Welcome Hymn of Praise “A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing!” Welcome to the Reformed Church of Port Ewen this morning. We are glad that you are here with us. Whether you’ve been worshipping here for a long time or you’re entering the doors of our church for the first time today it is our hope that you’ll experience a kind welcome, a sense of genuine community, and the grace and truth that the Christian Church has celebrated for centuries.

Liturgical Note Today is Ascension Sunday. Though often overlooked, the ascension of Christ is filled with significance. Christ’s ascension means that in heaven there is one who, knowing our experience of suffering and temptation firsthand, prays for us and perfects our prayers (Hebrews 4:14-16). The ascension is a witness and guarantee of our own bodily resurrection, as well as an invitation to set our hearts and minds ‘on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God’ (Colossians 3:1-2). The Ascension speaks to the reality that even though the nations rage, the kingdoms totter, and mountains fall into the heart of the

sea (Psalm 46), Christ is enthroned in heaven, ruling over all things in heaven and on earth as our Lord and King.

The ascension of Christ is our elevation.

— Leo the Great, fifth century

APPROACH TO GOD

Vocal Prelude

Passing of the Peace

The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

Welcome & Announcements

Call to Worship Psalm 47:5-8

God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. - 1 - - 2 - Call to Confession WORD OF GOD

Prayer of Confession Prayer for Illumination

Almighty God, you have raised Jesus from death to life Scripture Lessons and crowned him Lord of all. We confess that we have not bowed before him. First Reading We do not always acknowledge his rule in our lives. Old Testament: Isaiah 53

We have failed to give him glory and honor. Who has believed what we have heard? Forgive us, we pray. And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? You have promised that as we die in Christ 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, we also would be raised with him; and like a root out of dry ground; that we would be your faithful people, he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, obeying the commands of our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. Christ, enthroned at your right hand, 3 He was despised and rejected by others; rules the world and is the head of the church, his body. a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; For your faithful promises and your loving rule in our lives, and as one from whom others hide their faces we praise you, Jesus, and give you the glory. Amen. he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Assurance of Forgiveness Ephesians 2:4-7 4 Surely he has borne our infirmities

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with and carried our diseases; which he loved us even when we were dead through our yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you 5 have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us But he was wounded for our transgressions, with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the crushed for our iniquities; ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; Gloria Patri we have all turned to our own way, and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; - like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth. 8 By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people.

- 3 - - 4 - 9 They made his grave with the wicked Third Reading Gospel: John 12:20-26

and his tomb with the rich, 20 although he had done no violence, Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and

and there was no deceit in his mouth. 22 said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; 10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain. then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The When you make his life an offering for sin, hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single through him the will of the LORD shall prosper. grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, 11 Out of his anguish he shall see light; and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Praise to you, O Christ. and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;

because he poured out himself to death, Sermon and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, Confession of the Faith: The Nicene Creed

and made intercession for the transgressors. We believe in one God, The Word of the Lord. the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, Thanks be to God. and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, Second Reading the only Son of God, New Testament: Hebrews 2:5-9 eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, 5 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, true God from true God, to angels. 6 But someone has testified somewhere, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, through him all things were made. or mortals, that you care for them? For us and for our salvation 7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; he came down from heaven, you have crowned them with glory and honor, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary 8 subjecting all things under their feet.” and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. he suffered death and was buried. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, 9 but we do see On the third day he rose again Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned in accordance with the Scriptures; with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of he ascended into heaven God he might taste death for everyone. and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the The Word of the Lord. dead, and his kingdom will have no end. Thanks be to God. - 5 - - 6 - Benediction And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], Doxology Worship & Rejoice, #34

who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

RESPONSE TO GOD Postlude Prayers of the People & 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

His body is removed indeed from our eyes, but God is not separated from your hearts: Hymn of Sending “Hallelujah, What a Savior!” see him going up, believe on him absent, hope for him coming; but yet through his secret mercy, feel him present.

— St. Augustine, fourth century

Worship Participants: Linda Bresnahan McCarthy, organist & choir director Rev. Kevin Slusher, preaching Paula & Matt Van Aken, vocalists

- 7 - - 8 - 2021 Consistory General Announcements Elders Deacons Pastoral Care—Pastor Kevin has official hours in his study every Linda Bresnahan-McCarthy (687-9664) Bonnie Lalor (339-7278) Tuesday and Wednesday morning from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. if you are in need Kathy Kinsch (338-6378) Peg Rhoda (338-9291) of counsel and care. Pastor Kevin is also in his study at various times Colleen Sutton (389-1445) throughout the week and encourages you to stop by and say hello! Friday Raymond Wells (338-2915) is Pastor Kevin’s Sabbath and he will not be in the office. You can also Prayer List contact Cheri, the office administrator or Pastor Kevin to set up an World — The Coronavirus, governments, scientists and public health officials around appointment when necessary. Contact Information: Church: 331-2782, the world responding to the crisis, all those who put themselves at risk to care for the Home: 383-1274, and in an emergency Cellphone: 517-398-0986. Email: sick (church family); An end to the coronavirus, A solution for the refugee crisis around [email protected]. the world, esp. Syria (K. Lamb); for all the homeless (Phyllis & Janet Hutton); Military coup in Burma/Myanmar (Church Family). Please let the office know if you would like us to send you a hard copy Nation — President Joseph R. Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris; Governor of the bulletin each week. Andrew Cuomo; U.S. Senators Gillibrand and Schumer; U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado; Repentance for racism, prayers for justice and resolution to racial tension; Tornadoes in the southern U.S. (church family); Victims of shootings in both Atlanta, Online Giving — it is now available! On the homepage of our website, GA and Boulder, CO (church family). www.rcpe.info , in the bottom right hand corner is a button “GIVE”. Click Church Worldwide — Persecuted Church (China, Nigeria, North Korea). on it and follow the instructions. You can also give to our mission of the RCA — Oman Protestant Church and Bode Family, Al-Amanda Center. month here as well. Just choose “Mission of the Month” instead of Mid-Hudson Classis —Jim Van Benschoten, Rev. Linda Miles, Elder John Young, “General Offering” on the drop-down menu! If you have any questions, Rev. Bob Vanderlaan, Rev. Eric Titus. let us know. Petitions of healing, protection, and deliverance — Robert Holowiack (J. Loring); (Marion) Lucille Van Steenburgh (K. DeFelice); Bill, Terri Ingersoll (B. Lalor); Luke, Save the Date! On August 7th there will be a picnic to celebrate Pastor Kim Burgess (Wells family); KHS students, faculty, staff on the death of Raymond Robinson (B. Lalor/S. Goodrich); Diane (M. Falcinelli); Carol Esther Haynes-Brown (L. Kevin’s time with us and to wish him well in his new endeavor. It will be Haynes-Jackson); Bill Loughlin (K. & M. Kinsch); Loretta Yaple, Ellen Lynch (Phyllis at the George Freer Memorial Park/Beach in Port Ewen at 1 PM. & Janet Hutton); Beirut, Lebanon (S. Scherry); the nation of India & the Coronavirus surge, Martha Koelli, Marion Lucille Van Steenburgh, Prayers for victims of shooting in Deacons’ Announcements Boulder, CO, the military coup in Myanmar, Tornado destruction in the south, all those The May Mission of the Month is the Missionary Care Fund, which is diagnosed with Covid, those who are facing eviction, unemployed, and/or the RCA designated one. Oftentimes, unforeseen expenses come up in a underemployed, Bea Hogan (Church Family); Gail Berger, Neil Shah (Glenn missionary’s life that don’t fall into the planned annual budget. There are Knickerbocker); Fred Rhoda, all essential workers and those who’ve lost their jobs unpredictable expenses, like emergency flights home to be with ailing (Rhoda family); Lori Palladino, all the people who have lost loved ones to the Covid family members, personal medical expenses, tutoring or child care that pandemic, Charles Barnett III, Fred Rhoda (Bresnahan-McCarthy family); victims of may come up. This Care Fund helps support these needs without Asian hate crimes, Kelly Tiedemann (C. Van Deusen); Blake Parker (Stickley family). disrupting other mission needs. If you feel called to donate to this mission, Homebound/nursing homes/institutions — Pauline Wyre, Verna Allen, Lucille Van Steenburgh, Bea Hogan, Martha Koelli, Marie Klippel. please clearly mark your check with MOM-May when you mail it in, or Grieving — Family & friends of: Donna VanLoan Brice, Carol Esther Haynes-Brown, follow the prompts for the online option. As always, thank you for your Charles Hartman, Lilian Bloch, Mary Van Deusen, Barbara Carlson-Wells, Raymond generosity. Robinson, Judy Buboltz, Evan. Praise & Thanksgiving — On the birth of her new granddaughter, Melody. Melody Faith Formation was born to Jen (Bonnie’s daughter) and Brian Roscoe. Mom and baby are healthy and doing well! (B. Lalor); Praise for Diane Bradley’s successful surgery and that she does Wednesday Bible Study — Meets on Wednesdays at 1:00 PM. We are not have cancer!; Rev. Eric Titus has retired from St. John’s in Red Hook and continues currently studying the Epistle to the Galatians. We are meeting in his recovery at home (J. Nolting). Fairbrother Hall with masks and social distancing. - 10 - - 9 -

THE REFORMED CHURCH

OF PORT EWEN

The Reformed Church of Port Ewen

160 Salem Street | P. O. Box 580

Port Ewen, NY 12466

(845) 331-2782 | rcpe.info

Linda Bresnahan-McCarthy Organist & Choir Director

Rev. Kevin Slusher Pastor [email protected]

Cheri Van Deusen Office Administrator [email protected]

About the Reformed Church of Port Ewen: Our Mission Statement

We, the people of the Reformed Church of Port Ewen believe that God, through the Son Jesus Christ, and by the leading of the Holy Spirit, is calling us to be a servant church in the world. We believe the purpose of our congregation, through its ministry and program, is to raise up before all people the Lord Jesus Christ as our example and our hope by actions of worship and praise, by continuing Christian education, by Sunday Worship opportunities and joys of church and community fellowship, and the May 16, 2021 sacrificial Christ-like deeds we call mission. Our aim and goal is to 10:00 A.M. become a missionary congregation and not a self-serving institution. Ascension Sunday