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Monthly Archives

November 2021

2021-11-28 Hybrid Worship

By Intersections, Sermons

We are ready for you inside our historic, beautiful Red Brick Church or, join us on YouTube Live!

Get Your Worship Guide (click here) with Advent devotional readings, music, and prayers. See our worship preview, below!

Whatever your religious affiliation, or none at all, we all hear Jesus say, “Come to me all who are overburdened, and find rest for your soul!” Everyone is welcomed at Cold Spring Church. Yes, everyone!

Enjoy sitting with others from greater Cape May as we worship together. We simplified our service and made it even easier to participate, with our Worship Guide and lyric videos displayed on a large screen.

Worship on YouTube Live! (click here)

No internet? No problem!

If you don’t have internet access, just use our call-in number from your phone: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 882-3154-2428 Password: 1714.

 

Worship Preview

 

Message Preview

This week is the first week of Advent as the lectionary and liturgical cycle reboots. Advent is the time for getting ready. Anticipating what is to come—watching and waiting for the promised Messiah— Jesus. Why a reboot? Many might surmise that since Jesus has already come, that’s old news. But the Good News is not just about a one-time, distantly past event. Jesus’ birth is an event from the past, but each year we retell and relive the Greatest Story Ever Told because that one event changed everything!

You will want to worship with us on the First Sunday of Advent when we hear the prophet proclaim, “The Lord is our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16). Advent 202 is the time to realize that God is still doing marvelous things and continues to enter and transform our lives. When Jesus “moved into our neighborhood” (John 1:14), he moved in for good! Jesus is not historically bound to the past, but is in a dynamic relationship to be enjoyed right now, and into the future, too!

During the four weeks of Advent that culminates on Christmas Eve, we watch and wait for Jesus’ spiritual reboot of our lives, transforming our world, our communities, and lives. How will we experience hope? By watching and waiting, actively engaging, and being open to the Spirit of Christ today, this Advent season.

In our Gospel reading from Luke 21:25-36, we get a hint of the radical nature of Christ’s entering our world. We watch in hope—(What are you watching for during these unprecedented times?)… and wait in hope— (What are you waiting for? Whom are you waiting on?). If you were waiting for a sign, this is it!

Music and Video Preview

We begin Advent singing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, a solemn and delicate carol originally written in Latin with a title of ‘Veni, Veni, Emmanuel’ about 1710. The English translation of the Advent carol came about in 1851 when the priest and scholar John Mason Neale’s version was featured in the pages of The Hymnal Noted – a key text in the history of hymns collected by hymnal documenter Thomas Helmore. Let’s join in watching and waiting for the promised Messiah, Emmanuel (meaning God is here). Our worship experience concludes with Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. With it’s opening invitation “Come,” this hymn sounds the note of hope and anticipation that characterizes the Advent season (from the Latin adventus “coming”). Its blending of memory and hope helps us to give voice to our present faith as we stand between the past and the future.

Come and worship!

“…That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18).

Due to the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Cape May County, masks are again required, even for fully vaccinated worshippers.

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready for worship at home, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. If you’re in the sanctuary, feel free to share photos or text friends about what you are learning! Subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Energize your life and discover the amazing love of Jesus! This week is the perfect time to join us in person for worship. Enjoy live music and solo, lyric videos, and a message of hope from God’s word.

We are excited to welcome to worship all who are able and comfortable in-person in our historic Red Brick Church on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Your safety, health, and wellness are our top priority. Following the guidance from the CDC and health officials, we have implemented safety protocols and designed an approximately forty-minute worship experience that will be spiritually energizing and safe for you, your family, and other worshippers.

2021-11-21 Hybrid Worship

By Intersections, Sermons

We are ready for you inside our historic, beautiful Red Brick Church or, join us on YouTube Live!

Get Your Worship Guide Here (click here) with readings, music, and prayers. See our worship preview, below!

Whatever your religious affiliation, or none at all, we all hear Jesus say, “Come to me all who are overburdened, and find rest for your soul!” Everyone is welcomed at Cold Spring Church. Yes, everyone!

Enjoy sitting with others from greater Cape May as we worship together. We simplified our service and made it even easier to participate, with our Worship Guide and lyric videos displayed on a large screen.

Worship on YouTube Live! (click here)

No internet? No problem!

If you don’t have internet access, just use our call-in number from your phone: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 882-3154-2428 Password: 1714.

 

Worship Preview

Have you ever felt at the end of your rope?! Sure, we all have. The rope is a familiar metaphor for many of life’s experiences and activities. Sometimes we can feel like we’re getting all Tied Up, or walking a Tightrope just to get through our day, or wistfully longing for the simple joy of Jumping Rope as a child in the neighborhood. Remember playing Tug-of-war on the field? It may have Ben a while since you enjoyed the Rope Swing in your backyard. Ropes can also keep us on the path and guide us in the best direction. 

Our energizing message this week is from Mark 13 and Hebrews 4 and you are invited to consider Jesus’ promise to be with us in our present and our future. While visions of the “end times” may result in some anxieties, the end times is not at the end of our rope. Rather, Jesus promises to be faithful to us… “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). Even when Jesus envisioned the future destruction of Herod’s Great Temple, do not fear. Even the uncertainties ahead can result in normal fears, God promises to stand with us in our fear, to tie us as with a safe and secure rope, not only to himself, but to one another. Sure, we may not immediately correlate encouragement and safety to former church experiences, but at Cold Spring Church, we not only stand on the promises of God, we stand on the promises of God together.

Did you know that the the Latin root of the word “religion” is re-ligare, which means to be roped to a yoke? Many monastic orders still require the monk to tie a rope around his waist. It’s not a rope that keeps the cassock from falling. It was a symbol of God’s promises. The rope symbolized that we are all bound together in ropes of hope and faith and love. Find Ropes of Living Hope this week at Cold Spring Presbyterian Church.

Music and Video Preview

We begin Thanksgiving week in gratitude and praise, Despite its familiar Thanksgiving associations, our first hymn is Come Ye Thankful People, Come. The real concern of this text is to recall the harvest imagery Jesus used to describe the fulfillment of God’s sovereignty. The tune name commemorates the royal chapel where the composer was organist for forty-seven years. Sing along with our special video lyrics!

Leading into the Message for Kids, we will view a special video reminding us that we are not bound by our circumstances, asking God to embolden us to be a people of living hope in the midst of struggle and challenge, locally and around the world. Let’s be carriers of hope!

Just before the Benediction, we sing Now Thank We All Our God. Although this hymn is often used on festive occasions, its first two stanzas had much humbler beginnings: they originated as a family table prayer during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). These words have been associated with this tune and later with Thanksgiving in the United States.

Come and worship!

“…That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18).

Due to the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Cape May County, masks are again required, even for fully vaccinated worshippers.

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready for worship at home, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. If you’re in the sanctuary, feel free to share photos or text friends about what you are learning! Subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Energize your life and discover the amazing love of Jesus! This week is the perfect time to join us in person for worship. Enjoy live music and solo, lyric videos, and a message of hope from God’s word.

We are excited to welcome to worship all who are able and comfortable in-person in our historic Red Brick Church on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Your safety, health, and wellness are our top priority. Following the guidance from the CDC and health officials, we have implemented safety protocols and designed an approximately forty-minute worship experience that will be spiritually energizing and safe for you, your family, and other worshippers.

Live Here. Grow Here. Give Here. #GivingTuesday 2021

By Intersections

We are overwhelmed by advertising promotions, deals, and special offers in the weeks before Black Friday in the United States. While a wise consumer can take advantage of real discounts, we must be careful because the “savings” can add to more spending. This year the amount spent on Black Friday is estimated to be around $700 per person, followed by Cyber Monday that could double that amount! Good stewards are all about good decision-making, but our stewardship is not just about “saving” money. It’s about “investing” our resources in meaningful endeavors and organizations, too.

Please take a minute to visit www.coldspringchurch.com/giving . Clicking the green tithe.ly button takes you to our easy and secure way to help us make a difference in our community this year!

Thank you!

2021-11-14 Hybrid Worship

By Intersections, Sermons

We are ready for you inside our historic, beautiful Red Brick Church or, join us on YouTube Live!

Get Your Worship Guide Here (click here) Scroll down for worship preview!

Whatever your religious affiliation, or none at all, we will all hear Jesus say, “Come to me all who are overburdened, and find rest for your soul!” Everyone is welcomed at Cold Spring Church. Yes, everyone!

Enjoy sitting with others from greater Cape May as we worship together. We simplified our service and made it even easier to participate, with our Worship Guide and lyric videos displayed on a large screen.

Join Our New YouTube Live Stream! (click here)

No internet? No problem!

If you don’t have internet access, just use our call-in number from your phone: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 882-3154-2428 Password: 1714.

 

Worship Preview

We welcome back to the pulpit, ruling elder Mr. Norris Clark while Pastor Kevin and Melissa are on vacation. After our energizing Countdown Video, our first hymn is O Lord My God (How Great Thou Art). This tuneful retelling of the salvation story began in Swedish and was translated into German and Russian before reaching its English form. Truly an international hymn of praise! Despite such linguistic and musical revisions, it continues to be a meaningful source of comfort to many people.

Our second hymn is Blessed Assurance. Sometimes this prolific 19th-century hymn writer Fanny Jane Crosby wrote texts for others to set, and sometimes she created words for music others had composed. This text was of the second kind, and the resulting close fit between words and music has made them both popular and inseparable.

Come and worship!

“…That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18).

Due to the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Cape May County, masks are again required, even for fully vaccinated worshippers.

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready for worship at home, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. If you’re in the sanctuary, feel free to share photos or text friends about what you are learning! Subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Energize your life and discover the amazing love of Jesus! This week is the perfect time to join us in person for worship. Enjoy live music and solo, lyric videos, and a message of hope from God’s word.

We are excited to welcome to worship all who are able and comfortable in-person in our historic Red Brick Church on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Your safety, health, and wellness are our top priority. Following the guidance from the CDC and health officials, we have implemented safety protocols and designed an approximately forty-minute worship experience that will be spiritually energizing and safe for you, your family, and other worshippers.

2021-11-07 Hybrid Worship

By Intersections, Sermons

See our worship preview below. We are ready for you inside our historic, beautiful Red Brick Church or, join us on YouTube Live!

Get Your Worship Guide Here (click here) Scroll down for worship preview!

Whatever your religious affiliation, or none at all, we will all hear Jesus say, “Come to me all who are overburdened, and find rest for your soul!” Everyone is welcomed at Cold Spring Church. Yes, everyone!

Enjoy sitting with others from greater Cape May as we worship together. We simplified our service and made it even easier to participate, with our Worship Guide and lyric videos displayed on a large screen.

Join Our New YouTube Live Stream! (click here)

No internet? No problem!

If you don’t have internet access, just use our call-in number from your phone: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 882-3154-2428 Password: 1714.

 

 

 

Worship Preview

Gathering At the Lord’s Table 

Our in-person worshippers will be provided pre-packaged communion cups, which on-line worshippers may request by contacting the office. Or, you choose the bread. For the cup, you may use grape juice or wine, or water, remembering that Christ is the Living Water for all.

Message Preview

November 7th promises to be a fantastic Sunday! Why? Because we are celebrating both sacraments, the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and the Sacrament of Baptism. The first sacrament invites the community of faith to gather at the Table to nourish the Spirit. As with the Lord’s Supper, Baptism is a sign and act of God’s self-giving, by which God’s grace is made available to us. The sacraments give a distinctive shape to our worship and are the primary signs of the covenant of grace. As the faith community gathers with the family at the Font, we affirm the promises of God. And we promise to nurture the parents and the child presented for baptism.

Throughout Scripture, the litmus test for loyalty as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ is this: How do we treat the poor and vulnerable? How do we care for the least of these? Our Gospel text from Mark 12 tells when Jesus noticed who dropped two small coins in the offering box. The giver was a poor woman compared to wealthy religious leaders who “devoured widows’ houses.” Jesus was on a mission to end a corrupt system, not merely draw attention to the widow as an example to follow. Instead, we will see that Jesus wants us to notice the oppressed, neglected, vulnerable, and those who have nothing left. We will discover why this woman was poor and vulnerable how God calls us to make decisions rooted in grace and gratitude and our two sacraments of Table and Font.

Music Preview

Our lyric video hymn, Help Us Accept Each Other, was written by Frederik Herman Kaan (1929-2009), born in the Netherlands. He wrote this hymn on acceptance in 1974 after reading a Bible-study article written by Jacki Mattonen, a member of the executive committee on the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.  It was published in the World Council of Churches hymnal, Cantate Domino (1974), when it was the perfect length to complete the available space left before printing and has become widely used in community services.

Blessed Jesus, Living Bread sings of the many ways we are nourished and fed as a body of believers. From God providing physical sustenance in the Old Testament in mana from heaven to the spiritual substance of God’s Word in the Bible.

“…That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18).

Due to the spike in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Cape May County, masks are again required, even for fully vaccinated worshippers.Worship Your Way! In-Person, or Online. Masks are optional for vaccinated worshippers.

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready for worship at home, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. If you’re in the sanctuary, feel free to share photos or text friends about what you are learning! Subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Energize your life and discover the amazing love of Jesus! This week is the perfect time to join us in person for worship. Enjoy live music and solo, lyric videos, and a message of hope from God’s word.

We are excited to welcome to worship all who are able and comfortable in-person in our historic Red Brick Church on Sundays at 10:30 AM. Your safety, health, and wellness are our top priority. Following the guidance from the CDC and health officials, we have implemented safety protocols and designed an approximately forty-minute worship experience that will be spiritually energizing and safe for you, your family, and other worshippers.