At their 10:30 a.m. mid-summer communion service, Tyrone Presbyterians will feature tenor vocalist Larrie Derman, hear Pastor Liller’s message about the disciple Peter stepping out on faith, and sing several congregational hymns, in which life is portrayed as a challenging sea journey.
Long-time Presbyterian church elder and tenor vocalist Larrie Derman will present a solo before Pastor Liller’s communion service message. A 1957 graduate from Pittsburgh’s School of Mortuary Science. For more than half a century, Derman has served his hometown as a mortician, school board president, borough councilman, church elder, choral society soloist, and chair person of the Presbyterian building and grounds committee. Besides his extraordinary singing talent, Mr. Derman also owns and maintains three antique automobiles, is an accomplished carpenter, and enjoys the history of the Civil War and Gettysburg.
At this mid-summer communion service, Epworth Manor chaplain and Presbyterian preaching pastor Mark Liller will deliver a message entitled, “Why haven’t you walked on water?” With Matthew 14: 22-26 as his bible basis, Pastor Liller once again will tell the story of Saint Peter stepping out on faith to walk on the water to Jesus. When Jesus rescued frightened Peter from sinking, that disciple learned the lesson that Jesus challenges believers to step out to faith, and Christ will provide support if they sink.
In response to Pastor Liller’s homily about Saint Peter’s struggle to reach Jesus in a sea storm, the congregation will sing two American hymns which portray life as a journey to Jesus in a sea storm. They will open with Edward Hopper’s 1871 hymn which prays, “Jesus, savior, pilot me, over life’s tempestuous sea!” As August unfolds and autumn approaches, Presbyterians urge the people of Tyrone to join them at 10:30 a.m. on August 10, 2008 for mid-summer communion. There, they will hear tenor soloist Larrie Derman, listen to Pastor Liller speak about the faith of Saint Peter, and sing these comforting words about spiritual rescue: “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore/Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more/But the master of the sea, heard my despairing cry/From the water lifted me/Now safe am I/Love lifted me, love lifted me!”
