first parish church, congregationalhymn: “in the bulb there is a flower” nch #433 black...
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First Parish Church, Congregational On the Village Green
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt, Interim Pastor
Donald R. Dunn, Director of Music-Organist
Jessica Skidmore, Christian Ministry Coordinator
Tori Potter, Sexton
Nancy Klebart, Office Manager
978-526-7661 ext. 1
www.firstparishchurch.org
Insert picture of Church
MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE
Communion Sunday, June 3, 2018, 10:00 a.m.
Confirmation Sunday
ORGAN PRELUDE: “Oh, the Beautiful Treasures” Shaker Tune
Arranged by Wilbur Held (b. 1914-2015)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP (written by Rev. M. Enid Watson)
Pastor: Jesus said, “Follow me.”
Parish: We don’t always know what that means.
Pastor: We are on a journey of discovery.
Parish: We are here because we want to be God’s people;
Pastor: We are here because we are broken and want to be whole
again;
Parish: We are here to celebrate our lives, and God’s presence in
this life.
All: Let us worship God with great thanksgiving.
*HYMN: “Morning Has Broken” PH #38 blue
PRAYER OF APPROACH AND CONFESSION
(Adapted from Touch Holiness)
As we end another busy week in our lives, we come before you, O God,
knowing that you are always ready to receive us, shortcomings and all.
We take time out to consider how our lives might better reflect your
broad view of life, your forgiving spirit, your wisdom, your creativity,
your patience. You call us to the inspiring, and sometimes difficult,
work of living the way that Jesus taught us-- loving our neighbors as
ourselves. You challenge us to have courage in the face of possible
ridicule and failure. We seek to be like Jesus in refusing to be dead in
the midst of life, and in refusing to ignore glaring needs and insistent
cries for help. May the transforming power of your love shine through
each of us. We pray in Jesus name…
*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 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, the power and the glory forever. Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI: 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
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Jeremiah 29:11 Jen Powers, Reader
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for
your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”
Hebrews 12:1-3 Jessica Skidmore, Reader
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let
us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus
the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has
taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,
so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.”
ANTHEM: “My Faith, My Hope”
Text: George Herbert (1593-1633) and written in 1633
Music: Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947)
My Faith. My Hope, my Strength, my Light…
Come, my Way, my truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath:
Such a Truth, as ends all strife:
Such a Life outliveth death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast;
Such a Feast, as mends in length;
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part:
Such a Heart, as joys in love.
WORDS OF INTRODUCTION
Jen Powers & Jessica Skidmore, Confirmation Instructors
TESTIMONY: Ian, Jake, & Tyler
*HYMN: “In the Bulb There Is a Flower” NCH #433 black
TESTIMONY: Alden, Sam, Charlotte, & Max
OFFERTORY SENTENCE
OFFERTORY ANTHEM: “Come, Christians, Join to Sing “
Words: Christian Henry Bateman (1813-1889)
Music based on a Cuban folk song
Arranged by Hal H. Hopson (b. 1934)
Come, Christians, join to sing Come, lift your hearts on high;
Loud praise to Christ our King; Let praises fill the sky;
Let all, with heart and voice, He is our guide and friend;
Before his throne rejoice His love shall never end.
Rejoice and sing. Rejoice and sing.
Be joyful in the Lord, Be joyful in the Lord,
Lift up your voice of praise; Lift up your voice of praise;
Your alleluias raise. Your alleluias raise.
Praise Christ with heart and soul;
His endless love extol.
On heaven’s blissful shore
Sing songs forever more.
Rejoice and sing.
Be joyful in the Lord,
Lift up your voice of praise;
Your alleluias raise.
*DOXOLOGY: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below, Praise God
above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION
INTRODUCTION
QUESTIONS TO THE CONFIRMANDS - CONFIRMING
BAPTISMAL PROMISES
PRAYER OF THE CONFIRMANDS
Pastor and Confirmands: O God, my God, known to me in Jesus Christ,
I give myself to you as your own, to love and serve you faithfully all the
days of my life. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CONGREGATION
Almighty God, who in baptism received these your servants into the
church, for-gave their sins, and promised them eternal life, increase in
them the gifts of your Holy Spirit. Grant love for others, joy in serving
you, peace in disagreement, pa-tience in suffering, kindness toward all
people, goodness in evil times, faithfulness in temptation, gentleness in
the face of opposition, self-control in all things. There-by strengthen
them for their ministry in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
ACT OF CONFIRMATION
ADDRESS AND WELCOME
COVENANT OF MEMBERSHIP WITH FIRST PARISH
CHURCH, CONGREGATIONAL, UCC
COVENANT OF THE CONGREGATION
Acknowledging Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Lord, and accepting
the Holy Scripture as our rule of faith and practice, and recognizing the
privilege and duty of uniting ourselves for Christian fellowship, the
enjoyment of Christian ordinances, the public worship of God, and the
advancement of His kingdom in the world, we do now, in the sight of
God and invoking His blessing, solemnly covenant and agree with each
other to associate ourselves to be a church of Jesus Christ, as warranted
by the Word of God.
We agree to maintain the institutions of the gospel, to submit ourselves
to the orderly administration of the affairs of the Church, and to walk
together in neighborly love.
And this we do depending upon our God who so loved the world that
Jesus Christ, the only begotten son, was given for our salvation, and
who redeemed us with His blood, and on the Holy Spirit, our Comforter
and Guide.
Confirmed this morning are:
Ian Alsop Jake Edwards Tyler Erdmann
Alden Irose Sam Peterson Charlotte Pick
Max Warnock
*HYMN: “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry” NCH #351 black
SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION (The bread in the middle of the plates is gluten free; the cup is non-alcoholic grape juice.)
Call to the Table and Communion Prayer (There will be time, during the prayer, to bring our joys and concerns before God.)
Words of Institution
Sharing of the Bread and Cup
Prayer of Thanksgiving – in unison:
Loving and gracious God, thank you for this holy meal. Thank
you for Jesus and his all-inclusive love for humanity. Thank
you for this day in which we worship and serve you. Amen.
*[The “Removal of the Flame”, which symbolizes the Spirit of God accompanying
us out into the world]
*BENEDICTION
TUNNEL OF BLESSING
As the newly confirmed members of FPCC exit the church, you are
invited to turn toward the central aisle and raise your hands towards
them in a gesture of blessing.
*CHORAL RESPONSE
ORGAN POSTLUDE: “Trumpet Voluntary”
Gordon Young (1919-1998)
After the service all are invited to join us outside for refreshments.
Flowers on the altar are given by the Christian Education Committee in
celebration of our Confirmation Class and their parents.
The Deacons are Sarah Campbell and Barbara Smith.
Readers and greeters are always needed, to volunteer speak to the
Deacons, or you can also sign up online.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0444aca629a5f94-diaconate
Listening devices are available for those in need; they are at the back of
the Sanctuary. Feel free to address a Deacon should you need help using
them.
Welcome to all who are new to our worship. To join our mailing list fill
out a “Welcome Card” to place in the collection plate or contact
[email protected], 978-526-7661 ext 1.
FPCC CARE TEAM Have you shared the experience?
We support FPC families with meals, rides, & visits through
times of illness and loss. Please contact Sue Pick
([email protected] or 978-548-0145) if you would like to
share your ideas, time, and talents with the FPC Care Team.
SEASIDE PARISH KNITTERS We would love to have
you join us on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays (June 7 & 21) of
the month in the Conference Room of the Chapel, 3-5 PM.
MY STORY We each have unique journeys of faith. One
way to deepen our understanding of them is to share our
stories with each other.
Once per month, the Vitality Committee welcomes one of
you to share your faith journey during Sunday service in brief 2 to 3
minute remarks. We hope you will consider sharing yours. A simple
way to organize your thoughts is to answer these 3 questions:
1. What is your early faith history? (1 minute)
2. How did you come to First Parish Church? What is meaningful to
you about your participation? (1 minute)
3. Can you share a specific moment of faith, an experience of divine
intervention or God's or Jesus' presence in your life? (1 minute)
We are eager to hear your faith stories! Please talk with Mary Ellen
Cook (978-526-7178) or Allison Moir-Smith (978-526-1904) to learn
more.
Weekly Food Donations When you go to church Sunday
mornings or to a meeting during the week, remember to take
one item that can be donated to Open Door. Food baskets
located in the Chapel and Church. It is easy to forget, but you can think
ahead and bring one food item that will be much appreciated by folks
who really need our help.
Brown Bag Lunch on Friday, June 30 sign-up coming soon or see
Lelly Smith or Muriel Parker.
Serve Dinner at The Open Door
Prep & Servers needed: please contact Jim Brennan after worship or at
978-879-4595 or click a date below to sign up here
Included in the Mission of our congregation is caring for God's creation.
Especially as Spring reveals the wonder of it all, we think
“conservation!” We will be putting forth alerts and reminders to help
us awaken to God's creation and consider our own actions to care for
this amazing town and the wider world we have been given.
What can we do to help with Conservation?
Here are some ideas from your Missions Committee.
Our Green Church on the Green
Transportation Notes
How do we travel these days?
1. Carpool / Use public transportation
2. Walk / Bicycle
3. Pre-plan / Combine errands
SETTLED PASTOR SEARCH PROCESS TO BEGIN BY THE
END OF THE SUMMER Do you feel called to serve? First Parish
will soon begin the process of searching for a new pastor. According to
our church bylaws, the Church Council is responsible for
appointing church members to serve on the search committee – two
from the Diaconate, one each from the Trustees, CE, Stewardship,
Music, Missions and Youth Group, and 5 members-at-large. Council
agreed that ideal criteria for serving on the committee include: regular
church attendance, positive outlook, good listening and synthesizing of
information skills, not being shy about speaking up in meetings, and
looking to God for guidance. Further, the chair of the
committee should have strong organization, motivation, and computer
skills.
Our hope is to create a cohesive committee that is representative of our
faith community with a balanced mix of ages, gender, family contexts,
and theological perspectives, and with a shared commitment to the
future of our church. Once the search starts, it will likely take six to nine
months. The main components of the work include developing
interview questions that help us assess whether a candidate would be a
good match for our values, purpose, and vision; reading through
candidates’ profiles; deciding who to interview; conducting interviews;
and then recommending a candidate to the congregation. The committee
will meet once or twice a month to prayerfully work through their tasks,
and individuals will be expected to read candidates’ profiles in between
meetings. There may also be a few visits to other churches to hear
candidates preach. Our UCC Area Minister, Rev. Wendy Vander Hart,
will help guide the committee through the search process, and Rev.
Marlayna can be a guide as well—but only on the process itself, not in
the choosing of candidates.
If you feel that serving God in this capacity might be a natural fit for
your talents and interests, or if there is someone you would like to
nominate who would also be a good fit, then please feel welcome to
speak with, or to email church moderator, Nancy Peterson
[email protected]. (Note: As a balanced mix of various
components is required, not all people who volunteer for the committee
may be appointed to serve.)
VISION PROCESS
Building on our four congregational meetings in the Vision Process, we
(the Transition Team) have drafted a Vision Statement, which is
available in the narthex and on the church’s website. The congregation
will have the opportunity to discuss the Vision Statement at our church’s
Annual Meeting on June 24th, and, with the congregation’s blessing, the
Vision Statement will then be used to form the basis of a strategic plan,
which the Executive Committee and Council will put together in the fall
of 2018. Once a strategic plan (with goals and objectives) has taken
shape, it will be presented to a “special meeting” of the congregation for
approval.
We (the Transition Team) are also using the information we have
gathered from the Vision Process to help form our “Church Profile,”
which is the document used in the search for a new settled pastor.
We plan to have the Church Profile done by mid June.
Please continue to keep our church’s Vision Process in your prayers!
Your Transition Team (Paul Driscoll, Lauren Gudonis, Mary Lumsden,
Jeff Parker, Jason Smith, Lelly Smith)
Church Council minutes, Congregational Meeting minutes and
documents can be found online.
TUCK’S POINT WORSHIP
Join us Sun. June 10, at the
Tuck’s Point Chowder House for
the 10 AM worship. (Worship
will include a dramatic reading
and lively music.)
BYOB picnic lunch to follow, dessert and beverages will be provided.
BIBLE STUDY will resume on May 31st and continue through June
14th.
First Parish Church Congregational uses candid photos of church
activities on its website and in its publicity from time to time. Any photos
of children used will not contain personally identifiable information.
Members of the community not wanting their photos depicted (or those
of their children) should inform the church office.
Upcoming events can be found on our website
(www.firstparishchurch.org ) under “News” and “Calendar” and on our
Facebook page (First Parish Manchester-by-the-Sea) under “Events”
THIS WEEK:
Tuesday
6:35 PM Transition Team Meeting
Wednesday
10:00 AM COA Yoga
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Thursday
10:00 AM Health Clinic
3:00 PM Seaside Knitters
4:00 PM Bible Study
Friday
8:00 AM Yoga
Sunday
10:00 AM Worship at Tuck’s Point
BYO Picnic to follow
First Parish Church
Vacation Bible School
June 25-29, 1 - 3 PM
Children K-6th
grade are invited to join us for a fun filled week of
stories, games, crafts, and learning about Jesus’ love.
First Parish Chapel
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED This is our biggest outreach to the greater
Manchester community, providing a free fun event to local families, and
we need volunteers to help run the program and donate snacks.
Please sign up to help today! High School students can earn community
service hours. To sign up speak to Jessica 978-526-7661 x 3 or email
You can also look at volunteer slots and sign up online.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c4caba822a1f49-canyou1
CHILDREN K-6 GRADE WELCOME Sign up your children and invite
friends! Contact Jessica with questions 978-526-7661 x 3 or
You can also register online
https://goo.gl/forms/grlpEsnQRYZGlFKb2