Kirk in the Hills. A Christ-centered Community Called to Deepen Faith, Serve Others and Foster Fellowship

Transcription

1 Kirk in the Hills A Christ-centered Community Called to Deepen Faith, Serve Others and Foster Fellowship S, A 27, 2014 S S! E#$ There is nothing more important to the success of our journey to a future we cannot control than keeping our hope alive. Lewis Smedes Norman M. Pritchard, Pastor William L. Adams III, Associate Pastor Troy Hauser Brydon, Associate Pastor Carol A. Tate, Associate Pastor James F. Anderson, Pastor Emeritus Glenn A. Miller, Director of Music & Organist Dennis N. Curry, Associate Director of Music & Carillonneur

2 2 W & $ K' $( H# W & $ ) #( at Kirk in the Hills! We are glad to have you with us today for worship. If this is your first visit to the Kirk welcome! Please introduce yourself to a pastor after worship. H* A###$ U$#, L*-P$ B$# H&# are available upon request from an usher. P$# concerned about children becoming restless in the service are invited to worship in Cedarholm Chapel where there are crib- and baby chair stands, and the service is relayed on a TV monitor. A0 $ T # S3 The joy of Easter celebration seems to sit oddly with the reality of church life today, when Christians feel under siege in a culture increasingly secular and a church often confused and divided. Today we open the First Le0er of Peter and discover that our new, uncomfortable situation is not so new after all! Today we see a group of beleaguered Christians summoned to ground their life in the hope that Easter brings. It is a message we need to take to heart ourselves! T(! )* invites us to prepare our hearts for worship and our lives for faithful living: Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ s blessing, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Reprinted by permission from The Book of Common Worship, Software Edition, 1993, 1995 Westminster John Knox Press. T(! )# $( #$ $ are presented to the glory of God in loving memory of Thatcher W. Root by his family. H& N $# Glory be to Jesus was wri0en by John Ellerton at the request of the Vicar of Teddlington (a southwest suburb of London, England) as a processional for Sunday School children on their way to church. Ellerton was a nineteenth century English clergyman known for his activities as a hymn writer and hymnologist. Christ Is Risen was wri0en in 1984 by Brian Wren, Professor Emeritus of Worship at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. Christ Is Alive is also by Wren and was wri0en just ten days after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. for use in Easter worship at the church where Wren was serving as pastor in Hockley, England. The author of We Walk by Faith, Henry Alford, was an English cleric whose career reached its culmination as dean of Canterbury Cathedral. A prolific author, at the age of six he wrote a life of Paul and at the age of eleven compiled his first hymnbook. S$( M#$# are available for personal, confidential prayer in Melrose Chapel on the left-hand side of the pulpit.

3 F& S3! $( W #(! G Nine o clock, Sanctuary You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11 G$(* )$( R3 The pre-service music reflects the theme of todayʹs worship and offers a reflective atmosphere in which to prepare for worship. O* V $ Offertory on O filii et filiae (hymn 116) Alexandre Guilmant W #(* J The ringing of the bell signals the start of worship. Please stand and join in the opening hymn. * O* H& Glory be to Jesus Royal Oak (Hymn 267) Refrain: Glory be to Jesus, Let all His children say; Jesus rose, He rose again, On resurrection day. Again the morn of gladness, The day of light, is here; The earth itself looks fairer, And Heaven itself more near; Refrain Our song shall rise to greet you, If you our hearts will raise; If you our lips will open, Our hymns will tell your praise. Refrain Tell out, sweet bells, his praises! O let us sing his name! Still louder and still farther God s mighty deeds proclaim. Refrain 3

4 * O* P (said together) Lord God you made the hearts of the disciples glad with the knowledge that you had raised Jesus from the dead; forgive us because, like them, we find the truth of Easter hard to believe, and the good news of Easter faith hard to show to others in the world. Forgive us that we are so easily discouraged; forgive us that we take so much convincing of the hope that you have given to the world. We pray for your forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. * A## T($ G I# W* $ F *3 U# * O P#! $( G!$! G # F *3## Regent Square Glory, blessing, praise eternal! Thus the choir of angels sings; Honor, riches, power dominion! Thus its praise creation brings: Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory to the King of kings. W & S$ R*# John 20:19-31 (Pew Bible, NT, page 115; The New Adventure Bible, page 1194) The reality of Jesus resurrection breaks down the walls of fear and disbelief the disciples were hiding behind. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (Pew Bible, NT, page 232; The New Adventure Bible, page 1359) Easter faith brings encouragement and hope to troubled Christians. W )$( $( C( Children up through Grade 3 are invited to come forward to the front of the sanctuary for this part of the service. They will then be dismissed to a brief class in the Abbey. A$(& Come, Ye Faithful (Text printed on page 6.) Reginald SparshaC Thatcher S& FEELING LIKE A CHRISTIAN Dr. Pritchard R# * F$( O!!* Our giving is an offering to God. All offerings, whether made in the worship service or outside of it, are part of our worship of God and are used to support the Kirk s ministry here and in other parts of the world. P! D$ The prayer puts into words the faith we display through the offering we make to God. 4

5 A$(& The Lord Is My Light ( Text printed on page 6.) Frances Allitsen Jesse Donner, tenor * D R * Old Hundredth Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. P#! T('#*3* I$## Catching the note of thanksgiving from the Doxology, we now bring prayers of thanks to God and seek God s blessing on needs in the world. T( L # P (all together) ( debts, debtors ) A &$# F$( A$ Mr. William ArKberger * C #* H& 104 Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! Hymn to Joy C(* B$ Please take your seats as the pastor gives the congregation a charge to live the life of faith and then speaks words of Godʹs blessing on all gathered. C #* V $ The service ends with notes of praise and affirmation on the organ. Please be respectful of those who wish to remain in a worshipful frame of mind. Prelude in G Major Johann Sebastian Bach * Congregation standing We encourage worshippers to greet one another as they leave and assist visitors in finding their way to the coffee hour or to one of the Christian education classes. U#(# #3* at 9:00 a.m. are: David Li0leton, Captain; Thomas Baker, Cocaptain; William Baker, C. Robert Blank, Jr., Mitchell Bonne0, James Devlin, Buck Drummond, Todd Emerson, Robert Geusic, James Healy, Phillip Jia, Rodney Mays, Ford Meiser, George Rock, Peter Russ. At 11:00 a.m. are: James Keeling, Captain; Douglas Waldo, Co-captain; Jerome Allen, Josh Bi0erman, Ralph Collins, Dorman Dickerson III, Dwight Gammons, Christopher G. Graham, Hsin-Hong Huang, G. Lenard Johnston, John Li0le, Steven McCollum, Thomas O Hara, Jr., Gregory Pond, Peter Shaw, Stuart Shuster, Maynard Timm. 5

6 The Lord is my light 6 A$(& T S N $# T TR$# Come, Ye Faithful Reginald SparshaC Thatcher This text was wricen in the middle of the eighth century by John of Damascus, and was intended for used on the first Sunday after Easter. Scripturally it has its origins in The Song of Moses (Exodus 15.) John of Damascus was a theologian of the Eastern Church of such high stature that he was canonized by both the Eastern and Roman churches. He is also regarded as one of the greatest hymn writers of the Church; his hymns gained great familiarity in the English speaking world through translations by John Mason Neale during the nineteenth century when there was a renewed interest in the first millennium of Christianity. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain Of triumphant gladness; God hath brought his Israel Into joy from sadness; Tis the spring of souls today, Christ hath burst his prison, And from three days sleep in death As a sun hath risen. Neither might the gates of death, Nor the tomb s dark portal, Nor the watchers, nor the seal, Hold thee as a mortal; But today amidst the twelve Thou didst stand, bestowing That thy peace which evermore Passeth human knowing. The Lord Is My Light Frances Allitsen This piece is a secing of verses from Psalm 27. Frances Allitsen was a concert singer and a composer of songs, many of a patriotic nature, that were popular during the late nineteenth and first part of the twentieth centuries. Our soloist, Jesse Donner, concludes today his time as a Kirk staff singer, as tomorrow he begins the next chapter of his career as a member of the Young Artists Program of the Chicago Lyric Opera. We thank him for his ministry with us these past three years, and send him to Chicago with our prayers and best wishes. The Lord is my light and my salvation, Whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: Of whom then shall I be afraid? Though an host of men were laid against me, Yet shall not my heart be afraid; And though there rose up war against me, Yet will I put my trust in him. For, in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in his tabernacle. Yea, in the secret places of his dwelling shall hide me, And set me up upon a rock of stone. Now the queen of seasons, bright With the day of splendor, With the royal feast of feasts, Comes its joy to render; Comes to glad Jerusalem, Who with true affection Welcomes in unwearied strains Jesu s resurrection.

7 T$ S3! W #( Eleven o clock, Sanctuary You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11 O* V $# Offertory on O filii et filiae (hymn 116) Alexandre Guilmant I$ $ Dutch carol, arr. Charles Wood This joyful Eastertide, away with sin and sorrow! My Love, the Crucified, hath sprung to life this morrow. Had Christ, that once was slain, ne er burst his three-day prison, Our faith had been in vain: but now hath Christ arisen. * P ## H& 104 Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna! Hymn to Joy * P! A $ P! C!## (in unison) O God, we want the world to be different, we want our own lives to be different, but we resist changes you must make. We want you to rule in our midst, but only if you do it in our way. We want to live by faith, but we are reluctant to give up our doubts. As fearful as we are, help us to open the closed doors of our hearts and minds and let you take control. Come into our hearts and renew us, we pray, and give us hope through your resurrection victory. We pray for your loveʹs sake. K E# Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Herbert Sumsion A##! P * G P$ Regent Square Glory, blessing, praise eternal! Thus the choir of angels sings; Honor, riches, power dominion! Thus its praise creation brings: Glory, glory, glory, glory, glory to the King of kings. W & 7

8 C( P! I&$ Gloucester Then let us render him his own, with solemn prayer approach his throne, With meekness hear the gospel word, with thanks his dying love record; Our joyful hearts and voices raise, to fill his courts with songs of praise. S$ R*# John 20:19-31 (Pew Bible, NT, page 115) The reality of Jesus resurrection breaks down the walls of fear and disbelief the disciples were hiding behind. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (Pew Bible, NT, page 232) Easter faith brings encouragement and hope to troubled Christians. A$(& Come, Ye Faithful (Text printed on page 6.) Reginald SparshaC Thatcher S& FEELING LIKE A CHRISTIAN Dr. Pritchard * H& 108 Christ Is Alive! Truro P#$$! T$(# O!!*# The ministry of the Kirk is supported by the contributions of members and friends. All offerings, whether given during the service or outside of it, are part of the act of worship of God. * P! D$ A$(& The Lord Is My Light (Text printed on page 6.) Frances Allitsen Jesse Donner, tenor * D R * Old Hundredth Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. P#! T('#*3* I$## T( L # P (in unison - debts, debtors ) A &$# F$( A$ Mr. William ArKberger * R## H& 399 We Walk by Faith and Not By Sight Dunlap s Creek C(* B$ C #* V $ Prelude in G Major Johann Sebastian Bach * Congregation standing 8