Rejoice, Give Thanks and SING! Music Sunday – 16 May 2010 The Seventh Sunday of Easter elcome to this Service of Worship at The First Congregational Church as we celebrate Music Sunday. On this special day we celebrate and give thanks for all the wonderful gifts of Wmusic which enrich and nurture our worship life. May the prayers and praise, the meditation and music of this service inspire in you a deeper faith and commitment to God. Blessings for the journey! PREPARING FOR WORSHIP *All who are able, please stand ‡Seating of latecomers PRELUDE Mary Fike, flute; John Stansell, piano; The Palmer Handbells from La Flûte de Pan Jules Mouquet Pan and the Shepherds Declare the Maker’s Praise Joseph D. Daniel, arranged by Tammy Waldrop CALL TO COMMUNITY Rev. Dr David D. Young PRAISING GOD INTROIT The Cherub Choir; Lisa Flanagan, director; Debbie Berner, piano Sing, Rejoice, Clap Your Hands Mark Patterson Sing, rejoice, clap your hands, sing a song of praise to the Lord. Sing, rejoice, clap your hands, sing a song of praise, let your voice be raised, sing a song of praise to the Lord. Shout from the mountaintops, whisper through the trees, come everyone now rejoice and sing. CALL TO WORSHIP *‡OPENING HYMN AND PROCESSION Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing New Century (black) Hymnal 303 OPENING PRAYER Great God of Life, Set a note of joy in our hearts and a song of praise on our lips as we gather to worship you. We seek your presence both in our speaking and in the music that we might hear your voice and respond with faithful living through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. CONFESSING TO GOD CALL TO CONFESSION God of Rhythm, we confess our inability to keep in step with your plan and purpose for our lives, choosing to follow the casual leadings of the near-at-hand. God of Rest, we confess our absorption in the frantic pace of endless activity frantically embraced, forgetting our need for inner solitude and renewal. God of Harmony, we confess our captivity to discordant patterns of action and involvement, fleeing the fullness of life and love Christ brings. Forgive us on this day of song and praise for neglecting the inner music which you have placed at the center of all that is… for we would be prompted toward that way of living which senses the song at the heart of things. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray, saying… LORD'S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE ‡Congregational Response Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. HEARING GOD'S WORD FIRST LESSON Yevgeniya Golodinskii Psalm 30:4-5, 11-12 ing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, S and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you for ever. SCRIPTURE ANTHEM The Children’s Choir God of Grace and God of Laughter John Bertalot God of grace and God of laughter, singing worlds from naught to be Sun and stars and all thereafter joined in cosmic harmony: Give us songs of joy and wonder, music making hearts rejoice; Let our praises swell like thunder echoing our Maker’s voice. When our lives are torn by sadness, heal our wounds with tuneful balm; When all seems discordant madness, help us find a measured calm. Steady us with music’s anchor when the storms of life increase; In the midst of hurt and rancor, make us instruments of peace. Turn our sighing into singing, music born of hope restored; Set our souls and voices ringing, tune our hearts in true accord; Till we form a mighty chorus joining angel choirs above, With all those who went before us, in eternal hymns of love. Text by Carl P, Daw, Jr. SECOND LESSON Vasil Golodinskii Colossians 3:15-17 nd let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in A the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. HYMN INTRODUCTION The Palmer Handbells My Life Flows on in Endless Song Ruth Elaine Schram *HYMN My Life Flows on in Endless Song New Century (black) Hymnal 476 SERMON Rejoice, Give Thanks and SING! Dr. David D. Young and Dr. John Stansell ANTHEM OF AFFIRMATION The Youth Choir; Carolyn Paulus, director; Mary Fike, flute Make a Joyful Noise Lyle Heck Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you nations! Serve the Lord with joy, come before him with a song! Know the Lord is God, and it is he that has made us; It is he that has made us, and we are his. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter by his gates with thanksgiving! Go into his courts with your praise. For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, And his truth travels on from age to age. (Psalm 100, paraphrased by Lyle Heck) CALL TO PASTORAL PRAYER PASTORAL PRAYER AND QUIET MEDITATION RESPONDING TO GOD CALL TO OFFERING OFFERTORY ANTHEM and FEATURED WORK: The Chancel Choir; Hanna Golodinskii, soprano; Sarah Bleasdale; mezzo-soprano, Terry Beaurline, tenor; Len Saari, bass Rejoice in the Lamb Benjamin Britten (Text from JUBILATE AGNO by Christopher Smart. See notes on page 8.) CHORUS Rejoice in God, O ye Tongues; give the glory to the Lord, and the Lamb. Nations, and languages, and every Creature, in which is the breath of Life. Let man and beast appear before him, and magnify his name together. Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter, bind a Leopard to the altar, and consecrate his spear to the Lord. Let Ishmael dedicate a Tyger, and give praise for the liberty in which the Lord has let him at large. Let Balaam appear with an Ass, and bless the Lord his people and his creatures for a reward eternal. Let Daniel come forth with a Lion, and praise God with all his might through faith in Christ Jesus. Let Ithamar minister with a Chamois, and bless the name of Him, that cloatheth the naked. Let Jakim with the Satyr bless God in the dance. Let David bless with the Bear – The beginning of victory to the Lord – to the Lord the perfection of excellence – Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of the artist inimitable, and from the echo of the heavenly harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty. SOPRANO SOLO For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him. For at the first glance of the glory of God in the east he worships in his way. For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness. For he knows that God is his Saviour. For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements. For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest. For I am possessed of a cat, surpassing in beauty, from whom I take occasion to bless Almighty God. ALTO SOLO For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour. For – this a true case – Cat takes female mouse – male mouse will not depart, but stands threat’ning and daring. …..If you will let her go, I will engage you, as prodigious a creature as you are. For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour. For the Mouse is of an hospitable disposition. TENOR SOLO For the flowers are great blessings. For the flowers have their angels even the words of God’s Creation. For the flower glorifies God and the root parries the adversary. For there is a language of flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ. CHORUS For I am under the same accusation with my Saviour – For they said, he is besides himself. For the officers of the peace are at variance with me, and the watchman smites me with his staff. For Silly fellow! Silly fellow! Is against me and belongeth neither to me nor to my family. For I am in twelve HARDSHIPS, but he that was born of a virgin shall deliver me out of all. RECITATIVE (BASS SOLO) AND CHORUS For H is a spirit and therefore he is God. For K is king and therefore he is God. For L is love and therefore he is God. For M is musick and therefore he is God. For the instruments are by their rhimes. For the Shawm rhimes are lawn fawn moon boon and the like. For the harp rhimes are sing ring string and the like. For the cymbal rhimes are bell well toll soul and the like.