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Covenant-First Presbyterian Church • 717 Elm Street • Cincinnati, OH 45202 covfirstchurch.org • office@covfirstchurch.org • 513-621-4144 Covenant-First Presbyterian Church January 11, 2026 • 10:30 AM Worship Our mission is to praise the Father, proclaim the Son and submit to the perfecting power of the Holy Spirit.
Welcome to Covenant-First Presbyterian Church Whether you attend Covenant-First Presbyterian Church on a regular basis or are here for the first time, we are glad you are here. Covenant-First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1790, and has been a part of downtown Cincinnati ever since. Our almost 2,000 pound tower bell is from the Paul Revere Foundry in Boston, and first rang from the steeple of one of our earliest buildings. This building was completed in 1875, and the Austin Pipe Organ dates to 1915, with its approximately 3,500 pipes. We have traditional worship with Bible-based preaching each week. Our music program is enhanced by our Music Scholar program and we are excited to have them lead in worship most Sundays. If you need help with directions to restrooms, the fellowship hall, or to the lower level nursery, the person who greeted you this morning will be glad to help you. Children and worship We delight in children, and your children are always welcome to stay with you in worship. However, if you would prefer nursery care for your infants and toddlers, we do have a professionally staffed nursery in the lower level. We invite children ages 2 years to 5 years to participate in Junior Church. If your child wants to participate in Junior Church, you may escort them to the lower level during the singing of the Doxology. You may then pick your child up following the service from the downstairs classrooms. Validated Parking Validated parking is available in the 222 W. 7th St. Garage. Validation is done using your car’s license plate number. Please locate a greeter to compete the validation process which requires your license plate number. Fellowship Time After worship, we invite you to gather with us in Metzger Hall for a reception featuring coffee, treats, and encouraging conversation. Many of us travel from a distance to join together in worship on Sunday morn-ings, and we find this weekly fellowship time to be a valuable and enriching time for us to catch up and meet new people. Please join us! About us If you are interested in learning more about Covenant-First Presbyterian Church, see your morning greeter, help yourself to any of the literature located on the back tables, contact the church office at 513-621-4144, or visit our website at covfirstchurch.org.
Pre-Service Music Pavane Maurice Ravel Andrew Hackett, Organist Concerns of the Congregation Rev. Dr. Dan Turis Call to Worship Hugh Ralston One: Risen King Jesus, ascended and reigning, gather us; lift our hearts from small stories into your global, joyful, Spirit-powered mission today. Prelude Improvisation on Llanfair Andrew Hackett, Organist Ringing of the Revere Tower Bell Let the ringing of the bell call our attention away from ourselves and onto the living Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. *Hymn #173 Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise *Invocation Hugh Ralston All: Ascended Lord, you walked into the clouds yet never left your church. By your Spirit, tune our ears to your Word, loosen our tongues for praise, and fix our eyes on your present-tense reign. Let this hour re-center us around your majesty and your mission. *Prayer of Confession Rev. Dr. Turis All: Majestic Christ, enthroned above every power, we confess how narrow our horizons have become. You promised power for witness, yet we cling to comfort. You send us to neighbors and nations, yet we stare at our feet. Our hearts, as Calvin said, are “idol factories,” cranking out excuses and rival loves. We treat your Great Commission like a great suggestion. Forgive our mission drift, our sky-gazing without going, our worship without witness. Lift our eyes and loosen our grip on ourselves. *Moments of Silent Confession Service for the Lord’s Day
*Assurance of Pardon One: Church of the risen Christ, hear the good news. The one who ascended did so as your crucified, atoning Savior. In him, God has already made you alive and seated you with Christ in the heavenly realms. Your failures in mission do not dethrone him or unsave you. As Spurgeon rejoiced, “I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need.” In him, you are forgiven, welcomed, and sent—covered by his grace, carried by his Spirit. *Gloria Patri #575 Glory Be to the Father Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Anthem Be Thou My Vision Arr. Alice Parker Covenant Choir Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; Thou my great Father, I thy true son; thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one. Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, thou mine inheritance now and always; thou and thou only, first in my heart, high King of heaven my treasure thou art. High King of heaven my victory won; may I reach heavens joys, O bright heaven’s sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all. Prayers of the People Lord’s Prayer All: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. Call for the Offering (If you would like to give online see the back of the bulletin.)
Offertory Behold, The Tabernacle of God Leon Abbott Hoffmeister Zach Burnham, Tenor And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. And he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people. And God shall be with them and be their God. And he will rejoice in his people. And the voice of weeping shall be heard no more, nor the voice of crying. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, shall wipe all tears, from their eyes. And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain. *Doxology #572 Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow At this time all children are invited to go to Children’s Church Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn #563 Great God, We Sing That Mighty Hand Scripture Lessons Acts 1:1-11 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Continued on page 6)
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” One: This is God’s Word for God’s people. All: Thanks be to God. Sermon When the King Walked into the Clouds Rev. Dr. Dan Turis *Hymn #326 God of Our Life, through All the Circling *Benediction Postlude Prelude in E-Flat major, BWV 552 (excerpt) J.S. Bach Christie Lee, Organ Scholar *Those who are able, please stand. The flowers on the communion table are given in memory of Justin VanEpps, son of Joan VanEpps. Justin lost his struggle with cancer on December 28. Our thoughts and prayers are with Justin’s family, his mother Joan VanEpps and uncle Phil Howles.
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