Welcome Message
HELLO! WELCOME TO WPC
Sunday, March 7, 2021 – Get Sermon
Westminster Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles invites you to experience Virtual Worship. Scroll the page to participate in Virtual Sunday Worship and join us on Sunday’s at noon for the Video Chat Coffee Hour on Zoom. See you soon.
Shhh, Virtual Worship is Starting
Opening Prayer:
Merciful God, we embrace this season of Lent as we prepare again to walk with Jesus to the cross. Speak to us, we pray, the solemn truth of Christ’s passion. Remind us that there is no life without death, no communion without separation, no glory without suffering. Give us courage and faith to receive these difficult truths and to align our hearts and lives with them. May we choose to lose our lives so that we may gain them; to endure the pain of separation that we might enjoy the fellowship of all your saints; to enter Christ’s suffering by entering the suffering of your children on earth that we may one day share in your eternal glory. For the sake of Christ, we pray. Amen.
Opening Praise:
“I Want God” by Maurette Brown Clark
“Quiet Place” by Take 6
CHURCH NEWS & GIVING
Announcements:
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Drive-in Sunday Worship Twice a Month: 1st Sundays and 3rd Sundays
Next FELLOWSHIP COFFEE HOUR via Zoom
on Sunday, March 14th at 12:00 p.m. / Noon
No Fellowship, Sunday, March 7th due to Drive-In Worship
Fellowship with your Westminster Family. Let’s join one another for a check in and fellowship following the morning virtual worship service via zoom. Join the Zoom Coffee Hour Meetings – Let’s Chat! – CLICK HERE
Attention Westminster Family
~ DRIVE-IN COMMUNION SERVICE ~
Sunday, March 7th, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. and
Sunday , March 21st at 11:00 a.m.
PLEASE ARRIVE 10:30-10:45 A.M.
On two Sundays of the month, We will have special Drive-in Sunday Worships. Holy Communion service on the first Sundays of the month and Regular Drive-in Sunday Worship on the 3rd Sundays of the month in our parking lot. Please pay close attention to upcoming emails about instructions for the service. MARK YOUR CALENDARS to meet in the WPC parking lot for our Westminster drive-in Communion service.
PREVIEW
DRIVE-IN COMMUNION SERVICE TODAY
~ Click Here ~
PRAYER MEETING:
Wednesdays at 5:30pm
Please join us for the via conference call.
Phone: (339) 209-4324 – (no code is needed)
BIBLE STUDY
Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.
As of Wednesday, September 9th, we will meet for our Bible Study at 1pm as to not conflict with the food giveaway ministry. Join Pastor Rhoden for our weekly zoom virtual Bible Study. – CLICK HERE
NBPC-SC
BIBLE STUDY & PRAYER:
Wednesdays at 12 Noon
Interaction Based discussions/Scripture Translation will continue until the end of the summer. – GET DETAILS!
*** FOOD GIVE AWAY ***
Thursdays at 11:00 a.m.
We know that times are tough. Thanks to our partnership with Immanuel Presbyterian Church, we’re giving away FREE FOOD to the community. Come and get your free box of food in the parking lot of Westminster Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles on Thursdays.
LEARN MORE ~ Click Here
Prayers of the People:
Gracious God, we acknowledge that temptation is ever present, always knocking at the door and nipping at our heels. It comes cleverly disguised and enticingly packaged, sometimes as decadent seduction but, at other times, as innocent amusement. We are foolishly overconfident in our ability to recognize and resist the allures of a culture that espouses values vastly different from the way of the cross and Christ. Thank you for this special season that reminds us to look to you for strength and guidance. Thank you that our identity is in belonging to you, not in keeping up with the ever-changing whims of the world. Amen.
Offering Song:
“Souls Anthem (It Is Well)” by Tori Kelly
Prayer for the Offering:
Wonder-working God, use all of who we are, and all of what we have, to uproot what is unjust, and plant what is loving. Through our gifts, speak your gospel to people we may never meet. May all come to hear your call to prophetic living. Amen.
Tithes and offerings:
SERMON MESSAGE
Sermonic Songs:
“It Ain’t Over” by Maurette Brown Clark
Sermon:
“Words to Live By”
~ Exodus 17:1-17 ~
By Pastor Carlton Rhoden
SCRIPTURE READING
SERMON
SERMON by Pastor Carlton Rhoden
Did you miss any of the Virtual Worship today? If so, Click Here and start from the top.
And we’d love to here your thoughts. Leave a comment below for our moderator to approve.
HOLY COMMUNION
Call to Confession:
We are good at rules: making them and then breaking them. Paul reminds us that, when we gain Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive exactly what we need – forgiveness, grace, hope. Let us confess our sins to God, that we might know God’s healing love for us!
Prayer of Confession:
Forgive us, Lord, for our preoccupation with things; for believing we would be happy if we only had more; for neglecting family in the pursuit of advancement; for giving low priority to the kingdom of God; for judging right and wrong on the basis of profit; for allowing discontent to cloud our lives; for pampering the body while starving the soul. With cries and petitions, we call out to you in the midst of our hurting. In the agony of our pain, we reach for you. In the turmoil of our brokenness, we plead for your healing touch. Save us, God. Save us from death, illness, pain, depression, economic oppression, racial inequity, fear, loneliness, violence and hate. We accept your grace and providential care for us in every area of life and cling to your assurance of love and acceptance. Forgive us, Lord, for our preoccupation with the things of the world, and enable us to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Know that God always goes with us. Know that God is always there to lead us, guide us, forgive us, comfort us and encourage us. Know that God is always near to us, now and forever. Amen.
Communion to the People:
Holy Communion with Westminster Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles
Communion Song:
“At The Cross” by the Asidors
Closing Song:
“Family of God” by Take 6
CLOSING PRAYER
Go now into the world. Go now, following the example of our Lord Jesus.
May your lives reflect God’s love and grace.
May your lives reflect the life and teachings of Jesus.
May we continue on this Lenten journey, ever growing closer to Jesus Christ and ever growing more perfect in God’s love.
Go now in God’s peace. Amen.
We hope you enjoyed Virtual Sunday Worship.
ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW, SHARE THE WORSHIP,
& JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT COFFEE HOUR on ZOOM at NOON on Sunday, March 7th.
MEET PASTOR RHODEN
Rev. Carlton A. Rhoden
Westminster Presbyterian Church / Los Angeles
Rev. Carlton A. Rhoden became the Pastor/Head of Staff of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in April, of 2014. Rev. Rhoden comes with a wealth of experience, having formerly served as Senior Minister of the First Baptist of Los Angeles from 2006 until 2013. Rev. Rhoden earned a Masters of Divinity from the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley California in 2005. Upon graduation Rev. Rhoden was awarded “The J. Alfred Smith Sr. Award for Outstanding Ministry in the Black Church”. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Program class of 2005. Rev. Rhoden received a Bachelor of Science in Social Work with a minor in African American Studies from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in 1999. While at Stockton, Rev. Rhoden was a member of the Men’s Basketball team, a member of Student Government, and pledged Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.
He is also active in community organization, most recently with Oakland Community Organizations. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in this field and has provided advice and consulting for community organization groups from coast to coast.
Carlton is married to Nikki Thomas-Rhoden. Nikki holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. They have two children, CJ and Maya. Nikki is a Social Worker who has a great concern for children in need. She is a graduate of Richard Stockton College of N.J. (B.A.), and a Master’s of Public Administration from Cal State Hayward. She is currently employed at Penny Lane Centers as a Site Director of Wrap Around. She is devoted to her family and the ministry of Westminster Presbyterian Church Los Angeles. Most importantly she is the best wife and mother a man and his children (Maya and C.J.) can have.
Leave A Comment