ST. ELMO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - St. Elmo Presbyterian Church pca
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ST. ELMO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Presbyterian Church in America
Our purpose is to know, live out of, and proclaim the wonder
of God’s grace in Jesus.
May 15, 2022
Rev. Bill Massey, Interim Pastor
4400 St. Elmo Avenue Chattanooga, TN 37409
423-821-1424
http://www.stelmopres.orgThis Week at
St. Elmo Presbyterian Church and Community
May 15, 2022
Live stream**
Today
9:15am Sunday School for all
10:30am Morning Worship in person and on YouTube**
Monday May 16
7:00pm Boy Scouts meet — Contact: Jay Green or Ed Sunder
Tuesday May 17
10:00am Women's Study Group meets. Childcare available — Contact: Lynn Hall or Shelley
Madueme
Wednesday May 18
7:00pm Wednesday night small group meets — Contact: Carol or Jim Wildeman
7:00pm Flintstone small group meets — Contact: John or Kathy Tucker
Thursday May 19
12:00pm Men's Bible Study meets — Contact: Rev. Bill Massey
Sunday School Nursery
May 15: Kathy Tucker, Tammy Steele
May 22: Jay and Beth Ann Green, Amy Nichols
Worship Service Nursery
May 15: Julie and Zach Wescher, Amy Daugaard
May 22: Betsy Sunder, Jennifer and Kedric Webster
Nursery volunteer sign up: https://tinyurl.com/yp8trcc
Nursery Director: Lydia Mayberry, lydiakarstin@gmail.com, (423) 400-0506
Worship Greeters for Sunday mornings!
May-Virginia Strom June-Andrew and Kali Haun
Upcoming
May-TBD Wedding shower for Hannah (Eames) and Sam Thomas
May 28 Annual Boy Scout Yard Sale on the church lawn (donations accepted the week before)
June 26 Annual Congregational Meeting
August 1-5 VBS! GENESIS 1: 9am-12pm, and finale on the 5th at 7:00pm; ice cream after!
2FOR REFLECTION BEFORE WORSHIP
"[He] gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who
are zealous for good works.” — Titus 2:14
“At the heart of Christianity is the truth that we are forgiven and accepted by God, not because we have done good works,
but to make us able and zealous to do them. Good works are not the foundation of our acceptance, but the fruit of it…And
the aim of Christ is not the mere ability to do good works, but passion to do them. That’s why the Bible uses the word
“zealous.” Christ died to make us “zealous for good works.” Zeal means passion. Christ did not die to make good works
merely possible or to produce a half-hearted pursuit. He died to produce in us a passion for good deeds (cf. Eph. 2:8-10).
Christian purity is not the mere avoidance of evil, but the pursuit of good.” — John Piper
_______________________________________________
PRELUDE
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GATHERING FOR WORSHIP
CALL TO WORSHIP — Psalm 92:1-4
L - It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
P - to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,
L - to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
P - For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands, I sing for joy.
HYMN #98 — Now Thank We All Our God
PRAYER OF ADORATION
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH — The Apostles’ Creed
L - Do you believe in God the Father?
P - I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
L - Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
P - I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from
the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to
judge the living and the dead.
L - Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
P - I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of
the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
HYMN #100 (vs. 1) — Holy, Holy, Holy!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS AND SHARING OF THANKSGIVINGS
OUR RETURN TO GOD, OUR SAVIOR
CALL TO CONFESSION OF SIN — Matthew 22:37-40
L - The words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On
these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
CONFESSION OF SIN — Martin Bucer
All – Almighty, everlasting God and Father, we acknowledge and confess that we indeed were conceived and born in sin
and, therefore, inclined to all evil and slow to all good; that we unceasingly transgress your holy commandments, and
corrupt ourselves more and more. But we are sorry for this and desire your grace and help. Therefore, have mercy upon us,
most gracious and merciful God and Father, through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant to us and increase in us your
Holy Spirit, so that we may recognize our sin and unrighteousness from the depth of our heart, feel true contrition and grief
for them, die to them completely, and please you wholly in a new, godly life. Amen
3SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PARDON – 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
L - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
REJOICE! #7 — Approach, My Soul, The Mercy Seat
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
RECEIVING OF GOD’S WORD
READING OF GOD’S WORD – Exodus 3:13-15; 20:7; Colossians 3:17
SERMON – Reverence My Name
REJOICE! #99 — Thy Mercy, My God
THE LORD’S SUPPER*
L – The Lord be with you.
P – And also with you.
L – Lift up your hearts.
P – We lift them up to the Lord.
L – Let us give thanks unto the Lord.
P – It is fitting and right to do so.
* all bread is gluten-free
L - People of God, as you come to the table, what do you proclaim?
P - Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come back again.
INSTITUTION, PRAYER, THE LORD’S PRAYER
P - 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, for ever. Amen.
HYMN #637 — What Shall I Render to My God
BENEDICTION
BLESSING
L – Having heard the Gospel,
P – Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
ALL – Thanks be to God!
*All bread is gluten-free
Women's Bible Study Update
Our summer study will be Eugene Peterson's book,
"A Long Obedience in the Same Direction".
We will be taking the month of July off and resuming on Tuesday, August 16.
4
Please pray for these individuals and groups this week:
Jack and Barbara Beckman
Pray for our faithful witness to our
Aaron, Lauren, Liam, Cecily, Marynn, and neighbors
Carina Caldwell
Pastoral Search Committee:
Ken, Audra and Nolan Cardillo Spiritual protection for the committee
Giorgianna Cardillo and its members
Wisdom as we establish our timeline,
David and Lisa Fish: Uganda
gather information and prepare to
Channels of Love create church and pastor profiles
Chattanooga Christian School
That the Lord would prepare the right
Our Mayors and City/County Officials man for being the next pastor at SEPC
The Persecuted Church in IRAN (9)
Pray for Ukraine and Vladimir Putin
Channels of Love Contact: Virginia Strom
Praise
Praise for our client who had hip replacement surgery! He is doing well and almost finished
with Physical Therapy.
Praise for a client who has started working as a sitter a few hours a day. She is loving the
work and we are sure she is a blessing to the people she sits for.
Prayer
Please continue to pray for someone to work with us. Abi will now be working on Tuesdays
and Thursdays, but we would still like to have another staff member, at least part time.
Please pray for our clients who are dealing with a variety of age-related issues, pain, and
mobility issues.
Aaron and Katrina Fortune
Swiss L'Abri
Prayer
Pray/Thank God for our team of new and returning workers/staff
Pray for our group of students and also for us who are trying
to minister to them
Pray for the Bellevue plumbing problems to be very quickly resolved
Pray that we would both see Christ and show Christ in how we
treat and care for each other.
5Pray for the Persecuted Church in IRAN (9)
TWO IRANIAN WOMEN HAVE BEGUN TWO-YEAR PRISON SENTENCES FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN HOUSE CHURCHES.
Source: Opendoorsusa.org, May 10, 2022
They were summoned to prison on Easter Sunday. 51-year old Fariba Dalir (pictured
left) is now in Iran's notorious Evin Prison, know in Iran as "the torture factory." Sakine
(Mehri) Behjati was taken to Lakan Prison. Fariba was arrested alongside her then-
fiance, Soroush, and four other Christian converts in Tehran in July 2021. While
awaiting sentencing, Fariba and Soroush married, but will now spend two years apart.
She was convicted of "acting against national security by establishing and leading an
evangelical Christian church."
Mehri, who has a young child, was in a different group of four women converts arrested in February
2020 because they belonged to a house church in Rasht. Each woman received between two and five
years in prison for "acting against national security." This is what Christian persecution looks like in Iran.
Pray by name for your Iranian sisters Fariba and Sakine.
IRANIAN-ARMENIAN PASTOR SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT
Source: Barnabasfund.org, May 10, 2022
An Iranian pastor has been sentenced to ten years in prison for running a
“house church” in Tehran, the capital city. Anooshavan Avedian, an Iranian-
Armenian, was also sentenced to ten years of “deprivation of social rights” –
for example, restrictions on his employment – which will commence once he is
released from prison. Two members of the church, Abbas Soori and Maryam
Mohammadi, both converts from Islam, avoided prison but were also sentenced to ten years’
deprivation of rights.
Anooshavan Avedian was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment followed by ten years’ “deprivation of
social rights”. In addition, Abbas and Maryam have been handed a two-year ban on travelling abroad or
joining any social group, two-year exile from Tehran province, and fines each of 50 million tomans
($1,700). Anooshavan was convicted by the 26th Branch of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran of
“establishing and leading an illegal group with the aim of disrupting the security of the country through
educational and propaganda activities contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam.”
Ask the Lord to sustain Anooshavan, Abbas and Maryam throughout this difficult time, as well as
their families and the other former members of their house church in Tehran.
Pray for the success of their appeals against imprisonment and deprivation of rights.
Pray also for a change of heart from the Iranian authorities, that they will allow Farsi-speaking
believers to worship freely.
EXECUTIONS UP 25-PERCENT UNDER RAISI RULE
Source: MNN, May 6, 2022 A new report says executions are up 25-percent in Iran.
Iranians chose the hardline Islamic cleric Ibrahim Raisi for president in June last year. 51
executions took place in July, and the numbers surged again in September and
December. Death may be rampant inside Iran, but so is the life and hope of Christ.
Heart4Iran brings the hope and love of Christ to people throughout Iran. Connect
with Heart4Iran in the FULL REPORT and find tangible ways to help.
Pray for the security of the “secret church” inside Iran.
Ask the Lord to open more doors of opportunity for the Gospel.
6Sermon Title: Reverence My Name
Exodus 3:13-15; 20:7; Colossians 3:17 ESV
forever, and thus I am to be remembered
13
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the throughout all generations.
people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of
your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask Exodus 20:7
me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to “You shall not take the name of the Lord your
them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him
AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also
said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Colossians 3:17
7
‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of In these you too once walked, when you were
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of living in them.
Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name
Sermon Intro: What's in a name? It depends. But the Bible shows that God's self-revealed name cannot be completely
separated from his presence. He is present in his name. This is wonderful! Our god is not a distant, disengaged deity. He
is present with us. But this wonderful blessing carries with it a great responsibility. We must reverence his name and
person. Doing so is the pathway to our highest happiness. God has so created us that our highest happiness is found in
knowing him and serving him. His command not to dishonor his name is also his invitation to enjoy him. Let's explore
this:
1. Who we are commanded to reverence.
2. How we are commanded to reverence.
7the name
,
8Date: _______________________________
Hymns or Song Titles we sang today: Put a star by your
favorite song we sang today.
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Today’s Text: __________________Book _________Chapter _________Verse _______
What is one important thing you learned from the sermon today? ______________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Listen for certain words in the sermon,
and put a mark by them when you hear Pastor Bill say them.
Sermon Words
LORD VAIN
GUILTLESS NAME
COMMAND REVERENCE
GENERATION MOSES
Fill in the blank:
"You shall not take the _____________ of the Lord your
God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless
who takes his name in vain."
9Welcome to St. Elmo Presbyterian Church pca
St. Elmo Presbyterian Church is a Stephen Ministry Congregation
Sunday School for Children and Adults High School and Middle School Youth Group
Begins at 9:30am. Children downstairs in the SS Coordinators/Contacts: Lance and Julie Wescher
hallway. Adults meet in the Adult SS room
downstairs. Youth Group meets Sunday nights from 6:00pm-
Sunday School for kindergarten children through 8:00pm, except for the first Sunday of each month.
youth group age — contact: Rob and Elaine Tinholt
Christian Education Staff Contact Information
Little Lambs Worship Program for Three and Four Nursery Director: Lydia Mayberry
Year-Olds TBD Youth Interns: Aden Hunt and Matilda Green,
Daehla Smith, Isaac Kvale, Drew McCampbell
Nursery Available
Nursery is provided for babies through the age of
two during Sunday School and worship. If you can **COVID information update
help us in our nursery, please contact: Lydia
Mayberry. Masks are OPTIONAL in the Sanctuary on Sundays.
Sign up to volunteer in the nursey at: Masks are REQUIRED in the Fellowship Hall on
stelmopres.org. Click on “Connect-Grow-Serve”
Sundays.
then “Nursery...” then scroll down to Sign up for
Sunday Nursery...”.
You can also go to: https://tinyurl.com/yp8trcc
To join the St. Elmo Presbyterian Church
Past Sermons and Church Calendar
Email List:
Sermons online: https://soundcloud.com/SEPC4400/
1. Go to: http://lists.st-elmo.org/mailman/listinfo/
sets
sepc
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Calendar online: www.stelmopres.org/events
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Find us on Facebook:
sending an email to the list and also
St. Elmo Presbyterian Church - pca
unsubscribing. If you have difficulty signing on,
facebook.com/StElmoPresPCA please email Jay Green at
jay.green@covenant.edu.
Parking
Please do not park in front of driveways, or IN driveways, or in front of garages.
Please try to park on the side streets and not on St. Elmo Avenue (painted bike lanes).
Also, park to the right of the road (in the direction you are going) so that you are not ticketed by the police.
Permission to print music and lyrics: CCLI#418158
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