Third Sunday in Lent
March 11, 2007
9:00 a.m.
&
11:00 a.m. Service (Order of Worship below)
A Congregation of the United Church of Christ
The Old South Church in Boston
Gathered 1669
THE GATHERING
On Amistad Sunday the United Church of Christ remembers the perseverance of
the fifty-three captive Africans in 1839 aboard La Amistad. We remember and
celebrate their historic fight for freedom. Aided by New England
Congregationalists, their action resulted in the first U.S. Supreme Court
decision on civil rights and contributed to the eventual dismantling of
slavery. May the witness of our forebears inspire us to renew our own
commitment to justice-trusting in God's friendship when we act with mercy
and courage.
PRELUDE Selections from the Spiritual Suite for Organ Calvin Taylor
City Called Heaven, Nobody Knows the Trouble I See,
I Want Jesus to Walk with Me, Swing Low Sweet Chariot
*PROCESSIONAL HYMN 439 A Mighty Fortress is Our God Ein' Feste Burg
*CALL TO CONFESSION AND PRAYER OF CONFESSION Mercedes Ridao
One: Let us pray together, confessing our failures and our need:
Many: Holy God, the ills of this world seem to render us helpless. We are
overwhelmed by the magnitude of need around us. Some of us are hungry and
homeless. Some face mounting dept. Others cannot find meaningful
work. We fear violence in our streets and in our homes. We are at war with
other nations. We want peace, but it eludes us. We seek signs of
hope, O God. Tell us you are near and save us from despair.
One: Most merciful God, help us to trust that you are as close to us as
our own breath. Bind us together as a community of Christians who
yearn, pray and work for justice.
Many: Help us to live in covenant with you, loving others as we love ourselves.
One: Forgive us when we loose our heart.
Many: Shape us as a people alive in your Spirit.
One: Let us be in silent prayer, offering to God the confessions our hearts.
Following the silence, the congregation and choir sing:
Dear God, embracing humankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives your service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
One: God hears our prayer.
Many: This we know is true.
One: God's forgiveness embraces us all.
Many: This is good news for all.
One: As a sign of our reconciliation with God and one another, we invite
you to greet each other saying, "con amistad," Spanish for "with friendship."
*A SIGN OF OUR UNITY AND RECONCILIATION
We invite you to greet those around you, saying, "con amistad,"
Spanish for "with friendship."
GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Tadd Allman-Morton
ANTHEM Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit African American Spiritual, arr. Dawson
Refrain: Ev'ry time I feel the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.
Upon the mountain my Lord spoke, out of His mouth came fire and smoke;
Looked all around me, it looked so fine, till I asked my Lord if all was mine.
Refrain
Jordan river is chilly and cold, it chills the body, but not the soul.
There ain't but one train upon this track, it runs to Heaven and right back.
Refrain
THE GIFT OF THE WORD
SCRIPTURE Selected passages on mercy Kenny Edwards
One: God has showed you, O human ones, what is good. And what does
the Lord require of you?
Many: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your
God. (Micah 6:8)
One: Blessed are the merciful .
Many: for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
One: Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You
give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cumin .
Many: But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-
justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the
latter, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23)
One: Be merciful .
Many: just as God is merciful. (Luke 6:36)
One: Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves .
Many: with compassion, mercy, humility, gentleness and patience.
(Col 3:12)
One: Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful .
Many: Mercy triumphs over judgment! (James 2:13)
*HYMN 181 You are the Salt for the Earth, O People Bring Forth
SERMON Mercy Nancy S. Taylor
*HYMN 444 We Are Often Tossed and Driven By and By
The choir will sing the first verse to introduce the hymn, after which
choir, organ and congregation will continue with verses 2, 3, and 4.
*CALL TO PRAYER Tadd Allman-Morton
One: God be with you.
Many: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
Many: We lift our hearts to God.
One: Let us pray. (The congregation may be seated.)
PASTORAL PRAYER
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.
CHORAL RESPONSE When Israel Was in Egypt's Land Spiritual
When Israel was in Egypt's land, Let my people go,
Oppressed so hard they could not stand, Let my people go.
Go down, Moses, way down in Egypt's land,
Tell old Pharaoh to let my people go.
from Exodus
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
CALL TO THE OFFERING
OFFERTORY ANTHEM Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life Harold Friedell
Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life! Such a way as gives us breath.
Such a Truth as ends all strife, such a Life that killeth Death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength! Such a Light as shows a feast,
Such a Feast as mends in length, such a Strength as makes his guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart! Such a joy as none can move,
Such a Love as none can part, such a Heart as joys in love.
George Herbert
*SONG OF PRAISE Old Hundredth
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ all creatures here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*HYMN 436 God of Grace and God of Glory Cwm Rhonda
*CHORAL BENEDICTION The Lord Bless You and Keep You John Rutter
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you. Amen.
*BIDDING TO MISSION AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Variations on Keep Your Hands on the Plow, Hold On!
from the Spiritual Suite for Organ Calvin Taylor
Immediately following worship you are invited to join Docent Barbara Neale
at the front of the Sanctuary for a tour of the Sanctuary.
Those participating in the Congregational Spiritual Discernment Process are
urged to make their way to Mary Norton Hall (on the second floor) before
12:30 pm.
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 the Gordon Chapel after worship.
Today's scripture reader is Kenny Edwards. Kenny originally hails from New
York State and joined Old South this past February.
The flowers today are given in memory of Ruth Ann Strong by the Palma Strong
Fund.
Today more than twenty volunteers are extending hospitality to visitors and
parishioners. In addition, some thirty volunteers sing in the choir, while
others are teaching in the Church School. If you're interested in
volunteering for hospitality tasks, please call Betty Smith at 781/721-7777;
to get involved with the choir, call Brian Jones at 617/425-5146; or to find
out more about the church school, call Tricia Hazeltine at 617/536-1970.
Thank you!
Please wear your name tags! This is a great way to facilitate community and
make newcomers feel welcomed. If you don't see a tag with your name on it,
just let us know-there will be one waiting for you next Sunday!
CD recordings of today's service may be obtained by calling Rhoda Harding at
617/536 1970 or emailing <reception@oldsouth.org>. Sunday sermons are also
available on the Web and as podcasts at <www.oldsouth.org>.
NOTES ON TODAY'S MUSIC
Calvin Taylor is a graduate of Oberlin College and the University of
Michigan, as well as the University of Kentucky, where he received the
Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He has written a number of pieces based on
spirituals for organ and piano (several of the pieces in his suite of
spirituals for piano were played as the Prelude on Martin Luther King Sunday
at Old South). Dr. Taylor adapts these well-loved and traditional melodies
beautifully both for organ and piano.
Professor Warner Dawson of the Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University)
in Alabama was perhaps the best-known of all 20th century arrangers of
African American spirituals. His arrangements of Every Time I Feel the
Spirit, heard this morning, and of such other well-known pieces as Soon I
Will Be Done, There is a Balm in Gilead, and Ezekiel Saw the Wheel are
famous and much beloved by choirs and those who listen to them.
Harold Friedell (1905-1958) was organist and choirmaster at Saint
Bartholomew's Church in New York City for many years, and was also a music
theory teacher as well as composer. His beautiful anthem Come, My Way, My
Truth, My Life, sets to music the elegant poem of George Herbert
(1593-1633), a brilliant, Welsh-born poet who spent most of his short life
in England. Come, My Way is one of the Five Mystical Songs which were
famously set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
John Rutter (born 1946) is famous for his Christmas music and for his unique
ability to write appealing sacred music for modern ears. He is also Director
of the Cambridge Singers, one of England's finest choirs, and is active not
only as a composer, but as an arranger and editor of many types of music. He
has worked tirelessly for decades to promote and advance the cause of choral
music in Great Britain and America.
