First Parish Church, Congregational On the Village Green Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Rev. John G. Hughes, II, Senior Pastor Donald R. Dunn, Director of Music-Organist Judy Haley, Pastoral Assistant Priscilla Duda, Christian Education Director Jared Hamilton, Youth Director Church office: 978-526-7661 ext. 1 Fax: 978-526-7882 Email: office.fpchurch@verizon.net Website: www.firstparishchurch.org
MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE Sunday, August 26 9:00 a.m. Rev. G. Jeffrey MacDonald ORGAN PRELUDE: Benedictus Gordon Young (1919-1998) CALL TO WORSHIP (Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18) Leader: Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. People: And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Leader: Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Then the people answered: People: "Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. Leader: He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. All: Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for He is our God." *HYMN: Lead on Eternal Sovereign NCH #573 ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER OF INVOCATION Come, Holy Spirit. Lift us to answer our callings. Grant us courage in church today to leave behind our idols, to abandon the false hopes to which we cling. Enable us to see Christ in one another. Bring peaceful assurance to those who ve come here today with trepidation. Stir curiosity and open ears in those who feel in a rut. Above all, open our hearts so we might abide in a higher Truth for the rest of our days, and bear authentic witness to the world s Redeemer. We offer this through Him who teaches us to pray, saying *THE LORD'S PRAYER (trespasses) Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen. *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 SCRIPTURE READING: Epistle: Ephesians 6:10-20 SOLO: Morning glory, starlit sky Words: W.H. Vanstone (1923-1999) Music: Bingham, Dorothy Howell Sheets (1915-2011) Jim Brennan, tenor Morning glory, starlit sky, soaring music, scholar s truth, flight of swallows, autumn leaves, memory s treasure, grace of youth: Open are the gifts of God, gifts of love to mind and sense; hidden is love s agony, love s endeavor, love s expense. Love that gives, gives ever more, gives with zeal, with eager hands, spares not, keeps not, all outpours, ventures all its all expends. Drained is love in making full, bound in setting others free, poor in making many rich, weak in giving power to be. Therefore he who shows us God helpless hangs upon the tree; and the nails and crown of thorns tell of what God s love must be. Here is God: no monarch he, throned in easy state to reign; here is God, whose arms of love aching, spent, the world sustain.
SCRIPTURE READING: Gospel: John 6:56-69 MORNING PRAYER CONGREGATION S JOYS AND CONCERNS SILENT PRAYER - PASTORAL PRAYER - CHORAL RESPONSE *HYMN: Blessed Assurance NCH #473 SERMON Serving God or gods? MOMENT OF MEDITATION OFFERTORY SOLO: Lord of all hopefulness Words: Thomas Kelly (1769-1855) Music: St Magnus from Divine Companion, 1707 Jim Brennan, tenor Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy, Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray, Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith, Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe, Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray, Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace, Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace, Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm, Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm, Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray, Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day. *DOXOLOGY Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below, Praise God above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. *HYMN: O Word of God Incarnate NCH #315 BENEDICTION
RESPONSE ORGAN POSTLUDE: Paean Gordon Young (1919-1998) * * * * * * The greeter and lay reader this morning is Rev. Lelly Smith. The Head Deacon is Wendy Smith and the Ass t Deacon is Jill Benke. The Flowers are given in celebration of the marriage of Deborah Hughes and Michael Rouine. The Sexton is Jennifer Gallagher. * * * * * Welcome to all who worship here this morning. If you are new to our church, a guest or visitor please fill out the Welcome Card in the pew, place it in the collection plate and sign the guest book located in the narthex. Please join us in the front of the church following the service for coffee, tea and hospitality. ATTENDANCE: Church, August 19, #64 * * * * * * CARE TEAM, Have you shared the experience? Our Care Team provides meals, rides, & visits to sustain families in our Church Community through times of illness and loss. If you would like to become involved with this wonderful support system please call; Sheila Kafer 978-525-3253, smkafer@comcast.net or: Janet Groth at 978-526-8408, janbythesea244@gmail.com COMING EVENTS Mark your calendar! September 9 Picnic Gathering Singing Beach 4:30 pm September 16 Sunday School, Nursery and Solace Youth Group begins September 23 Jazz Celebration Sunday September 30 Sauntering with God
FAITH FORMATION Tuesday August 28, 6:00 p.m. at Singing Beach (in case of rain conference room). All welcome! For more information, contact Judy Haley 978-937-8881 pastoralassist.fpchurch@verizon.net. Guest Minister, G. Jeffrey MacDonald is an independent journalist, author and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He s received seven national journalism awards and is a 2011-12 Knight Fellow for Reporting on Religion in American Public Life. His book, Thieves in the Temple: The Christian Church and the Selling of the American Soul (Basic Books, 2010), documents how churches have become marketdriven businesses that struggle to shape people of solid moral character. He lives in Swampscott.
Calendar this Week: Monday 8:00 AM Exercise Tuesday 6:00 PM Women s Fellowship (Singing Beach) Wednesday 8:00 AM Exercise 10:30 AM COA Yoga Thursday 10:00 AM Health Clinic 5:00 PM Missions Fishing Trip Plummer Home 6:30 PM Diaconate Meeting Friday 8:00 AM Yoga FLOWERS FOR THE ALTAR Please call Penny Lapham at 978-526- 7128, by Monday to be included in the following Sunday s bulletin. As we come to the end of the summer, please save some of your garden treasures for the Christmas Fair bake Table. Questions- call Mary Ellen 978-526-7178