CCLI license #1913561
Lakeview Presbyterian Church Service, February 28, 2021
The Celebration of Black History Month
The Second Sunday of Lent
Questions for Reflection:
Do you ever feel as though there is something holding you back? What is it that you are afraid of losing?
Prelude “O What a Beautiful City” Negro Spiritual sung by Keisha Prime
Refrain
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city, Hallelu
Refrain
Three gates in-a de east
Three gates in-a de west
Three gates in-a de north
Three gates in-a de south
Making it twelve gates to de city
Hallelu!
Refrain
My Lord built-a dat city
Said it was jus-a fo’ square
Wanted all-a you sinners
To meet Him in-a de air
Cause He built twelve gates-a to city
Hallelu!
Refrain
Twelve gates!
Twelve gates!
Hallelu!
Opening Words
We gather to worship the God who challenges us to grow beyond ourselves. God calls us to lose our selfishness to find ourselves. God calls us to empty ourselves to find life’s fullness. God calls us to follow in obedience to find true freedom. Let us worship our God.
Opening Prayer
God, there are many things that stand between us and the life you intend for us. We sometime lack the courage to seize the life before us. We sometimes are unwilling to leave the familiar and comfortable to move forward. We sometimes we are simply stuck . . . for reasons we do not understand . . . We come now to be made new and find the life for which we were born and to which we are called. Amen.
Minute for Mission: Black History Month
Johnnie Ruth Clarke ( 1919 - 1978) was an American activist, teacher, and humanitarian.[1] She has been credited as the first African-American to obtain a doctorate from any Florida public university and in particular the University of Florida College of Education.[3] She served as dean of Gibbs Junior College and as assistant dean of academic affairs at St. Petersburg Junior College, which offers a scholarship in her name. Johnnie Ruth Clarke got her bachelor's degree from Florida A&M University in Social Science and then went on to receive a master's degree from Fisk University.[2]
The Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center was also named after her.
Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center (St. Petersburg , FL)
The JRC Wholistic Health Center began in the old sanctuary and basemen of Lakeview Presbyterian Church. Originating from Mercy Hospital, now a historical landmark in St. Petersburg, the Johnnie Ruth Clarke (JRC) Health Center is located at 1344 22nd St. South St. Petersburg, Florida and officially opened in 2004 as a Federally Qualified Health Center.[6] The Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center is historically known for its efforts in aiding segregated African-American communities in St. Petersburg who could not afford medical attention or medical insurance.[7] Now being one out of eleven nonprofit health centers associated with the Community Health Centers of Pinellas, the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center was built around the original building of the Mercy Hospital, which was the first and only facility that delivered affordable health care for non-insured African-American residents until 1966.[6] Today, the original building of the Mercy Hospital and the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center oversee between 130 to 150 patients daily with or without health insurance, attributed by the civil rights activist Dr. Johnnie Ruth Clarke and the Community Health Centers of Pinellas, Inc.[6]
She founded the Florida State Sickle Cell Foundation in 1972[8] while she was assistant director of the Florida Regional Medical Program. The foundation was intended to tackle all aspects of the problem of sickle-cell disease including raising awareness, treatment and research.[9]
Hymn “ Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” William Williams 1745 sung by Keisha Prime
Guide me, O Thou great *Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty,
Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and hell’s Destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Prayer for Illumination
By the power of your Holy Spirit, proclaim the good news among us today so that we may repent and believe and see anew how the time is fulfilled and the kingdom has come near; in Jesus Christ your Son, our Savior. Amen.
A Reading from the Hebrew Scriptures Genesis 17: 1—7, 15—16
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you:
You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
Reading from the Gospels Mark 8:34—38
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Sermon “ Those that are Goin’ and those that are Stayin’ ” The Rev. Russell Lehman
Hymn “Be Thou My Vision” Ancient Irish Poem/Ballad sung by Keisha Prime
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Bless all the descendants of Abraham and Sarah, Jews, Christians, and Muslims, that we may trust in your promise, dwell together in peace, and be a sign of your abiding love,
God, your reign encompasses all the earth.
May there be peace among the nations and for integrity within governments, that your will be done on earth as in heaven,
God, you hear the cry of the poor, and you satisfy the hungry with good things.
May the poor and the oppressed, find deliverance,
God, you know the needs of the afflicted and you hear their cries.
May those who suffer illness of mind or body, find relief from suffering
and be restored to wholeness,
Holy God, by your grace, stir up in us the will to seek your kingdom
for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, through whom we pray. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical Version)
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen
A Statement about Offering our Gifts
With all humility let us make our offering to God, trusting not in worldly gain, but in God’s sustaining grace.
Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22nd Av S, St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website @lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org
Special Music "As I Went Down to the River to Pray" Traditional sung by Keisha Prime
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way!
O sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sisters let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe & crown?
Good Lord show me the way!
O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O mothers let’s go down
Come on down, don’t you wanna go down?
Com on mothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown?
Good Lord show me the way
O sinners, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sinners, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown?
Good Lord show me the way.
Prayer of Dedication
Accept these offerings with the dedication of our lives, that we may be for the world a sign of your abiding love and a testament to your enduring promise. Amen.
Charge and Blessing
Follow where the Lord leads in covenant faithfulness, trusting in God’s everlasting covenant and the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, will uphold you on the way.
Postlude “Deep River” Sung by Keisha Prime
Deep River, My home is over Jordan.
Deep River Lord. I want to cross over into campground.
Deep River. My home is over Jordan. Deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground
Oh, don't you want to go, To the gospel feast.
That promised land, Where all, is peace.
Oh, deep River, Lord, I want to cross over into campground.