The Riverside Church
in the City of New York
S U N D AY, J A N U A RY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Welcome
to
The Riverside Church
We are glad you are here this morning and hope you will return often.
The Riverside Church is an interdenominational, interracial, and international Christian congregation, which
wholeheartedly seeks to be open, receptive, and affirming. We strive to be broadly inclusive. We welcome persons
from different backgrounds, races, economic classes, religions, cultures, ethnicities, genders, ages, and sexual
orientations. The Riverside Church is a member of the American Baptist Churches, U.S.A. and the United Church
of Christ.
If
this is your first visit:
Complete a blue pew card and place it in the Offering Plate as it passes.
Join us for Fellowship Hour in the Cloister Lounge directly after Worship. You can meet members of this
congregation and learn about our ministries. As you leave the Nave, take the stairs on your left down one level.
Take a right, and an immediate left into the Cloister Lounge. You may also take the elevators in the Narthex to the
“C” Level.
If you would like to know more or become a member, we would love to get to know you. Please call the
church during the week at 212.870.6786.
If you would like information about baptism or baby dedication, please contact The Education Ministry at
212.870.6833, or visit our website at www.TheRiversideChurchNY.org.
A church tour is offered each Sunday after Worship. Meet in the first balcony to learn more about Riverside’s
unique history, programs, and landmark Gothic building. There is no charge. Tours also take place on Wednesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. No reservations are necessary. For special tours by appointment,
call 212.870.6792. There is a small fee for these tours.
If your car is parked in the garage below the building, present this bulletin to the attendant before
6:00 p.m. and your parking spot will cost you only $4.00. On Wednesday evenings, have your parking ticket
stamped after service and receive the same discount.
Speak to an usher about the use of an assistive hearing device if you need one.
Unfortunately, we cannot allow the use of recording devices such as audio and video recorders or cameras
during any portion of the service. Please remember to silence your cell phone upon entering the Nave.
Lunch is available for purchase at the Riverside Café in South Hall Lobby.
The Cloister Library has closed for a collection review and evaluation. Members and library users who wish
to return books or other materials may use the convenient slot to the left of the Cloister Library entrance for
this purpose.
Riverside
Worship
at
Baptism of the Lord
•
10:45 A.M.
Please enjoy this time of quiet meditation in the Nave, and remember, silence all cell phones and other electronic devices.
If you brought offerings for the Food Pantry, please place them in the carts in the Narthex.
You may also leave financial offerings for the Food Pantry in the envelopes provided.
CARILLON
ORGAN
La Nativité
Jean Langlais
LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY The Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler
PROCESSIONAL HYMN 71
All who are able may stand.
Lord, When You Came to Jordan
Es Flog
CALL TO WORSHIPi The Rev. Julie Johnson Staples
Please remain standing.
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
God is with us always and calls us each by name.
When we pass through difficulties and stress,
God is with us and calls us by name.
When we are discouraged and feel lost and alone,
God is with us and calls us by name, and heals us.
Blessed be God who knows us and calls us by name. AMEN.
INVOCATION
Please remain standing.
PASSING OF THE PEACE Leader: The peace of the Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
ANTHEM
Down to the River to Pray As I went down to the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
Traditional, arr. Robert Lee
O sisters let’s go down,
Let’s go down, come on down,
O sisters let’s go down,
Down to the river to pray.
As I went down to the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way!
O brothers, let’s go down…
O fathers, let’s go down…
O mothers, let’s go down…
O sinners, let’s go down…
INVITATION TO GIVE AND SERVE The Rev. Michael E. Livingston
OFFERTORY ANTHEM
I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Leo Sowerby
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord
which made heaven and earth. God will not suffer thy foot to be moved: She that keepeth thee will
not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper;
thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord
shall preserve thee from all evil, and shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out
and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for ever more. Amen.
AT THE PRESENTATION: THE DOXOLOGY
The congregation rises row by row as ushers pass.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God all creatures here below.
Praise God above you heavenly hosts.
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost.
PASTORAL PRAYER Please be seated.
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
Leader:
People:
Rev. Livingston
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
THE LORD'S PRAYER Pray in the language or version of your heart. CHORAL AMEN
HEBREW SCRIPTURE LESSON
Please remain seated.
Rev. Johnson Staples
Genesis 1:1–5 (page 1 in the Old Testament)
Leader: The Word of God for the People of God.
People: Thanks be to God.
HYMN 70
All who are able may stand.
Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized
GOSPEL LESSON Please remain standing for the reading of the Gospel.
Mark 1:4–11 (page 34 in the New Testament)
Leader: This is the Gospel of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God.
Winchester Old
Dr. Butler
SERMON Spotlight
Dr. Butler
RECESSIONAL HYMN 323
All who are able may stand.
Loving Spirit
Kingdom
INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP
Please remain standing.
Dr. Butler BENEDICTION Please remain standing.
Dr. Butler POSTLUDE
Please be seated for a time of quiet reflection.
Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella Liturgical
Keith Chapman
resources for today
i By Nancy C. Townley from ministrymatters.com.
The Riverside Deaf Ministry provides sign-language interpretation at the first Sunday service of each month and
every Wednesday at our Space for Grace service, as well as at significant special services throughout the year.
Sermons may be found online at www.trcnyc.org/worship/?sermon
Large print bulletins are available from the ushers.
Calendar of Events This Week
TODAY: JANUARY 11
8:30 a.m.
Morning Light, Christ Chapel
An intimate gathering for meditation, Scripture, homily, discussion, and communion
9:30 a.m. Open Bible Study, 15T
10:45 a.m. Worship Celebration, Nave
The Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler, preaching
12:45 p.m. Lunch is available for purchase in the Riverside Café, South Hall Lobby
1:00 p.m. The Way, Meditation Chapel
“The Way” is a welcoming fellowship, open to all college students and young adults (ages 18–39) who are
journeying along the Christian path. New members and friends are always invited! For more information,
please contact Jacqueline Hopkins at [email protected] or 212.946.1189.
3:00 p.m. Chinese Christian Service, Chapel of the Cross
Christ Chapel Chamber Series: Hadi Eldebek, Christ Chapel
Take a journey to the land of the Bible with Middle Eastern instrumentalist and Silk Road Ensemble veteran
Hadi Eldebek as he charms and delights us with traditional and contemporary Arabic music.
A free-will offering for the artist will be taken at the door.
Room assignments are subject to change. Please confirm room assignments at the Security desk.
Room abbreviations: “MLK” – a room in the Martin Luther King Wing. “T” – a room in the Tower of the Church.
MONDAY, JANUARY 12
10:00 a.m. Tower League — Art of Movement, 411 MLK
5:30 p.m.
Tai Chi Class, Wellness Center
ai Chi class meets every Monday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Wellness Center. All are welcome.
T
For more information, please contact Sheila Ann Mason-Gonzales at [email protected].
6:00 p.m.
Weeknight Prayer, Meditation Chapel
7:00 p.m.
Alcoholics Anonymous, 7C
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13
6:00 p.m.
Qigong, 6th Floor Chapel
Intermediate Yoga, 630 MLK
6:45 p.m.
Mindful Meditation, 13T
7:00 p.m.
Narcotics Anonymous, 7C
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14
10:30 a.m. I ntermediate French, Multi-purpose Room
7:00 p.m.
Space for Grace, Assembly Hall
An informal celebration of praise, Scripture, and prayer
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15
Tower League Day
9:00 a.m.
Art of Movement (men only), 411 MLK
10:00 a.m. Art of Movement, 411 MLK
11:00 a.m. Art of Movement (special attention), 411 MLK
12:15 p.m. Bible Study with Rev. Jeff Pettis (Bibles available), 9T-Library
1:15 p.m.
Meditation & Reflection with Ms. Eileen Jones, 9T-Library
2:00 p.m.Tower League Program: "Dealing with Stress," led by Ms. Eileen Jones, 9T
6:00 p.m. Weeknight Prayer, Meditation Chapel
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16
6:00 p.m. Friday Night Live Fellowship, 425 MLK
Calling all youth between the ages of 13 and 18. This signature program is open to boys and girls from the
church and the surrounding communities and offers dynamic and innovative weekly educational activities. For
more information and registration, please contact Rev. James E. Singletary, Director of Children, Youth, and
Families Ministry, via phone at 212.870.6828, or via email at [email protected].
SATURDAY, JANUARY 17
8:30 a.m. Yoga (All Levels), 630 MLK
10:15 a.m. Beginner Yoga, 630 MLK
12:00 p.m. Small Group Class • J EREMIAH: Tracing an Arc of Sorrow and Steadfast Love,
423 MLK
Perhaps no other book of the Bible depicts the "inner life" of God so dramatically and with such tension as the
words of the prophet Jeremiah. His ministry spanned the period from 625 BCE to sometime after the fall of
Jerusalem in 587 BCE. The prophetic voice of Jeremiah was an inspiration to Riverside’s first called minister,
Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick. As a result, when Riverside was built, Fosdick asked that the prophet’s story be
incorporated into the design of the Nave.
Registration is required by emailing [email protected]. Lunch will be served.
Facilitator: The Rev. Julie Johnson Staples
Required Text:
A Study Bible of your choice
1:00 p.m. Theatre of the Oppressed Uptown, Multi-purpose Room
I n the Theatre of the Oppressed, “spectator” is a bad word. Be a spectator who acts (spect-actor) and become
fluent in the human language of theatre. Theatre of the Oppressed Uptown meets every Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
Contact Jeremiah Kyle Drake at [email protected].
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18
8:30 a.m.
Morning Light, Christ Chapel
An intimate gathering for meditation, Scripture, homily, discussion, and communion
9:30 a.m. Open Bible Study, 15T
10:45 a.m. Worship Celebration, Nave
The Rev. Michael E. Livingston, preaching
12:45 p.m. Lunch is available for purchase in the Riverside Café, South Hall Lobby
1:00 p.m. The Way, Meditation Chapel
“The Way” is a welcoming fellowship, open to all college students and young adults (ages 18–39) who are
journeying along the Christian path. New members and friends are always invited! For more information,
please contact Jacqueline Hopkins at [email protected] or 212.946.1189.
3:00 p.m. Chinese Christian Service, Chapel of the Cross
Business & Professional Women's Club Birthday, 9T
ou are invited to join The Riverside Church Business & Professional Women's Club for our 85th birthday!
Y
Please come celebrate with us. We look forward to seeing you there!
4:00 p.m. Honoring The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nave
Join us as The Riverside Church celebrates the life and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in a
service of readings and music, concluding with a Litany of Commitment to Justice.
News & Events
Employment at Riverside
Interested in employment opportunities at The Riverside Church? Please visit our website:
www.trcnyc.org/about/?jobs for a complete listing of Riverside’s current job postings.
Church Leadership Meetings
Our Church Commissions meet on the second Monday of every month. The Church Council meets on every
fourth Monday. Please keep them in your prayers, to help them lead The Riverside Church.
Bring Your Food Pantry Donations to Worship on Sundays and Wednesdays
One in five New Yorkers lives in a home that is food-insecure. Over the last few years, a number of pantries have
been forced to close their doors, and while we have managed to serve the increased number of guests visiting our
pantry, the strain has been tremendous. Food collections are taken every Sunday at Worship, and Wednesday at
Space for Grace. Please bring food items and cash donations to support the Food Pantry.
2015 Millennial Scholarship
2015 Millennial Scholarship applications will be available soon!
Attention high school seniors: if you have participated consistently in Riverside church school and youth
programs and are currently involved in the 2014–2015 programs, you may be eligible for a scholarship. Details
will be posted on the church's website and will be available in the Education Office starting January 16.
Please direct any questions or comments about scholarships to: Rev. James Singletary at [email protected]
or Dr. Emily Anderson at [email protected].
English Conversation Partners Program
The English Conversation Partners Program invites you to stop by its table during Fellowship Hour after Sunday
service to learn how to become a Volunteer Tutor. Tutors meet with adult Conversation Partners once a week.
International students for whom English is a second language and English-speaking tutors are welcome to
participate in the program. Contact ECPP at [email protected].
The Riverside Latino Ministry
The Latino Ministry celebrates Latino lives, spirituality, and culture in all its diversity. The Ministry shares the
concerns of Latinos in the U.S. and abroad with the congregation and the community. We meet every third
Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Room 430 MLK.
Contact Arelis Figueroa at 646.345.2321 or [email protected].
Consider Having Your Wedding at The Riverside Church
Looking for the perfect venue for your wedding and reception? Call the Weddings Office at 212.870.6762 for details.
Career Day Volunteers
The Children, Youth, and Families Ministry needs YOU! We are in need of VOLUNTEERS for our 24th
Annual Career Day on Saturday, March 7, and would be grateful for your time, talents, and monetary gifts. We
are looking for individuals from every profession and all walks of life to share their professional knowledge as
panelists and facilitators for Career Day. We are also putting together the Planning Committee; if you are willing
to serve as a member, we would love to have you on our team.
Please call or email Rev. James Singletary at 212.870.6828 or [email protected] if you are able to assist us.
Keep Up with Riverside News and Worship Services
If you would like to receive the weekly eNewsletter from The Riverside Church, visit www.trcnyc.org to sign up.
This Sunday's worship service will be broadcast next Sunday on 106.7 Lite FM at 5:00 a.m. You can also listen
online any time at www.trcnyc.org.
Theatre of the Oppressed Uptown--Unperforming the Stereotype of Race: An Untrue Story
Sunday, February 15, 1:00 p.m. in Room 20T
The participatory theatre method known as Forum Theatre allows the audience to rehearse alternatives to
inhibiting states of being. The participatory forum theatre event Unperforming the Stereotype of Race: An
Untrue Story will allow the gathered spectators who act (spect-actors) to come into a creative space to break
down divisive and oppressive stereotypes by "unperforming" the artificial concept of race. Forum Theatre is a
rehearsal for Life and we advocate leaving the concept of race behind in order to dismantle its disabling impact.
The Riverside Book Club
Saturday, March 7, 11:00 a.m. in Room 240 MLK
Celebrating Women's History Month! Join us as we discuss Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years, by
A. Elizabeth and Sarah L. Delany with Amy Hill Hearth. The sisters' father was a former slave who became the
first African-American elected Bishop in the Episcopal Church in the U.S. The sisters were civil rights pioneers,
but their stories were largely unknown until Hearth, a reporter for The New York Times, interviewed them for a
feature story in 1991, then expanded her story into book form. It quickly became a best seller, and the Delanys
enjoyed fame and honor in their last years.
For more information, please contact Mary Biggs at [email protected] or 718.796.8915.
Light refreshments will be provided, and all are welcome!
THE RI VERS IDE CHU R CH IN T H E CIT Y O F N EW YO RK
490 R iverside D rive · N ew Y ork , N.Y. 10027 · T elephone 212.870.6700
www.theriversidechurchny.org
Interdenominational · Interracial · International · Open · Affirming · Welcoming
The Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler, Senior Minister
The Rev. Michael E. Livingston, Executive Minister
The Rev. John Janka, Interim Minister for Membership, Care, and Parish Life
The Rev. Stephen C. I. Mann, Director of Communications and Media
The Rev. Debra P. Northern, Director of Social Services
The Rev. James E. Singletary, Director of Children, Youth, and Families Ministry
The Rev. Julie Johnson Staples, Interim Minister for Education
Mr. Christopher Johnson, Director of Music and Organist
Mr. Christopher Creaghan, Associate Organist
Mr. Dionisio A. Lind, Carillonneur
Mr. Robert Pearson, Organ Curator
The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister Emeritus
The Riverside Church is a member of the American Baptist Churches, U.S.A. and the United Church of Christ and cooperates
with the Council of Churches in the City of New York, and with the New York State, National, and World Council of Churches.
Twitter: @RiversideNYC • Facebook: facebook.com/RiversideNY • Web: theriversidechurchny.org
Printed on recycled paper