First Baptist Church of Cooperstown MUSICAL OFFERING “Song of Mary” Text: Miriam Therese Winter, 1979; rev. 1987 and First Presbyterian Church Music: Morning Song – Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, 1813 21 Elm Street Cooperstown, New York 13326 Matthew White, tenor

(607) 547-9371 (Office) (352) 216-0834 (Joe’s Cell) th Pastor Rev. Joseph Perdue Music Director Timothy Iversen This 20 -century paraphrase is based on the Song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55), commonly known by its opening Latin word, Magnificat. This song of praise offers clear reminders that God’s purposes often e-mail: [email protected] www.fbccooperstown.org lead to the reversal of human values, exalting the poor and dethroning the mighty. An American Baptist Church SERMON “There’s Something about Mary” Rev. Joseph Perdue December 20, 2020, 10:00 a.m. The Forth Sunday in LICENSE CEREMONY FOR CINDY FALK PRELUDE HYMN “My Soul Cries Out with a Joyful Shout” INTROIT “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” Trad. Polish Carol Canticle of the Turning Bell Choir 1. My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great, LIGHTING OF THE and my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait. Advent Song You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn, Refrain: is coming; we want the world to know, so from east to west shall my name be blest. Could the world be about to turn? And let the Advent candles brightly burn in a row. Refrain: My heart shall sing of the day you bring. And we believe God’s promise to put the wrong things right Let the fires of your justice burn. And bring to Earth’s darkness the gift of Peace and light. Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near, Refrain Advent Ring by John L. Bell (b.1949) and the world is about to turn. CALL TO WORSHIP 2. Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me, HYMN (Insert) “Mary Sang of Revolution” and your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be. Text: Henry Lebedinsky, 2020 based on a sermon by the Rev. Chris McPeak Your very name puts the proud to shame, and to those who would for you yearn, Music: McPeak – Henry Lebedinsky, 2020 you will show your might, put the strong to flight, for the world is about to turn. Refrain COMMUNITY MATTERS Cindy Falk 3. From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone. PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH AND THE LORD’S PRAYER Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from his throne. MUSICAL OFFERING “” Arranged by Mark Hayes, 1999 The hungry poor shall weep no more, for the food they can never earn; Matthew White, tenor there are tables spread; every mouth to be fed, For the world is about to turn. Refrain At the end of 1843, the organ in the Catholic collegiate Church of St. John the Baptist in Roquemaure, France, had recently been renovated, and to celebrate the event the Parish Priest persuaded a local 4. Though the nations rage from age to age, We remember who holds us fast: poet Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), to write a Christmas poem he entitled “Minuit, chrétiens” God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp. (Midnight, Christians). Soon afterwards that same year, Adolphe Charles Adam (1803-1856) composed This saving word that our forebears heard is the promise which holds us bound, the music. In 1855, Unitarian Minister John Sullivan Dwight (1813-1893) wrote the English version, till the spear and rod can be crushed by God, who is turning the world around. which became popular in the United States, especially in the North, where the third verse resonated Refrain with abolitionists, including Dwight himself. SCRIPTURE READING Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 Elizabeth Dunn Text: Rory Cooney, 1990 Music: Star of the County Down, Irish melody; arr. Rory Cooney, 1990 ANNOUNCEMENTS By employing an energetic Irish folk song for its melody, this ballad-like paraphrase of the Magnificat, Mary’s song at her meeting with her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55), recaptures both WELCOME TO WORSHIP! Whatever your religious background, and however you have the wonder and the faith of the young woman who first recognized what God was doing. come to be here, we welcome you to our fellowship. BENEDICTION Staying Safe When We Gather To Worship in Person: We love you all, and want to keep worshipping together. It is incredibly important to the Congregation to be together in person, POSTLUDE and of course, to be safe. In order to keep gathering, we ask that everyone in our church community strictly adhere to safe practices as mandated by the CDC and the State of New Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service York. Please do not attend church if you are not feeling well, if you have any symptoms obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-724436. All rights reserved associated with Covid-19, if you have been in close proximity with anyone suffering from or possibly exposed to Covid-19, or if you have tested positive for Covid-19 within the past 14 Tenor Matthew White recently made critically acclaimed debuts as Roméo in Gounod’s days, or you have out of town visitors. Please also wear a mask over your nose and mouth Roméo et Juiliette with Cincinnati Opera and Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with at all times, sit in the padded seats, don’t sing (except in your hearts), and maintain a distance the Princeton Festival. Engagements of the 2019-2020 season include multiple role and house of six feet from others unless they are a family member. Please do not move around the debuts including the Duke in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Edmonton Opera, the tenor soloist in Sanctuary after you have been seated by an usher, drop your offering in the plates by the Stravinsky’s Pulcinella with Dallas Opera, Rodolfo in La bohème with Opera Naples, and a doors, and walk outside after services if you want to greet friends in a socially-distanced return B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Tulsa Opera. On the concert stage he will manner. Finally, please let Betty know by Friday morning of each week if you plan to debut with the Florida Orchestra as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah. A recent graduate attend worship on Sunday. of Philadelphia’s prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, Mr. White performed Roméo in Roméo In this morning’s worship service, Dr. Cindy Falk is being licensed for Christian ministry et Juliette, the title role in Massenet’s Werther, Roberto in Puccini’s Le Villi, Edgardo in at First Baptist Church. In the American Baptist tradition, a local church license is the first Lucia di Lammermoor, Avito in Montemezzi’s L’amore dei tre re, and Faust in Lili step towards becoming a Certified Lay Pastor with denominational recognition. A license Boulanger’s Faust et Helene. He made his debut with Opera Maine as Rinuccio in Gianni recognizes that a person has been called to a specific ministry without necessarily being Schicchi, and has appeared with Palm Beach Opera and Vero Beach Opera. Concert credits called to be a vocational minister. Cindy's license reads in part: include performances with the New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Ocean City Pops, and the Dr. Cynthia G Falk, having demonstrated the gift of communicating the Gospel of Longfellow Chorus Festival. A favorite of competitions, Mr. White was selected to compete Christ, was licensed to preach the Gospel and to exercise her gifts in the work of the ministry. in the 2019 Operalia Competion in Prague. He was awarded the Grand Prize of the Gerda When acting on behalf of the Church, the universal body of Christ, she shall be considered Lissner International Vocal Competition, 1st place in the Deborah Voigt International Vocal eligible to administer the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, to lead mission trips, Competition, 2nd place in the Metropolitan Opera Mid-Atlantic region, the Grand Prize in the and engage in international work on behalf of the International Ministries of the American Mario Lanza Vocal Competition, an Encouragement Award from the George London Baptist Churches, USA, and to officiate at funerals and weddings. Foundation, and is the recipient of the Alfonso Cavaliere Award. He has participated in the training programs of Bel Canto at Caramoor, PORTopera, and Seagle Music Colony. A Zoom Bible Study: The Zoom Bible Study with Cindy Falk will continue on Sundays at trained violinist, Mr. White is also an avid surfer and runs his own surfboard business, which 8:45 am. Please contact Cindy Falk at [email protected] if you would like to attend. currently has clients around the world. HEAD START HOLIDAY ADOPTION 2020: Drop off date to bring all gifts into the Chapel, is Monday, December 21, 9 to 11 a.m. Questions? Please call Margie Leslie at 607-435-7240. ~ Margie Leslie, Kathy Allen, and the Social Action Mission Team Special Delivery: Christmas Eve usually finds us gathering together, others) as we move forward. The group is a relaxed experience not an academic one. We warmed by the glow of candles and the love of family and friends. Although many of us are meet to share our gut reaction to what we are seeing, feeling and reading. unable to physically gather this year, we can still enjoy the warmth of togetherness and Intentional Prayer Group Going Forward: Please let Faith ([email protected]) or celebrate the joy of the season with a little imagination and by bringing Christmas Eve home. (6467124794) know if you would like to continue meeting after the Christmas holidays, and Christmas Eve in a Bag! We’ll provide bags, beautifully decorated by some of our favorite what your preference would be (in person or by Zoom, which days/times preferred, and young artists, filled with candles and the words to Silent Night. At 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, whether you are interested in discussing the books on the reading list distributed when the from the warmth of our homes, we will light the candles and sing. Invite family and friends group was formed). from near and far to join in this celebration. Despite - and perhaps because of - all of the challenges this year has brought, with a little planning, this Christmas Eve could become our Coming Worship Leaders and Service Locations: most beautiful, most meaningful, most connected. Christmas Eve bags will be available for December 24: Candlelight Service, 5:30 p.m. FPCC pickup in the chapel on Dec. 23 and December 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. Would you like us December 27: Rev. Ed Townsend, FPCC – last Sunday with congregation to make a bag for you, or need your bag delivered? Call, text or email Jeannine Webster (518) January 3: Rev. Faith Gay, FPCC 424-6379or [email protected] January 10: Dr. Greg Mobley, FPCC January 17: Rev. Faith Gay Spanish Class for Advanced Beginners: Sundays, 4:30-5:30 p.m. (by Zoom), January 10 - January 24: Rev. Joe Perdue, FBC, Last Sunday with Congregation March 14, 2021 (10 Weeks), Cost: $100, Teacher: Susie Knight, Class Size Limit: 10. The January 31: Matt Nabinger, FPCC required text is Esperanza by Carol Gaab. In addition to the joy of learning Spanish in a friendly, convenient and supportive environment, this class will provide a skill set critical to many of our community’s social justice projects. Susie Knight is a local New York State certified Spanish Teacher. She has taught Spanish at Edmeston Central School for the past 14 years and has begun teaching adults via Zoom. She majored in Hispanic Studies and Latin American history at Connecticut College and spent a semester abroad studying at La Universidad Católica in Lima, Peru. She uses Comprehensible Input as her primary instructional method where students acquire language rather than study it. If you are interested, please email Jeannine Webster at [email protected]. What Are Biblical Values: Exploring Christian Belief in Literature: Our reading group is POSTPONING its next meeting till after the holidays. We will next meet on Saturday, January 2, 2021(!) at 12:30 p.m. in the Chapel to discuss the novel Home by Marilynne  .Robinson. If you still need the book, contact Faith at [email protected] We will decide at our next meeting when we want to meet in February and what we want to read. Books under consideration include: finishing the Marilynne Robinson quartet (Lila and Jack); The Long Loneliness by Dorothy Day; The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie; and Regeneration by Pat Barker. Discussion topics suggested so far are: is there a literature of trauma and how can we best use it in these times?; is there a separation between religion, art and politics and what does that mean to us as a community?; is religion primarily a cultural experience and does that matter?; what is the Christian view of environmental justice?; what does “religious freedom” mean?; and what can we learn by studying comparative religion? We can take up any or all of these topics (or “Mary Sang of Revolution”