Today’s service may be viewed on Facebook Live Stream at this link in the comfort of your own home or in person in the sanctuary.  Join us!

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Gathering Music                   Polly Dunford          

Welcome and Announcements         Sharon Fowler                        

Call to Worship 

One: We come from the East, the West, the South, and the North into this sacred space to worship the living God who walks with us.

People: O, God, we worship you for who you are, for loving and granting us your grace.

One: We lift our hands in praise to you and open our hearts to worship you in the fullness of who we are.

ALL: Let us worship the Lord our God with joyful and thankful hearts. Amen!

Opening Hymn                “In Christ There Is No East or West”                    Hymnal #318

    Text by John Oxenham; Music by Alexander Robert Reinagle

1)  In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north,

but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.

2)  In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;

his service is the golden cord close binding humankind.

3)  Join hands, disciples of the faith, whate’er  your race may be.

All children of the living God are surely kin to me.

4)  In Christ now meet both east and west; in him meet south and north.

All Christly souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.

Scripture       Matthew 21: 33-46

               

Sermon            “When the You of the Story Is Us"                  Dr. Keith Ray

Theme:  The story of the farmworkers and the landowner reminds us that what is ours is not really.  The goods we possess, the community we inhabit, the world where we live...these are all gifts/grace, designed to be used for higher purposes.  And when we hold them too tightly it’s as though we are saying we no longer need others, a higher power, or even God.

 The story invites us to do the hard work of self reflection.

Prayers of the People

Closing Hymn/Offertory     “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”        Hymnal #169                                                     Text by John Greenleaf Whittier; Music by Frederick Charles Maker

1)  *Dear Lord and Father of mankind,* forgive our foolish ways;

reclothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find,

in deeper reverence, praise.

2)  In simple trust like theirs who heard beside the Syrian sea

the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them,

without a word rise up and follow thee.

3)  O Sabbath rest by Galilee, O calm of hills above,

where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity,

interpreted by love!

4)  Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease;

take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives

confess the beauty of thy peace.

5)  Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm;

let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;

speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm!

*Or “Dear Lord, Creator good and kind”

Benediction

Discussion

Shalom   (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

        Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

       Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom

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Join us after worship to pack treat bags for South Main Chapel lunch next week.

Calendar of Service 

October 22 - Service/Lunch at S. Main Chapel and Mercy Center; NO service at NACCP; Collection for Undie Sunday
October 29 - Dr. Keith Ray (Outdoors) - Blessing of the Animals

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Bill Bailey reminds us all to sign up for church clean-up.  Clean-up days are the 2nd Saturday of the month at 9:30 am and usually take no more than 90 minutes.  The sign-up sheet is in the church.  Our next clean-up day will be Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 9:30 am.                                                                                                                                                                                     ***********************

The Concert of Hope and Remembrance will be on Saturday, October 14 at 7:00 pm at Boulevard Baptist Church in Anderson. Tickets can be purchased by calling Roger at (864) 222-3500 or emailing him at roger@caanderson.org?

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Choir practice will be on the first and third Sundays in October and November (Oct. 15, November 5 and 19) at 9:25 AM in the choir room. Current and new members are welcome! Questions? Call or text Polly Dunford at (864) 940-0640.

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The next Keenager event will be a trip to Hagood Mills for a storytelling festival on Saturday, October 21. The event is 10 am until 4 pm and admission is $5. They have limited food vendors, or you can bring your own lunch. Bring your own chair. If you’d like to carpool, then meet at the church at 9 am.

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We will be serving lunch at South Main Chapel and Mercy Center and joining in with their church service on Sunday, October 22, 2023.  Sign up to bring a dish.  Everyone may bring a dessert; no sign-up necessary.  We will pack sweet treat bags on Sunday, October 15 after worship service.

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The Bible Study Group (BSG) meets Mondays at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Dave Johnson is guiding us through the book of Exodus. If you’d like to be added to the Zoom invite list then contact Cynthia at cynthiakwarner@mac.com. We’d love to have newcomers!

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Joanne reminds us all to keep up the food donations for AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries)!  Bring your non-perishable items to the church.  This is an on-going need that should become part of everyone’s shopping routine.

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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP?  Would you like to make this community your spiritual home?  Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.

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Remember in prayer:  Linda McFall; Bonnie Marsden and son Michael; Glennie Burns; Mary Alice Mundy; Jason Harding; Mike Johnston; Madison Bishop (Whitney’s niece); Jackie Moore; Latha and Cheryl Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of Ukraine. 

NACCP is an inclusive Faith Community that values questions

and the journey to the answers.

Ministry Leader: Dr. Keith Ray
keithdray@gmail.com

Pianist and Choir Director: Polly Dunford

Mailing address: P.O. Box 4346, Anderson, SC 29622

Phone: 864-225-3575

Website:  naccpchurch.org

Church News:  naccpnews@yahoo.com

Instagram:  northandersonccp

Facebook:  NorthAndersonCommunityChurchPresbyterian