first parish church, congregational · 2018. 7. 25. · *hymn: “day by day” from godspell by...

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

[email protected]

www.firstparishchurch.org

mailto:[email protected]://www.firstparishchurch.org/

MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE

Sunday, July 29, 2018, 9:00 a.m.

PRELUDE: Canon in D Major (piano)

by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CALL TO WORSHIP

(adapted from Whole People of God curriculum)

Leader: The world has billions of inhabitants.

People: Yet God says to us, “I know you and I love you.”

Leader: The societies of this world assign numbers and categories;

People: God says, “I know you by name.”

Leader: The values of this world count our worth in dollars and cents;

People: God says, “Priceless.”

All: We are not strangers any longer. God, who loves us each and

every one, welcomes us home.

*HYMN: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” PH #228 blue

PRAYER OF APPROACH AND CONFESSION (adapted from Whole People of God curriculum)

Leader: O God, you love us and long for our return. Forgive us when

we forget to turn to you in our need.

All: There are no limits to your love. (You are invited to stretch your

arms out wide.)

Leader: Forgive us for worshiping the false gods of money, power, and

popularity.

All: There are no limits to your love. (Stretch arms out wide.)

Leader: Forgive us for hurting one another.


Leader: Forgive us for saying we love you and yet failing to act on that

love.


Leader: This summer, remind us once again, O God, to love you with

our whole hearts.


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

THE SACRAMENT OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM

Introduction

Questions to the Parents and Godparents

Question to the Congregation

Baptism and Prayer

Presentation by the Deacons

*HYMN: “Jesus Loves Me” NCH #327 black

PASTORAL PRAYER

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 15:11-32

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of

them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that

will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few

days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant

country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When

he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that

country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to

one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the

pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs

were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to

himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread

enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go

to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven

and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me

like one of your hired hands.”’ So he set off and went to his father. But

while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with

compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then

the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before

you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to

his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him;

put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf

and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and

is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached

the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and

asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your

father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and

sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came

out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen!

For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have

never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a

young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son

of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,

you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son,

you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to

celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has

come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

STORY SERMON: “Sharing in Forgiveness”

CALL TO OFFERING

OFFERTORY: Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 (flute)

by J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

*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.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN: “Day by Day” from Godspell

by Stephen Schwartz (b. 1948)

Day by day (repeat 2x)

O Dear Lord, three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love

thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day (repeat 2x)

Day by day by day by day by day.

*[The “Removal of the Flame”, which symbolizes the Spirit of God accompanying

us out into the world]

*BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE: What A Wonderful World (piano)

by George David Weiss (1921-2010) & Bob Thiele (1922-1996)

* * * * *

After the service join us in the front of the church for hospitality.

The greeter and lay reader is Jen Powers.

The Deacons are Barbara Smith and Lynda Griffiths.

Receiving the Sacrament of Baptism this morning are;

Carson John Benoit, born March 18, 2018 in Manchester, CT. Carson is

the son of Abigail and Jesse Benoit. Godparents are Molly Melanson

and Sean Hurley.

Townsend Shepherd Parsons, V, born July 27th, 2017 in Midlothian,

VA. Townsend is the son of Sarah and Shep Parsons. Godparents are

Rachel Frye and William Moncure.

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.

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

mailto:[email protected]://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0444aca629a5f94-diaconate

Please welcome our Guest Musician, Bonnie Anderson, this

morning. Bonnie Anderson made her debut with the Boston Symphony

Orchestra at age 14, first as flute soloist and several months later as

piano soloist in the Grieg Piano Concerto. She has performed on both

instruments in the United States, France, Germany and South America.

A frequent soloist, she has appeared with the Boston Pops, Peoria

Symphony, Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard University, Northern

Illinois Philharmonic and the Bach Festival Orchestra. Ms. Anderson’s

honors include the Young Pianist Award at Tanglewood, top prizes at

the Young Keyboard Artists Association International Competition and

the San Antonio International Keyboard Competition, as well as

competitor in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. As

chamber pianist, she has performed in Alice Tully Hall, Jordan Hall, the

Austrian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Shalin Liu Concert Hall in

Rockport, MA and numerous universities around the country. She

enjoys collaborating with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra,

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York

Philharmonic and National Symphony Orchestra. She performed on the

Nantucket Musical Arts Society Concert Series with Branford Marsalis

and the Walden Chamber Players. Ms. Anderson recently released her

debut solo recording, featuring piano music by Bach, Mozart, Chopin,

Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel and Ned Rorem. Her recording of music

for trumpet and piano with Joseph Foley was released in 2014. She

joined the piano faculty at Phillips Andover Academy in September

2012. She lives in Manchester-by-the-Sea with her husband and two

daughters.

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.

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.

mailto:[email protected]

Cut flowers from your garden would be most welcome

this summer for the church altar on Sunday

mornings. The arrangement does not need to be

large. Call Penny to donate, 978-526-7128.

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.

BOOK GROUP We continue with a summer read “Leaving

Before the Rain Comes” by Alexandra Fuller. Looking to

rebuild after a painful divorce, Alexandra Fuller turns to her

African past for clues to living a life fully and without fear.

A child of the Rhodesian wars and of two deeply complicated parents,

Alexandra Fuller is no stranger to pain. But the disintegration of

Fuller’s own marriage leaves her shattered. Looking to pick up the

pieces of her life, she confronts tough questions about her past, about

the American man she married, and about the family she left behind in

Africa. Fuller soon realizes that what is missing from her life is

something that was always there: the brash and uncompromising ways

of her father. “Tim Fuller of No Fixed Abode”—familiar to readers

from Alexandra Fuller’s New York Times–bestselling memoir Don’t


Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight—was a man who regretted nothing and

wanted less, even after fighting harder and losing more than most men

could bear. Amazon

Mary Ellen Cook will be hosting the next book group, Monday, Sept.

24, 6:30 pm at 23 Harold St. Manchester. Please RSVP to Mary Ellen at

978-526-7178 so she can plan accordingly. All are welcome!

STEWARDSHIP New date and location! Thank

you for pledging Beach Party! Today, Sunday, July

29 at 5 PM. At Tuck’s Point! Bonfire, simple

supper, First Parish Fizzels, body surfing, sand castle

contest, fellowship and fun.

Bring a beach chair and a bathing suit.

RSVP to Mary Ellen 978-526-7178.

VITALITY Festival by the Sea will be

Saturday, August 4th. This is a great

opportunity for our church to open its doors and

welcome all to FPC both inside and out. We

need volunteers for 2 hour blocks of time; 9-11

AM, 11 AM - 1 PM, 1-3 PM, 3-5 PM. We will

have people inside to greet visitors and chat and

oversee sidewalk chalk art. Please see Allison or Mary Ellen to sign up.

This is a lot of fun and an easy mission to our community of

Manchester.

MISSIONS Weekly Food Donations When you go to church Sunday

mornings remember to take one item that can be donated to Open Door

through the food basket placed in the Narthex. 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.

This Green Church on the Green knows

Our Missions Include RECYCLING ...

When we are done with something

- Recycle, - Redeem at Redemption Center

- Re-use or - Compost in the Good Earth

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. 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 the

congregation voted to affirm at our Annual Meeting. With the

congregation’s blessing, the Vision Statement will 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 the end of July.

Thank you for keeping 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.

http://www.firstparishchurch.org/church-council/

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:

Wednesday

10:00 AM COA Yoga

10:00 AM Staff Meeting

Thursday

10:00 AM Health Clinic

Friday

8:00 AM Yoga

Saturday

Manchester by the Sea Arts Festival

9:00 Open House @ Church & Sidewalk Art

Sunday

10:00 AM Worship
http://www.firstparishchurch.org/http://www.facebook.com/FirstParishChurchManchesterMa

first parish church, congregational · 2018. 7. 25. · *hymn: “day by day” from godspell by...

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