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First Parish Church, Congregational On the Village Green
Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Rev. Dr. Marlayna Schmidt, Interim Pastor
Donald R. Dunn, Director of Music-Organist
Jessica Skidmore, Christian Ministry Coordinator
Tori Potter, Sexton
Nancy Klebart, Office Manager
978-526-7661
www.firstparishchurch.org
MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE
Trinity/Memorial Sunday, May 27, 2018, 10:00 a.m.
ORGAN PRELUDE: “In Christ There Is No East or West”
Tune: “McKee” an African-American Spiritual
Arranged by Charles Cherwien (b. 1957)
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP (adapted from Touch Holiness)
Leader: May the peace of God rest upon our busy lives--
People: That we may be quieted into prayer.
Leader: May the love of God flow through our worship--
People: That we may be alive with opportunities for service.
Leader: May the grace of God be with us this Memorial Day
Weekend—
People: As we honor the men and women of our armed services
who gave their lives serving their country, including those who
are “missing in action.”
All: Let us worship God, Creator, Christ, and Spirit, whose Grace
calls us to loving service.
*HYMN: “God of Grace and God of Glory” NCH #436 black
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (adapted from Touch Holiness) Spirit of
the Living God, we confess that we have not always accepted the
challenge of your peace in the world. Sometimes we define peace in
ways that preserve our own self-interests, overlooking the possibility
that your peace may call us to great sacrifice. Sometimes we are content
to believe that speaking of peace is sufficient, forgetting that your peace
calls us to action and transformation. Sometimes, when we are speaking
of peace, we disrespect the sacrifice that men and women have made in
fighting to preserve human freedoms. Merciful God, forgive our lack of
imagination and courage; forgive our disrespect.
Empower us to let loving peace abound in our world.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace.”
*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, the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
*GLORIA PATRI: Glory 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
MORNING PRAYER Lynda Griffiths
Pastoral Prayer and Moment of Silence During the moment of silence near the end of the prayer, you will be invited, if you
wish, to speak the names out loud of people you want to pray for.
ANTHEM: “Ev’ry Time I feel the Spirit”
Arranged by William L. Dawson (1899-1990)
Every time I feel the spirit,
Moving in my heart, I will pray;
Yes, Every time I feel the spirit,
Moving in my heart, I will pray. 4
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.
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.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high
and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him;
each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet,
and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.’ 4The pivots
* on the thresholds shook at the voices
of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I
am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen
the King, the Lord of hosts!’ 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that
had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7The seraph
* touched my mouth with it and
said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted
out.’ 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for
us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’
Romans 8:14-17a 14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15
For
you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of
adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ 16
it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,17
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ…”
HYMN SING Rev. Dr. Llewellyn Smith
In our sermon-time today—instead of the sermon—you will be invited to
call out the name and number of your favorite hymn, and which hymnal
it is in, and let us know which verse (or two) you would like the
congregation to sing.
STORY: “A Flying Fortress Over Dresden” by Charles Alling
HYMN: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” PH #363 vs. 1, 3 & 4
OFFERTORY INVITATION
OFFERTORY ANTHEM: “Hymn to the Trinity”
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons.
Blessed Trinity!
Holy, Holy, Holy!
All the saints adore Thee.
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee.
Which wert and art,
Evermore shalt be.
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Though the darkness hide Thee,
Through the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art Holy.
There is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power,
In love, and purity.
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name
In earth, and sky, and sea.
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Blessed Trinity!
*DOXOLOGY: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below, Praise God
above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*HYMN: “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies” PH #440 blue
*[The “Removal of the Flame”, which symbolizes the Spirit of God accompanying
us out into the world]
*BENEDICTION
*CHORAL RESPONSE
ORGAN POSTLUDE: “Trumpet Tune”
(adapted from Jean-Baptiste Lully, 1632-1687)
Gordon Young (1919-1998)
* * * * *
After the service join us in the front of the church for hospitality.
The greeters and lay readers are the Pick Family, Tilly, Sue, Charlotte and
Ava.
The Deacons are Lynda Griffiths and Ann Heslop.
Readers and greeters are always needed, to volunteer speak to the
Deacons, or you can also sign up online.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0444aca629a5f94-diaconate
Listening devices are available for those in need; they are at the back of
the Sanctuary. Feel free to address a Deacon should you need help using
them.
Welcome to all who are new to our worship. To join our mailing list fill
out a “Welcome Card” to place in the collection plate or contact
[email protected], 978-526-7661 ext 1.
CONFIRMATION SUNDAY June 3rd
10 AM
Come welcome and celebrate our confirmands as they
become members of First Parish!
FPCC CARE TEAM Have you shared the experience?
We support FPC families with meals, rides, & visits through
times of illness and loss. Please contact Sue Pick
([email protected] or 978-548-0145) if you would like to
share your ideas, time, and talents with the FPC Care Team.
SEASIDE PARISH KNITTERS We would love to have
you join us on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays (June 7 & 21) of the
month in the Conference Room of the Chapel, 3-5 PM.
MY STORY We each have unique journeys of faith. One
way to deepen our understanding of them is to share our
stories with each other.
Once per month, the Vitality Committee welcomes one of
you to share your faith journey during Sunday service in brief 2 to 3
minute remarks. We hope you will consider sharing yours. A simple
way to organize your thoughts is to answer these 3 questions:
1. What is your early faith history? (1 minute)
2. How did you come to First Parish Church? What is meaningful to
you about your participation? (1 minute)
3. Can you share a specific moment of faith, an experience of divine
intervention or God's or Jesus' presence in your life? (1 minute)
We are eager to hear your faith stories! Please talk with Mary Ellen
Cook (978-526-7178) or Allison Moir-Smith (978-526-1904) to learn
more.
Weekly Food Donations When you go to church Sunday
mornings or to a meeting during the week, remember to take
one item that can be donated to Open Door. Food baskets
located in the Chapel and Church. It is easy to forget, but you can think
ahead and bring one food item that will be much appreciated by folks
who really need our help.
Brown Bag Lunch on Friday, June 30 sign-up coming soon or see
Lelly Smith or Muriel Parker.
Included in the Mission of our congregation is caring for God's creation.
Especially as Spring reveals the wonder of it all, we think
“conservation!” We will be putting forth alerts and reminders to help
us awaken to God's creation and consider our own actions to care for
this amazing town and the wider world we have been given.
What can we do to help with Conservation?
Here are some ideas from your Missions Committee.
Our Green Church on the Green Transportation Notes
How do we travel these days?
1. Carpool / Use public transportation
2. Walk / Bicycle
3. Pre-plan / Combine errands
SETTLED PASTOR SEARCH PROCESS TO BEGIN BY THE
END OF THE SUMMER Do you feel called to serve? First Parish
will soon begin the process of searching for a new pastor. According to
our church bylaws, the Church Council is responsible for
appointing church members to serve on the search committee – two
from the Diaconate, one each from the Trustees, CE, Stewardship,
Music, Missions and Youth Group, and 5 members-at-large. Council
agreed that ideal criteria for serving on the committee include: regular
church attendance, positive outlook, good listening and synthesizing of
information skills, not being shy about speaking up in meetings, and
looking to God for guidance. Further, the chair of the
committee should have strong organization, motivation, and computer
skills.
Our hope is to create a cohesive committee that is representative of our
faith community with a balanced mix of ages, gender, family contexts,
and theological perspectives, and with a shared commitment to the
future of our church. Once the search starts, it will likely take six to nine
months. The main components of the work include developing
interview questions that help us assess whether a candidate would be a
good match for our values, purpose, and vision; reading through
candidates’ profiles; deciding who to interview; conducting interviews;
and then recommending a candidate to the congregation. The committee
will meet once or twice a month to prayerfully work through their tasks,
and individuals will be expected to read candidates’ profiles in between
meetings. There may also be a few visits to other churches to hear
candidates preach. Our UCC Area Minister, Rev. Wendy Vander Hart,
will help guide the committee through the search process, and Rev.
Marlayna can be a guide as well—but only on the process itself, not in
the choosing of candidates.
If you feel that serving God in this capacity might be a natural fit for
your talents and interests, or if there is someone you would like to
nominate who would also be a good fit, then please feel welcome to
speak with, or to email church moderator, Nancy Peterson
[email protected]. (Note: As a balanced mix of various
components is required, not all people who volunteer for the committee
may be appointed to serve.)
VISION PROCESS
Building on our four congregational meetings in the Vision Process, we
(the Transition Team) have drafted a Vision Statement, which is
available in the narthex and on the church’s website. The congregation
will have the opportunity to discuss the Vision Statement at our church’s
Annual Meeting on June 24th, and, with the congregation’s blessing, the
Vision Statement will then be used to form the basis of a strategic plan,
which the Executive Committee and Council will put together in the fall
of 2018. Once a strategic plan (with goals and objectives) has taken
shape, it will be presented to a “special meeting” of the congregation for
approval.
We (the Transition Team) are also using the information we have
gathered from the Vision Process to help form our “Church Profile,”
which is the document used in the search for a new settled
pastor. We plan to have the Church Profile done by mid June.
Please continue to keep our church’s Vision Process in your prayers!
Your Transition Team (Paul Driscoll, Lauren Gudonis, Mary Lumsden,
Jeff Parker, Jason Smith, Lelly Smith)
Church Council minutes, Congregational Meeting minutes and
documents can be found online.
BOOK GROUP We continue with a new selection; for the
month of May “Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult. With
incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult
tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—
and doesn't offer easy answers. Goodreads
Wendy Clark will be hosting the next book group, Tuesday, May 29,
6:30 PM at 99 Pine St. Manchester. Please RSVP to Wendy 978-526-
4146 or [email protected], so she can plan accordingly.
TUCK’S POINT WORSHIP Join us Sun. June 10, at the Tuck’s Point
Chowder House for the 10 AM worship. BYOB picnic lunch to follow,
dessert and beverages will be provided.
BIBLE STUDY will resume on May 31st and continue through June
14th.
Rev. Marlayna is away at a preaching conference May 21 through May
29th. If you need emergency pastoral care while she is away, please call
the church office, and you will be directed to someone who can help.
First Parish Church
Vacation Bible School
June 25-29, 1 - 3 PM
Children K-6th
grade are invited to join us for a fun filled week of
stories, games, crafts, and learning about Jesus’ love.
First Parish Chapel
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED This is our biggest outreach to the greater
Manchester community, providing a free fun event to local families, and
we need volunteers to help run the program and donate snacks.
Please sign up to help today! High School students can earn community
service hours. To sign up speak to Jessica 978-526-7661 x 3 or email
You can also look at volunteer slots and sign up online.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c4caba822a1f49-canyou1
CHILDREN K-6 GRADE WELCOME Sign up your children and invite
friends! Contact Jessica with questions 978-526-7661 x 3 or
You can also register online
https://goo.gl/forms/grlpEsnQRYZGlFKb2
Upcoming events can be found on our website
(www.firstparishchurch.org ) under “News” and “Calendar” and on our
Facebook page (First Parish Manchester-by-the-Sea) under “Events”
THIS WEEK:
Monday
Memorial Day Office Closed
Tuesday
7:00 PM Book Group
Wednesday
10:00 AM COA Yoga
6:30 PM Diaconate Meeting
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
Thursday
4:00 PM Bible Study
6:00 PM Confirmation Party
Friday
8:00 AM Yoga
Sunday
10:00 AM Worship, Communion
Confirmation Sunday
