South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

The Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 4, 2008

Let the prelude be  a curtain of music which brings us into the sanctuary to worship God.
 Let necessary conversation be gentle  and the preparation we make together be prayerful.

PRELUDE     Adagio from Suite No. 1 in G minor    J. S. Bach

WELCOME

Announcements
Introduction of Visitors and Guests
Passing of Peace

INTROIT             I’ve Got the Joy of the Lord     Carol Choir

CALL TO WORSHIP       (adapted from Psalm 47)

Clap your hands, all you people, shout to God with songs of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, and rules over all the earth.

All the shields of the earth belong to God, who is highly exalted.

It is God who gives us our heritage, the pride of an historic people who are beloved.

God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

Therefore, let us sing praises to God! Sing praises to the one who loves and guides us. Sing praises all you people!

* HYMN  Come, Christians, Join to Sing  #150 Red

PRAYER OF INVOCATION AND CONFESSION     Sherry Tupper

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

SCRIPTURE   Acts 1: 1 - 11      (in bulletin)

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation

communion prayer and lord’s prayer

God be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God most high.

prayer of consecration

Breaking the Bread and Pouring the Cup

Sharing the Elements

Prayer of Thanksgiving       (unison)

We give thanks, O God, that you have fed us with bread and cup, bringing us closer to Jesus Christ.  Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. This we pray in Christ’s name.  Amen.

* HYMN  He Came Down  (insert)

Children in grades K-High School may move to their church school classrooms. Parents of children up to age 7, please go to your child's classroom after worship.

SCRIPTURE     Ephesians 1: 15 - 23   (in bulletin)

SERMON     The Challenge of Ascension     Rev.  CONTACT _Con-445D9F911 \c \s \l Lisa Stedman

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE           Rev.  CONTACT _Con-445D9F911 \c \s \l Lisa Stedman

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING
     Invitation
     Offertory Anthem  Jubilance     Arnold Sherman
                   Handbell Choir

* Doxology       

* Dedication Prayer

* HYMN God of Our Life  #97 Blue

* BENEDICTION

* RESPONSE   Go Now In Peace  Don Besig

Go now in peace.  Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of every day.
Go now in faith, steadfast, strong and true.
Know God will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you believe.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
Go now in peace, in faith, and in love.

POSTLUDE         Fugue from Suite No. 1 in G minor     J. S. Bach

Please remain seated to enjoy the postlude.

     *Those who are able may stand.

Participating in Today’s Service:

Violin: Brendan O’Donnell
Greeters: The Hoyt Family
Acolytes: Sophie Combs  
Deacon: Polly Pyle
Head Usher: Mike Massey
Youth: Kate Farnham

Scriptures For This Day         New Revised Standard Version

Acts 1:1 -11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of God. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that have been set by God in all authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Ephesians 1: 15 - 23

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you grow in knowledge and relationship with God, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which God has called you, what are the riches of God’s glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of God’s power for us who believe, according to the working of that great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he was raised from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And God has put all things under Christ’s feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.