United Church of Chapel Hill Welcome to Worship at United Church of Chapel Hill 1321 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Chapel Hill, NC 27514 CCC If you are new to our church, welcome! Allow CCC A prayer book is placed in the Narthex before us the opportunity to answer your questions worship services. You may write prayer and provide any needed information. Please requests in the Prayer Book in the Narthex to Telephone: 942-3540 identify yourself to one of our pastors and be read to the congregation during the E-mail: [email protected] sign the Friendship Register and include your Prayers of the Church in the worship service. www.unitedchurch.org address, email, & phone number that we may To include a prayer request for another send you a newsletter. After worship, join us person, please have that person’s permission for refreshments in the Fellowship Hall. to share their name and circumstance. March 1, 2015 Second Sunday in Lent CCC "In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, CCC To go directly to our secure website to Give male nor female, slave nor free.” Now , you may use this QR code. We invite people of every age, race, marital status, sexual orientation, means, ability and spiritual tradition to join with us in the love of Gathering God and neighbor: through worship, dedication to education and commitment to Preparation service. The cross of Christ cannot be reduced to an example for the cross of those who follow him.... Mark reads no doubt intentionally, not that the disciple should take up ‘his,’ that is Christ’s CCC Large-print bulletins, children’s bulletins, and cross, but ‘your’ cross. There is no question of their being on the same level, as is shown by hearing devices are available from ushers. the story of Gethsemane. Jesus suffered and died alone. But those who follow him suffer and ! ASL is available at the 11:00 Service. CCC We welcome babies and toddlers to our die in fellowship with him.... worship. Rocking chairs are available in the ! All-Gender Handicapped accessible back of the sanctuary if you wish to rock your One follows Christ in one’s own response to the mission of Christ at the present day and in bathrooms are clearly marked throughout the baby. The service is also broadcast into the taking up one’s own cross. Jürgen Moltmann, The Crucified God , pp. 55 & 60 building. Family Parlor across the Narthex.

! The Office Entrance is fully handicapped CCC Nursery care for children in 1st grade and Call to Worship in Music accessible. younger is available in rooms 127 and 130 st th Organ Voluntary 1 & 4 Couplets du Kyrie Francois Couperin downstairs. (From Mass for the Convents ) ! An elevator to the lower floor may be found in the narthex. CCC We encourage children in second grade and You are invited to use this time as a time of preparation for worship. ! There is a ramp at the West end of the above to worship with their families for the building for access to the lower floor and to entire service. To enhance their experience, the playground. children's bulletins are available in the Ringing of the Hour narthex, as are children's Bibles and Bible Welcome and Announcements storybooks. Nursery and pre-school care CCC Please remember to turn off your cell phone. are available downstairs during worship.

Introit Hear My Prayer Moses Hogan (1957-2003) CCC Please wear your name tag. Chamber Singers O Lord, please hear my prayer, in the mornin’ when I rise. It’s your servant bound for glory. O dear Lord, please hear my prayer. O Lord, please hear my prayer, keep me safe within your arms. It’s your servant bound for glory. O dear Lord, please hear my prayer.

2 Liturgist: 8:45 Susan Steinberg 8:45 Service of Baptism (see insert) for Barrett Walden Bachmann (born September 6, 2014) * C ALL TO WORSHIP AND PRAYER OF INVOCATION 11:00 Jenny Shultz Covenant promises made by Drew and Janine Bachmann. He is welcomed by his older sister, Lina. Leader: Through covenant God creates a people . . . and gives us new names. People: Let the families of all nations worship our Creator. Leader: Let us pray: People: Holy God, be present with us such that we may have trust in your + CHILDREN ’S BLESSING covenant – the calling of our name as yours -- and have courage to take Children are welcome to stay in the Sanctuary for the entire worship service. They are free to use the worship up our cross when faithfulness to you and solidarity with all whom you activity bags, bibles and storybooks available in the narthex. have called by name makes the cross inevitable. As you have led so may Children in the first grade and younger may go downstairs to the nursery; infants through 2-year-olds we follow. Amen. are cared for in room 130; 3-7-year-olds are cared for in room 127. The Family Room, just across the narthex, is also available for families; you may hear the worship service from there. As children leave the Sanctuary, we invite the congregation to sing a blessing: As you leave this friendly place, + * H YMN 24 The God of Abraham Praise LEONI Love give light to every face; May the kindness that you learn Light your hearts ‘til you return.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON Leader: Trusting in God’s promise of mercy and healing, let us confess before our God. (Please be seated.) People: Merciful God, we have not been the disciples that you have called us to be. We have not always followed the path of sacrificial love, denied ourselves and borne the cost of discipleship. Forgive us, free us to turn Encountering the Word again to your way and make us whole, we pray. Amen. Reader: 8:45Chuck Willingham -- Silent confession – 11:00 Jenny Shultz Leader: Hear the good news: God deems as righteous all who trust that Jesus has been raised from the dead for our salvation. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are LESSON Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 , Common English Bible forgiven. Amen. God’s covenant with Abraham and Sarah When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk with me and be trustworthy. I will make a covenant between us and I will give you many, many +* P ASSING OF THE PEACE Passing the peace of God is the practice of extending descendants.” Abram fell on his face, and God said to him, “But me, my covenant is with you; you will Since God has forgiven us in ourselves in forgiveness and reconciliation. We be the ancestor of many nations. And because I have made you the ancestor of many nations, your Christ, let us forgive one another. exercise this discipline of faith in this setting as name will no longer be Abram but Abraham. I will make you very fertile. I will produce nations from The peace of God be with you. preparation for those occasions when it is difficult but you, and kings will come from you. I will set up my covenant with you and your descendants after you right to do so. in every generation as an enduring covenant. I will be your God and your descendants’ God after you. And also with you. God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you will no longer call her Sarai. Her name will now be Sarah. I will bless her and even give you a son from her. I will bless her so that she will become * G LORIA WESTMINSTER ABBEY nations, and kings of peoples will come from her.” Glory be to our Creator, Praise to our Redeemer Lord, Glory be to our Sustainer, Ever three and ever one, Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. As it was in the beginning, now and ever more shall be. People: Thanks be to God.

4 ANTHEM My Soul’s Been Anchored Moses Hogan Chamber Singers Giving Thanks in Response to the Word Soloists: Doug Bruce, Judie Birchfield, Milo Fryling PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH AND THE LORD ’S PRAYER In the Lord, in the Lord, my soul’s been anchored in the Lord! Before I’d stay in hell one day, I’d sing and pray myself away, my soul’s been anchored in the Lord. Goin’ shout and pray and never stop until The time of prayer will begin with prayers offered by the congregation followed I reach the mountaintop, my soul’s been anchored in the Lord. Do you love Him? Oh, yes! Hallelujah! with the response, “Lord, hear our prayer.” Prayer will conclude with the Oh, yes! Are you anchored? Yes, I’m anchored, my soul’s been anchored in the Lord. Will you serve pastoral prayer and the Lord’s Prayer, Him? Oh, yes! Hallelujah! God Almighty! My soul’s been anchored in the Lord. Will you praise Him? Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will Oh, yes! Hallelujah! God Almighty! Are you anchored? Yes, I’m anchored, Lord, I’m anchored, Lord, be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our I’ll serve you, Yes, I’ll serve you, Lord, I’ll praise you, Hallelujah! My soul’s been anchored in the debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lord! And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

LESSON Mark 8:31-38, NRSV WELCOME Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by Please sign the friendship register you’ll find in your row. Please share the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all your address and email address . When it reaches the end of the pew, please pass it this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on back and take a look to see who is sitting next to you. divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what + Offertory I Know the Lord’s Laid His Hands on Me Moses Hogan will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for Chamber Singers their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of Soloists: Gayle Triplett, Kaselehlia Sielken, Jackie Bruce, Heidi Flanagan them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Oh, I know the Lord’s laid His hands on me. Did ever you see the light of day when Jesus washed my sins away? I know the Lord’s laid His hands on me. Oh, wasn’t that a happy day when Jesus washed my sins away? I know the Lord’s laid His hands on me. My Lord’s done just what He said, Reader: This is the Word of God for the people of God. he healed the sick and He raised the dead. I know the Lord’s laid His hands on me. People: Thanks be to God.

*Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Christ in whom God’s grace we know MESSAGE Richard Edens Praise Spirit, with us evermore one God, triune, whom we adore. 8:45 Craig Smith * Dedication of the Offering STORY OF TRANSFORMATION 11:00 Andrea Hussong During the season of Lent we have members of the congregation share a story of transformation from their Almighty God, we thank you that the covenant first extended to Abraham own lives. Lent is a time in the church calendar when we prepare for the transformation of Easter and seek and Sarah has through Jesus Christ been opened to us. May we, in these in the story of Jesus’ dying and rising the hope for our own transformation. offerings and the offering of our lives, be signs of your abiding love and witnesses to your enduring promise. Amen.

6 Celebrant: 8:45 Jill Edens Prayer of Thanksgiving * S ERVICE OF COMMUNION 11:00 Richard Edens We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the Invitation presence of Christ. This is the joyful feast of the people of God. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in At United Church of courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Men and women, youth and children, Chapel Hill, everyone come from the east and the west, who wishes “to know the north and the south, the presence of Christ and to share in the and gather about Christ’s table. community of God’s Sending This table is for all who wish to know the presence of Christ people” is invited to the * HYMN 191 Before Your Cross, O Jesus ST. CHRISTOPHER and to share in the community of God’s people. Lord’s Table. Everyone is welcome at Christ’s table. * BLESSING IN WORD (Please be seated. ) * RESPONSE Hear My Prayer Moses Hogan Chamber Singers Words of Institution When my work on earth is done, and you come to take me home. Just to know I’m bound for glory and to hear you say, “Well done.” Done with sin and sorrow, have mercy, mercy. Amen. Sharing of the Bread and Cup We will receive the bread and cup by coming forward for intinction. BLESSING IN MUSIC Dernier Couplet d’Agnus Dei Francois Couperin You may go to any of the stations with a server of bread and another server with the cup. Simply (From Mass for the Convents ) take a piece of bread and dip it in the cup. We serve only non-alcoholic grape juice. For those with wheat allergies, the outer stations (nearest to the side aisles) each have baskets with gluten-free bread. The inner stations have whole wheat. If you would like to be served at your seat, please signal an usher, and we will bring the elements to you. Once the side sections have come forward, those coming down the center aisle may go to either station.

Communion Music Precious Lord, Take My Hand Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993) You are invited to continue worshiping Arr: Howard Helvey Chamber Singers as the Blessing in Music is shared. Precious Lord, take my hand. Lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. Please welcome visitors who are with us this morning When my way grows drear, precious Lord, linger near. When my light is almost gone, hear my cry, hear my call, hold my hand, lest I fall. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. and introduce them to one of the pastors When the darkness appears, and the night draws near, and the day is past and gone, at the river I who are waiting to greet you in the narthex. stand. Guide my feet, hold my hand. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home. We hope you will join us for refreshments in the Fellowship Hall. Healing Prayer Healing prayer is offered at this time at the back of the sanctuary near the prayer corner where the parish nurse or a pastor will be present for those who wish to receive laying on of hands for healing. You may come for yourself or you may come as a channel of God’s healing power for someone else.

8 Can the cross redeem the lynching tree? Can the lynching tree liberate the cross and make it real in American history? Those are questions I have tried to answer. Notes on the music:

Moses Hogan, born in New Orleans in 1957, grew up in a large, musical family. By the time As I see it, the lynching tree frees the cross from the false pieties of well- he was 9, he was an accomplished pianist. His uncle was minister of music and organist at meaning Christians. When we see the crucifixion as a first-century A.L. Davis Baptist Church, and his father sang bass in the choir. On graduating from New lynching, we are confronted by the re-enactment of Christ’s suffering in the Orleans Center for Creative Arts High School, young Hogan won a full scholarship to Oberlin blood-soaked history of African Americans. Thus, the lynching tree reveals Conservatory, then pursued graduate studies at Julliard and classical music studies in Vienna. He went on to win several piano prestigious competitions. the true religious meaning of the cross for American Christians today. The cross needs the lynching tree to remind Americans of the reality of suffering In 1980 he turned his attention to composing choral music, producing more than 70 published – to keep the cross from becoming a symbol of abstract, sentimental piety. contemporary settings of spirituals, original compositions and other works that have been revered by singers and audiences and praised by critics. His arrangements, many of which are Before the spectacle of this cross we are called to more than contemplation challenging even for advanced choirs to sing, are staples in the repertoires of high school, and adoration. We are faced with a clear challenge: as Latin American college, church, community and professional choirs worldwide. Hogan's choral style and high liberator Jon Sobrino has put it, “to take the crucified down from the cross.” musical standards earned praise from critics around the world. He died in 2003 at the age of 45 with a brain tumor. Yet the lynching tree also needs the cross, without which it becomes Thomas A. Dorsey, composer of Precious Lord, Take My Hand , was sometimes called “the simply an abomination. It is the cross that points in the direction of hope, father of black gospel music.” He was so closely associated with that genre that songs written the confidence that there is a dimension to life beyond the reach of the in the that style were at first called “dorseys.”A Georgia native, Dorsey served as music oppressor. “Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do director at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Chicago from 1932 until the late 1970s. Precious Lord, Take My Hand was his best-known composition and was a favorite of Dr. Martin Luther King nothing more” (Lk 12:4). Jr. Though the pain of Jesus’ cross was real, there was also joy and beauty in Howard Helvey, whose arrangement of Dorsey’s Precious Lord, Take My Hand will be sung during communion, was born in 1968 and lives in Cincinnati, where he is organist and his cross. This is the great theological paradox that makes the cross choirmaster at historic Calvary Episcopal Church. He is active as a pianist, composer and impossible to embrace unless one is standing in solidarity with those who arranger. His anthems and motets have become part of the Choral Evensong services in the are powerless. God’s loving solidarity can transform ugliness – whether English cathedrals of Ely, Christ Church (Oxford), York, Hereford, Norwich, Chester and Jesus on the cross or a lynched black victim – into beauty, into God’s Wells. He received international awards in 2002, 2003 and 2006 for outstanding achievement in choral composition. liberating presence. Through the powerful imagination of faith, we can discover the “terrible beauty” of the cross and the “tragic beauty” of the lynching tree. James H. Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree , pp. 161-162

10 SERVICE NOTES “We believe in God’s continuing FLOWERS today are given by Kathy and Lucas simply argue that the Cross be raised again at the testament in the world.” Neas in celebration of their son Tom’s birthday. I As the “God is still speaking” church we COFFEE HOSTS centre of the market place as well as on the believe, as did our historic predecessors, there is 11:00 Ursula Wuerth steeple of the church. more truth and light to be revealed in God’s holy Word. We take the Bible seriously, but not SOUND SYSTEM VOLUNTEERS literally, relying on God’s Spirit to guide us in 8:45 Scott Sheppard ways that are faithful and relevant for people 11:00 Ed Flowers today. We believe the church’s role is to speak words of love, and also to challenge the powers USHERS that oppress people everywhere. 8:45 Louise Pagano, Clay Whybark, Neva Whybark, Gina Upchurch, Andrew Heintz, am recovering the claim that Jesus was not Angela Daye, Laura Krull “We believe in I 11:00 Tomee Howard, Marty Nour, Bob Hotte, crucified in a Cathedral between two candles, but extravagant welcome.” Dave Otto, Leigh Mote-Scroggs ASL Interpreter: Jen Ferraro on a Cross between two thieves; on the town garbage “No matter where you are on life’s journey, you’re welcome here,” is more than a slogan - it heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to is a theological principle. Jesus’ ministry was about expanding the circle of those who were write his title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek ... included as his disciples. We believe the church should be a place of welcome for people of all at the place where the cynics talk smut, and thieves ethnicities, genders, and expressions, abilities curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where he and ages, regardless of political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin UNITED CHURCH STAFF or income. Pastors Jill Edens, Richard Edens died. And that is what he died about. Assoc. Pastor, Children’s Ministries Susan Steinberg Assoc. Pastor, Youth & Young Adults Jenny Shultz Assoc. Pastor, Spanish Language Ministries “We believe in David Mateo changing lives.” Parish Nurse Alyson Breisch Director of Music Ministry Jennifer Anderson Organist & Keyboard Coordinator Mary Beth Petersen In our families, our church communities and Office & Communications Manager Rinnie Orr nd that is where church should be and what around the world, we believe in God’s power to Bookkeeper/Business Manager Duane Gilbert A change lives. Our human effort guided by prayer Hostess Mirna Rodriguez church should be about. and the community of faith helps us to express Nursery Director Alison Robertson the life changing message of Jesus. We believe it Assistant Nursery Director Christian Phipps Dah Eh Htoo, Gay Doh Htoo, George MacLeod, is the church’s role to give generously of its Nursery Assistants resources and time to make the world a better Mo Mo Nan. Anna Abigal Mee, Rosy Moo, Founder of the Iona Community in Scotland, 1938 Paw Nay Than place and share the hope we have found in Custodians Claudia Galvez, Sandra Hernandez Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1957 Christ.

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