November 16, 2025 Service

23rd Sunday after Pentecost Celtic Celebration Preschool Sunday We welcome you to EPC! May the love and warmth of God’s grace be with you as you worship. We Gather Before God Chimes Welcome & Announcements Prelude           Sing Out My Soul           Traditional Irish *Call to Worship Children of God: welcome! Welcome to this place of love and grace, Welcome to this place of hope and perseverance. God invites all of us to be a part of the beloved community, God invites all of us to share in the good news: We are welcome, just as we are. We are loved, just as we are. In gratitude for all of this, and in gratitude for Eastminster Presbyterian Church and Eastminster Preschool, let us worship God. *Hymn No. 551     Come, Ye Thankful People, Come      St. George’s Windsor 1 Come, ye thankful people, come,  Raise the song of harvest home: All is safely gathered in,  Ere the winter storms begin; God, our Maker, doth provide  For our wants to be supplied; Come to God’s own temple, come,  Raise the song of harvest home. 2 All the world is God’s own field,  Fruit unto God's praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown; First the blade, and then the ear,  Then the full corn shall appear: Lord of harvest, grant that we  Wholesome grain and pure may be. 3 For the Lord our God shall come,  And shall take the harvest home; From each field shall in that day  All offenses purge away; Give the angels charge at last  In the fire the tares to cast, But the fruitful ears to store  In God's garner evermore. 4 Even so, Lord, quickly come  To Thy final harvest home; Gather Thou Thy people in,  Free from sorrow, free from sin; There forever purified,  In Thy presence to abide: Come, with all Thine angels come,  Raise the glorious harvest home. Prayers by Youth God, thank you for friends. They are wonderful to talk to, to hang out with, and they let you spill your guts. Friends help you get through the long road of life. They remind you that tomorrow will be a better day. Friends help you say “goodbye” to your problems… just like you do. If I have a problem, I know that I can give it to you, and I won’t have to worry about it anymore. You are truly an awesome friend. (~ Tera Tronsky, Blessing New Voices) Dear God, give me the patience to accept my friend as he is. Grant me the strength to hold him up in his time of need. Give me the dedication to see him through the good times and the bad. Give me the honesty to say what needs to be said. Give me the intelligence to know when to just be silent. Give me the courage to follow my heart. And bless our past, present, and future together. Amen. (~ Leslie Hoffman, Blessing New Voices) God, you have always been there for me in times when I needed help or guidance. You have given me many gifts of love, kindness, and faith. I know others will get just the same gifts. So, keep me and my family and friends safe. But also keep the hungry fed, and get the poor money, and give the insecure people security and faith. Amen. (~ Matt Loos, Blessing New Voices) Dear God, please let there be world peace. Let the world end fighting. Let the people cease to hate. Let us all be of equal power under you. Let us learn to respect one another. Take us into your healing hands, so we may all love one another. Let there be hope for a new beginning, with enough food and shelter for all. Accept is all into your realm of heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. (~ First Congregational Church Youth Group, Blessing New Voices) Christmas Shoeboxes blessing *Congregational Response    Now Thank We All Our God (vs. 3)     Nun Danket Alle Gott All praise and thanks to God who reigns in highest heaven, To Father and to Son and Spirit now be given. The one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore, The God who was and is and shall be evermore. *Passing the Peace of Christ Peace be with you. And also with you. We Listen to God’s Word Musical Offering         Sing to God with Gladness       Gaelic Folk Melody Scripture   The Friend of Little Children (from Matthew 18 & 19, Mark 10, Luke 18) The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally Lloyd Jones The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Preschool Presentation                  Carly Kearns, Director We Respond to God’s Grace *Hymn          Praise God for the Harvest     English Folk Melody 1 Praise God for the harvest of orchard and field. Praise God for the people who gather their yield, The long hours of labor, the skills of a team, The patience of science, the power of machine. 2 Praise God for the harvest of science and skill, The urge to discover, create and fulfill. For dreams and inventions that promise to gain A future more hopeful, and world more humane. 3 Praise God for the harvest of mercy and love, For leaders and peoples who struggle and serve With patience and kindness that all may be led To freedom and justice, and all may be fed. *Affirmation Of Faith: I See My Reflection through Jesus’ Eyes, L