PROVIDENCE CHURCH

  November 8, 2020

 

Welcome

Passing of the Peace: Though we are separated by distance our hearts are one in Christ. The peace of Christ be with you!  And also with you!

 

Call to worship:   Selections from Psalm 2

Pastor: I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: God has spoken, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
People: Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the                  earth your possession.
Pastor: You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
People:  Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Pastor: Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.
People:  Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
ALL:  Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Songs of Praise

When Morning Gilds the Skies (German, ca. 1800; tune Joseph Barnby, 1865)

When morning gilds the skies, my heart awaking cries:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

 

Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

 

In heav’n’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

The pow’rs of darkness fear, when this sweet chant they hear:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

 

Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

Be this th’eternal song, through all the ages on:

May Jesus Christ be praised.

 

The Battle Belongs to the Lord (Jamie Owens-Collins, 1977)

In heavenly armor we’ll enter the land, the battle belongs to the Lord.

No weapon that’s fashioned against us will stand; the battle belongs to the Lord.

Chorus:

We sing glory, and honor, power and strength to the Lord.

We sing glory, and honor, power and strength to the Lord.

 

When the power of darkness comes in like a flood, the battle belongs to the Lord.

He’s raised up a standard, the pow’r of His blood, the battle belongs to the Lord. (Chorus)

 

When your enemy presses in hard, do not fear, the battle belongs to the Lord.

Take courage, my friend, your redemption is near, the battle belongs to the Lord. (Chorus X2)

 

Awake My Soul (A Thousand Tongues)  Matt Maher

O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise,

The glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace.

 

A thousand songs are not enough to say how great You are:

The glories of your Majesty, the triumphs of your love.

 

Chorus:

Awake my soul, to sing the glories of my God and King!

Arise and praise the One worthy of the songs of a thousand tongues.

 

Your name, Lord Jesus, casts out fear, and bids our sorrows cease;

It’s music in the sinner’s ear, it’s life, and health and peace.

 

You break the power of all our sin, You set the captive free,

You make the broken heart rejoice; new life the dead receive. (Chorus)

 

Forever you are…

Forever you are worthy.

Forever you are…

Forever you are worthy.

Forever you are…

Forever you are worthy.

Forever you are…

 

Chorus:

Awake my soul, to sing the glories of my God and King!

Arise and praise the One worthy of the songs of a thousand tongues (Repeat)

Tag:  You are worthy of the songs of a thousand tongues.

 

Confession/Assurance   

 

Respond in Praise: 

 Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Charles Wesly, 1740; tune Joseph Parry, 1879)

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high:

Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;

Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!

 

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee;

Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me!

All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring;

Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.

 

Thou, O Christ, art all I want; more than all in thee I find:

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.

Just and holy is thy name; I am all unrighteousness;

False and full of sin I am, thou art full of truth and grace.

 

Plenteous grace with thee if found, grace to cover all my sin;

Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within:

Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of thee;

Spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

 

 

Scripture Reading:    Revelation  2:8-11

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

This is the Word of the Lord.   Thanks be to God!

 

Sermon: “The Suffering Church”

 

Hymn of Dedication:

Run to Me (Renee Allsbrook)

Turn off the noise; I speak in the silence.

Empty your hands, and receive Me.

I shattered heaven’s ancient barrier to say to you: “My son, my son.”

 

Throw off the shame, throw off your possessions,

throw off your worries, throw off your fears.

Throw off your sins, which trip and bind you;

Fix your gaze on my wounds and run.

 

Chorus:

Run to me—I ran ahead and crushed your enemies.

Run to me—on heaven’s sidelines saints are on their feet.

Don’t lose heart as you walk or stumble on.

Lift your head; well done, my son.

 

Come to the feast, come sit at my table;

Come greet your loved ones, who stand and cheer.

The brightest morning’s but a shadow

Of blazing joys prepared for you.   (Chorus X2)

 

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.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil:

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory.  Amen

 

Hymn of Thanksgiving:   

It Is Well With My Soul (Horatio Spafford, 1876; tune Philip Bliss, 1876)

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

 

Chorus:

It is well—

With my soul—

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blessed assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed his own blood for my soul. (Chorus)

 

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul. (Chorus)

 

O Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,“Even so,” it is well with my soul. (Chorus)

 

Benediction

 

KNOW

Tithes and Gifts: An offering plate is not passed during the service.  Plates for your tithes and offerings are located at the back of the sanctuary. If you are joining us via Zoom, your tithes and gifts can be mailed to P.O. Box 65, Clyde.  We thank you for your prayerful financial support for our church.

O.C.C.:  We will once again collect shoe boxes (November 15 & 22) with dedication on the 22nd. PLEASE pick up a box and fill items, available in the Narthex, to complete before the 22nd.

 

GROW

The Well:  Are you hungry and thirsty for healing prayer?  For yourself, for our church, for our nation?  Come to the Well…. meeting every other Monday at the Shelton home. Contact Elenore at 828-734-6494

Thursday Night Bible Study: Meets every other Thursday from 7-8:30 pm.  Men are studying 1 Corinthians and Women are studying 2 Peter.  If you are interested in attending, contact Luke or Renee Allsbrook to get on the email list.

 

GO

Open Door Soup Kitchen: First Friday of every month.  This is an ongoing commitment of Providence Church to the least, the last, the lost and the lonely of our community.  We prepare a meal, then the Salvation Army food truck picks it up and serving is done at another location. Thanks for your faithfulness.  Please join us to bless and be blessed.

 

Prayer Requests: Bob and Barb – son and daughter in law lost one of their unborn twins; Sherry Alvarez – healing; Wally Cook; Glenda White- recovering from surgery; Bill White – cataract surgery Tuesday; Robbie Hargrove; Chuck & Carole Torpy; Glenn & Laura Glad; Thom Morgan’s mother; Caroline (Bev’s Mom); Sarah’s brother in law Dan – cancer; Lisa Rhodarmer’s brother Michael – cancer.