Welcome to Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church 

Where the love of Christ builds a harbor of acceptance, inspiration, 

Fellowship, service and joy. 

You enrich our worship with your presence. 

"When we say welcome we mean it!"

Sound Recording only - Podcast

It is not possible to pass the collection plate at our live home church.

  We do need your contributions.  Please sent your check, made out to Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church to:

Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church

c/o Monty Rice

1298 Warren Rd.

Cambria, CA 93428

If this is your first time here, WELCOME. 

If you have a prayer request, please send to:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church-PCUSA 

2700 Eton Rd. • Cambria, CA 93428 

Call or text 805.395.1521 

Info: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. website: www.safeharborcambria.org 

The Gathering 

Prelude Deborah Farrand 

At the tolling of the bell, please quietly prepare your heart for worship. 

Meditation Music Deborah Farrand 

Welcome and Announcements 

† Call to Worship

Leader: Our God is a God of Grace and a God of Glory.
People: God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
Leader: God, in his son is our eternal shepherd.
People: He is our salvation, our Lord and Savior in life and death.
Leader: God gives us help.
People: He gives us the Holy Spirit, our advocate and balm.
Leader: God feeds and nurtures us.
People: He give us the word and He provides a table for us.
Unison: With the saints of all ages, in a mystic sweet communion, we come now to worship God, the Three in One.

† Prayer of Adoration (In unison, from Psalm 34)
I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Amen.

†Hymn of Adoration # 730 I Sing a Song of the Saints of God

Prayer of Confession (In unison)
Almighty God, mother of mercy, father of grace: You have called us to one table, but we have pursued our own course. You have promised us the abundance of all creation, but in our greed, and in our envy, the world goes without. You have promised us the bread of life itself, but in our pride, and in our arrogance, the world goes hungry. You have promised us the waters of peace and justice, but in our violence, and in our discord, the world goes thirsty. And now we are famished, too. Lord, please hear our private confessions…
(In unison) Have mercy on us. Forgive us, again. Transform us, at this table, and for this table and send us from this table as servants of your righteousness, by the power of your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon New Creations in Christ
†The Sharing of the Peace

The Word

Hymn of Preparation #452 Open the Eyes of My Heart

Leader: Listen for the Word of God.
People: Our ears are open and our hearts are ready to receive.

Scripture: Hebrews 11:29-12:2

Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

Sermon: Don’t Give Up Rev. Eugenia Gamble

Hymn of Response # 505 The Trumpets Sound, The Angels Sing

The Prayers

Call to Prayer: Hymn #466 Come and Fill Our Hearts with Your Peace

Prayers of the People

Response to Prayer Hymn #710 We Are an Offering
Prayer of Gratitude

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Words of Institution
The Communion of the People
Prayer After Communion

The Parting
† Hymn of Parting # 326 For All the Saints

  † Charge and Benediction 

CURRENT PRAYER LIST 

Members of our community that are lonely, hungry and sick.

If you would like to support the work of Safe Harbor Church financially: 

Tax deductible checks may be made to Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church. 

During our period of isolation, please mail checks to: 

Monty Rice 1298 Warren Road Cambria CA 93428 

WHEN WE SAY “ WELCOME! ”, WE MEAN IT! 

Don’t Give Up…..Hebrews 11:29-12:2……..November 1, 2020

Hebrews 11:29) By faith the people passed through the Red Seas as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30) By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31) By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. 32) And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—33) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34) quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35) Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36) Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37) They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—38) of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and in holes in the ground. 39) Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not received what was promised, 40) since God has provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. 12:1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2) looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Book of Hebrews: Hebrews is not actually a letter. It is a long sermon that made the rounds of house churches in and around Jerusalem in the time of rising persecution prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Many in those house churches were immigrants who came to Jerusalem after the Pentecost experience to be near the Temple to await the return of Jesus. The author of this work is unknown.
The Central problem addressed: Two things were happening that threatened the very fabric of faith and life. 1)The rise of persecution and the necessity for people who chose faith to pay a very high and dangerous price. 2) A kind of internal spiritual laziness and apathy. Many of these early believers came to the faith on a great religious high, on or right after Pentecost. Ordinary life in the church was becoming boring and repetitive to them. They were falling off in their worship attendance and were not keeping the disciplines of prayer. In a sense they were being attacked from without and within.
Faith in the book of Hebrews: The word faith is used in a variety of ways in the NT. The Apostle Paul tends to use the word to refer to trusting acceptance of Christ’s saving work. Hebrews, which speaks of faith more than any other NT book (24 times in chapter 11 alone), uses the word in a different way. Faith in Hebrews is more akin to what we might call faithfulness. Whereas in Paul, faith is somewhat passive (we accept it as a gift from God and live in trust), in Hebrews, faith is active obedience. Faith produces power, allows one to endure and to take risks on behalf of the Gospel. This kind of faith grows out of both knowledge and action. It is based on the firm belief that what is now in this world is not all that there is. There is more to God and more to life than meets the eye (“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”). Faith chooses an ethic (actions in any circumstance) based on the belief that this world and its power structures and values are on the way out, defeated by the cross, and that God is even now bringing a new reality into place whether it is apparent or not. This aspect of faith draws the believer into active engagement with the world. It inspires, encourages and compels the believer to move forward, to hold fast, to repent and return to God, to be God’s instrument, to embody courage and confidence that flows from the Lord. Faith does not promise a life of prosperity, success or deliverance from suffering. Faith sustains no matter what comes because, by faith, we know that in the final analysis joy and blessing are our final home.

Word Study
Vs. 29-38 – By faith – We pick up the story here in mid parade. The author is presenting to dispirited readers a grand parade of heroes and heroines of the faith. As the list goes on it becomes increasingly clear that faith does not promise protection from bad things happening. The saints experienced opposition and oppression. Still they lived by faith and that allowed them both to endure and remain faithful.
Vs. 39-40 – The author summarizes his point, that God has commended the faith of those listed. They did not receive the full benefits of the promise in the short term only because something better was in store.
Verse 40 is very difficult to translate. The point is that we are all bound together in God’s plan for salvation, those who have gone before and those who will come after. It is not until all are brought into this incredible saving relationship that perfection will be fully achieved even for those who have gone before. The image is that even those in heaven are working with God to help accomplish our faith and faithfulness.
Vs. 12:1 – cloud – the image is of a sporting stadium filled with spectators. The word cloud often referred to an advancing army or a vast array. It is a word with great power.
Lay aside – literally hack away, like with a machete. This is not so much a violent act as an active choosing.
Weight – any encumbrance.
Clings so closely – this refers to reeds in sea and lake that wrap around a swimmer and drag him/her to the bottom.
Perseverance – patient enduring in the face of hostility, commitment to the end.
Vs. 2 – looking to Jesus – a clear focused gaze that concentrates on a single object and blocks out all distractions.
Pioneer – one who goes before and blazes a trail
Perfector – completer

Questions for Personal Reflection
1. What are the causes of discouragement in the church today? How do you see them manifest? Do you think persecution is still real for Christians in our culture today?
2. What are some of the images that provide you with a sustaining vision for your life?
3. The author outlines some simple steps for living faith more effectively? (12:1-2) How might you put those steps into place in your life this week?