Virtual Worship Service Sunday April 4, 2021

Order of Worship

Welcome: Labyrinth Journey to Easter Introit: Alleluia! In your resurrection – Jacobus Gallus Greeting: Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! : Christ the Lord is risen today (UMH 302) Opening Prayer Time with Young Disciples Psalm 118: This is the day – Natalie Sleeth Prayers of the People* The Lord’s Prayer Scripture: Acts 10:34-43* Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia (UMH 306) Scripture: Mark 16:1-8* Gospel Acclamation Sermon: Easter 2021 Anthem: Ye choirs of new Jerusalem – Charles Villiers Stanford Special Easter Sunday Offering Presentation Hymn: Praise God, from whom all blessings flow (UMH 94) Offertory Prayer Invitation to Community Hymn: Thine be the glory (UMH 308) Benediction Benediction Response: Hallelujah Chorus – Postlude: Grand Chœur Dialogue - Eugène Gigout

All music used with permission: license #A-726329 One License.net. This document includes today’s scripture, , and Music Note.

www.faithatfirst.com www.facebook.com/faithatfirst/

*See next page for responses.

Worship Leadership Preacher: Rev. Grace Imathiu Liturgists: Rev. Jane Cheema, Rev. Bonny Roth, & Matthew Johnson Labyrinth Video: Sam J. Time with Young Disciples: Colin McDonald Scripture Readers: Lola C. A. & Robert Harris The Lord’s Prayer: Henry & Sookhee Carrigan & the McClintock family Invitation to Community: Mary Taylor-Johnson Minister of Music & Organist: Brian Schoettler Music Assistant: Cody Michael Bradley Virtual Choir Children’s Choir Brass: Shea Kelsay, Kelsey Williams, Tim Maines, Alec Mawrence

The altar flowers are given in memory of Janet Lutz’s parents, Grace and Norman Lutz, on what would have been their 80th anniversary.

Prayer Response The tomb is empty. Jesus Christ is alive!

Scripture Responses The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Hear what the Spirit says to the church. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 10: 34-43 (NRSV) Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Mark 16:1-8 (NRSV) When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Music Note Today we celebrate the risen Christ with festive music that tells the resurrection story. Special thanks to the vocalists (both children and adults) and our brass players for practicing and recording all of the individual pieces that come together here in our virtual worship service. While the prelude, anthem, and postlude are presented as musical meditations – you’re invited to sing along at home on all of our hymns. We also continue the tradition of our all-congregation Hallelujah Chorus which follows the benediction. Our hymn singing begins with ’s Christ the Lord is risen today in an arrangement by John Rutter. Before and after the Gospel we sing the Alleluias from The strife is o’er – a Latin hymn from the 17th century. The music is by Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and performed in my new arrangement for with brass quartet. Thine be the glory is sung to a tune from Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus and presented in an arrangement by John Ferguson. Worship begins with an Alleluia by a different Handl. Jacobus Gallus (also known as Jacob Handl) was a contemporary of Palestrina and composed this Alleluia setting in the Venetian, polychoral style in which multiple choirs perform together from different locations in the church. The setting of Psalm 118 is by Natalie Sleeth who grew up here at First Church and went on to compose and publish a wealth of sacred music. Our Easter anthem that follows the sermon is by English composer Charles Villiers Stanford. The text is an English translation of a 10th-century hymn by St. Fulbert of Chartres and Stanford composed his setting late in his career in 1910. Stanford taught the Royal College of Music and the University of Cambridge where his students included Holst and Vaughan Williams. The brass parts that accompany the anthem were arranged by Richard Proulx, former Director of Music & Organist at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral. Worship concludes with Eugène Gigout’s majestic Grand Chœur Dialogue in an arrangement for brass quintet and organ by Gary Olson. Gigout served as taught organ and composition at the Paris Conservatory and originally composed this piece for organ solo (1881) where the dialog would have been between divisions of the organ. First Church’s Austin pipe organ has nearly 5,000 pipes across six divisions and is one of the largest instruments on Chicago’s North Shore. If you’re interested in participating in our Music Ministry, please email me at [email protected] or leave a note in the virtual welcome folder. Christ is risen – Happy Easter!

Brian Schoettler, DMA Minister of Music & Organist

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem, your sweetest notes employ, the Paschal victory to hymn, in strains of holy joy. For Judah’s Lion bursts His chains, crushing the serpent’s head; and cries aloud through death’s domains to wake the imprisoned dead. Devouring depths of hell their prey at His command restore; His ransomed hosts pursue their way where Jesus goes before. Triumphant in His Glory now to Him all power is given; to Him in one communion bow all saints in earth and heaven. While we, His servants, praise our King, His mercy we implore, within His palace bright to bring and keep us evermore. All glory be to God on high, all glory to the Son, all glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee, while endless ages run. Alleluia! Amen.

a 10th-century hymn by St. Fulbert of Chartres, trans. Robert Campbell