTHEM Lee Hoiby (1926-2011)

Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus:

who, being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

and being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name which is above every name:

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

of things in heaven, and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (unison) The 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.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and LORD’S PRAYER (unison)

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.

HYMN

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

ORGAN VOLUNTARY Postlude on Engelberg Craig Phillips (b. 1961)

WORSHIP LEADERS: Kevin Porter, Guest Preacher; Brian Russo, Associate Pastor; Austin

Crenshaw Shelley, Associate Pastor; John Wilkinson, Pastor

MUSIC: Joanna Gates, Julie Snyder, Colin Dill, Steve Williamson, members of the Gallery

Choir; Daniel Spratlan, conductor; Ken Lovett, organist

Music and texts reprinted and performed with permission.

CCLI Copyright License #3140916; Streaming License #4387474

Church Staff

John Wilkinson, Pastor

Brian D. Russo, Associate Pastor for Youth and Senior Adults

Austin Crenshaw Shelley, Associate Pastor for Christian Education

Daniel Spratlan, Director of Music

Ken Lovett, Organist/Associate Director of Music

Esther Cole, Church Administrator

Carla James, Director, Preschool

Mariangela Saavedra, Director, Center on the Hill

Leslie A. Lefer, Communications Coordinator

Evelyn F. Carpenter, Administrative Assistant

Felix Delgado, Sexton

Owintier Charles, Sunday Sexton

Icilda James and Debbie Lambeth, Sunday Child Care Givers

The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill

8855 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19118

telephone: 215.247.8855

web site: http://chestnuthillpres.org email: info@chestnuthillpres.org

facebook link: www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

Preschool: 215.247.8865

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

WELCOME TO GUEST PREACHER KEVIN PORTER

Today we welcome the Rev. Kevin Porter, Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Philadelphia,

as our guest preacher. Kevin is a native of Philadelphia, introduced and nurtured in faith through

the Sunday School of the Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church, where he was confirmed and

encouraged to pursue a vocation in ministry. He received his BA from Harvard University in

1982. After seven years with the Prudential Life Insurance Company, Kevin entered Princeton

Theological Seminary and received his Masters of Divinity in 1993. He has a strong commitment

to building community in the midst of diversity, a great love for Philadelphia and a deep

appreciation for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He joined the staff of the Presbytery of

Philadelphia as Stated Clerk in 2012 and concurrently serves as the Pastor for Congregational

Life at the First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, where he was ordained a Minister of Word

and Sacrament in 1994. His favorite respite these days is playing guitar in the parks of northwest

Philly. Welcome, Kevin, with gratitude for your ministry!

CHURCH SCHOOL

Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

Log onto https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/ and click on the Church School tab.

Church School begins at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday prior to worship for children of all ages.

We would love to have the adults tuning in to pay attention to what we do in church school—

often a purely behind the scenes venture. The sessions continue to be available on the website.

SECOND HOUR ONLINE

Second Hour Online Continues to Welcome Mission Partners…

Join us LIVE at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday morning for conversations with the leaders of our

mission partners.

September 27 – Mary Kay Meeks-Hank of Face to Face

October 4 – no session

October 11 – Eileen Jones of the Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry

October 18 – Adan Mairena of West Kensington Ministry

October 25 – Beth Vaccaro of the Community Partnership School

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82157837121?pwd=cXB4d2l2WnJuM0VCQzB3d1VxTmxTUT09

Dial by your location

+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

Meeting ID: 821 5783 7121

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbRuy85FYx

THIRD HOUR

Sunday, September 27 at 12:30 p.m.

Join fellow church members under the big tent for an informal lunch. You bring food,

drink and a mask. We will provide tables and chairs (socially distanced) and wonderful

fellowship. No agenda – just a great opportunity to visit and connect.

https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82157837121?pwd=cXB4d2l2WnJuM0VCQzB3d1VxTmxTUT09https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbRuy85FYx

JR. AND SENIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUPS

Jr. High (5th—7th Grades): Sunday, September 27, 4:00—5:00 p.m., under the tent

Sr. High (8th—12th Grades): Sunday, September 27, 5:45—7:00 p.m., Hiking around the

Wissahickon (meet under the tent)

EVENING PRAYER SERVICES at 5:00 p.m. – Socially Distanced and Under the Tent!

September 27

October 4 – Communion will be celebrated

October 11

October 18 – Focus on Stewardship

October 25 – Reformation Sunday Join us each Sunday through the end of October under the tent for a service of evening prayer.

These services – approximately 45 minutes – will feature scripture, prayers, readings, a brief

reflection as well as solos and hymns offered by our soloists.

Please wear masks and observe social distancing guidelines.

It will help us in our planning if you RSVP by contacting the church office at 215.247.8855 or

ecarpenter@chestnuthillpres.org. We will have extra chairs set out if you decide to attend at the

last minute.

Join us for any and all of the Sundays and invite friends. We will continue to offer online

worship at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday.

SAVE THE DATE – OCTOBER 11 Children and Family BYO, Socially Distanced Picnic – 3:30 p.m. (ending in time for

the 5:00 p.m. evening prayer service). Join us for a time to connect and share. Watch your email

and the website for details.

CENTER ON THE HILL

Center on the Hill—NEW online programming such as interactive games, virtual tours,

fitness workouts, art classes, activities, lectures and much more are created and posted Monday-

Friday at Noon on our programs page here: www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-

hill/programs/. Community Resources are still being updated regularly and can be found here:

www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-hill/community-resources/. Newly added content this

week: 9 relaxing stretches for stiff muscles; 2 simple exercises to help preserve our gait; ideas

for easy crafts you can make at home; visit early 1900’s Philadelphia through historic photos;

fun word games from the AARP website; new rounds of our interactive trivia game I should

have known that…!; and the Fall Newsletter is posted and ready to view and download.

Visit our pages often to stay active and stay connected.

ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday – Bible Study, 12:00 noon, Facebook Live

Friday – Morning Prayer, 7:30 a.m., Facebook Live

Visit our website www.chestnuthillpres.org and our Facebook page regularly for updates

and events. Let us know if you have prayer concerns.

mailto:ecarpenter@chestnuthillpres.orghttp://www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-hill/programs/http://www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-hill/programs/http://www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the-hill/community-resources/http://www.chestnuthillpres.org/

PCCH BREAKFAST CLUB UNDER THE BIG TENT

Saturday, October 3, 9:00 a.m.

Missing your Saturday morning breakfast out, and seeing your friends and neighbors?

Join us Saturday, October 3 at 9:00 a.m. for breakfast under the big tent! We will have tables set

up to facilitate appropriate distancing, and you can either bring your own breakfast OR order

through the Church Life Committee from Baker Street Bread Company via the link shown

below. Let us know by emailing the church office or PCCCHChurchLife@gmail.com if you are

interested in attending—so that we have an appropriate number of tables set up. See you at

breakfast.

We’ll deliver to the tent at 9:00 a.m., AND provide coffee. Please pay in advance via

Venmo (Jeff Podraza, @JJPod) or PayPal (jeffpodraza@gmail.com). Prices include 8% sales tax.

Please submit your order via this form, order and payment must be received by 9:00 a.m. Friday,

October 2. Questions? Email PCCHChurchLife@gmail.com

FILL OUT IN GOOGLE FORMS

CANTATAS AND CHAMBER MUSIC

Friday, October 9, 7:00 p.m. Livestream Performance

The Franklin Trio, featuring Philadelphia Orchestra musicians Kimberly Fisher, John

Koen, and Mark Livshits. To watch, please log onto https://www.chestnuthillpres.org/ and click

on the Music and Arts tab.

VIRTUAL GALLERY EXHIBITION—NEW ART ON VIEW NOW!

The Music and Arts Committee is delighted to present the third in our series of virtual art

exhibitions, titled “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” The exhibit is NOW live! To see it

and the previous exhibitions, visit the church's website and check under Music and Arts.

Our next themed exhibition is a celebration of our annual Homecoming Sunday—we

invite you to share your September smiles with our church family via the PCCH online gallery.

Send us a selfie featuring your face in your favorite place! It’s a super simple way to reconnect

with your PCCH pals. Please send your photos by September 24 to

pcchvirtualgallery@gmail.com. We encourage you to include some text to accompany the

image—tell us why this is your favorite place right now or share what’s on your mind at the

moment. Your text can be attached in a Word doc or just included in your email. We can't wait to

see your beautiful smiles!

On behalf of the PCCH Music & Arts Committee, Laura Madeleine and Rebecca Thornburgh

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE UPDATES AND OCTOBER SCHEDULE

In October PCCH will host two blood drives:

Friday, October 9 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Friday, October 16 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you can volunteer to greet and take temperatures of potential donors and check them in

using the Red Cross computerized system, please email Liz Podraza at lizpodraza@gmail.com.

Volunteer shifts are flexible, but two hours is the minimum. All Red Cross employees and

donors wear masks and the number of people in Widener Hall at any time is fewer than ten.

If you would like to be a blood donor, go to redcrossblood.org and search for Presbyterian

mailto:PCCCHChurchLife@gmail.commailto:PCCHChurchLife@gmail.comhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdgo-IwZE3FAg7AVqNuK4IMK4KnT5PBonLR8AO-r4eqN7BIJQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_linkhttps://www.chestnuthillpres.org/mailto:pcchvirtualgallery@gmail.commailto:lizpodraza@gmail.comhttp://redcrossblood.org/

Church of Chestnut Hill using the zip code 19118. You must have an appointment to donate; no

walk-ins can be accepted in an effort to control the number of people in the room.

CONVERSATIONS ON FAITH AND PUBLIC LIFE

Sundays, October 18 and 25, 4:00 p.m.

Join us under the big tent – masked and socially distanced – as we engage in important

conversations about what it means to live out our faith in the world. Presbyterians have long

sought to act as faithful neighbors and citizens. These two conversations will help us explore

what that might look like in 2020.

Each conversation will be followed by our 5:00 p.m. service of Evening Prayer, offered

throughout the month of October.

OCTOBER 18 at 4:00 p.m. with Beth Shalom Hessel

“How Honesty about our History can Help us become a City on a Hill”

Join Beth Shalom Hessel for a conversation about the vital and difficult work of

dismantling the mythologies that have upheld our national narratives in order to create more

honest and fulsome histories that create space for confession, healing, and reconciliation.

Beth Shalom Hessel is a Presbyterian minister and church historian. Her family actively

participates in life at PCCH. Prior to her appointment as the Executive Director of The

Athenaeum of Philadelphia in 2019, Beth served as the Executive Director of the Presbyterian

Historical Society. Beth received her Ph.D. from Texas Christian University, where her

dissertation was titled “Let the Voice of Christian America Speak: Religion and Empire in the

Japanese American Incarceration Camps, 1942–1945.”

OCTOBER 25 at 4:00 p.m. with John Wilkinson

“Why Voting Matters to Presbyterians”

Join John Wilkinson for a conversation about the importance of voting in the American

Presbyterian tradition. Presbyterians have been committed to living out their faith in the public

(not partisan) arena, and have issued statements on the importance of voting. We will explore

aspects of these statements and consider their contemporary relevance.

John Wilkinson began his service as PCCH Pastor in September of 2019. His academic

work has focused on the connection between Presbyterian theology and social justice issues

including race and poverty.

(We are exploring the possibilities of live streaming these conversations and then recording them

and posting them to our website. Details to follow.)

PASTORAL CARE

As Fall approaches and the COVID season persists, we continue to be in prayer for one

another as we face physical, emotional and spiritual challenges. If you have prayer concerns,

either for yourself or others, please be in touch with one of the pastors.

Also, did you knew we have a Prayer Chain that regularly prays for the concerns of

church members? If you’d like a concern added to the prayer list, please be in touch with Brian

Russo at brusso@chestnuthillpres.org.

mailto:brusso@chestnuthillpres.org

SHARE YOUR INTEREST AND COMMITMENT BY JOINING A COMMITTEE

The PCCH committees and task forces offer a range of volunteer opportunities for you to

get involved and share your energy and gifts. As the new program year begins, perhaps you are

discerning this kind of service as a way to get connected and involved. We are especially

welcoming people to serve on our various education committees, as well as Social Witness,

Church Life, Music and Arts, Worship, and the newly formed Racial Justice Task Force and

Property Team. Please be in touch with John Wilkinson at jwilkinson@chestnuthillpres.org for

more information.

RACIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE.

The Session has established a Racial Justice Task Force, whose work will be to respond

to and address issues of racial justice and equity in church and culture. If you are interested in

participating in this work, or would like more information, please contact John Wilkinson at

jwilkinson@chestnuthillpres.org.

MAKING MASKS FOR STEWARDSHIP The Stewardship Committee has identified “Walking in Faith” as our theme for 2021. As

part of our unique fall effort, we are making special masks for the congregation, that you can

wear out and about or when you gather under the big tent. If you’d like to help sew the masks,

please contact Trish Franklin at trish@zachbehr.com.

UPDATE ON ONLINE GIVING AT PCCH

PCCH has partnered with the Presbyterian Foundation to securely process your electronic

giving, whether through your computer or smartphone. These options can save you—and the

church office—time!

If you wish to make a tax-deductible gift, please use this Give Now button (also

on our website) to set up new one-time, or recurring gifts.

The Presbyterian Foundation also offers the GivePlus Church app which is available

through the App Store and Google Play. Search for “GivePlus Church” to download the app.

GivePlus Church is free to download and there are no fees to make a donation.

mailto:jwilkinson@chestnuthillpres.orgmailto:jwilkinson@chestnuthillpres.orgmailto:trish@zachbehr.comhttps://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=wWsk24ZWJSTZKsGd1RMKlg0BDvsSG3VIWQCPJNNxD8upkiY7JlDavDsozUE7KG0nFx2NSo8LdUKGuGuF396vbTJNbA17v3T2p4hSYzp1FcwiYnTg5dP4O6rpX5QvPEWlBhHDN59kLZFffwKfYERpQibrplTQOeWrOHgv3987fzo=&ver=3