The Congregational Church, United Church of Christ Amherst, New Hampshire “Never touch your idols: the gilding will stick to your fingers.” —Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary THE ORDER OF SERVICE FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD The Congregational Church, United Church of Christ Amherst, New Hampshire October 12, 2014 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost 10:00 AM Let us be gathered in silence so that we and those who enter with us may pause, pray and prepare to worship God. PRELUDE Arabesque Edward Broughton GREETING AND WELCOME Members and visitors are asked to sign the Friendship Register and to use a nametag. NOTICES OF PARISH LIFE INTROIT Chancel Choir *CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: This is Sabbath – the day we seek rest and recreation. People: This is Sabbath – the day we celebrate resurrection and new life. Leader: This is Sabbath – the day we come to hear the Good News. People: This is Sabbath – the day we come together to worship God. Leader: This is the day the Lord has made. People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it! *HYMN God of Grace and God of Glory No. 420 UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION and THE LORD’S PRAYER (in unison) Gracious God, you have invited and welcomed us to this place of worship. You draw us away from the idols we create to take your place. When we come together, we sense that there is nothing in life that can substitute for a vital relationship with you. Yet we are only dimly aware of who you are. All the mysteries of the universe are in your hands, yet you have made yourself known among the people of this earth. We catch glimpses of your work among us and are amazed. We want to meet you again today, as for the first time. Touch us. Remake us. Open our hearts, as we pray the words that Jesus taught us: 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. CALL TO CONFESSION PRAYER OF CONFESSION (in unison) God of all mercy, you have planted within us a desire to love kindness, to seek justice, and to walk humbly in your name. We have promised to heed your commandments. We want to honor our covenant with you, but we are often defensive, fearful, and distracted. We spend more time with our toys than with your truth. We seek temporary thrills rather than lasting meaning. Then we are disappointed when our “golden calves” bring no fulfillment. We return to you, loving God, intent on following the guidance of your still-speaking voice. Open our ears to your call, we pray. SILENT PRAYER… In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE *GLORIA PATRI (Tune #579) Glory to the Creator, and to the Christ, and Holy Spirit, One; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without end. Amen, Amen. CHILDREN’S TIME *THE PASSING OF THE PEACE The peace of God be with you. AND ALSO WITH YOU. ANTHEM Ain't Got Time to Die Chancel Choir Kathy Skoglund, soloist THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS SERMON *HYMN Philippians 4:1-9 Exodus 32:1-14 Hall Johnson Page 1024 Page 74 "Idol Hands" Be Thou My Vision No. 339 JOYS AND CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and PASTORAL PRAYER CHORAL RESPONSE Chancel Choir INVITATION TO SHARE OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS OFFERTORY MUSIC Meditation Louis Gottschalk *DOXOLOGY (Tune: From All That Dwell Below the Skies) Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures here below. Alleluia, Alleluia. Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Creator, Christ and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Amen. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION (in unison) Thank you, God, for the wealth you have entrusted to us. As we share a portion of that wealth, we pray that it may never become the object of our affection. Keep our focus on people and relationships and lasting values, rather than on the possessions we can accumulate. We dedicate our time, money, and ourselves to the reign of God among us, praying that all whom our gifts may reach may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Amen. *HYMN Our God, Our Help in Ages Past No. 210 *THE LIGHT OF CHRIST GOES OUT INTO THE WORLD *COMMISSION AND BENEDICTION *CHORAL RESPONSE *POSTLUDE Chancel Choir Hymn to Joy Beethoven/arr. Lani Smith (*Indicates that those who are able may stand.) Portions of today’s liturgy are adapted from Taught By Love, by Lavon Baylor. THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF AMHERST A Welcoming, Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” We, the members of the Congregational Church of Amherst, New Hampshire, United Church of Christ, believe God’s Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ call us to love all our neighbors as we would want to be loved. We are called to be as one body, seeking to walk together in the full life and ministry of our church. We welcome each individual as a child of God. As covenant members of Christ’s church, we celebrate God’s love for people of all races and ethnic backgrounds, all mental and physical abilities, all socioeconomic backgrounds, all sexual orientations, all gender identities and gender expressions, and all of the other diverse attributes woven into the fabric of humankind. With God’s grace, we invite all to share in the life and leadership, ministry and fellowship, worship and sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of our church. We are pleased that you have chosen to worship with us this morning. Our membership is open to all those who choose to walk with us in our witness. The next new member orientations will be held October 28 and November 13. New members will be formally received on Sunday, November 23. Please speak with any of our deacons or pastors should you have any questions regarding our church or our membership. Worship Notes: • Nursery Care is provided for children ages two and under at the beginning of worship. • Church School is available for children in preschool through grade 7 immediately following Children’s Time. • Joys and Concerns may be written on the cards found in the pew racks. Cards will be collected by one of the pastors during the middle hymn and shared during the Prayers of the People. • Nametags – Please remember to wear your nametag each Sunday, so that we may all greet our neighbors. If you do not have a permanent nametag, temporary nametags may be found inside the friendship registers. If you are in need of a new, permanent nametag, please see one of the deacons. • Fellowship – Please join us in the community room following worship to welcome visitors and friends. • Emergencies – In the event of an emergency, please remain seated until instructions have been given. An emergency plan is in place for the children in the nursery and Sunday School. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Here’s how to reach us: by telephone 673-3231, or by email [email protected]. If we are unavailable by phone, please feel free to leave a message using the personal directory, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Visit our church’s website at www.ccamherst.org. To remember our church in your estate planning, please contact our church administrator. PARTICIPATING IN TODAY’S SERVICE Members and Friends of The Congregational Church Richard G. Leavitt Maureen R. Frescott Sara L. Phelps Michael Havay Doug Topliffe Jean and Holly Tonnesen Adrienne and Doug Topliffe Sally Bowkett Stephanie Jones ******************************************* All the Congregation Wendy Lazott PLEASE WELCOME our guest organist today, Paul Bordeleau. JUNIOR CHOIR will rehearse on Monday at 4:00 p.m. in the vestry. THE CHURCH OFFICE will be closed on Monday for the Columbus Day holiday. FAITH PROMISE SUNDAY: The annual pledge campaign will begin on Faith Promise Sunday, October 19. Pledge cards and a stewardship brochure containing some relevant items to consider when making your pledge this year will be distributed before the service. During the service there will be a moment of reflection to consider your pledge, and each pledging member will proceed to the front of the church to place their pledge in the basket. If you will not be available on this date and still wish to pledge, please contact Andrea in the church office and we will make sure a pledge card is sent to you. Senior Pastor Associate Pastor Director of Music Organist/Accompanist Deacon In Charge Greeters Ushers Liturgist Nursery Coordinator Ministers to the World Handbell Choir Director FOOD CONTRIBUTIONS WANTED: The Woman’s Association is hosting the reception following the Service of Ordination for Regina Kinney on October 19. This is a celebration not to be missed, and the first in our church in twenty years. If you are able to contribute a food item for the “party” table please contact Carol Lyon at [email protected] or 6720100. Dessert is already arranged so sweets are not needed. Thank you. See you there! The Lectionary texts for the next two weeks are: October 19: Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 October 26: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Matthew 22:34-46 WA BIRCH BARK CRAFT WORKSHOP: Crafters are invited to join us on Monday, October 20 from 10:00 a.m. to noon for a special workshop to learn how to make miniature birch bark houses for decorations and ornaments. Teacher Mary Salmon will show us the secrets of shaping and gluing the bark to make these uniquely NH decorations that we will sell at the Holiday Fair. If you would like to participate, please call Anne Krantz 673-9684 for a list of supplies and tools to bring. SHARE FOOD PANTRY requests for October are holiday dinner supplies: stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, canned corn and green beans, and pie crust. Donations can be left in the SHARE cupboard in the narthex or in the container by the community room entrance. Many thanks for your continuing support! Our Church Calendar October 12—18, 2014 Today 10:00 a.m. Worship 11:10 a.m. Fellowship— Community Room 11:30 a.m. Youth Choir—Vestry 6:00 p.m. Senior High Youth Group— Youth Room Monday 9:30 a.m. WA Workshop—Vestry 4:00 p.m. Junior Choir—Vestry Tuesday 8:30 a.m. Men’s Fellowship— Youth Room 7:00 p.m. All Committee Night Wednesday 10:00 a.m. Study Group—Parlor 7:00 p.m. God in America Series—Parlor Thursday 6:00 p.m. Handbell Choir—Sanctuary 6:30 p.m. Confirmation Class— Youth Room 7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir—Vestry Saturday 9:00 a.m. Memorial Service for Keith Hunt Regina Kinney’s Ordination October 19, 2014 Mark your calendars! On Sunday, October 19, 2014, The Congregational Church of Amherst will proudly host Regina Kinney’s Ordination Service, beginning at 4:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. Following the service, we invite everyone to join us in the community room for a celebration of her journey and her ordination in the United Church of Christ as a minister, and in recognizing all the preparation, dedication, devotion and sacrifice that Regina has endured to follow her call to serve. Congratulations Regina! SUCCESS CARD ORDERS – Next Sunday: Where will you be shopping for the holidays? Shaw’s, Macy’s, LL Bean, Target, Walmart, Amazon? If you plan ahead a bit, you can purchase shopping cards for dozens of stores and restaurants from the SUCCESS program for no extra cost, and use these for your shopping. You spend no more, and the church reaps a financial benefit. Card orders will be taken after church next Sunday, October 19, and cards distributed the following week. Thanks for joining in our SUCCESS! Sunday, October 12, 2014 Neighbors in Need Imagining another world where a quality education is accessible to all. As God-fearing people, we know there are times in which we must demand justice for all from those in authority. Jonah 3:4-5 reads, "Jonah entered the city, went one day's walk and preached, 'In forty days Nineveh will be smashed. The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers.'" Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM) believes injustice, fairness, and equity for all people. As a 2013 Neighbors in Need (NIN) grant recipient, CAJM is a growing network of faith-based congregations in South Carolina who are culturally, economically, geographically and religiously diverse, coming together to make the Charleston area a more just place to live. CAJM accomplishes this mighty task by doing research, educating the public, and addressing the root causes of, and solutions to, poverty and injustice in our communities. CAJM is unique in its approach in that it transforms the systems that cause suffering by holding local officials accountable for resolving these inequities and injustices. According to Lead Organizer Treva Williams, "Charleston County School District suspended over 4,000 students last year. Those 4,000 students accounted for over 9,000 suspensions. There are 85 schools in Charleston County. Eleven of those schools accounted for over 50 percent of the total number of suspensions. Many of these schools have adopted discipline policies that are failing our students, pushing them out of the classroom on to the streets and into the criminal justice system. One middle school alone suspended 51 percent of its student body." Williams further shares, "This past April, 1,700 people from 24 different congregations assembled to hold the education system accountable for using fair and just discipline practices. Practices that are proven to lower suspension rates, change behavior, school climate, and keep kids in school. With our power of people, we gained a commitment from our superintendent, Nancy McGinley, and school board to implement Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) in the 10 schools with the worst suspension rates. We also gained a commitment from her to implement a pilot program of Restorative Justice in two schools. We are excited about the students, families, cities, and schools these positive discipline practices will impact." "Lastly," Williams says, "local law enforcement officials, the Did you know? Low reading skills Department of Juvenile Justice, and Solicitor General Wilson are cause more students to drop out of school before receiving a diploma all committed to participate in a task force to develop a plan to than poverty. Reading Changes Lives, reduce juvenile detention by 65 percent in 2014." the UCC's newest all-church Because of the guidance of CAJM, Charleston residents are initiative, is a literacy program more confident that their children won't become another designed to combat this global crisis. statistic. Your support of the NIN offering helps to provide funding to these With your support, Neighbors in Need is imaging another world where a quality education is accessible to all. important initiatives.