Sunday Service Program
SERVICE SCHEDULE
Opening Praise
Grace Church Worship Team
Corporate Prayer & Apostles’ Creed
Scripture Reading
Esther 4:1-17 (ESV)
Sermon
”The Favor of God”
Rev. Gus Kim
Announcements
Rev. Gus Kim
LORD’S PRAYER
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,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits on the right hand of God
the Father Almighty.
From there he will come to judge
the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
*universal
SCRIPTURE
Esther 4:1-17 (ESV)
1 When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
2 He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
3 And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.
6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate,
7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.
9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say,
11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Welcome to Grace Church
We welcome you to our Sunday worship service. If you are new or visiting, we would love to connect with you. Please fill out the connection card by the welcoming desk or on our website at graceny.org/connect. Also, follow us on Instagram @gracenychurch and subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/graceny.
2. Lent 2024 (Feb. 14th - Mar. 28th)
During this year’s Lent, we will be reflecting on our theme, “Less of Me and More of Him”. We ask you to join us on this spiritual journey as we decrease, to increase Christ in our lives. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@graceny.org.
Saturday Morning Prayer: Every Saturday at 7:00 A.M. at Dream House (28-52 201St Bayside, N.Y. 11360).
We are also uploading daily testimonies on our website at graceny.org. Thank you MyeongHwan Cha, Michelle Han, Ashley Sim, Grace Lee, Lisa Moon and Paul Choi for sharing your testimonies this past week. If you would like to participate in sharing your testimony for Lent 2024, you may email us at info@graceny.org.
3. Passion Week 2024 (Mar. 25 - Mar. 30th)
Good Friday Service: Friday, March 29th at 8:00 P.M. in the Educational Building. We will be taking communion together during service.
Holy Saturday Service: Saturday, March 30th at 8:00 A.M. in Dream House.
4. Easter Sunday (Mar. 31st)
Join us to celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. Please prayerfully invite your family and friends to join us to hear the Good News of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
There will also be baptism during Easter service. Please keep Kelsey Leeseo Wong, daughter of Kevin and Jeanie Wong in your prayers.
5. Membership Orientation (Mar. 17th)
The second half of the Membership Orientation will take place today after lunch in Dream House. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Andy Chung.
6. FLOW Staff/Volunteer Meeting (Mar. 24)
We will be having our first FLOW meeting next Sunday at 3:30 P.M. in the Sanctuary. Please join us if you are volunteering or if you are interested in serving.
FLOW Decoration Fellowship will take place immediately after at 4:30 P.M. in the Educational Building. We invite everyone who is available to come for a fun time of crafts and dinner fellowship. You may contact John Minami at john.n.minami@gmail.com if you have any questions.
7. Spring/Summer Missions
Bolivia (April 5th - April 13th)
Bolivia missions is looking for unused smartphones and baby/children’s clothes donations for ages 0-10 yrs old. We ask that all donations be packaged in bundled bags and labeled as “Grace Church Bolivia Donation”. Donations can be handed to David Nam or dropped off at the Mission House no later than Sunday, March 31st.
FLOW (June 27th - June 29th)
Ohio (July 6th - July 12th) sign up by April 7th.
Wales (July 19th - July 27th) sign up by April 7th.
Dominican Republic (2nd week of August)
You may sign up on our website at graceny.org. If you have any questions, please contact David Nam at david.nam90@gmail.com.
8. Youth Group Friday Service and Prayer (Mar. 22nd)
There will be a Youth Group Friday service and prayer this Friday at 6:00 P.M. in the Educational Building. Dinner will be provided. Please pray for a spirit-filled time of worship and prayer.
9. 2024 Bible Reading & Devotional (Mar. 28th)
We will be starting Part Two of our one-year daily Bible reading plan on Thursday, March 28th. We are reading through the Old and New Testaments in hopes to have a better understanding of who Jesus is and God’s great redemptive plan for us. If you would like to join, please reach out to your Life Group leader or contact Danielle at danielle.kim812@gmail.com.
10. Sunday Worship Announcement
Due to limited space, we kindly ask that you move into the rows as you take your seat. We also encourage everyone to do your best to come to service 10 minutes early to prepare your hearts for worship. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
11. Pray with Us
Here are some prayer topics that we ask you to keep in your prayers:
Missionaries and partnering churches
- Chris Ko (Simplicity, New York)
- Emmanuel Muhammed (Hebron, Nigeria)
- Nicolas Song (YWAM, Taiwan)
- Peter Cho (Tabernacle, Wales)
You may also share your prayer requests at graceny.org/prayer.
This Week on Grace Church
- Daily Bible Reading Plan: Numbers 6 - Numbers 13
- Mon. BRF (Bible Reading & Fellowship): 2 Chronicles
- Tue. Book Club: TBA
- Thurs. Bible Study: TBA