Third Sunday of EASTER
April 6, 2008
11:00 am


THE GATHERING


PRELUDE              Cortège et Litanie, op. 19, no. 2          Marcel Dupré

*HYMN 613            O Holy City, Seen of John    Morning Song

*CALL TO WORSHIP
Abigail G. Henderson
One:    Creator of the cosmos, of eternity and time:
Many:    Be with us in this time.
One:    Savior of the world, healer of the nations:
Many:    Be with us in this place.
One:    Breath of all that lives, of people near and far:
Many:    Stir within our lives.
One:    Maker-Spirit-Son, God of here and now:
Many:    Be present in our worship, that we may find new ways
    To be present in your world.

*A SIGN OF OUR UNITY AND RECONCILIATION
We invite you to greet those around you, wishing them
“Peace” or “the peace of Christ.”

WORDS OF WELCOME

CHORAL ANTHEM       O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem      Herbert Howells
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
                            —Psalm 122:6-7

            THE GIFT OF THE WORD

SCRIPTURE                     Luke 19:41-42    Kevin Pitcock

*HYMN 378                 Jerusalem, My Happy Home    Land of Rest
(Children and teachers may leave for their Church School classes.)

REFLECTIONS                Jerusalem
                                      Nancy S. Taylor and Quinn G. Caldwell

*HYMN 591              This Is My Song                Finlandia

OFFERING OUR PRAYERS

*CALL TO PRAYER                Robert W. Brown
    One:       God be with you
    Many:        And also with you.
    One:        May the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts.
    Many:        Christ is our peace, our light, and our hope.

PASTORAL PRAYER (congregation seated)

THE 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.

PRAYER RESPONSE              Jerusalem of Gold        Naomi Shemer, arr. Harry L. Huff

The mountain air is clear as water; the scent of pines around
Is carried on the breeze of twilight, and tinkling bells resound.

The trees and stones there softly slumber, a dream enfolds them all.
So solitary lies the city, and at its heart—a wall.

Yerushalayim shel zahav v’shel n’choshet v’shel or
Halo l’chol shirayich ani kinor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of bronze,
I am the harp for all your songs.

But as I sing to you, my city, and you with crowns adorn,
I am the least of all your children, of all the poets born.

Your name will scorch my lips for ever, like a seraph’s kiss, I’m told,
If I forget thee, golden city, Jerusalem of gold.

Yerushalayim shel zahav v’shel n’choshet v’shel or
Halo l’chol shirayich ani kinor.

Oh, Jerusalem of gold, and of light and of bronze,
I am the harp for all your songs.
                            —Naomi Shemer

            OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS

CALL TO THE OFFERING

OFFERTORY ANTHEM              The Holy City             Stephen Adams
Last night I lay a-sleeping, there came a dream so fair.
I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there.
I heard the children singing, and ever as they sang,
Me thought the voice of angels from heaven in answer rang.
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!
And then me thought my dream was changed, the streets no longer rang.
Hushed were the glad Hosannas the little children sang.
The sun grew dark with mystery, the morn was cold and chill,
As the shadow of a cross arose upon a lonely hill,
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Hark! How the angels sing,
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!
And once again the scene was changed, new earth there seemed to be.
I saw the Holy City beside the tideless sea.
The light of God was on its streets, the gates were open wide,
And all who would might enter, and no one was denied.
No need of moon or stars by night, or sun to shine by day;
It was the new Jerusalem that would not pass away,
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing for the night is o'er!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna forevermore!
                            —F.E. Weatherly

*SONG OF PRAISE
Lasst Uns Erfreuen
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ the Word in flesh born low; Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise Holy Spirit evermore; One God, Triune, whom we adore.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

*HYMN 24                      The God of Abraham Praise         Leoni

*THE BLESSING                   Nancy S. Taylor and Quinn G. Caldwell

POSTLUDE        Pageant from Three Pieces for Organ  Calvin Hampton

                TODAY AT OLD SOUTH

Welcome to Old South Church in Boston. Our faith is over 2000 years old, but
our thinking is not! Old South opens its doors to the city, to tourists from
near and far, to the needy, to an array of building users, and to a
congregation (of members, friends, and family—both the curious and the
committed) who call this their church home. Join us for fellowship and
refreshments in Gordon Chapel immediately following worship.

Today’s scripture reader, Kevin Pitcock, has been a member of Old South
since 2003 and serves on the Membership Committee.

Today’s ASL Interpreter is Tracy Villinski.

The flowers today are given by Roger and Maddie Burke in loving memory of
May and Monte Hare and Evelyn and Larry Burke.

More than thirty volunteers are extending hospitality to visitors and
parishioners. In addition, over twenty volunteers sing in the choir, while
others teach in the Church School. If you’re interested in volunteering for
hospitality tasks, please call Betty Smith at 781/721-7777; to sing with the
choir, call Harry Huff at 617/425-5146; to learn about the church school,
call Tricia Hazeltine at 617/536-1970.

Wearing name tags is a great way to facilitate community and make newcomers feel welcomed. If you don’t see a tag with your name on it, let us
know—there will be one waiting for you next Sunday!

CD recordings of today’s service may be obtained by calling Jessica
Goodknight at 617/536-1970 or emailing <reception@oldsouth.org>. Sunday
sermons and worship services are also available on the Web and as podcasts
at <www.oldsouth.org>.

Today, immediately following worship, all who are interested in a tour of
the Sanctuary are invited to meet Docent Joan Emberley at the front of the
Sanctuary.

            NOTES ON TODAY’S MUSIC

Jerusalem—no other word has more power to invoke images of earthly beauty
and spiritual perfection. An ancient paradox is this city that gleams gold
amidst the scars of conflict and war. A city divided among factions and
factions of factions. No other geographical location has been so intensely
at the focal point of strife and rights of possession. Scholars have
proposed that the etymology of the Hebrew name for Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, consists of yerusha (legacy) and shalom (peace), an ironic moniker for the city, as we continue to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” just as David did three millennia ago in Psalm 122.

The consistent yearning for a resolution to this discord has evolved into
the concept of the “New Jerusalem” (also referred to as the Holy City, City
of God, Celestial City, Heavenly Jerusalem, or Zion)—a metaphor for
universal spiritual enlightenment. The 21st chapter of the Book of
Revelation records, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away.  And I saw the holy city, the
New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” “And the city has no
need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and
its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of
the earth will bring their glory into it.”

Today we welcome our ministers, Nancy and Quinn, home from their pilgrimage to this awe-inspiring city. The music throughout the service has been chosen to illuminate the divergent themes of the existent city and its symbolic counterpart. It is fitting that we include Jerusalem of Gold today as the Prayer Response. An unofficial Israeli national anthem, it served as a
rallying cry during the liberation of the city following the Six Day War in
1967, later was designated the “Song of the Jubilee” at the 50th anniversary
of Israel’s independence in 1998, and was included in the score of the movie
Schindler’s List.

OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON
MINISTERS, OFFICERS AND STAFF

Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister ~ Quinn G. Caldwell, Associate Minister
Harry L. Huff, Minister of Music ~James W. Crawford, Sr Minister Emeritus
Calvin Genzel, Wedding Outreach Minister ~ Janet Butler, Wedding Coordintr.
Ken Orth, Healing Prayer Service Minister
Robert W. Brown, Ministerial Intern ~ Abigail G. Henderson, Field Educ Intern
Mark S. Burrows, Theologian in Residence
Patricia Hazeltine, Church School Director v Rolanda Ward, Youth Worker
Carolyn Davis, Director, Old South Preschool
George Sargeant, Assistant Organist & Choir Director
 Willie Sordillo, Jazz Service Music Director
Peter Coulombe, Director, Old South Ringers
Amy Budka & Phil Stern, Children’s Music Directors

Wayne Davis, Moderator ~ Pamela Holland, Clerk
James Monsma, Treasurer
Phil Stern, Chair, Board of Trustees ~ Susan T. Campbell, Historian
Diane Gaucher, Senior Deacon  ~ Vicki A. Newman, Pledge Secretary
Helen McCrady, Senior Church Administrator
Amy Perry, Administrative Assistant ~ Rosemary Clarke, Accountant 
Elias Perez, Senior Sexton v Ozo Nwodo & Robert Blenman, Sextons
Jessica Goodknight, Rubia Reyes & Jim McDonnel, Receptionists

www.oldsouth.org ~ 617/536-1970

A NOTE ON THE INCLUSIVE DIMENSIONS OF GOD’S GRACE
Old South Church in Boston, in the name of its host, Jesus Christ, and in the spirit of Christ’s invitation carved into the stone of this church’s portico, “Behold I Set Before You an Open Door,” welcomes all who seek to know God.

Following the One who we believe is Sovereign and Savior, we affirm that each individual is a child of God, and recognize that we are called to be like one body with many members, seeking with others of every race, ethnicity, creed, class, age, gender, marital status, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to journey together toward the promised realm of God.

We invite everyone to join in the common life and mission of our reconciling community through participation and leadership in this congregation, and by fully sharing in the worship, rites and sacraments of this church.
As we all move forward with the work of this church, we commit ourselves to making justice and inclusivity a reality in this congregation and in the world.  On the threshold of Christ’s open door, we rely upon the healing, unconditional nature of God’s love and grace to be our help and guide.

Old South Church
645 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116
(617)536-1970 Tel (617)536-8061 Fax