July 20 - Sanctuary Worship Bulletin

First Presbyterian Church – St. Petersburg, Florida   

Order of Worship – 11 a.m. Sanctuary Service 

July 20, 2025 – Sixth Sunday After Pentecost 

Rev. Robert Galloway

Prelude: “Meditation on the Irish tune Slane” (hymn 450), Eric H. Thiman (1900–1975) - Jack Rain, organ

Welcome & Announcements (for complete list, please see below) - Rev. Robert Galloway

Call to Worship - Robert Galloway

In the stillness and in the song, God draws near.  

We come, drawn by grace, to seek and to sing.  

Christ is the mystery once hidden, now revealed.  

He is the head of the church, our peace and our hope.  

Let us lift up our voices in praise and prayer.  

We rejoice in the God who welcomes and reconciles.  

Come, let us worship God.

*Hymn #726: “Will You Come and Follow Me” KELVINGROVE

Call to Confession - Helen Shaw

Prayer of Confession (unison) - Helen Shaw 

God of truth and mercy, you call to us and give us your word, but we struggle to trust your voice. You invite us into your household, but we choose to close doors instead of welcome you in. You give us Christ, who is our peace, but we are too proud to recognize our need for his grace. Have mercy on us, O God. Set us free from the burdens we carry. Remove our sins. Renew in us our trust in you and the joy of belonging to your body. 

Assurance of Pardon - Helen Shaw 

…Friends, believe the good news: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! 

Passing the Peace - Helen Shaw 

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

*Response #582: “Glory to God Whose Goodness Shines on Me” (v. 1) GLORY TO GOD

Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me, and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me, and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.

Time for Young Disciples - Robert Galloway

Prayer for Illumination - Jim Garnett

First Scripture Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a - Jim Garnett 

Sermon Scripture: Colossians 1:15-28 - Robert Galloway 

…The word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

Sermon - Robert Galloway

*Hymn #450: “Be Thou My Vision” SLANE

*Affirmation of Faith: Adpated from the Confession of 1967 (unison) - Jim Garnett 

In Jesus of Nazareth, true humanity was realized once for all. Jesus, a Palestinian Jew, lived among his own people and shared their needs, temptations, joys, and sorrows. He expressed the love of God in word and deed and became a brother to all kinds of sinful people. In giving himself freely for them he took upon himself the judgment under which all people stand convicted. At their hands, Christ died. God raised him from the dead, vindicating him as Messiah and Lord. The victim of sin became victor, and won the victory over sin and death for all people.  The risen Christ is the Savior for all people. Those joined to him by faith are set right with God and commissioned to serve as his reconciling community. Christ is head of this community, the church, which began with the apostles and continues through all generations. 

Presentation of our Gifts – Invitation - Jim Garnett    

…Please join me in a unison Prayer of Dedication: 

Holy God, all things come from you - life and breath, creation and community, Christ and the church. We return to you a portion of your abundance, symbols of our gratitude and signs of our trust. Bless and multiply these gifts, we pray. Let them serve the work of Christ in the world: feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, encouraging the weary, and proclaiming the gospel. Shape us into living offerings, so that in our words and actions your grace may be made visible. May Christ, the head of the body, be glorified in what we give, in how we serve, and in the lives we lead day by day. Amen.

Offertory Solo: “How Great Thou Art,” arr. by Dan Forrest (b. 1978) - Lauren Cattell, soprano

*Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH 

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer - Robert Galloway 

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 forever. Amen.   

*Closing Hymn #634: “To God Be the Glory” TO GOD BE THE GLORY 

Charge & Benediction - Robert Galloway 

Postlude: “Postlude in F,” Eric H. Thiman (1900–1975) - Jack Rain, organ 

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Announcements:               

 Today, July 20

  • A Stephen Minister is available at the close of this service

Tuesday, July 22

  • Ladies’ Bible Study, 9 a.m., Youth Center

Wednesday, July 23

  • No Praise Band Rehearsal

Friday, July 25

  • Men's Lunch Bible Study, 12 p.m., via Zoom 

Saturday, July 26

  • Packing pencil cases to get a head-start on Mission Sunday, starting at 8 a.m. in Fellowship Hall

Sunday, July 27

  • Childcare available 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pickups, Room S-203

  • Connect Service, 9 a.m., Youth Center

  • Power Hour class, 10 a.m., Church Office Conference Room

  • Children’s Sunday School, (Pre-K-5th), 10 a.m., S-203

  • Faith Journey class, 9:45 a.m., Chapel

  • “Next” Adult class, 10 a.m., Room N-123 

  • Mission Sunday! We are partnering with Live Love St Pete to pack supplies into backpacks (our goal this year is 1,000 backpacks!) that will be given away to families in need at the start of the school year. We will also be working on Saturday, July 26, on prepacking some supplies into pencil boxes. Everything will be set up in Fellowship Hall...we encourage you to come when you can!

Amy McCutcheon