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Stratham Community Church, UCC
An Open and Affirming Congregation
of the United Church of Christ
Wherever you are on life’s journey,
Know you are welcome here!
------------------------------------WELCOME VISITORS!
Please find a Visitor Card in the pew in front of you.
Please fill out the card and place it
in the Offering Plate, and introduce yourself
as a Visitor to Rev. Diane.
Sunday, January 11, 2015 - 10:00AM
First Sunday of Epiphany
GATHER
Welcome!
Prelude and Lighting of Worship Candles
'Say Something' (by Avel)
Invitation to Worship
* Hymn
"There's a Wideness in God's Mercy"
New Century Hymnal (black) #23
* Prayer of Invocation (in unison)
All: Holy God, we come to You as those who search for ways to
love more wisely, more genuinely, more steadily. We seek
to base our lives on the promises we have made to You and
to our community of faith in our Baptismal and Confirmation
promises. Through Your Holy Spirit, help us continue our
journeys of faith ever and onward, to Your will for us in
Christ Jesus our Lord, who taught us to pray....Our Father...
* The Lord’s Prayer (using ‘debts’)
PRAISING
* Passing the Peace of Christ
Leader: The Peace of Christ be with you.
People: And also with you.
(Please offer one another the peace of Christ.)
* Gloria Patri
Pilgrim Hymnal (red) #513
All: 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.
Thankful Dollars
Announcements of Congregational Life
Anthem
'In the Stillness' (by Martin)
HEARING THE WORD
"Rise and Shine and Give God the Glory"
Rise and shine And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine And give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine And give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord
SACRAMENT OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM
Introduction
Baptism Prayer (in unison)
All: Holy God, through the ages we have gathered to baptize
and bless Your children in the name of Your Son, Jesus
Christ. Be with us here today, Lord, as we baptize
Amelia Marie Crow. As we embrace Amelia
with our love, we pray that You will bless her with Your
powerful Spirit and mighty love. Bless these waters,
we pray, that Your grace will fill her life from this day
forward. AMEN.
Baptism of Amelia Marie Crow
Congregation's Response
All: We gladly welcome you, Amelia, into communion with
us as baptized Christians in the Stratham Community
Church, United Church of Christ. We promise to offer
you and your family our support, guidance and prayers as
You grow in the Christian faith. We love you, Amelia!
Sing together
"Child of Blessing" (vss. 1,4)
(The baptismal candle represents Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
On the anniversary of this child's baptism, when you light this candle,
may it remind you of the covenant that you have made today. Also, let
it remind you of this church family who promise to love and
nurture your child as she lives and grows in Christ.)
(Children may leave for Sunday School at this time.)
Introduction to Scripture
Reading of Holy Scripture
Mark 1:16-20
Sermon
Rev. Diane Mix
* Hymn
"Why Not?"
"Community of Christ"
New Century Hymnal (black) #314
GIVING THANKS
Prayer Concerns ("Lord, hear our prayer")
Time for Silent Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Offering
Offertory
*Doxology
*Offering Prayer
'Prayer of the Children' (by Bestor)
DEPARTING AS DISCIPLES
* Hymn
"In Christ There Is No East or West"
New Century Hymnal (black) #395
* Congregational Commissioning and Benediction
All: Brothers and sisters, may we leave this place of worship
with Christ’s Spirit in our hearts. May we encourage the
fainthearted; help the weak; practice patience with all;
seek to do good; rejoice always; pray without ceasing and
give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for us.
(I Thess. 5:16-18 adapted)
* Benediction
* Choral Response
* Postlude
'Love is a Circle'

Please remain in your pew until the Light of Christ is carried out of the
sanctuary by our Acolytes. Thank you.
* - All those who are able are invited to stand.
Today we celebrate the Sacrament of Christian Baptism for Amelia
Marie Crow. Amelia’s parents are Christine and Josh Crow who
were married in our church two years ago in October.
Amelia's Godparents are Debbie Bednarz and Teddy Vrooman.
Please join us for Coffee and Conversation
immediately following the Worship Service
held in the Henry Rust Room directly below the Sanctuary
hosted today by the Timmerman and Brownell families
PARTICIPATING IN TONIGHT’S SERVICE:
Deacons:
Kristen Dusseault and Marny Keith
This morning we extend our gratitude to Arik Blanchard for
sharing his gift of song with us.
We hold in our prayers:
Bev David
Behaylu Barry & his brother Rediat Getachew
Liz Chisholm
Those who live with chronic pain
The rise of evil violence in the Middle East
The people of France who mourn a terrorist attack in Paris
Meetings/Events/Activities in our Church Building This Week:
Today, January 11th - Sunday Worship - 10:00am
Monday, January 12th - Journey Song Rehearsal -7:00pm - Music Room
Tuesday, January 13th – AA Meeting – 6:30pm - Henry Rust Room
Tuesday, January 13th – Church Council Meeting – 7:00pm - Conf. Room
Wednesday, Jan. 14th – AA Meeting – 6:30pm - Henry Rust Room
Weds., Jan. 14th – Clothes Attic is open – 9:00am - 3:00pm
Thursday, Jan. 15th - Recovered Couples Anonymous meeting - 7:00pm
- Conference Room
Thursday, Jan. 15th - Choir Rehearsal - 7:30pm - Music Room
Sunday, January 18th - Sunday Worship - 10:00am
Sunday, January 18th - Middle School Youth Activity
- 2:30pm - Meet at the church & then off to Blitz Air Park
Our Church Family Bulletin Board
We need a picture directory to keep us up to date with the names of everyone in our church family! No, we are not having a company come in to
take formal pictures. Rather, we ask that every individual and family
bring or send in a favorite (hard copy) picture of your family. Jolynn will
add a standard font to each picture listing each family members’ name.
These will be posted as they come in on the bulletin board in the Henry
Rust room nearest the stairs. Make sure your family is there in plain sight
for all to see!
Parents: Did you know you can stay connected with your
child/ren’s Sunday School lesson on-line?
Christine updates the Sunday School Home Connection every week on
Thursdays. There you will find the Bible Lesson for any given Sunday,
plus four or five questions you can talk with your child about during the
week. It’s a great way to help your child AND your whole family grow in
faith and in knowledge of the Bible and the Church. And if you happen
to miss a Sunday, you can catch-up on line too.
Open your Thursday's Thought For the Day email from the church and
click on Sunday School Home Connection. (If you do not receive the
church's Thought For the Day email, contact us at [email protected].)
Adult Bible Study with Rev. Allan & Phyllis Lurvey
Wednesdays, January 7th through February 25, 2015. 7:00pm here at the
church. The group will be reading and discussing Robin Meyers' book,
'The Underground Church' . To join, please contact Allan at
[email protected].
Upcoming Forum on Health and Wellness
Are you as healthy as you would like to be? Would you like to try some
new ideas; new outlooks on food, meditation. What is integrative medicine and how can it help you? What exactly is wellness? Is it the same
for me as for you? Come bring your ideas and your needs. Be encouraged,
refreshed and challenged. Jan. 13 and 27; Feb. 3 and 17 7:00-8:30pm
in music room at SCC. Facilitated by Cheryl Stromski
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, January 24th - Our first Church Supper of the New Year! Menu
is Italian featuring lasagna. Come anytime between 4:30pm and 6:30pm.
Adults $8.00, Children $5.00.
Sunday, January 25th - New Member Sunday - We will be welcoming
new members to our church family during the 10:00am Worship Service.
Sunday, January 25th - ANNUAL MEETING!! ALL are invited to attend
and participate in our annual church discussion, however, only church
members will be able to vote.
Middle School and High School Youth Activities for MLK Weekend
Saturday, January 17th - 'Selma' movie - 3:00pm Cinemagic, 2454
Lafayette Road, Portsmouth.
Sunday, January 18th - New Hope Baptist Church, 263 Peverly Hill
Road, Portsmouth. 4:00pm MLK Service featuring Rev. Joseph
Ellwanger. Then go to Blitz Air Park for 6:00pm Jump fun and dinner
after. Please let Christine VanDerslice know if you are interested in
joining in on these important and fun activities!
SAVE THE DATE - 'We The Youth' event: Hunger Here and There February 6-7th - Youth in grades 6th-12th.
The Nursery is available in Room 204
should any parents need to leave with their little ones.
Children are invited to leave for Sunday School
after the Children's Message with Christine VanDerslice.
6 Emery Lane – P.O. Box 143 - Stratham, New Hampshire 03885
(603) 772-3389 - www.strathamchurch.org
Ministers - The Congregation
Pastor – The Rev. Diane E. Mix - [email protected]
Minister of Pastoral Counseling - The Rev. Allan Lurvey, Th.D.
Minister of Music - Cheryl Stromski - [email protected]
Director of Christian Education – Christine VanDerslice - [email protected]
Church Office – Jolynn Wilson - [email protected]