Sunday, December 1, 2013

Forest Hills Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, 1840 Ardmore Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, 412.241.1647, www.fhpcpa.org, Rev. Ben Black, Pastor.

Scripture

Psalm 106:1-13

Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise?

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

When our ancestors were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.

Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.

He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.

He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.

The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.

Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.

But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.

Colossians 1:11-16

(B)eing strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Bob’s thoughts:

This church enjoys a stately wooden cross accented by the peaked ceiling, and the colorful stained glass added drama.

The words for the songs and most Scripture passages were projected on the rear wall of the chancel. I appreciated seeing the words to the anthem: they were simple and easy to follow and understand, but it added power to see them in print. The solos were wonderful also.

We were almost welcomed during the Passing of the Peace of Christ; the exception was a vet who had occasion to land on Iwo Jima and distinctly appreciated Marines, especially the 6,000+ who gave their lives for that rock on which to land.

The sermon, “Thanksgiving in Advent,” dealt with giving thanks as we come to celebrate Advent. The message was personal to me from God.

My thanks to God come easy; He has blessed me overwhelmingly and I remember His intercession in my life. However I still struggle with showing gratitude to others for all the little everyday things in my life.

Saying thank you looks beyond oneself, and you cannot be too thankful.

To illustrate a point the pastor mentioned carrying two buckets of mud (mortar) on a job. It brought back memories of a job of mine when none of the teenage help showed up and two of us carried two buckets of concrete up two forty-foot ladders to place multiple yards of concrete.

I enjoyed the young girl who sang the offertory, “It’s About the Cross.” She had a great smile too.

Communion was served silently, and I noted the pastor was served by the elders. It was especially powerful after watching “The Bible,” including the crucifixion.

Jan’s thoughts:

Arriving with time to wander around gave us an opportunity to notice the ample signage: I was especially delighted by the useful restroom signs that jutted into the hallway. The facility is nicely decorated and well cared for. Coffee and treats in the narthex was a hospitable gesture to guests and members alike.

I had the feeling a few people would have liked to greet their visitors but all in all, few did.

The unique stained glass windows contain large images in bold colors and a large empty wall on the rear of the chancel makes a convenient PowerPoint screen.

It was a joy to participate in Communion, and I especially appreciated the Invitation liturgy. I loved that the words put some emotion into it. And the soft guitar music that was played while the elements were distributed added much.

The message, “Thanksgiving in Advent,” stressed the importance of remembering what God has done for us in the past and cultivating “a thankful approach to Christmas and to life.” He declared that our perception and thinking will be transformed if, instead of focusing on what we “need” or “deserve” we rejoice over our abundant blessings. Also that “thank you can never be overused in a relationship, including our relationship with God.”

I believe remembering what God has done in the past feeds our faith in Him for the future.

Our prayer for this church:
Heavenly Father, we pray for an awakening of thanksgiving in the hearts of all believers. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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