THE CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER UCC GENEROSITY/REFORMATION SUNDAY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017
VISION STATEMENT We are the Church of the Redeemer, United Church of Christ, an inclusive community committed to the worship of God, the work of justice, and the recognition of our common humanity in the struggles of life. We follow Jesus Christ, who welcomes all people to his table. We celebrate the rich diversity of God s people: in race, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, marital and economic status and culture. Join us on a journey of the Holy Spirit, where faith and intellect meet, learning never ends, and music and the arts draw us closer to our Creator. 1
WELCOME We are pleased that you could join us this morning; wherever you are on your life and faith journey, you are welcome at the Church of the Redeemer. If you have any questions, please speak with an usher at the back of the Sanctuary. If you would like more information about the church, fill out the visitor information form at the back of this bulletin and put it in an offering plate. We hope you will join us after the service at Coffee Hour for a time of fellowship go out the side door and follow the crowds. ABOUT US The Church of the Redeemer is an open and affirming, theologically progressive, mainline Protestant church affiliated with the United Church of Christ (UCC). It was founded as a Congregational church in New Haven in 1838. Our identity is summarized by our vision statement. CHILDCARE DURING AND AFTER CHURCH Children are always welcome in church. Activity bags for older children and rocking chairs for adults with babies are available at the rear of the sanctuary. We have a nursery downstairs for children through age 6; you can take your child there at any time (follow the "Nursery" signs in the Tower Lobby or ask the ushers at the back). CHURCH SCHOOL FOR THE OLDER CHILDREN Children in preschool through grade 6 are invited to join their teachers downstairs for Sunday School during the Passing of the Peace. Visitors are welcome to join our classes or remain in worship. LARGE PRINT BULLETINS AND ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES If you are having trouble reading this bulletin or hearing the service, the ushers can provide you with a large-print bulletin or an assistive listening device. 2
The Church of the Redeemer UCC Generosity Sunday Sunday, October 29, 2017 PRELUDE Johann Pachelbel Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WELCOME INTROIT Phil Porter Gathered here Please sing with the choir. We sing once in unison and then in parts, once through, repeating the last line until all are finished. Part one: lectern side, first few rows Part two: lectern side, back rows Part three: pulpit side, back few rows Part four: pulpit side, front rows All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-720478 3
CALL TO WORSHIP please stand Leader: Through the years God has called us to be a servant people. People: Our hands unfold from prayer to reach out toward others. Leader: Through the years God has accompanied us in abundance and in scarcity. People: We trust in the steadfastness of God to meet our needs, and more. Leader: Through the years God has challenged us to embody our beliefs in action. People: Generation upon generation, God is with us. Leader: In this service we affirm the love and grace of God made known to us through the years, All: And we respond with gratitude and generosity as we worship our God. PROCESSIONAL HYMN A mighty fortress is our God see page11 CENTERING PRAYER ANTHEM traditional This little light CHILDREN'S MESSAGE Jordan Rebholz PASSING OF THE PEACE Let us welcome one another with the traditional Christian greeting Peace be with you." "And also with you." Our children and teachers are invited to leave at this time to go downstairs for Church school. Nursery care is available for infants and toddlers through age 6. Parents may accompany new children to get them settled and return to worship at any time. Activity bags are available in the rear of the sanctuary for those children that remain in the worship service. 4
HYMN OF PREPARATION please stand God our author and creator verse 1, see page 12 SCRIPTURE I Timothy 6:17-19 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 SCRIPTURE RESPONSE Leader: People: God is still speaking. Thanks be to God. TESTIMONY HYMN TESTIMONY HYMN TESTIMONY HYMN Kathy Taylor God our author and creator verse 2, see page 12 Caryne Eskridge God our author and creator verse 3 Ken Minkema God our author and creator verse 1 MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION PRAYERS AND SILENT MEDITATION Prayer requests may be offered aloud at this time. THE LORD'S PRAYER unison 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, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. 5
PRAYER RESPONSE How deep the silence of the soul Verse one: choir Verse two: ALL All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-72047 6
OFFERTORY OFFERTORY ANTHEM J.S. Bach from Gottes Zeit ist die allebeste Zeit (God s time is the best time) Glorie, Lob, Her Glory, praise, honor and majesty be given to you, God, Father, Son and Holy spirit by name. May divine strength make us triumphant. SHARING OUR GIFTS Today our offering will be done a little differently. Instead of ushers coming through the aisles, we invite you, if you are able, into a procession to bring forth your weekly offering as well as your pledge form which expresses your commitment to the ministry of Church of the Redeemer 2018. If you have already sent in your pledge, thank you. If you re not ready to make your pledge today, that is, of course, perfectly okay. We hope you will continue to consider it prayerfully and offer it sometime in the next couple of weeks. DOXOLOGY 7
All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-72047 PRAYER OF DEDICATION Leader: People: Leader: People: Leader: People: With these gifts and pledges, we light a light. We light it, In the name of the God who creates life, In the name of the Savior who loves life, and In the name of the Spirit who is the fire of life. With these gifts and pledges, we commit to being a lover of the poor, defender of the wronged, and sanctuary for the rejected. With these gifts and pledges we say Thank you, God, for this our church and this our family of faith through whom we are sustained, enriched, awakened and renewed. We pause now to honor these, our collective offerings and pledges, dedicating them to living a ministry of reconciliation on earth as it is in heaven. To your glory. Amen. 8
RECESSIONAL HYMN Joyful, joyful we adore you #4 New Century Hymnal BENEDICTION AMEN Hallelujah All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-720478 POSTLUDE Johann Gottfried Walther Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott Please be seated during the postlude and use this time for silent reflection. Please join us for refreshments in the Sterling Room following worship this morning. You can get to the Sterling Room by exiting the side door at the front of the sanctuary. 9
THANK YOU TO THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THIS MORNING S WORSHIP SERVICE Deacon Shepherd: Nancy Carrington Reader: Nancy Carrington Hospitality: Courtney Mason and Caryne Eskridge Ushers: Courtney Mason Nursery Assistant: Tony Forman Sunday school teachers: Roslyn Hamilton, Jon Reed, and Peggy Strickler Next Sunday Hospitality: Cheryl Bergman, Aldo Cupo and Fran Giffin Ushers: Brad and Kathy Czepiel, and Meggie Czepiel 10
11 All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-720478
All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net. A-720478 12
ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY IS GENEROSITY SUNDAY The Generosity campaign is based on Paul s First letter to Timothy, Chapter 6, verses 17-19. Verse 18 reads: They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share. We all get to be in it by sharing. Letters to members and friends were mailed this week. As we have done over the past few years, we will bring our pledges forward during the service. Please prayerfully consider your commitment for the upcoming year. - Doby Hall for the Redeemer Generosity Team IT'S AUTUMN! LET'S SHARE AN ENTRÉE! The Redeemer Missions Team is organizing for its Fall 2017 dinner sharing and fundraising program called Autumn Entrees. Missions Team members and congregation volunteers open their homes to dinner guests who are asked to make a donation in the amount they would have paid for a comparable meal in a restaurant. We thank four members who have volunteered their homes to host four events. If you wish to be a guest at one of these dinners, please sign up on the Missions Team bulletin board next to the office door in the hallway. If you have questions please speak to a Missions Team member (Cheryl Bergman, Lorraine Morrissey or Roslyn Hamilton) or send an email to cmbergman476@gmail.com. MOVIE NIGHT -- BEFORE THE FLOOD WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st, 7pm, Sterling Room Join the Adult Faith Formation team for a screening of Before the Flood, a look at how climate change affects our environment and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet. Before the Flood, presented by National Geographic, features Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, traveling to five continents and the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand. This documentary presents a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world due to climate change, as well as the actions we as individuals and as a society can take to prevent the disruption of life on our planet. Before the Flood shows how interconnected the fate of all humanity is but also the power we all possess as individuals to build a better future for our planet. 13
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS NOVEMBER 5 Remember to set your clocks back one hour before going to bed next Saturday night, November 4. See you on November 5 th for All Saints Sunday! THE NOON BOOK GROUP The Noon Book Group will next meet Tuesday, November 14 at 12 Noon in the Phillips Room to discuss Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family s Feuds by Lyndall Gordon. Bring your lunch and join in the discussion and fellowship! THIS MONDAY: THE EVENING BOOK GROUP The Evening Book Group will meet again on Monday, November 27 at 7:30 at the home of Kathy Taylor. Book yet to be determined. All are welcome! THE KNITTING GROUP The Knitting Group The Knitting Group meets every third Thursday of the month at 2:30 in the afternoon in the Sterling Room. Please join us for this vital ministry of creating prayer shawls for those who need comfort in difficult times. The pattern is very simple and we will teach the stitches to anyone who joins us. We also can supply the yarn. We would love to have some new members! The next meeting is November 16. FLOWER DONATIONS Please consider donating flowers for a Sunday worship service. You may sign up on our flower chart on the bulletin board in the Tower Lobby. Flowers can be ordered from our florist at the cost of $50.00 or you may provide flowers yourself. Barbara, our office administrator, will contact you to make arrangements for the flowers and to ask for specific requests and how you would like an announcement to appear in the bulletin that Sunday. 14
Sessions with Susan! Remaining Sessions Please bring a story or insight, a question or concern, a hope or worry. If you re not a talker, just come and listen. Wednesday, Nov. 1 @ 10:00 AM Sunday, Nov. 5 @ 11:30 AM Sign-up is not required, but it is helpful. If you know when you re coming, please call the church office: (203) 787-5711 15
CHURCH MEETINGS AND EVENTS Sunday, October 29 8:55 am Senior Choir and girls, sanctuary Generosity Sunday 9:30 am Chancel Choir, sanctuary 10:00 am Worship and CS 11:15 am Children's choirs rehearse Wednesday, November 1 10:00 am Sessions with Susan, Parlor 7:45 pm Senior Choir, sanctuary Sunday, November 5 All Saints Sunday Daylight Savings Time ends set clocks back one hour 8:55 am Senior Choir and girls, sanctuary 10:00 am Worship and Communion 11:15 am Children s Choirs rehearse 11:30 am Sessions with Susan, Parlor 16
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SAFE CHURCH POLICY The Church of the Redeemer aspires to provide a safe environment for people of all ages; physical and sexual abuse and harassment will not be tolerated in any way. The full text of our Safe Church policy is available on our website. REDEEMER OFFICE HOURS The Redeemer office is open Mondays through Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. You may also contact the office by sending an email to redeemer@uccredeemer.org. WELCOME VISITORS TO THE CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER UCC! Please let us know more about you and how we can serve you. Please complete this card and place it in the offering plate or hand it to an usher. Name: Address: Phone: Email address: I would like to be on your mailing list to receive newsletter (email or USPS) I would like information about Sunday School for my children: Name(s)/Ages(s): I would like a call from the Pastor. 18
The Church of the Redeemer United Church of Christ 185 Cold Spring Street New Haven, CT 06511 Phone: 203-787-5711 redeemer@uccredeemer.org http://uccredeemer.org Join us on Facebook at Church of the Redeemer New Haven Susan J. Murtha, Interim Senior Minister Jordan Rebholz, Minister for Faith Formation Robert Parker, Moderator of the Church Henry Sykes, Treasurer Kay Comendul, Clerk Marguerite Brooks, Director of Music Julia Blue Raspe, Chancel Choir Director and Alto Section Leader Paul Berry, Boys' Choir Director and Tenor Section Leader Sarah Reed, Soprano Section Leader Brian Robinson, Bass Section Leader Larry Bishop, Organist Barbara Repetsky, Office Administrator and Financial Secretary Collin Morrissey, Security Lou and Valarie Fanelli, Sextons Margaret Fraser, Nursery Attendant Emily Novicki, Nursery Attendant 19