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Round Hill Community Church
ORDER OF SERVICEOctober 16, 2016
Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
PRELUDE WORDS OF WELCOME
INTROIT
CALL TO WORSHIP Leader: We are gathered to give witness to the enduring realities of life.All: We have come to affirm that life is a gift, that the gift is
good, and that it comes from God.Leader: We are gathered to renew our hope in Jesus Christ, as we travel
life’s long journey.All: We find God in the paths of our present and our past, but
we also trust in God’s love in our future.Leader: The same God guides us all the way, every day of our lives, and
beyond life.All: Let us praise God with our whole hearts, and entrust our
lives to God’s hands.
*HYMN No. 25 Praise to the Lord the Almighty
*OPENING PRAYER Christ Jesus, whose glory was poured out like perfume,and who chose for our sake to take the form of a slave;may we also pour out our love with holy extravagance,that our lives may proclaim your generosity. Amen.
*The congregation is invited to stand
*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 trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us,and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For Thine is the kingdom,and the power, and the glory,forever and ever. Amen.
*GLORIA PATRIGlory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE The Rev. Dan HaughChildren may now leave for Church School.
He's got the whole world in His hands,He's got the whole world in His hands,He's got the whole world in His hands,He's got the whole world in His hands.
He's got our Church School children in His hands,He's got our Church School children in His hands,He's got our Church School children in His hands,He's got our children in His hands.
ANTHEM O Sacrum Convivium MessaienO scared banquet in which Christ is received.
The memory of his passion is renewed.The mind is filled with grace
And a pledge of future glory to us is given.
SCRIPTURE LESSON Mark 14: 3-9While Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.
Matthew 26: 6-13
Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor. “But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me
for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
SERMON Generosity: Another Word for Compassion The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann
*HYMN No. 16 Come Thou Font of Every Blessing
OFFERINGInvitationAnthem Alleluia
Thompson *Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him,
all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*Hymn My Country ‘Tis of Thee (verse 4)Our fathers’ God, to thee, author of liberty, to thee we sing; long may our
land be bright with freedom’s holy light; protect us bythy might, Great God, our King.
PASTORAL PRAYER*HYMN No. 335 Creating God, Your Fingers TraceCHURCH PRAYER
Our Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill-will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BENEDICTION and CHORAL RESPONSE
POSTLUDE
ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSION STATEMENTWe, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time and resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord.
ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREEDI believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.
Cover Artwork: Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee,
Rubens, Peter Paul (Pietro Pauolo), 1618
CHURCH NEWS
Thank you to Doug and Sally MacSwan for ushering today.
Thanks to Caroline Adkins and Bunny Prokop for hosting coffee hour today; please join them in the Parlor following the service.
The older students of our Church School are hosting a “Coffee Hour with a Purpose” Bake Sale in the Parlor after this morning’s service. All baked goods are available for just one dollar and will go towards raising funds for a future teen room at the Church.
Outreach
The Outreach Committee continues to collect clothing for St. Ann’s. We recently received a special request indicating a high demand for men’s dress clothes and shoes, in particular. Please bring clothing (laundered and pressed) on hangers. If you have any questions please contact Caroline Lazzara ([email protected]) or Alice Fisher ([email protected]).
Please join us this year in the Inspirica Youth Center! Volunteers are needed every Tuesday starting September 6 from 4 pm - 6 pm. Children arrive off the bus, are fed a snack and then begin homework. Please talk with Jenny Rye (203-861-6757) or Caroline Lazzara (203-353-0003.)
Needed - Meal providers for Inspirica’s Early Childhood and Parenting Program [ECPP] beginning in September. The program runs Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights with the meal being served at 7p.m. You
can either cook on site or drop off a prepared meal. Please look for available dates that you would be able to fill at www.inspiricact.org/meal-calendar/
Neighbor to Neighbor …..with the onset of cooler, crisper fall weather we are asking for "Cold-Weather Warm-Ups" in our special collection for the month of October. Items such as canned and dry soups/chili, canned beans, Ramen noodles, easy mac & cheese, etc. would be appreciated and can be left in the food wagon located near the front entrance.
Faith Formation
Save the Date!! On Saturday, November 5th all men of the Round Hill Community Church are invited to attend the Men’s Bible Study Breakfast from 9-10.30 a.m. in the parlor. This month we will focus on a biblical text relating to the theme of Hospitality as part of our year-long exploration of A Life Worth Living. Please RSVP to the main office via email - [email protected]. A light breakfast will be served.
Les Beaux Arts Gallery
We invite you to come to Les Beaux Arts Gallery to view the current exhibit of landscapes and drawings by Yukio Ishizuka. The exhibit ends this Wednesday, October 19th.
Youth Ministry
All RHCC youth are invited to join Rev. Dan Haugh in his office immediately following the Children’s Message for Youth Fellowship today.
Join the Round Hill Youth for their monthly Friday Night Live gatherings. The fun happens in the Community House from 6-8pm. After dropping your young adult off, please pop over to the Sanctuary for the Women’s Gathering at 6:30!
Our first-ever Playground Playdate last week was SO well-attended that, due to popular demand, a second one has already been planned! Please join Jenny at the RHCC playground on Friday, November 4th from 10-11:30 a.m. for a casual get-together for parents and a playdate for the little ones! A special guest will be joining us that day and Mothers’ Helpers will be on hand to assist in making this a fun and stress-free outing for all! Please RSVP to Jenny Byxbee at [email protected] if you plan to come.
Come one, come all but come FIRST because first come, first-served! Last year, this popular community event was SOLD OUT within days! Please make your reservations early by contacting the Main Office at 203-869-1091 or via email at
There is a sign-up sheet in the Parlor for pies, help with set-up and clean-up, and also looking for three small task teams to
make batches of mashed potatoes.
CHILDREN’S CORNER
Today we hear about Jesus at the table in the home of Simon the Leper. As they were eating and talking, a woman came with a jar of very expensive perfume. She broke the jar and poured it out all over Jesus' head. Well some that were there were pretty upset about it. In their eyes it was such a waste! This was very expensive stuff. This could've provided for the poor. And these men began to speak to the woman harshly. When they did, Jesus told them to "Leave her alone." See, in the eyes of men it was wasteful, but in Jesus' eyes, she had done a beautiful thing to him and for him. She had done what she could to honor Jesus.
She did what she could with what she had. Jesus never asks us to give something we don't have. But He does want us to do what we can with what we do have. And Jesus was so touched by what this woman did, that 2000 years later, all over the world, people are still talking about it, just like Jesus said we would. It’s actually kind of funny that we don't even know this woman's name. It's not even mentioned in the scriptures. But what she did for Jesus, He recognized it, even though men thought it was a waste.
What about what we do? See it's not important really that people know our name. But what is important is that we do what we can do for Jesus, just like this woman did. And sometimes doing something for Jesus means doing it for a friend, a family member or even, a perfect stranger that may just need a smile, a hug or a helping hand. Then, even if people think it's a waste - Jesus will see it as a beautiful, memorable thing - done to honor Him. Do what you can do for Jesus. And do it with all your heart!
A Child’s Prayer: Dear Jesus, please help me to show my love for you by doing what I can to show love to others. Help me to be humble and always look for ways that I can add goodness into our world. Amen.
REFLECTIONS
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him,) said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’
John 12: 3-5
Mary got the message and acted on it. While some of those standing by thought her mad, or smitten, or (God forbid!) wasteful, at least she and the one whose feet she rubbed suspected the truth. Where God is concerned, there is no need to fear running out – of nard or of life, either one. Where God is concerned, there is always more – more than we can either ask or imagine – gifts from our lavish, lavish Lord.
Barbara Brown Taylor, Bread of Angels
Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. Horstmann
Associate Pastor: The Rev. Dan Haugh Director of Music: Leslie Smith
Director of Children’s Ministries: Jenny ByxbeeMinister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph Ahlberg
Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831
203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org
