FIIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WAUWATOSA

 

January 22, 2006

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY/CHRISTIAN UNITY

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

 

 

GATHERING MUSIC                                                                                                                      

 

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS                                  Rev. Steven A. Peay, Ph.D.

 

PRELUDE     8:45                         In the Bleak Midwinter                                      McChesney

Jubilation Ringers

                       11:00                                   Adagio                                                        Mozart

 

CHIMES AND TOWER BELLS 

 

THE CALL TO WORSHIP                                                                     Rev. Samuel Schaal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Minister:    Let us acknowledge the company in which we meet:  the church on earth and in

                  heaven:     

People:     the faithful who worshipped here before us, the faithful who worship here

                  with us today;

Minister:    the hundreds of thousands of every place and language who, on the Lord’s Day

                  seek to set their lives within the atmosphere of renewing grace.

People:     As we think of them, let us take deliberate encouragement from our unity

                  with them all.

ALL:         Together we are the People of God!  Alleluia!

 

*HYMN 481                            I Sing a Song of the Saints of God

 

*CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP

 

*THE PRAYER OF INVOCATION AND LORD’S PRAYER (unison)

Loving God, we pray for the unity of your church.  Help us to see ourselves as rays
 from the one sun, branches of a single tree, and streams flowing from one river.
 May we remain united to you and to each other because you are our common source
 of life, and may we send out your light and pour forth your flowing streams over all
 the earth, drawing our inspiration and joy from you.  Stand among us as we worship
 and as we pray the prayer your Son taught us:

 

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.

 

*GLORIA PATRI (Hymn 513)

 

THE LESSON                                      Acts 2:37-47                                      Bible, page 949           

 

ANTHEM     11:00               You Don’t Have to Be a Shining Star                                     Nolan           

                                   Junior Choir, directed by Roxanne Trump-Miles

 

*HYMN 304                        Rejoice, O People, in the Mounting Years

              {Children are dismissed to Sunday School during the singing of the hymn.}

 

THE PSALMODY (responsive)               Psalm 84                            Hymnal p. 527, No. 87

 

THE EPISTLE                                   Romans 12:3-8                Rev. Carrie Kreps Wegenast           

                                                                                                                        Bible, Page 987           

 

THE GOSPEL LESSON                     John 15:1-11             Rev. Thomas Richard, D. Min.           

                                                                                                                        Bible, Page 939

 

ANTHEM      8:45                     I’ll Take the Wings of Morning                                 Stephenson

                                                          Jubilation Ringers

                                                                                                                                                                       

THE SERMON                              “Connecting Church”                                    Dr. Richard                       
                                          Executive  Secretary, NACCC

 

THE CALL TO PRAYER AND SILENT MEDITATION

 

THE PRAYER OF MINISTER AND PEOPLE

 

THE CHORAL RESPONSE TO PRAYER

 

THE OFFERTORY

 

ANTHEM      8:45                   Blessed Are the Poor and Merciful                                         Kunz

                     11:00                                This is the Day                                                    Melby

 

*DOXOLOGY (Hymn 515)

 

*THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION

 

*HYMN [insert]                                  God of the Prophets                                                          

 

*THE CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

 

*THE CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

 


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 He 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.


 


THE POSTLUDE                          Prelude and Fugue in C                                               Krebs


 


*The congregation is invited to stand, if able.

 

Flowers in the Chancel are given by
Bob and Helen Milne

in loving memory of their loved ones, now decease

 

SERVING January 22, 2006

Head Greeters: Marilyn Auer, David Moore

Head Ushers: Sue Melby, John O’Meara

Ushers: 8:45 a.m. Nick Sgarlata-Captain, Dermot Kerin, Jonathan Sgarlata, Scott Rondeau

Ushers: 11:00 a.m. John O’Meara-Captain, Paul Schulze, Susan Sappington, Melissa Coppage

Greeters: 8:45 a.m. Joe and Ruth Kolaga

Greeters: 11:00 a.m. David Moore

Acolyte: 8:45 a.m. Alexandra Wray and Hannah Bartholf

Acolytes: 11:00 a.m. Ellen RestyanszkiThe

 

Worship Preview for Sunday, January 29, 2006 ~ 8:45 and 11:00 a.m.

Rev. Carrie Kreps Wegenast continues our

“Imagining Church” series with “Exploring Church.”

Tom Gregory is the organist.

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

Join us for a talk-back with Dr. Richard during Sunday Symposium at 10 AM today.

 

 

 

CALENDAR

WEEK OF January 22, 2006

SUNDAY, January 22

7:45 a.m. Lectionary Bible Study-Library, Jubilation Ringers Rehearsal-Nave

8:45 & 11:00 a.m. Worship/Children in Church/8:45 Jubilation Ringers/11:00 Jr. Choir/Sunday School

10:00 a.m. Coffee Hour-SH, Sunday Symposium-Lounge, Covenant Class-LL4, Cherub Choir Rehearse-202

12:12 p.m. @Root Common-Unity Celebration

3:00 p.m. God & Family-LL5

4:30 p.m. Jr. PF-302

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

 

MONDAY, January 23

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

6:00 p.m. Pioneer Club (Pizza at 5:30 p.m.)-202,301, 302, SH, LL5

8:00 p.m. AA-LL5

 

TUESDAY, January 24

9, 10, 11:00 a.m. Music Jamboree-LL2

9:00 a.m. Retired Men’s Club Board-SH

7:00 p.m. Church Council-Lounge, Boy Scouts-LL5, Resolve-Parlor

 

WEDNESDAY, January 25

6:30 a.m. Women’s Bible Study “Invitation to the Old Testament”-Parlor, Men’s Bible Study-Lounge

9:00 a.m. Chapel Devotions, Big Band rehearsal-SH

9:30 a.m. Prayer and Pilates-201

10:30 a.m. Music Jamboree-LL2

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

6:00 p.m. Debtors Anonymous-LL5

7:00 p.m. “A Generous Orthodoxy” Book Study –Parlor, Beginnings-Lounge

 

THURSDAY, January 26

6:45 p.m. Pilgrim Choir-LL1

7:00 p.m. Jubilation Ringers-LL5

7:55 p.m. Chancel Choir-LL1

 

FRIDAY, January 27

9:00 a.m. Harmony Singers-Lounge

 

SATURDAY, January 28

8:00 a.m. Women’s Group-RC

10:00 a.m. Music Jamboree-LL2

12:30 a.m. Library Task Force-Library

 

 

Welcome to all visitors joining us today. Please check  the welcome table in the atrium for information about our church.

 

For those who wear a hearing aid, our Nave is equipped with an FM loop system. Set your hearing aid to the “T” setting. In addition, there is a hearing assistance system,

visit the church office for a receiver and headset.

 

Join us for Sunday Symposium at 10 a.m. today in Friendship Lounge when Rev. Dr. Tom Richard, of the NACCC, will follow up on his sermon entitled “Connecting Church.” On January 29, Dan Schowalter will present “Entertainment in the Roman World.” Why games, sports, drama and music were such an important part of Roman culture and religion.

 

There will be a brief service to celebrate and pray for Christian Unity here in Wauwatosa at 12:12 p.m. today on Root Common (the little park near Drews.) Please come and join in this important moment of prayer and celebration.

 

God & Family is the religious component of Boy and Girl Scouts and is open to 4th and 5th graders. Taught by Rev. Carrie Kreps Wegenast, this class will meet from 3 – 4 p.m. on the following Sundays: January 22, February 5, 19, & 26, March 5, 19, & 26. A parent is required to attend classes with the student. Please sign up at the church office by today. Cost: $10.

 

Our church will again publish its own devotional manual for the 2006 Lenten season. Each day of Lent(from Ash Wednesday, March 1, to Easter Sunday, April 16) will feature a daily reflection written by members of First Congregational Church. You are invited to share in this ministry and write a daily reflection. Sign up in the office and get a copy of the guidelines.

 

Suburban Retired Men’s Club will be meeting Monday, January 23, 9:00 a.m. at the Congregational Home. Mr. Warren Breitlow, a photographer, will be presenting “Travels to (formerly) Dutch New Guinea.”

 

Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 18, when the Rev. Earl Holt, minister of King’s Chapel, Boston, will present: “Liberal Christianity: Retrospect and Prospect” at 7 p.m. in the Friendship Lounge. There will be time for discussion and an opportunity to meet Rev. Holt at a reception following.

 

New Spiritual Formation Classes continue to meet. Register in the church office for any of these classes.

 

The book cart in the Atrium has advance handouts for the adult education classes this week, as well as samples of the books needed for those classes, which you may purchase in the office. It’s your one-stop for Christian education resources.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Choir Anthems

Pilgrim Choir         8:45

 

Blessed Are The Pure And Merciful

paraphrased from the 'Beatitudes'

 

Blessed are the pure. Blessed are the merciful.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

And blessed are the peace makers; blessed shalt they be.

They shall be children of God.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for they shall be satisfied.

And blessed are they merciful.

His mercy shall be with them.

Shining down upon the children of God.

Be thou exceeding glad and rejoice

for great is your reward in Heaven.

Hosanna, Amen.


 

Chancel Choir       11:00

 

This Is the Day

Psalm 118: 24, 29

 

This is the day which the Lord has made.

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

 

Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

 

A Greeting form the NACCC

Since 2001 our Association’s Executive Staff has made a major commitment to connect personally with all of our member Churches. We are delighted that Dr. Richard is at one of the Association’s pioneers on our Way, First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa. We pray that you are blessed by his visit. Your Executive Committee and the leadership team as a whole, joins me in sending its greetings to you. Thank you for your continued support in all ways. You are helping us create a stronger and more vibrant future for the sake of all our Churches. May God continue to work through you in this New Year for the sake of the kingdom.

Rev. Milton (Ed) White, Chairperson Executive Committee, NACCC

 

GOD OF THE PROPHETS

Tune of Hymn 470 “God of the Prophets”

 

God of the prophets! Hear this song we raise

As in this temple, your great name we praise

In ages past, your glory filled our hearts

Now in our day, reveal again our part.

 

Bless us your servants, called to lead and share

Your Gospel message, filled with love and care

Fill us with hope, that prayers in darkest night

Grant Christ’s great love that sheds abroad your light.

 

Give us the mind of Christ, and ears to hear

Your fervent calls to us in each new year

Direct our feet to follow where you will

Strengthen our hands and eyes with vision fill.

 

Help us to witness to this world’s dark hour

Raising your words of justice and of power

Reform in us a sense of grace and joy

That day by day your love we may employ