Third Sunday after Epiphany
9:00 a.m. (Order of Worship) in Old South Church Chapel
&
11:00 a.m. Service in Santuary
(Order of Worship below)
A Congregation of the United Church of Christ
The Old South Church in Boston
Gathered 1669
THE GATHERING
PRELUDE Allegro Maestoso G. F. Handel
*HYMN 304 All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name Coronation
*CALL TO WORSHIP Robert W. Brown
One: Among the poor, among the proud,
Many: Among the persecuted, among the privileged,
One: Christ is coming
Many: He is coming to make all things new.
One: In the private house, in the market place,
Many: In the wedding feast, in the judgment hall,
One: Christ is coming.
Many: He is coming to make all things new.
One: With a gentle touch, with an angry word,
Many: With a clear conscience, with burning love,
One: Christ is coming.
Many: Christ is coming to make all things new.
One: That the kingdom might come, that the world might believe,
Many: that the powerful might stumble, that the humble might be raised,
One: Christ is coming.
Many: He is coming to make all things new.
One: Let us symbolize our trust in this promise by greeting one another with
the peace of the Christ who is coming. The peace of Christ be with you.
Many: And also with you and with all in this house.
*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 Nancy S. Taylor
THE GIFT OF THE WORD
SCRIPTURE I Samuel 8:4-22a Peter Stokes
One: All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at
Ramah, and said to him,
Many: "You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways;
appoint for us then, a king to govern us, like other nations."
One: But the thing displeased Samuel when they said,
Many: "Give us a king to govern us."
One: Samuel prayed to the LORD, and the LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to
the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not
rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as
they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this
day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now
then, listen to their voice; only-you shall solemnly warn them, and show
them the ways of the king who shall reign over them." So Samuel reported all
the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. He said,
"These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take
your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to
run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of
thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap
his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his
chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and
give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your
vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your
male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put
them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be
his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you
have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
Many: But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said,
"No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be
like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and
fight our battles."
One: When Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in
the ears of the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and
set a king over them."
(Children and teachers may leave for their Church School classes.)
ANTHEM Zadok the Priest G.F. Handel
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king. And all the
people rejoiced and said: God save the King, long live the King. God save
the King! May the King live forever, amen, alleluia!
-1 Kings 1:38-40
SERMON Kings Nancy S. Taylor
*HYMN 345 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence Picardy
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
*CALL TO PRAYER
Robert W. Brown
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.
PRAYER RESPONSE Alleluia, Amen Harry L. Huff
CALL TO THE OFFERING
OFFERTORY ANTHEM Green Street J.J. Husband
All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall,
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Christ servant of all.
Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe on this terrestrial ball,
To Christ all majesty ascribe.
Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Christ servant of all.
-Edward Perronet, alt.
*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 Nancy S. Taylor
*HYMN 305 You Servants of God, Your Sovereign Proclaim Hanover
*BIDDING TO MISSION AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Crown Imperial William Walton
Today, immediately following the postlude, all who are interested in a tour
of the Sanctuary are invited to meet Docent Dick Yeo at the front of the
Sanctuary.
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES
Wednesday, February 6 at 12 pm and 6 pm
These are simple services of reflection, reading, music and prayer
in preparation for the holy season of Lent.
LENTEN EXPERIENCE:
SAVING JESUS
Ever feel like Jesus has been kidnapped by the religious right or the
secular left? Feel like he's trapped in an outmoded religion? Or maybe you
just don't know much about him at all. Join us as we embark upon an
all-church Lenten experience called Saving Jesus. Saving Jesus is a highly
successful, sophisticated video and internet-based small group exploration
of progressive Christianity featuring premier religious voices of our day.
LENTEN SUNDAYS AT 12:15 PM
The World Into Which Jesus Was Born
February 10th First Sunday of Lent
The Teachings of Jesus
February 17th Second Sunday of Lent
Jesus' Ministry of Compassion
February 24th Third Sunday of Lent
Jesus' Program: The Kingdom of God
March 2nd Fourth Sunday of Lent
Killing Jesus: The Atonement
March 9th Fifth Sunday of Lent
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 is Peter Stokes. He and his wife Diane joined Old
South in 2006, and were married here. Peter serves on the Christian Service
and Outreach Committee and volunteers in various hospitality capacities.
The flowers today are given by Mrs. Gertrude Allen in memory of her husband,
the Honorable W. Lloyd Allen.
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>.
Large print bulletins and hearing assistance devices
are available at the Front Desk.
NOTES ON TODAY'S MUSIC
The Scripture reading today from 1 Samuel, chapter 8, relates the occasion
on which the elders of Israel pleaded with the aging Samuel to appoint a
king over them. Although he was displeased by this, God encouraged him to
do as the people asked, nevertheless instructing Samuel to warn them of the
consequences. In the subsequent chapters Saul is chosen as the new king, and
is anointed by Samuel. The inspiration for the music today thus springs from
the notion of the splendor and majesty of the crowning of a Biblical king.
The anthem Zadok the Priest, which recounts the crowning of the later King
Solomon, was composed by George Frederic Handel (1685-1759) as one of four
Coronation Anthems written for the coronation of George II of Great Britain
in 1727. It has been sung at every subsequent British coronation service in
Westminster Abbey, and is traditionally performed during the sovereign's
anointing.
"Crown Imperial" is an orchestral march by the English composer William
Walton (1902-1983). It was actually written to be performed at the
coronation of King Edward VIII which was scheduled to be held on May 12,
1937. King Edward abdicated in 1936, so a coronation was held on that day,
but with his brother King George VI and Queen Elizabeth being crowned in his
place. The piece was also used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in
1953.
Coronation imagery abounds elsewhere in today's service, especially in two
different settings of the beloved 1779 text, "All Hail the Power of Jesus'
Name" by Edward Perronet. We will sing it as the processional hymn to the
familiar tune, Coronation (1793), by Oliver Holden. During the offertory the
Old South Choir will present a version by early American tunesmith J. J.
Husband (1809). This setting, which appears in the Original Sacred Harp, is
a fuguing tune, a variety of Anglo-American vernacular choral music. In the
fuguing tune, all the parts start together and proceed in rhythmic and
harmonic unity for the space of a musical sentence. This is followed by a
refrain in imitation, the various parts declaiming "crown him" in sudden
punctuations, racing to the joyous end.
OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON
MINISTERS, OFFICERS AND STAFF
Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister ~ Quinn G. Caldwell, Associate Minister
James W. Crawford, Senior Minister Emeritus
Harry L. Huff, Minister of Music
Calvin Genzel, Wedding Outreach Minister ~ Janet Butler, Wedding Coordinator
Ken Orth, Healing Prayer Service Minister
Robert W. Brown, Ministerial Intern ~ Abigail G. Henderson, Field Education Intern
Mark S. Burrows, Theologian in Residence
Patricia Hazeltine, Church School Director ~ Rolanda Ward, Youth Worker
Carolyn Davis, Director, Old South Preschool
George Sargent, Assistant Organist
Willie Sordillo, Jazz Service Music Director
Peter Coulombe, Director, Old South Ringers
Amy Budka & Phil Stern, Children’s Music Directors
Jeff Makholm, Moderator ~ David Clark, Clerk ~ James Monsma, Treasurer
Dwight Crane, 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 ~ Ozo Nwodo & Robert Blenman, Sextons
Jessica Goodknight, Rubia Reyes & Jim McDonnel, Receptionists
www.oldsouth.org - 617/536-1970