Third Sunday After Epiphany. Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ January 27, 2019

Transcription

1 Third Sunday After Epiphany Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ January 27, 2019 Meditation I kept refusing to hear the voice that speaks from the very depth of my being and says: You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests. That voice has always been there, but it seems that I was much more eager to listen to other louder voices saying: Prove that you are worth something; do something relevant, spectacular or powerful, and then you will earn the love you so desire. ~Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved, The Bell is Rung Prelude Prelude for Organ by Ch. H. Rinck *Call to Worship Sung: Enter God s Courts Sing! Prayer and Praise #9 Enter God s courts with thanksgiving, enter God s courts with praise; for this is the day that God has made, we will rejoice and be glad. *Opening Hymn Spirit, Fill Me Sing! Prayer and Praise #4

2 Spirit come and fill me, fill me with your peace, fill me with your joy and your love. Spirit come and show me, show me how to care, show me how to share your light. Help me give my hand to those in need. Let my heart be open to receive. When we share your love, we can work together to heal this broken world. Spirit come and fill us, fill us with your peace, fill us with your joy and your love. Spirit come and show us, show us how to care, show us how to share your light. Help us give our hands to those in need. Let our hearts be open to receive. When we share your love, we can work together to heal this broken world. Spirit come and fill us, fill us with your peace, fill us with your joy and your love. Spirit come and show us, show us how to care, show us how to share your light. Help us give our hands to those in need. Let our hearts be open to receive. When we share your love, we can work together to heal this broken world. Unison Prayer (Excerpted and adapted from Flannery O Connor s Journal Jan Sept. 1947) Dear God, we cannot love you the way we want to. You are the slim crescent of a moon that we see and ourselves the earth s shadow that keeps us from seeing all the moon. The crescent is very beautiful but what we fear is that our own shadow will grow so large that it blocks the whole moon and that we will judge ourselves by that shadow that is nothing. We do not know you as we might because we are in the way. Please help us push ourselves aside. Assurance of God s Love 2

3 *Passing of the Peace Reading: The Summer Day by Mary Oliver September 10, 1935 January 17, 2019 Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I meanthe one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and downwho is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Musical Praise Keep Me Faithfully In Thy Paths by George Frederick Handel Gospel Reading: Luke 4:14-21 To Set the Burdened Free Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. News that he was back spread through the countryside. He taught in their meeting places to everyone s acclaim and pleasure He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, God s Spirit is on me; God s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and 3

4 recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free, to announce, This is God s year to act! Jesus rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, You ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place. Commissioning and Installation of Leadership Serving Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ We are part of the Body and Spirit that calls us all to serve in many ways. For some of us, that call invites us to leadership roles in the life of a congregation. Today, we install and commission those who will serve as Elders and Trustees of Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ. Invite forward Leadership for 2019 Gail: We are called by God to be the church, a sign in the world today Of what God intends for all humankind. We are all called. All: Gail: The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the benefit of all humankind; the shelter, nurture and spiritual support for all; the commitment to worship; embrace of the truth; promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kindom of Heaven to the world. Elders and Trustees, Deacons in the life of Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ, will you serve the people of this church with energy, intelligence, imagination and love, relying on God s mercy and rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit? Elders and Deacons: We will. Gail: To the Congregation: Do you, members and friends of this church, confirm the call of God to these leaders in service of Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ? Congregation: We do. Ray: Faithful God, in baptism you claimed us; and by your Holy Spirit you are working in our lives, empowering us to live a life worthy of our calling. We thank you for all the leaders past and to come of Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ; and we thank you for these leaders, called to us in this time and place. Establish in them your wisdom and guidance, 4

5 collegiality and willingness to work together to the betterment of our world and the lives we share together. All: Provocation Gracious, Loving God, leading us into the world with your presence and assurance, let your Spirit be ever our light, that we may be joined in love and serve with your and all who have gone before us. Amen. A moment for reflection *Hymn Arise, Your Light Is Come New Century Hymnal # 164 Prayer for Others and Ourselves Now, we invite you to enter into a time of prayer and, if you wish, to share your joys and concerns as I come to you with the microphone. We also invite you to write your joys and concerns on one of the prayer cards you will find the pew and placing it in the collection basket during the offertory. May we hear your joys and concerns? Let us pray the prayer Jesus taught the disciples to pray. Musical Praise Use Me, Lord Words and Music by Sheldon Curry Invitation to Give Offertory *Doxology Thank you for your generosity in helping us to share God's love for all. We are grateful for all the ways you participate in the work of this ministry, and more than anything, we are most grateful that you are here. We welcome your offerings at this time and invite you to place your prayer and information cards in the basket. We praise thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator; in grateful devotion, our tribute we bring. We lay it before thee, we come and adore thee, we bless thy holy name, glad praises we sing. Amen. *Closing Hymn Amen, Amen New Century Hymnal #161 Announcements 5

6 Benediction and Sending Forth Choral blessing Look At The World Words and Music by John Rutter The Bell is Rung Postlude You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel Music by Richard Rodgers and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Announcements! Please join us for Talkback following today s services! Souper Bowl of Caring Luncheon Please join us after service on Sunday, February 3, for our Souper Bowl of Caring Luncheon. Soup, bread and desserts will be on the menu and donations to support Sharing a Meal soup kitchen will be gratefully accepted. If you can help with the luncheon by proving soup or dessert, please contact Gini McLaughlin or Jerry Avolio at Also, if you know anyone affected by the partial government shutdown please make them aware that the soup kitchen serves dinner at 5:30 pm, Monday through Thursday. All are welcome, no questions asked. Likewise, the Sayville Food Pantry is available to them and is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 am to 12:20 pm. Thank you! Greater Sayville Food Pantry: Every month The Greater Sayville Food Pantry provides food, information, referral and support services to approximately 150 individuals and families in need in Oakdale, Sayville, W. Sayville, Bayport, Blue Point and Bohemia. Food donations are always needed and welcomed (no animal food, please). The Greater Sayville Food Pantry at 47 Gillette Ave., Sayville, NY Phone: (631) Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30am- 12:30pm or bring donations to Sunday Services! 6

7 Prayer Shawl Ministry - Thursdays If you have any interest in knitting or learning to knit - this is for you! And, we can use as many knitters as possible to keep up with the need for prayer shawls. Contact Sue Lanchantin or see Ray for more information. We'd love to have you join us! Thank you to all who knit and love and laugh for others! Can you help? You are invited to share in the ministry and mission of our church by: Signing up for leadership responsibilities on Sunday, continuing to provide food in support of Sayville Food Pantry, volunteering to run our slides and video each Sunday, joining the choir, leading a children's message, volunteering for Sharing a Meal, participate in our Prayer Shawl Group, attend Bible Jam... And there are more ways your help would be welcome. Looking for a chance to become involved and serve? Just let us know! Stop & Shop Cards are available at coffee hour each week. They make great gifts and are great way to purchase your groceries while supporting Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ. Newsletters: Are you receiving our weekly newsletters: echimes and Justice Chimes Newsletters? Let us know: ray@sayvilleucc.org. echimestv.com! You can watch our service live or afterwards by going this link: Calendar Bible Jam 2019 Choir Practice Prayer Shawl Ministry Senior Exercise Tuesdays at 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM (V) Wednesdays at 6:15 PM 7:30 PM (V) Thursdays at 10:00 AM (V) Tuesdays at 9:00 A.M.; Thursdays at 12:15 P.M. (V) Congregational Leadership & Life Meetings Full Board Meeting Monday, January 28 th at 7 PM (V) Trustees Meeting for Jan Feb Monday, February 4 th at 7 PM (V) Immigration/Sanctuary Forum Friday, February 8 th 12 PM 3 PM (V) Affiliates Sharing a Meal Inishfree School of Irish Dance Recovery Meetings Mondays 7:30 PM Tuesdays 7:30 PM Wednesdays 7:30 PM Thursdays 6:45 PM Saturdays 11:00 AM Mondays through Thursdays at 5:30 P.M. (FH) Fridays at 3:00 P.M. (FH) NA (FH) CODA (V) AA (FH) and SCA (L) NARANON (V) NA Serenity in Sayville (FH) 7

8 Be sure to visit our website at and our Facebook page at Remember to leave a comment and "Like Us" on Facebook! Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ For more than a century and a half, Sayville's Congregational Church has served families on the South Shore and been a voice for the progressive Protestant tradition. A member of the United Church of Christ since it was established in 1957, today we continue to celebrate God's love, to speak for the oppressed, and to welcome those seeking a spiritual home. To learn about membership, please speak with any deacon. Today s Worship Leadership Liturgist Sue Lanchantin Music Director Sean Cameron Greeter/Ushers Roberta Smith and Marie Mandell Hospitality Friends of the Church Projectionist Team Open for Help Building Close-up Open for Help Everyone can sign up. We will help you know what to do! We invite you to be Sunday Stewards! You can do it! J Please contact Heather in the office, Sue Lanchantin, or see the calendars in the Vestry hallway to get signed up! Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ Middle Road, Sayville, NY churchadmin@sayvilleucc.org Heather Corcoran, Church Administrator; echimes Editor Ray Bagnuolo, Pastor ray@sayvilleucc.org -- (Cell/Text) Thank you for being with us today. Peace. Shalom. Salaam. For the ways of peace are many. Namaste Please contact Heather if you have questions or need any additional help. 8