PROVIDENCE CHURCH

JANUARY 8, 2023

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!

 

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

 

 

 

Call to Worship:   Psalm 31 (select verses)

Leader:   In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame;

in your righteousness deliver me!

 

Congregation: Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily!  Be a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me!

 

Leader:  For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;

 

Congregation:  I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction;

 

Leader:  you have known the distress of my soul, you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.

 

All:  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

 

Songs of Praise:

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (Walter Smith, 1867; tune trad. Welsh hymn melody)

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

 

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains, high soaring above

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

 

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;

All praise we would render; O help us to see

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!

 

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

 

How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves and Ed Cash, 2004)

1.The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty,

Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.

He wraps himself in light, and darkness tries to hide,

And trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice.

 

How great is our God! Sing with me, how great is our God!

And all will see how great, how great is our God.

 

2.Age to age he stands, and time is in his hands,

Beginning and the end, beginning and the end.

The God-head, three in one: Father, Spirit, Son,

The Lion and the Lamb, Lion and the Lamb.

 

How great is our God! Sing with me, how great is our God!

And all will see how great, how great is our God.

 

Cause you’re the Name above all names,

You are worthy of all praise,

And my heart will sing: How great is our God.

You’re the Name above all names,

You are worthy of all praise,

And my heart will sing: How great is our God.

 

How great is our God!

Sing with me, How great is our God!

And all will see how great, how great is our God. (Repeat)

 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee:

How great thou art, how great thou art.

Then sing my soul, my Savior God to thee:

How great thou art, how great—thou—art.

 

You Are My Hiding Place (Michael Ledner, 1981  CCLI 21442)

You are my hiding place, You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance;

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You,

I will trust in You.

Let the weak say, “I am strong in the strength of the Lord!”( Women: I will trust in You…)

 

Men: You are my hiding place,           Women: I will trust in You.

You always fill my heart with songs              Let the weak say, “I am strong

Of deliverance; Whenever I am afraid, in the strength of the Lord.”

I will trust in You, I will trust in You.           You are my hiding place,

Let the weak say, “I am strong            You always fill my heart

In the strength of the Lord!”                          with songs of deliverance, whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You…

 

(Repeat parts, everyone ending with “I will trust in You!”)

 

 

Confession/Assurance  

 

Respond in Praise: 

 

Awake My Soul (A Thousand Tongues)

(Jonas Myrin, Laura Story, Matt Redman, Matt Maher  CCLI #7053752)

 

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.

 

 

 

Scripture Psalm 121

 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains.  Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved, he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade 

on your right hand.  The sun shall not smite you by day,

nor the moon by night.  The Lord will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.  The Lord will keep

your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.

 

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

 

 

 

Sermon “ The God of the Mountains”                     Rev Tim Brittain                         

 

Hymn of Dedication

My Stronghold (John Michael Talbot)

Only in God is my soul at rest

In Him comes my salvation

He only is my rock, my strength, and my salvation

 

My stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be afraid at all.

My Stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be moved

 

Only in God is found safety

when the enemy pursues me

Only in God is found glory when I am found meek and lowly

 

My stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be afraid at all

my Stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be moved

 

Only in God is my soul at rest

In Him comes my salvation

He only is my rock, my strength, and my salvation

 

My stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be afraid at all

My Stronghold, my Savior, I shall not be moved

 

 

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

Amazing Grace (John Newton, 1779; tune traditional American melody)

 

Amazing grace!—how sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

 

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;

how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

 

The Lord hath promised good to me, his word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.

 

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;

‘tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

 

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we’ve first begun.

 

Benediction 

 

KNOW

Welcome to Providence Church! We are glad that you are here, joining us in person or via Zoom!.

Sunday School:   Adult and Youth Sunday School is at 11:15. Paula Rhodarmer will be teaching.   Will/Christina are leading a study in Exodus.  Children’s Sunday School – K-3 downstairs and 4-6 upstairs at the end of the hall.

Children of all ages are invited to participate in the entire service of worship.  Childcare for children up to 6 years of age, in our downstairs Christian Ed wing (on the left) at the end of the hallway.

Financial Update: The Lord has graciously met our financial needs in 2022 with your tithes and offerings. Our budget in 2022 was $170K and our expenses were $187K, while our income was $197K. This enabled us to end the year not just in the black but also with a $10K surplus. Thanks be to God for His abundant provision.

Congregational Meeting:  Next Sunday, January 15, a congregational meeting will be held immediately after the service on to hear the report of the Nominating Committee, to vote on our slate of elders, to choose the 2023 Nominating Committee, to prayerfully receive the 2023 Budget, and to vote on the Terms of Call of Pastor Edward. We will also have a short meeting of the Corporation.

 

GROW

Women’s Prayer Group – 10:15am Tuesday mornings, contact Linda Roberts,  828) 506-3101

Men’s Prayer Group – 6:45am Thursday mornings, contact Sam Mitchell,        (828) 734-1392

 

GO

Prayer Requests Bill and Glenda White have Covid and while Bill is asymptomatic, Glenda is struggling with weakness and deep congestion. Please pray for Pastor Edward as he travels to Indonesia leaving on January 16 for a mission trip with our Presbytery. Kindly pray for our Session as we meet this week Tuesday to discuss and approve the 2023 Budget.

For Mercy and Grace:  Bill Silverthorne, Robbie Hargrove