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Prelude for Transfiguration - Matthew H

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F I R S T C O N G R E G A T I O N A L C H U R C H HYMN O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair 75 B E N N I N G T O N , V E R M O N T (LYRICS REPRINTED AT THE END OF THE ORDER OF SERVICE) This anonymous fifteenth-century hymn was written for the Feast of Transfiguration. The Latin Vermont’s Colonial Shrine: Welcoming all to share God’s light, original was included in the Sarum Breviary (1495). The translation by John Mason Neale was and proclaiming God’s embracing love since 1806 published in The Hymnal Noted (1851). This hymn is set to the tune Deo Gracias which is an English melody dating from the fifteenth century. It was composed as the setting for a ballad recalling the success of the British army over the French in Normandy (agincourt), about 1415. It T H E REV . K E N N E T H A. C LARKE , M I N IS T E R ended with the words “Deo gracias.” When the tune became associated as a hymn setting, its name GENE MARIE CALLAHAN, ORGANIST became Deo Gracias. FEBRUARY 14, 2021 SECOND LESSON Mark 9:2-9 p. 820 TRANSFIGURATION SUNDAY PRELUDE Prelude for Transfiguration - Matthew H. Corl SERMON Staying Close By OPENING WORDS (responsive) HYMN Not Always on the Mount (LYRICS REPRINTED AT THE END OF THE ORDER OF SERVICE) Let us praise the Lord with open hearts. This hymn was written by Frederick Lucian Hosmer (1840-1929). Hosmer graduated from Harvard University May God grant us wisdom and love in all things. & Harvard Divinity School & became a Unitarian minister. He served in Northboro, Massachusetts; Quincy, Illi- Guide us in times of trouble and in times of joy. nois; St. Louis, Missouri; and Berkeley, California. In 1880 & 1911, he helped produce editions of Unity Hymns and Carols. He was a recognized authority on hymnody, & taught the subject at Harvard Divinity School. May God's presence ever guide us. WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE CHURCH (Visitors are kindly HYMN Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies 462 requested to fill out one of the visitor’s cards in the pew and put it in the offering plate.) (LYRICS REPRINTED AT THE END OF THE ORDER OF SERVICE) Composed by Malcolm Williamson in 1961. It is one of sixteen tunes composed for texts of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley. Williamson’s practice has been not to name his tunes but to let them OFFERING carry the name of text for which they were composed. OFFERTORY To God Alone in the Highest - Johan Gottfried Walther OPENING PRAYER (unison) Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let *DOXOLOGY (592) AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is LOSING RAYER AND THE ORD S RAYER (debts/debtors) p. 16 sadness, joy. C P L ’ P O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to HYMN Love Divine, All Loves Excelling 376 console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it (LYRICS REPRINTED AT THE END OF THE ORDER OF SERVICE) This hymn was written by Charles Wesley and was first published in 1747. Wesley was the 18th is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is child of Samuel and Susanna (“She Must Have Been a Saint”) Wesley. Charles was an Anglican in dying that we are born again to eternal life. In Jesus' name we pray, priest, dedicated to the Methodist movement, and he wrote between 6,000 and 6,500 hymns. th Amen. Rowland Hugh Pritchard wrote the Welsh tune Hyfrydol in 1831 before his 20 birthday. He was an assistant loom tender for the Welsh Flannel Manufacturing Company. An interesting point about the melody is that with one exception, it lies within the first five notes of the scale. ASSURANCE OF PARDON AND GLORIA PATRI (579) BENEDICTION FIRST LESSON 2 Kings 2:1-12 p. 290 POSTLUDE Laudation - Gilbert Martin Deacons on call this month are Marsha Pilachowski and Wendy Schmitt. Worship and life at Old First is changing in response to the need to reduce activity as we work to get through the challenge of the COVID-19 presence in our life. Our prayers and thoughts go to everyone immediately affected and thanks go to all people who work to provide care and supply our needs in this time. An audio version of our weekly worship services can be found on the church’s website by clicking on the “Worship” tab and selecting “Worship Here and Now”. Or simply paste the following into your computer’s browser at the top of the page: http://oldfirstchurchbenn.org/worship/worship-here-and-now/ If this link appears in blue on the device you are using to read this, you can also just “click on the link” and you will be there! The church office has been temporarily moved to the home of our office administrator. Please use email, phone or U.S. Mail for correspondence. If you are interested in discussing matters of faith and want to inquire about Christian membership in the church, please contact Rev. Clarke. We welcome the chance to have you join us in our historic, but active-in-the-world, community of faith! Gathered 1762 FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (O LD F IRST C HURCH ) 1 Monument Circle ● Old Bennington, Vermont 05201 ● (802) 447-1223 [email protected] ● www.oldfirstchurchbenn.org Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies Not Always on the Mount Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Not always on the mount may we Christ, the true, the only light, Rapt in the heavenly vision be: sun of Righteousness, arise, The shores of thought and feeling know triumph o'er the shades of night; The spirit’s tidal ebb and flow dayspring from on high, be near; daystar, in my heart appear. Yet shall one such exalted hour Bring to the soul redeeming power, Dark and cheerless is the morn And in new strength through after days unaccompanied by Thee; We travel our appointed ways. joyless is the day's return till Thy mercy's beams I see, Now all the lowly vale grows bright, till they inward light impart, Transfigured in remembered light, cheer my eyes and warm my heart. And in untiring souls we bear The freshness of the upper air. Visit then this soul of mine; pierce the gloom of sin and grief; The mount for vision: but below fill me, radiancy divine; The paths of daily duty go, scatter all my unbelief; And nobler life therein shall own more and more Thyself display, The pattern on the mountain shown. shining to the perfect day. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair 1. Love divine, all loves exceling, 3. Come, Almighty to deliver, Joy of heaven to earth come down, Let us all Thy life receive; 1. O wondrous sight, O vision fair 3. The law and prophets there have place, Fix in us Thy humble dwelling, Suddenly return, and never, of glory that the church shall share, two chosen witnesses of grace; All Thy faithful mercies crown! Never more Thy temples leave. which Christ upon the mountain shows, the Father's voice from out the cloud Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Thee we would be always blessing, where brighter than the sun he glows! proclaims his only Son aloud. Pure, unbounded love Thou art; Serve Thee as Thy host above; Visit us with Thy salvation, Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing, Enter every trembling heart. Glory in Thy perfect love. 2. From age to age the tale declare, 4. With shining face and bright array how with the three disciples there, Christ deigns to manifest today 2. Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit 4. Finish, then, Thy new creation; where Moses and Elijah meet, what glory shall be theirs above Into every troubled breast! Pure and spotless let us be; the Lord holds converse high and sweet. who joy in God with perfect love. Let us all in Thee inherit, Let us see Thy great salvation Let us find the promised rest; Perfectly restored in Thee; 5. And faithful hearts are raised on high Take away the love of sinning; Changed from glory into glory, by this great vision's mystery, Alpha and Omega be; Till in heaven we take our place, for which in joyful strains we raise End of faith, as its beginning, Till we cast our crowns before Thee the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise. Set our hearts at liberty. Lost in wonder, love, and praise. 2 KINGS 2:1-12 MARK 9:2-9 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the LORD has sent me transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
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