South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

June 25, 2006
Third Sunday After Pentecost

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     Arioso     J.S. Bach

WELCOME       
     Introduction of Visitors and Guests

     Announcements         

     Exchange of Peace

     The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.
         And also with you.

CALL TO WORSHIP      Psalm 51

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

ALL: Glory be to you O God, to Christ, to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and evermore shall be,
world without end. Amen.

* HYMN  Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken #267 blue

INVOCATION

SOLO               Thy Will Be Done     Joyce Elaine Eilers

SCRIPTURE       Mark 1:1-11       (see insert)

SACRAMENT OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM

Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ

Allie Hanna Batchelder
Mia Marian Batchelder
   daughters of Jamie and Douglas Batchelder

 

Congregational Response:

On behalf of the whole Christian Church, we now receive Allie and Mia into our love and care.  We promise to uphold them and their parents in the fulfillment of their vows and to be a Christian community which teaches love for God and neighbor, and nurtures in their spiritual life a Christ centered faith, hope and joy.

* HYMN  Child of Blessing, Child of Promise     # 498 red
              (Tune” Stuttgart, Vs. 1 & 2)

SCRIPTURE   Roman 8:31-35, 37-39   (see insert)

RITE OF CONFIRMATION     for David Lowenstein

* HYMN  Child of Blessing, Child of Promise     # 498 red
              (Tune” Stuttgart, Vs. 3 & 4)

During the hymn children may move, with adult volunteers, to summer Sunday school. Parents may pick up their children after the service on the North lawn.

SERMON         Nothing shall separate us from the love of God
          The Bible’s Best Words, 2006 Summer Series Dr. Mutti

prayers of the people

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING

Invitation

Offertory  Sonata in A flat  F.J. Haydn

* Doxology       

* Dedication Prayer   

* HYMN God is our Refuge and Our Strength  #191 red
              Psalm 46

* BENEDICTION    The Hand of God shall hold you Marty Haugen

* POSTLUDE  on “Old Hundredth”  Healey Willan

* Those who are able may stand

Participating in Today’s Service:
Greeters: Roy and Lynda Paris and Sarah-Ann Carey
Deacon: David Sleight
Piano: Marianna Jordan
 Soprano Soloist: Sherry Tupper
Youth: David Lowenstein

Flowers today are given to the glory of God by Jane and Bill Batchelder in honor of the baptism of their granddaughters
Allie Hanna and Mia Marian Batchelder.

Scriptures For This day        New Revised Standard Version

Mark 1: 1-11

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,  ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ’, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

Romans 8: 31-35

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8: 37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.