Welcome to worship! As you settle in for worship, please feel free to light a candle of prayer in the chapel area (right side of sanctuary). The children will be with us through the baptism, then may be excused to their classes. There is nursery care available throughout the service, and a crying room at the back of the sanctuary for those who become inconsolable. Additionally, for a quieter space, audio of the service is in the library, just outside the sanctuary.
RINGING OF THE CHIMES Sylvia Berry, Organist
GREETING & ANNOUNCEMENTS Barry Shelley, Moderator *PROCESSIONAL HYMN ‘Come, Thou Font of Every Blessing’ No. 16
CALL TO WORSHIP One: The road is long, but the journey is worth it. All: We do not travel alone; we are part of the great fellowship of saints. One: The life of faith rises and falls, All: But God is with us, every step of the way. One: The Spirit gives us endurance and strength for the journey; All: Christ has called us into a community of living hope. One: Come join us on the journey of faith; All: Share in the Good News of God’s Love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
GATHERING PRAYER INTROIT ‘Blessed Quietness’ W. S. Marshall, arr. J. Jefferson Cleveland and Verolga Nix
HYMN ‘Be Thou My Vision’ No. 595 (the children may be excused to their classes following the hymn) *Asterisk indicates all who are able may stand Bold print indicates congregational response
PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION (in unison) God of Hope and Faith, we confess that our wandering sometimes leads to doubt, and doubt leads to uncertainty, and uncertainty can lead to a lack of trust. But sometimes uncertainty leads us to new faith, new hope, new trust that You have not left us alone. Help us to know that when we fall into doubt and uncertainty, we are not alone. We have one another. You have called us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and what we lack in faith in You, may we be restored in faith in one another. Help us to become Living Hope to each other, and through the helping hands and hearts that surround us, may our faith in You be renewed again. In Christ Jesus, our Lord, who became one of us, who became our Living Hope, we pray. Amen.
KYRIE ‘Jesus Calls Us O’er the Tumult’ vs 1 No. 337 Jesus calls us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild restless sea, day by day his sweet voice soundeth, saying “Christian, follow me.”
*WORDS OF ASSURANCE (please stand as you are able) *RECEIVING AND SHARING GOD’S LOVE (by handshake, embrace, or with hands folded) The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. *GLORIA ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ vs 1 No. 56 For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.
ANTHEM ‘A Place at the Table’ Lori True/Shirley Erena Murray Watch (please join in singing the refrain) For everyone born, a place at the table, for everyone born, clean water and bread, a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing, for everyone born, a star overhead. (Refrain) And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy! For gay and for straight, a place at the table, a covenant shared, a welcoming space, a rainbow of race and gender and color, for gay and for straight, the chalice of grace.
MORNING PRAYERS THE LORD’S PRAYER 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin 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.
OFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD OFFERTORY ‘How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place’ (Psalm 84: 1-2)Watch Johannes Brahms How lovely is thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! For my soul, it longeth, yea fainteth, for the courts of the Lord: my soul and body crieth out, yea for the living God.
*DOXOLOGY ‘Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow’ No. 50 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God, the source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! *PRAYER OF DEDICATION *HYMN ‘Jesu, Jesu’ No. 600
*COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION (please be seated for the closing music) CLOSING MUSIC *Costume Parade
Participating in today’s service are: Rev. Patricia Hayes, Senior Minister Ann-Marie Illsley, Acting Associate Minister Murray Kidd, Music Director Alisa Cassola, Soloist Sylvia Berry, Organist David Wilcox, Sign Language Loren Stott, Sign Language
Being baptized today: Salomè Ohanna Kaptimer, born on May 30, 2019 to Lauren Selman-Kaptimer and Henok Kaptimer. QUESTIONS FOR BAPTISM Do you desire for your child to be baptized? We do Do you promise to be Christ’s disciple, follow Christ’s way, resist evil and oppression, and witness to Christ’s work and word? We do *CONGREGATIONAL ASSENT (please rise) Do you who witness and celebrate this sacrament promise your love, support, and care to this child about to be baptized, as she lives and grows in Christ? We do
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (remain standing) Pastor: Let us unite with the church in all times and places in confessing our faith in the triune God. Do you believe in God? PEOPLE: I believe in God. Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ? PEOPLE: I believe in Jesus Christ. Pastor: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? PEOPLE: I believe in the Holy Spirit.
BAPTISMAL PRAYERWatch Christ be with you. And also with you. ACT OF BAPTISM PRAYER FOR THE BAPTIZED (in unison) We give you thanks Holy God, mother and father of all the faithful, for this baby who is today washed in the water of Baptism. Embrace us all as sons and daughters in the one household of your love. Grant us grace to receive, value, love, support, nurture and befriend this new member of the body of Christ.
GLORIA ‘Clap Your Hands’ No. 38Watch 1) Clap your hands, all you people; shout unto God with a voice of triumph! 2) Clap your hands, all you people; shout unto God with a voice of praise! 3) Hosanna! Hosanna!Shout unto God with a voice of triumph! Praise God! Praise God! Shout unto God with a voice of praise! (the children may be excused to their classes following the Gloria)
PSALM 121 Lay Reader: Luanne CockshawWatch FIRST REFLECTION Rev. Katrina Clinton
‘A Place at the Table’ Lori True/Shirley Erena Murray (please join in singing the refrain) For everyone born, a place at the table, for everyone born, clean water and bread, a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing, for everyone born, a star overhead. (Refrain) And God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy! For gay and for straight, a place at the table, a covenant shared, a welcoming space, a rainbow of race and gender and color, for gay and for straight, the chalice of grace.
ANTHEM ‘Everything Possible’ Fred SmallWatch Doug Anderson, voice; Andrew Howard, guitar.
We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved Washed the dishes and put them away. I have told you a story and tucked you in tight At the end of your knockabout day. As the moon sets its sail to carry you to sleep Over the Midnight sea I will sing you a song no one sang to me May it keep you good company. You can be anybody you want to be You can love whomever you will. You can travel any country where your heart leads And know I will love you still. You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around You can choose one special one. And the only measure of your words and your deeds Will be the love you leave behind when your done. There are girls who grow up strong and bold Some boys quiet and kind Some race on ahead, some follow behind, Some go in their own way and time. Some women love women, some men love men Some raise children, some never do. You can dream all the day never reaching the end Of everything possible for you. Don’t be rattled by names, by taunts, by games But seek out spirits true. If you give your friends the best part of yourself, They will give the same back to you.
A READING FROM THE GOSPELS Luke 18:1-8Watch THIRD REFLECTION Rev. Patricia Hayes
MORNING PRAYERSWatch THE LORD’S PRAYER 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin 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.
OFFERTORY ‘We Are One’ Brian TateWatch When we walk, when we sleep, when we rise, we are one. When we laugh, when we sing, when we cry, when we run, we are one. And we shall love one another with all our hearts. And we shall care for each other with all our soul and our might. When we stand when we fall, when we rise we are one. In the cold, in the heat, in the dark, in the sun we are one. And we shall love one another with all our hearts. And we shall care for each other with all our soul and our might. When we’re hurting one another, that’s the way we hurt ourselves, with our sisters and our brothers we will rise. And we do and we try we must live or we die. We will reach, we will climb, we will rise, we will fly, we are one. And these words shall be forever within our hearts, And we shall teach them to our children, and remember them in our lives. When we walk, when we sleep, when we rise, we are one, when we laugh, when we sing, when we cry, when we run, we are strong, we belong, we are one!
‘Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow’ No. 50 Video Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God, the source of all our gifts! Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION *HYMN ‘Ours the Journey’ No. 458
*COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION (please be seated for the closing music) CLOSING MUSIC ‘We Are One” (Join In)
Participating in today’s service are: Rev. Patricia Hayes, Senior Minister Ann-Marie Illsley, Acting Associate Minister Murray Kidd, Music Director Alisa Cassola, Soloist Sylvia Berry, Organist David Wilcox, Sign Language Loren Stott, Sign Language
Statement Of Welcome (adopted October 18, 2009) The Love of Christ for Each Person Knows No Bounds, and…
We, at Christ Congregational Church, United Church of Christ of Brockton, celebrate the diversity of God’s creation and seek to be a community of Christians who live in openness to the voice of the Still Speaking God.
We celebrate family in all its diverse forms and honor, support, and bless all loving and committed relationships.
As we seek to live out our mission to live Christ’s compassion and promote justice, healing, and wholeness of life, we welcome into our community persons of every gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental and physical ability, age, race, nationality, economic and social status, faith background, marital standing and family structure.
We invite and welcome all to share in the life, leadership, ministry, fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities, blessings, and joys of our congregation as we seek to grow together in faith and love.
We remember our promises made at baptism, therefore no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome to this United Church of Christ.
