Union Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
An Open and Affirming Congregation September 27, 2020
Painting by Anne Gaye Hartman
The Reverend Dr. Robert Marrone, Pastor
33 Concord Street, Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458 603-924-3272 (church office) 603-425-4578 (pastor)
officeucc@comcast.net www.uccpeterborough.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peterboroughucc
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We are glad that you are with us today as we worship!
All hymns are reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.
All Bible verses are reprinted with permission from www.biblegateway.com. All rights reserved.
Boldface indicates passages to be read by all.
Celebrating Anne Gaye Hartman
Greetings & Announcements Rev. Dr. Bob Marrone
Prelude: On Eagle’s Wings Mary Ann Fleming
Michael Joncas/Lani Smith, Lorenz Publishing, 2000 Call to Worship
Lord, let us be still and at peace, just for a few moments, in the busy-ness of life. Help us be attentive to where we have been and where we are headed. And let us see where you are present in our lives today as we come to wor-ship. Amen.
*Hymn Morning Has Broken Pilgrim Hymnal #38
Page #8 in your Bulletin
Reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.
Morning prayer Loving God,
At the beginning of Creation, You calmed the chaos of the world and revealed light. Shine now on those whose lives are filled with chaos and uncertainty. Grant them the grace of calm in the midst of confusion.
You have always shown us the way from darkness into the light. For those struggling now to see the light, we ask that You shine it a bit brighter in our world. Grant us all the grace to see a way forward through the present darkness.
Throughout history You have raised up leaders to care for your people. May those who are called upon to lead now in this time of challenge be given the grace to do so with conviction and compassion.
ministries can use the abundance with which we have been blessed to help those in need. Grant us the grace to move with humility and prudence in all that we do.
You are also a God of wonders. We have often struggled to imagine the breadth and depth of what is possible with You at our side. Grant us all – those directly affected and those holding them in prayer – the grace of creativity in our response to this Coronatide.
The Psalmist sings, "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Let it also be our song this day. May we, and those we pray for, truly hope in the Lord. And may that hope give us all the strength and heart we need to move from darkness into light.
Amen. Message for All Ages
Special Music: I Love You, Lord
Soloists: Bob, Randy, Dick, Dick, John, Dick, Mark, Tony
Laurie Klein/Jack Schrader, Hope Publishing, 1996
Prayers of the People & Pastoral Prayer
*Hymn Rock of Ages Pilgrim Hymnal #358
Page #9 in your Bulletin
Reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.
Scripture Reading:
Philippians 2:1-13: New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Imitating Christ’s Humility
2 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
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Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
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who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
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as something to be exploited,
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but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
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he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
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Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Shining as Lights in the World
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Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Sermon: Humility 102 Rev. Dr. Bob Marrone
Prayer of Thanksgiving
For the painted sunsets, filled with color,
For fall colors, turning trees the color of pumpkins, For all the colors of love that fill our lives with beauty, For the harvest, bathed in the light of love,
For all the blessings of this season, We say thank you.
Amen.
*Hymn For the Beauty of the Earth vs. 1-4 Pilgrim Hymnal #66 Page #10 in your Bulletin
*Benediction
*Choral Benediction Masithi, Amen The New Century Hymnal #760 Page #7 in your Bulletin
Reprinted with permission under One License #A700240. All rights reserved.
Postlude Mary Ann Fleming
The postlude ends our gathered worship and sends us into the world, where our service begins.
SERVING TODAY
Music: Bob, Randy, Dick, Dick, John, Dick, Mark, Tony Deacon: Mike
Organist and Choir Director: Mary Ann Fleming
The flowers on the altar today are in celebration of the life of Anne Gaye Hartman. Anne Gaye Hartman
“Gay was such a classy lady. She was so intelligent and well-spoken, but she always made me feel loved and accepted. I will always have the memory of her standing and sitting in church with her beloved Rick. One time at a Christmas Eve service, I was sitting in front of her and she acci-dentally spilled a little wax from the candle on my woolen cape. She felt so badly! I didn’t even try to get it out because it will always remind me of Gay.” Laura
NOTES
OFFERING: Please remember that the church still has bills to pay and payroll to fund. Please send in or drop off your pledges with—Attn: assistant treasurer—in the lower left corner of the envelope.
MONDAY NIGHT SUPPER TAKE-OUT: Meals will be prepared and packaged Monday afternoon, with pick up at the kitchen door from 5:30-6:00. Each meal will include a main dish, salad or vegetable, bread, and desert. Orders need to be placed by noon on FRIDAY by calling the church office, 924-3272. Please leave your name and the num-ber of meals you would like to pick up on Monday evening.
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Church Information Pastor’s office hours: Monday—Thursday, 8:30-12:30
Office hours:
Monday—Friday, 8:30-12:30
The office is currently closed physically, please call or email with any questions or concerns. Please call the office by Friday at noon to order your Monday night suppers.
This Week’s Calendar: September 20-26
Cindy will be working remotely this week for the health of our community
Sunday 10:00 am Worship from home
Monday 5:30 pm Pick up ordered suppers 6:30 pm Council Zoom
Tuesday 8:30 am Staff Meeting
Thursday 9 am SNHS/WIC
2 pm Scott-Farrar
7:30 pm Choir Zoom
Friday 12 noon Deadline to order suppers for next Monday Sunday, October 4th, BALLOTS DUE for Pulpit Modification Vote
SERMONS: Please let the office know of members of our church community who are unable to worship online. We would like to reach out to them and offer alternative ways to worship with us.
PULPIT MODIFICATION: Ballots were mailed out on Monday, September 14th, to vote on the proposed pulpit modification. Please return your ballot to the church office by dropping off or mailing in the enclosed envelope by Sunday, October 4, 2020.
SUNDAY SCHOOL: Regular Sunday School classes and the nursery remain closed for the fall in compliance with social distance guidelines. However, we welcome new families to the church! If you know of someone who would like to connect with Christian Education, please contact the church office.
Open and Affirming Covenant of Welcome
Jesus accepts all people.We aspire to follow his example.
We gladly invite and welcome all persons into the life and ministry of this faith community and to full participation in all the sacraments and rites of this church. Since we believe that all people are created in the image of God and are loved by God, we welcome those of every age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, faith background, national or ethnic origin, physical and mental ability,
kind of family, socioeconomic status, and physical appearance. Seeking justice for everyone, we promise to offer intentional and extravagant welcome to all God’s children.