FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WAUWATOSA

March 21, 2004

MORNING WORSHIP 8:45 AND 11:00 A.M.

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

GATHERING MUSIC

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Carrie Kreps, Pastoral Intern

THE PRELUDE Swallowtail Jig, Si Bheag Si Mhor, Old Joe Clark, Ash Grove, Cripple Creek

Sharon Bahr-cello, Tom Smith-cello, Carol Wittig-cello

CHIMES AND TOWER BELLS

CALL TO WORSHIP

Liturgist: O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt God’s name together!

People: For when we judge ourselves unworthy to be called the children of God, the Lord looks upon us with compassion, and runs to embrace us while we are still far away.

Liturgist: O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt God’s name together!

People: For when we judge our neighbors unworthy to be called the children of God, the Lord looks upon them and weeps for joy, and makes a great feastwhile we stand at a distance.

Liturgist: O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt God’s name together!

People: For the humble shall be received with honor, and the
haughty shall be humbled; every prodigal shall return with hope, and every elder shall rejoice with gladness!

ALL: We magnify the Lord and exalt God’s name!

CHORAL FANFARE

*HYMN 228 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

*INVOCATION AND LORD’S PRAYER (unison)

Great God of steadfast love, come among us. We come to you this day with grateful hearts. You have reconciled us through your Son Jesus. Everything old has passed away; behold all has become new! Thank you God, for your provision and care for us. And yet we come also longing for peace; for reconciliation in our world, in our families, in our churches, and in our hearts. Our strength is nearly dried up, our hearts are heavy, and the way seems hard. Come to us. Gather us in, and hold us in your arms of everlasting peace. You are a hiding place for us, and you keep us from trouble. Make the way clear, and teach us in the ways of reconciliation. Empower us to be your ambassadors for peace – agents of your love in this world. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Reconciler who taught us to call you:

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.

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (Hymn 524)

Lead Me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness,

Make thy way plain before my face.

For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only,

That makest me dwell in safety.

NEW TESTAMENT LESSON 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Bible, page 1006

*HYMN 328 The Lord Is Rich and Merciful

(Children are dismissed to Sunday School during the singing of the hymn.)

THE PSALMODY (responsive) Psalm 32 Hymnal No. 72, page 519

THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Bible, page 908

Rev. Samuel Schaal

THE ANTHEM 8:45 & 11:00 O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go Ellsasser Jessica Stenz, Alto

THE CALL TO PRAYER and SILENT MEDITATION

THE PRAYER OF MINISTER AND PEOPLE

THE CHORAL RESPONSE TO PRAYER

THE SERMON “Prodigal Is As Prodigal Does” Rev. Steven Peay, Ph.D.

THE OFFERTORY

THE ANTHEM 8:45 & 11:00 Give Me The Wings of Faith Norton

* CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (Hymn 538)

Bless thou the gifts our hands have brought,

Bless thou the work our hearts have planned;

Ours is the faith, the will, the thought,

The rest, O God, is in thy hand. Amen.

*THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

*HYMN 217 Lord of All Hopefulness

*THE CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

* THE CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE (Hymn 541)

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.

Whose mind is stayed on thee. Amen.

THE POSTLUDE Print Thine Image Pure and Holy Cassler

*The congregation is invited to stand.

Today’s chancel flowers are given by Steve and Cathy Denny in celebration of their fathers’ March birthdays,

Dick Denny on the 15^th and the late Gil Chrisien on the 18^th.

SERVING March 21, 2004

Head Greeters: Mark Hendrickson, Ken Wendt

Head Ushers: Dan Johnson, David Moore

Ushers: 8:45 a.m. Captain: Jim VerDuin, Mary Eggert, Maurie Daigneau, Joel Halvorson, Scott Wittig

Ushers: 11:00 a.m. Captain: Tracy Lockhart, Jim Auer, Jobie Heebner, Julie Sheridan-Smith

Greeters: 8:45 a.m. George and Sharon Nortman

Greeter: 11:00 a.m. Peggy Fleming

Acolytes 8:45 a.m. Zoe Harmon, Michael Anheuser

Acolyte 11:00 a.m. Jack Peterson

CARE FOR CHILDREN

A nursery for infants and toddlers is available during the 8:45 and 11:00 a.m. services.

Sunday School at 8:45 and 11:00.

Worship Preview for Sunday, March 28, 8:45 and 11:00 A.M.

Rev. Samuel Schaal will present the sermon.

Betty Dethmers is the organist. Jubilation Ringers play at 8:45.

Lee Jacobi directs the Pilgrim Choir at 8:45 and the Chancel Choir at 11:00.

Choir Anthems

Pilgrim Choir 8:45

Chancel Choir 11:00

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

Richard Ellsasser

O love, O love, O love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in Thee;

I give Thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,

I yield my flick’ring torch to Thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, brighter, fairer be.

O joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not in vain

That morning shall tearless be, tearless be.

O Cross, O Cross, O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from Thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life, Life, that shall endless be.

O Love that wilt not let me go.

Give Me The Wings of Faith

Isaac Watts

Give me the wings of faith to rise

Within the veil, and see

The saints above, how great their joys,

How bright their glories be.

Once they were mourning here below,

And poured out cries and tears:

They wrestled hard, as we do now,

With sins, and doubts, and fears.

I ask them whence their victory came:

They, with united breath,

Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb,

Their triumph to His death.

They marked the footsteps that He trod,

His zeal inspired their breast;

And following their incarnate God,

Possess the promised rest.

Our glorious Leader claims our praise

For His own pattern given;

While the long cloud of witnesses

Show the same path to heaven.

CALENDAR WEEK OF March 21, 2004

SUNDAY, March 21

8:00 a.m. Morning Prayer & Holy Communion-Chapel

8:45 a.m. Worship/Children in Church/Sunday School

9:45 a.m. Cherub Choir rehearsal-202, Jr. Choir rehearsal-B6

10:00 a.m. Adult Ed.-Lounge, Coffee Hr.-S.H., PF Officer Mtg.-Conf. Rm., Trip to England meeting-Chapel

11:00 a.m. Worship/Children in Church/Sunday School

4:00 p.m. Covenant Class-R.C.

6:00 p.m. Cinematic View of Jesus-“Monty Python’s Life of Brian”

6:30 p.m. Sr. PF-302

MONDAY, March 22

9:00 a.m. @CH-Sub. Ret. Men’s Club, Sub. Women’s Club of Tosa-Lounge

4:30 p.m. Nominating Comm.-Conf. Rm.

7:00 p.m. Long Range Planning-Conf. Rm.

8:00 p.m. AA-B6

TUESDAY, March 23

9:00 a.m. Retired Men’s Club Bd.-S.H.

7:00 p.m. Church Council-Lounge, Boy Scouts-B6, Resolve Peer Support-Parlor

WEDNESDAY, March 24

11:00 a.m. Circle 12/Sr. Women-Lounge

12:00 p.m. Bridge Marathon-Parlor

6:00 p.m. Lenten Supper-S.H.

6:30 p.m. Lenten Vespers-Chapel

7:00 p.m. “Bible Workbench”-Parlor, “Basic Spirituality”-Lounge

THURSDAY, March 25

9:00 a.m. Big Band rehearsal-S.H.

6:45 p.m. Pilgrim Choir-B1

7:00 p.m. Jubilation Ringers-B6, Resolve-R.C.

7:30 p.m. Combined Choir-B1

8:30 p.m. Chancel Choir-B1

FRIDAY, March 26

9:00 a.m. Harmony Singers-Lounge

10:00 a.m. Artists’ Group-B6

SATURDAY, March 27

8:00 a.m. Women’s Group-Parlor

A brief meeting will be held today at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel for those planning on traveling to England with Steve & Julie Peay in the fall.

Ellen Matteson (8:45) and Charlotte Vogt (11:00) will be with us today to share information about The Tosa Food Pantry, one of the recipients of our Lenten offering.

Adult Education - Today, Marty VanderVelde will lead a discussion on “Business and the Common Good” at 10:00 a.m. in Friendship Lounge. On Sunday, March 28^th, Carrie Kreps will talk about “The Battles of Love and Hate in Timeless Literature.” Childcare is provided.

The next of the Cinematic Views of Jesus will be shown today, at 6:00 p.m. in the Lounge. We’ll see “Monty Python’s Life of Brian.” Come for popcorn, soda & good discussion.

Ted Gromacki will talk about “Travel in Czechoslovakia” when Suburban Retired Men’s Club meets at CH on Monday, March 22^nd at 9:00 a.m. in the Chapel/Auditorium.

The next Lenten Supper will be held March 24th from 6:00-6:30 p.m. Vesper services follow at 6:30. Sign up at the office for dinner and childcare by noon today. Following dinner and Vespers, the “Bible Workbench” series, lead by Rev. Schaal, continues in the Parlor and “Basic Spirituality,” with Rev. Peay, will meet in the Lounge.

The next Breakfast with the Girls will be held Saturday, April 3rd at 9:00 a.m. in the Lounge. Spend a quiet, meditative morning exploring ‘Secret Gardens’ with Melody Narr. Inspiring garden pictures will be shared, along with the simple basics required for your garden. Donation: $5. Sign up at the church office.

It’s time to order your plants to decorate the Nave for Easter services on April 11th. Plants may be taken home after the 11:00 service. Look for order forms on the welcome tables located in the Narthex and in the hallways. Return the form to the office by Sunday, April 4th with your check for $13.50 for each plant ordered.

Circle 8 will meet at Congregational Home on Tuesday, April 6^th at 1:30 p.m. Share dessert and play Bunco.

Coming soon…with your help...a Sharing Library. Share it…read it…return it…pass it on. Donate your inspirational and faith based books for use by church members. Drop your books off at the church office. For those favorites, a sentence about the book would be welcome.