Bulletin 5/04/08

Bulletin 5/11/08 · Bulletin 5/04/08 · Bulletin 4/27/08 · Bulletin 4/20/08

Welcome to worship this morning.

If you are with us for the first time, please know you are among friends. We invite you to sign our guestbook on the table in the entryway and to take a Welcome Packet if you would like to know more about the ministries of the church. No matter who you are or where you are in life's journey, please know that you are welcome here. Following worship,

all are invited for coffee or juice and conversation downstairs in the fellowship area.

295 Atlantic Ave.

North Hampton, NH 03862

Phone: (603) 964-8687

Fax: (603) 964-1317

United Church of Christ in North Hampton Website: uccnorthhampton.org

ORDER OF WORSHIP

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Preludes

Enter His Courts With Praise Adam Mason

My Faith Looks Up to Thee Arr. Eleanor Whitsett

Welcome, Announcements & Passing of the Peace

Choral Introit and Candle Lighting

You Satisfy the Hungry Heart

Call to Worship and Opening Prayer

One: Come and gather as God's people, seeking to live in the Spirit of Christ.

Many: We come longing for healing and reconciliation, seeking God's love and light.

One: Come with joy and thanksgiving, for the ways that God calls us into Christian community.

Many: We come joining hearts and hands in prayer.

One: Come one and all to celebrate the presence of the living Christ at this table of grace.

Many: We come to be nourished and strengthened so that we can be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

One: So let us worship, and let us pray together.

All: As we worship together, O God, may we live together.

As we live together, O God, may we witness together.

As we witness together, O God, may we journey together.

As we journey together, O God, may we meet together.

As we meet together, O God, may we worship together.

And may our worship be in you, O God, as you are in us. Amen

*Hymn 3 (Red) God Himself is With Us

*Prayer of Confession

One: Much time is wasted staring at the sky, longing for something miraculous to happen, waiting for God to step out of heaven, and make everything right. But the messengers of God say, “Why are you wasting time looking at the sky?”

Many: May we live in unity, and with your forgiving grace, listen to each other's experiences, and renew our call to love.

One: Much time is wasted staring at political leaders, expecting a snap of the fingers, waiting for a dictate, a law, an idea, that will solve the problems of the world. The messengers of God say, “Why are you wasting time looking somewhere else?” Instead live out God's justice in the world as God's people.

Many: May we live in unity, and with your forgiving grace, listen to each other's experiences, and renew our call to love.

One: Much time is wasted staring at dogmas, searching for answers and meaning, softening the cross, easing the way of love, to make life better, and the world richer. The messengers of God say, “Why are you wasting time looking at religion?” Instead live out your faith in the world as God's people.

Many: May we live in unity, and with your forgiving grace, listen to each other's experiences, and renew our call to love.

Words of Grace

Jesus' prayer for us is for protection in God's name that we may be one. Go, forgiven, in unity with each other, blessed by God's own son.

Children's Message

Choral Anthem O Sing Unto the Lord Henry Purcell

Reading from Scripture John 17:1-11

17After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. 5So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

6”I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

Reflection David O'Connor

Time for Silent Reflection

Invitation to Giving

Offertory Love Lifted Me Smith/Rowe

*Response 781 (Black)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Christ the Word in flesh born low

Praise Holy Spirit evermore;

One God, Triune, whom we adore.

*Unison Prayer of Dedication

Giving thanks for our many blessings, we offer our gifts today with thanksgiving for this community of love. May we be united in our love and hope for the world, and serve in Jesus' name. Amen.

The Church at Prayer

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Sung Call to Prayer 250 (Black) v. 4

O my Savior, hear my need, though my love is faint indeed,

Still I love you and adore -oh, for grace to love you more!

Silent Prayer & Prayers of the People

The Lord's Prayer (Sung)

*Hymn 340 (Black) We Are People on a Journey

Celebration of Communion Invitation

Words of Institution

Prayer of Consecration

Sharing the Bread and Cup

Prayer of Thanksgiving

*Benediction

*Benediction Response 236 (Black) Halleluja

Postlude The Rock of Salvation Franklin Ritter

*All who are comfortably able are invited to stand

Please use language that you are comfortable with, in reference to God.

~ Participants in Today's Service ~

Ministers to the World ~ All the Congregation

Minister to the Church ~ Rev. Michele Bagby Allan

Minister of Melodies ~ Gail Adams Shunk

Guest Speaker ~ David O'Connor

Pianist ~ Jody Nordstrom

Worship Leader ~ Susan Stewart

Greeters & Ushers ~ Ladies placeUnion

Portable hearing devices and large format bulletins are available. Please ask an usher if you are in need of either.

Parents, quality childcare is available in the nursery for infants and small children. Children, pre-school through Junior High, are invited to attend a multi-aged Sunday school class and to return to the sanctuary for communion. Children may leave for class after the children's message.

~ Today's Announcements ~

The flowers this morning are given by the Ladies placeUnion in memory of past members.

Special congregational meeting after worship today in the Sanctuary to approve the spending of money for the Capital Renovations Committee.

Strengthen the Church Special Offering ~ May 11th

Your gift to Strengthen the Church builds the UCC's future. From funding new congregations to invigorating existing ones, from fostering tomorrow's leaders to nurturing today's, Strengthen the Church grows our presence as a vibrant community of extravagant welcome.

Steve and Debbie Paul are traveling to Israel this month and have offered to bring anyone's prayers to the Wailing Wall. There are pieces of paper and pens in the pews if you would like to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. You can put the prayers in the collection plate or give them directly to the Pauls. They leave after the 11th so the prayers should be in this Sunday or next. Pastor Michele will send prayers for our whole church community also.

Thanks to all who have filled out the questionnaires you received in the March Lantern. We will be printing the directory this month and we are still missing a number of families' information. Please help us out by returning your finished forms to the office. If you need more forms, they are downstairs on the communications table. Thank you!

Bunco this coming Saturday at 7:00 pm. We will be downstairs in Charrier Hall.

Seadogs vs Fishercats. Fireworks too! Thursday, July 31 @ 7:05 We have tickets available for a group outing. They are $9 for box seats. If you are interested please contact John Dozet at 772-5326

We ask for prayers today for Karen Blaise whose ordination paper is brought before the Rockingham Association at her ecclesiastical council this afternoon.

As May and June roll around we know there will be many of our youth who will be graduating from college, high school and middle school. Please let the office know if your son or daughter is graduating so we can lift them up this month and next. Thank you.

Choir rehearsal Thursday, 7:00 pm in the music room, new members are always welcome.

~ Church Life and Events for This Week ~

Today Men's Breakfast - 8 am (Charrier Hall)

Worship - 10 am (Sanctuary)

Congregational Mtg. - after worship (Sanctuary)

Rockingham Association

Ecclesiastical Council - 2:30 pm

Thursday Fitness Group - 9 am (Charrier Hall)

Choir Rehearsal - 7 pm (Music Room)

Saturday Women's Book Club - 9 am (Caffe Fresco)

Bunco - 7 pm (Charrier Hall)

Sunday Men's Breakfast - 8 am (Charrier Hall)

Worship - 10 am (Sanctuary)

~ Green Tip of the Week ~

Recycle what can't be reused. Even if it's too much trouble to recycle your batteries & food scraps, it's easy to recycle newspaper, glass, and aluminum cans. Recycling some of your waste is much better than recycling none. More than a ton of waste per person living in the placecountry-regionU.S. is generated every year!

Bulletin Deadline is every Wednesday.

Lantern Deadline is Monday, May 19th

As you make your way today, if you do not wish to take home your bulletin,

please use the baskets at the exits of the sanctuary to recycle them.

~ Staff Office Hours ~

Rev. Michele Bagby Allan, Pastor

Office hours: Monday ~ Wednesday, 8:30 - noon.

You may stop in or call the office to make an appointment.

964-8687 or pastormichele@uccnorthhampton.org

Ellen Dozet, Office Manager

Office Hours: Monday ~ Friday, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm

964-8687 or info@uccnorthhampton.org