ORDER OF SERVICE October 19, 2014 Inspirica Sunday PRELUDE WORDS OF WELCOME INTROIT CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: God has searched us and known us. God has knit us in our mother s wombs and read the book of our lives before our days began. All: We come to worship God, who understands us completely. Leader: All: Leader: All: God seeks us when we flee whether we take the wings of the morning or make our bed in the earth, God s hands hold us tenderly. We come to worship God, who cares for us completely. God s thoughts are more than the sand of the sea, yet God knows every word that falters on our tongues and every stumbling path we wander. We come to worship God, who loves us until we find ourselves at home. *HYMN No. 21 Let the Whole Creation Cry *The congregation is invited to stand
*PRAYER Holy God, whose name is not honored where the needy are not served, and the powerless are treated with contempt: may we embrace our neighbor with the same tenderness that we ourselves require; so your justice may be fulfilled in love, through Jesus Christ. Amen. *THE LORD S PRAYER (using trespasses ) *GLORIA PATRI 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. A TIME FOR BLESSING CHILDREN S MESSAGE Children may now leave for Church School. ANTHEM I ve Got Peace Like a River Spiritual I ve got peace like a river, I ve got peace like a river in my soul, I ve got peace like a river, I ve got peace like a river, I ve got peace like a river in my soul. I ve got love like an ocean, I ve got love like an ocean,
I ve got love like an ocean in my soul, I ve got love like an ocean, I ve got love like an ocean, I ve got love like an ocean in my soul. I ve got joy like a fountain, I ve got joy like a fountain, I ve got joy like a fountain in my soul, I ve got joy like a fountain, I ve got joy like a fountain, I ve got joy like a fountain in my soul. SCRIPTURE LESSON Isaiah 65:17-19, 21-22 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
SERMON Calling All Prophets! The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann *HYMN No. 490 Sister, Let Me Be Your Servant OFFERING Invitation Offertory Prayer Anthem The Prophet s Song Jane Marshall, lyrics John Thornburg To sing when fleeting breath and truant hope forbid, To stand when gusts of fear at cyclone strength prevail, To act when blanket-heavy apathy surrounds, To roar when falsehood clothed in silence overwhelms; This then is faith: the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, and in God s good grace To sing, to stand, to act, to roar. We are called to live this faith. *Doxology No. 46 *Hymn No. 720 O Beautiful for Spacious Skies (verse 1) PASTORAL PRAYER *HYMN No. 658 Restless Weaver
CHURCH PRAYER Our Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no illwill ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense; and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BENEDICTION CHORAL RESPONSE POSTLUDE
ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT We, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshiped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord. ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREED I believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, com fort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.
Welcome to Inspirica Sunday at Round Hill Community Church. Inspirica (formerly St. Luke s LifeWorks) is an extraordinary agency in the city of Stamford, dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in lower Fairfield County. Today we are announcing a major initiative at Inspirica in the area of early childhood development and parental support, made possible to a significant degree by a grant from our Outreach Committee. We are joined by Jason Shaplen, the Executive Director of Inpsirica and the Agency s Director of Volunteers, Kelly Leather. Following the service there will be opportunities to meet Jason and Kelly, sign up to volunteer at one of the Agency s youth programs, and make a snack bag to be delivered next week to children in the transitional housing program. This is the beginning of a growing partnership between Inspirica and Round Hill Community Church: Please join the celebration! A special thank you to our Outreach Committee: Sandy Motland, Chair Dick Bergstresser Nancy Fuzesi Steve Fuzesi Hadi Hajjar Kerri Ann Hofer Louise Hoffman Roland Kistler Libby McKee Helen O Malley Hooker O Malley Jenny Rye Ed Horstmann, ex officio
CHURCH NEWS We thank Martina Halsey and Craig DeMott for ushering. Thank you to Matthew Russell, our guest organist today. Thank you to Lyn and Bob Harmon for hosting Coffee Hour this morning. Please join them in the Parlor following the service. A Personal Vision, an exhibition of paintings honoring breast cancer awareness, will be on display in Les Beaux Arts through November 25. Meet the artist Martha Robinson, during Coffee Hour. The final two sessions of the Autumn Book Study will be Sunday Oct. 26 following Coffee Hour and Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Join Ed Horstmann to continue the discussion, How to Change the World: Rediscovering the Message and Mission of Jesus, by Mike Slaughter. Books are available in the Office. Come and learn with us! Volunteers needed to help make Christmas decorations on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., upstairs at the Studio in the Community House to sell at Christmas on Round Hill. We ll be baking again for Christmas on Round Hill on Mondays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. starting tomorrow. Join us in the kitchen of the Community House for one session or all, and for crumbs and tea. Please call or e-mail Nancy Lane 203-869-7927 or nanbop2aol.com
Our traditional Harvest Supper is this Wednesday, October 22 in the Community House. Bring your holiday shopping list because the Round Hill Studio will have handcrafted items on sale. Some of the one-of-a-kind items you can choose from will be: Children s toys and games Antique umbrella stand Primitive scene vinegar grain sofa table Lazy Susans, marbelized and vinegar grained Sailors Valentine Etched glassware Salad plates Join us for a turkey dinner with all the fixins, time with old friends and new, and a spirited songfest to finish off the evening. Purchase tickets online at roundhillcommunitychurch.org This year s stewardship theme is Blessed to Be A Blessing. We invite you to learn more about the vision and direction of Round Hill Community Church with Ed Horstmann Monday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Parlor. Refreshments will be served. The Single Women s Group will meet on Saturday, Nov. 1 in the Church Parlor, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Plan to bring your own lunch and drink. Please RSVP to Anita Keire or the Office. The Women s Gathering of the Round Hill Community Church will meet in the Parlor on Friday, Nov. 7 at 6:00 p.m. Our special guest speaker, Rhona Johnson, will share her memories of a childhood in WWII Britain. Appetizers (finger food please) will be gratefully accepted. A suggested offering of $12 is requested. RSVP to the Office.
REFLECTION For this week s reflection we share with you the mission of Inspirica: Our mission is to break the cycle of homelessness by helping people achieve - and maintain - permanent housing and stability in their lives. We pursue our mission while conducting ourselves as A results oriented, cost-effective organization Caring professional staff and volunteers Believers in individual human potential, personal accountability and mutual respect. Senior Minister: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. Horstmann Pastoral Associate: The Rev. Lynne S. Kramer Minister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph Ahlberg Interim Music Director: Eugene Sirotkine Church School Coordinator: Connie Blunden Round Hill Community Church 395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831 203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org