THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH PEACHAM, VT “Whoever you are and wherever you are in life’s journey, you are welcome in this church.” www.peachamchurch.org The life of a saint is not the life of a great man or woman, but of God’s life in an ordinary man or woman. ― Kate Tristram ORDER OF WORSHIP — ALL SAINTS / ALL SOULS SUNDAY
9:30 A.M. 22TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST NOVEMBER 1ST, 2020 WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE: ALLEGRETTO, FROM BEETHOVEN'S SONATA QUASI UNA FANTASIA (OPUS 27)
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP & OPENING HYMN One: In Luke's gospel, Jesus called together the disciples and a great multitude to a level place. There he touched, healed, and taught. There he spoke, "Blessed are.." There he named the blessed — the saints of the faith. All: O God, call us together as you did those so long ago to discover your blessed people. Today, in this place, Christ gather us. Let us remember, confess, celebrate, and embody the blessed saints of God. Christ, come among us. Alleluia!
INSTRUMENTAL HYMN #551 — AWAKE, MY SOUL, AND WITH THE SUN LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR/AN INTERFAITH MOMENT: ALLHALLOWTIDE (CHRISTIAN AND WICCAN/NEO-PAGAN) CONCERNS, CELEBRATIONS — (INCLUDING SILENT PRAYER, A PRAYER FOR ALL SAINTS BY IAN FRASER, PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE, AND LORD’S PRAYER) PIANO RESPONSE — HEAR OUR PRAYER, O LORD RESPONSIVE PSALM (PSALM 8) One: YHWH, our Sovereign, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have placed your glory above the heavens! Many: From the lips of infants and children you bring forth words of power and praise, to answer your adversaries and to silence the hostile and vengeful. One: When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place -- Many: what is humanity that you should be mindful of us? Who are we that you should care for us? One: You have made us barely less than God, and crowned us with glory and honor. Many: You have made us responsible for the works of your hands, putting all things at our feet – all sheep and oxen, yes, even the beasts of the field, One: the birds of the air, the fish of the sea and whatever swims the paths of the seas. All: YHWH, our Sovereign, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! OFFERINGS, TITHES AND MISSIONS For those who are present, you will see a collection plate at the back of the church where you may leave offerings and tithes. Otherwise, please continue to mail tithes and offerings to: Peacham Congregational Church, PO Box 205, Peacham, VT 05862, or donate on our website at www.peachamchurch.org. Our mission for November is Northeast Kingdom Habitat for Humanity (part of the Upper Valley Habitat chapter).Visit https://www.nekhabitat.org/ website if you wish to give a monetary contribution. The basket for the Danville Food Shelf is downstairs in the kitchen. For more info on Missions, see Jonathan Potter INSTRUMENTAL HYMN INSERT — FOUNT OF ALL GOODNESS SCRIPTURE PASSAGES — EXODUS 33:18-19 & 34:5-7A EPHESIANS 4:1-13 SCRIPTURE FOCUS PASSAGE “I plead with you, then, in the name of our Redeemer, to lead a life worth of your calling.” [v.1] SERMON: SAINTS, SOULS, BODHISATTVAS, AND THE LAMED VAVNIK ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS LITANY THANKSGIVING LITANY FOR THE BLESSED ONES One: Jesus said: "Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the dominion of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Human One." Jesus named the blessed ones. On this day of remembrance, let us recall and give thanks for those blessed ones who have gone before us: (You are invited to come forward and light a candle in memory of one who has died in the past year. Please say the name of the person remembered by completing the following words:) Blessed is [name] who [describe in a few words how they lived a faithful life]. One: Living God, we give you thanks for calling forth these blessed ones. Many: O God, keep them forever in your arms. May they stay forever in our hearts. Because of their living, teach us to live faithfully. Amen.
Hymn: The Beatitudes (verses 1 and 2, sung to Ode to Joy)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for Blessed are the meek and lowly; God God’s kingdom shall be their’s shall give them of the earth. Blest are those who mourn with grieving; Blest are they who thirst for rightness; they of God shall be the heirs. God shall slake their hungering. They shall not be lost, forsaken, but God shall bless the ones whose mercy shall comfort full receive. mirrors God’s abundant grace. God will bless them with God’s mercy God will bless them now, forever; and their ev’ry fear relieve. they in heav’n shall have a place. NAMING OF THE EARTHLY SAINTS One: This is also a time of remembering and honoring those who are still living who have helped us and nurtured our earthly journey. [Please stand as you are able and speak the name of those living ones who have been a blessing. This is also a time to give special recognition to people who have contributed significantly to the life of our local Church.] Blessed is [name] who [describe in a few words how they have a blessing to you and/or this church]. One: Living God, we give you thanks for calling forth these blessed ones. Many: O God, keep them forever in your arms. May they stay forever in our hearts. Because of their living, teach us to live faithfully. Amen. Hymn: The Beatitudes (verses 3 and 4, sung to Ode to Joy)
Blest are they whose hearts are Blessed are the persecuted, cursed, purely living truly by God’s grace; insulted, and reviled; They receive God’s favored blessing Though great evil stands before and behold God face to face. them, they shall never be defiled. Blest are those who seek not warfare Who for Christ’s sake bear such evil, but seek peace most constantly; suff’ring, death, or bitter pain. Children of the Lord, they always Their reward is great and plenteous: live in peace eternally. they God’s kingdom shall obtain.
SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION — See insert
INSTRUMENTAL HYMN INSERT— I SING A SONG OF THE SAINTS OF GOD UNISON BENEDICTION (JOHN O’DONOHUE, “TO COME HOME TO YOURSELF”) May all that is unforgiven in you Their deepest tranquilities. Be released. May all that is unlived in you May your fears yield Blossom into a future Graced with love. Amen.
POSTLUDE: MUSIC TO VOTE BY ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Steeple is being lit in memory of all who have perished over past year in armed conflicts, cultural violence, climate and weather extremes, and the Covid-19 pandemic. • Next Sunday, November 8th, will be Lay Sunday and led by Lynn Lawson and Nancy Toney • Rev. Sonia will be on vacation the week of November 16th. • Please call Patty Gardner at (413) 883-2842 if you have an emergency at times when Rev. Sonia is not in the office. • Except in case of emergency, please schedule meetings and visits during office hours. In the event Rev. Sonia is on a Zoom call or in a confidential meeting, she will place a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door into the sanctuary. Thank you for your understanding. • If you would like to provide flowers for the altar table, please let Patty know so that it will appear in the bulletin. • If you would like to support or participate in regular services or the lay led services please contact Patty Gardner and she will forward your interest. • PCC Thanksgiving PreOrder & PIE Sale, Saturday, November 21st, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. • WE ARE IN NEED OF PIE MAKERS for the November Thanksgiving PIE SALE…Principally…Apple and Pumpkin for sale and presale…and the the addition of other pies for Saturday • Interfaith Program of Gratitude, November 17th, 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. RESOURCES USED IN TODAY’S SERVICE Fowler, Sidney. “The Blessed Ones: A Celebration for All Saints Day”. https://www.ucc.org/ worship/worship-ways/nlb/special-occasions/special-the-blessed-ones.html. Last accessed 10/22/2019. Fraser, Ian M. “The Saints of God are down our street” in Wild Goose Big Book of Liturgies. (Glasgow, UK: Wild Goose Pub., 2017). O’Donahue, John. To Bless the Space Between Us. (NY: Penguin Random House, 2008). Weiss, Pamela. A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism. (Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2020).
AND THE FOLLOWING WEB-BASED ARTICLES, LAST ACCESSED 10/27/20 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED: “The Blessed Ones: A Celebration for All Saints Day” https://www.ucc.org/worship/worship- ways/nlb/special-occasions/special-the-blessed-ones.html. Last accessed 10/22/19.
“The Fall Triduum – Another Turn of the Spiral” https://www.contemplative.org/the-fall-triduum- another-turn-of-the-spiral
“Hidden saints: The legend of the lamed vavniks” https://vermontcatholic.org/uncategorized/ hidden-saints-the-legend-of-the lamed-vavniks.html.
“Lamed Vav Zaddikim” https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/lamed-vav-x1e92-addikim
“The Thirty-six Who Save the World” https://forward.com/culture/13406/the-thirty-six-who-save- the-world-01872
“Vigil of the Saints” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/saints/feast-days/vigil-of-all- saints
Minister ...... Rev. Sonia Dunbar Church Administrator & Choir Director ...... Patty Gardner Accompanist ...... Bruce Westcott Church Council President & Moderator ...... John Marshall Deacons: Susan Chandler Patty Gardner Sharon Jones John Mackenzie Mary Daly Rick Witt Deacon Emeritus: ...... M. Olive Cheney Treasurer ...... Bruce Westcott Collector ...... Ann Goss Web Ministry ...... Jonathan R. Potter Publications & Communication ...... Timm Judas Usher & Graphic Designer ...... Max Judas
Rev. Sonia’s office hours are: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. As always, if you need to reach Rev. Sonia outside of office hours, please call her at 802-586-2851. [email protected] www.peachamchurch.org
The 5th Key/Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet and its meaning. The letter, Hei is present in the YHWH (GOD) Tetragrammaton as the bottom letter. It represents the divine revelation, the breath (Hebrew letters aligned as a of the Creator (Psalm 33:6 – By the word of vertically tetragrammaton) the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.) The This vertical position world was created with the utterance of the Hei. It represents the gift of life and creates Haya – being). It is היה) literally represents that the verb of being divinity, the spiritual life that comes about we are all made in the through the first four letters. It represents the image of God life essence in all creation. It symbolizes the effortlessness of the world and is the symbol of divinity, gentility, and specificity. It contains within it the freedom of choice. Hei is one of the letters of the Holy Name, giving it a special significance within the Aleph-beith.