Round Hill Community Church

ORDER OF SERVICENovember 20, 2016 - Twenty-seventh Sunday after Pentecost

PRELUDE Improvisation on “The Ash Grove” WORDS OF WELCOME

INTROIT Let All Things Now Living setting, K. Davis CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: Let us celebrate the wondrous gifts God has given us.All: Throughout all our lives, God has blessed us with love and

hope.Leader: Praise be to God who provides for us.All: May our hearts be truly grateful, and may we show our

gratitude by the ways in which we live and care for others. Leader: Hallelujah!All: Amen.

*HYMN No. 718 Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

*OPENING PRAYER O gracious God, we thank you for loving the world into existence and sustaining all life by your goodness. With gratitude we recall that you revealed yourself through prophets and teachers and most fully in the life, death,and resurrection of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Through the power of your Spirit, let us know afresh the joy of Christ’s living presence, the strength to face every circumstance of life, and the knowledge that nothing can ever separate us from your love. Amen.

*The congregation is invited to stand

*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,and the power, and the glory,forever and ever. Amen.

*GLORIA PATRIGlory 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.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Jenny Byxbee

CHILDREN’S SENDING SONG

Children may now leave for Children’s Worship.

SCRIPTURE LESSON Psalm 111Alleluia! I will thank you, God, with all my heart in the meeting of the just and their assembly. Great are your works to be pondered by all who love them. Glorious and sublime are your works; your justice stands firm forever. You help us remember your wonders. You are compassion and love. You give food to those who fear you, keeping your covenant ever in mind. You have shown your might to your people by giving them the lands of the nations. Your works are justice and truth; your precepts are all of them sure; they are steadfast forever and ever, made in uprightness and faithfulness. You have sent deliverance to your people and established your covenant forever. Holy your name, greatly to be feared. To fear you is the beginning of wisdom; all who do so prove themselves wise. Your praise shall last forever!

ANTHEM Ubi Caritas Duruflé

SCRIPTURE LESSON Matthew 25: 31-45When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of

these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

SERMON Hospitality: Mercy within Mercy within Mercy The Rev. Dr. Ed

Horstmann

*HYMN No. 714 For the Fruit of All Creation

OFFERINGInvitationAnthem Love Bade me Welcome Vaughan

Williams Patrick Hogan, Tenor

*Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*Hymn My Country ‘Tis of Thee (verse 4)Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our

land be bright with freedom’s holy light; protect us bythy might, Great God, our King.

PASTORAL PRAYER

*HYMN No. 715 Now Thank We All Our God

CHURCH PRAYEROur Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill-will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BENEDICTION

CHORAL RESPONSE Let All Things Now Living setting, K. DavisPOSTLUDE Nun Danket Alle Gott S. Karg-Elert

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENTWe, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord.

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREED

I believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.

CHURCH NEWS

Thank you to Diane Davol and Nancy Mazzoli for ushering today.

Thanks to Dennis and Erica D'Antonio for hosting coffee hour today. Please join them in the parlor following the service.

The lovely flowers in the Sanctuary today are a beautiful memorial to our very dear, long-standing and recently departed member, Suzanne Mason. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.

Outreach: Thanksgiving is upon us and our friends at Neighbor to Neighbor have asked for donations of stuffing mix, canned veggies, canned cranberry sauce, gravy, boxed potatoes/rice, pie fillings, cookie, cake, biscuit and muffin mixes. Items can be left in the food wagon by the front entrance.

The Outreach Committee continues to collect men’s, women’s and children’s clothing for St. Ann’s. Donations can be left on or by the rack in the entranceway of the church. Please contact Alice Fisher at sundial32@gmail.com with questions.

Church Activities: Christmas on Round Hill is just around the corner! Have you reserved your tickets for the Gala Preview Party on December 2nd?

Kick-off the holiday season with distinctive shopping, sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, festive cocktails, and new this year - a DJ and dancing! Purchase tickets at church@roundhillcommunitychurch.org. Volunteers needed to help with this event, too. Sign-up in the Parlor.

Music: Leslie’s Notes -

Faith Formation: The Round Hill Prayer Circle meets on the last Sunday of each month at 11:30 am in the Rev. Dan Haugh’s office. The first part of each meeting includes the offering of prayers for those in our congregation and beyond. Prayer requests can be made in person when the Prayer Circle meets, or by writing to Jill Cassill: jillphoenix1948@aol.com. The remainder of the time is devoted to sharing resources and practical guidance to enhance our prayer and spiritual growth. All are welcome!

Youth & Children’s Ministries: As our children's ministry grows, we encourage you to start Sundays in service as a family.  After the Children's Message all children who would like to participate in Children's Worship will be dismissed into classrooms following the special sending song.  

For parents with little ones birth up to age 3, our childcare room is available 9:45am-11:15am.  It opens 15 minutes before service and childcare workers stay until 15 minutes past service. All members of our church family, even the youngest, are always welcome at coffee hour!

The Round Hill Saints are on the move again as part of the Greenwich Alliance for Education’ Annual Turkey Trot on Saturday November 26!  There is a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk beginning at 9:30 am sharp and a 5K at 10 am in Bruce Park around a scenic, flat loop. If you would like to join our team, email Jenny ASAP at jenny@roundhillcommunitychurch.org.  For more information, visit https://www.greenwichalliance.org/events/turkey-trot-2016/.

Christmas Pageant: Sign-ups for this year’s Best Christmas Pageant Ever begin on November 27, Advent Sunday, or by emailing Jenny at jenny@roundhillcommunitychurch.org.  We have costumes and a role for any child or family member who would like to participate!  Rehearsal is Saturday, December 10, time TBA, and the Pageant is on Sunday, December 11 at 10 am during worship. 

Advent Workshop: Sunday, November 27 – beginning at 4 pm, join us for a special seasonal message in the Sanctuary, after which we’ll proceed to the Community House to decorate advent wreaths and cookies, for caroling and hot chocolate.  We’ll light the Christmas tree and enjoy supper and fellowship around the hearth. RSVP’s are required by November 23 by emailing church@roundhillcommunitychurch.org.

CHILDREN’S CORNER:

REFLECTION

Teresa of Avila said, “All the way to heaven is heaven.” At no stage of the journey, no matter how great the darkness, are you alone. If you surrender yourself to the movement of love, your strength will be multiplied. Your wealth increases the more you share it, whenever you surrender yourself to the power of love, love is with you; life to the full.

Dorothee Sölle

Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. HorstmannAssociate Pastor: The Rev. Dan Haugh

Director of Music: Leslie SmithDirector of Children’s Ministries: Jenny Byxbee

Minister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph AhlbergRound Hill Community Church

395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831 203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org