PREPARING FOR WORSHIP

GATHERING MUSIC Meditations on The Bread of Life Ron Hanft, organ

By John Barr and Charles Callahan

FRAMING WORDS & WELCOME Rev. Brent Damrow

GATHERING FOR WORSHIP

INTROIT O Bread of Life, by Timothy Tingfang Lew (vs. 3) Nellie Rustick

Stand in our midst, eyes and hearts opening;

Your mystic self to us revealing;

Unite us in life everlasting,

Immanuel, blessing unending.

GATHERING PRAYER Rev. Damrow

Welcome to worship. You are invited to text the names of those attending

to 617-513-0185 that we might welcome you. You may also include prayers

of joys and concerns that will be lifted later in worship. We will celebrate

communion.

The First Congregational Church

of the United Church of Christ

Stockbridge, Massachusetts

SUNDAY WORSHIP: THE LOVE FEAST September 5, 2021—10:00 a.m.

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*HYMN I Come With Joy (vss. 1 & 3) Brian Wren

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*CALL TO WORSHIP From the Iona Community Ted Randolph

One: He was always the Guest

All: In the homes of Peter and Jairus, Martha and Mary, Joanna and Susanna.

One: He was always the guest.

All: At the meal tables of the wealthy where he plead the case of the poor.

One: He was always the guest.

All: Upsetting polite company, befriending isolated people,

One: Welcoming the stranger, he was always the guest.

All: But here, at this table,

One: He is the host.

All: Those who wish to serve him must first be served by him,

One: Those who want to follow him must first be fed by him,

All: Those who would wash his feet must first let him make them clean.

One: For this is the table where God intends us to be nourished

All: This is the time when Christ can make us new.

One: So come, you who hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a

fairer world.

All: Jesus Christ, who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be guests at his.

GATHERING IN PRAYER AND SHARING

TIME WITH CHILDREN Rev. Damrow

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SUNG PRAYER Be Present at Our Table, Lord words: John Cennick

SCRIPTURE READING Luke 24: 28-35 Michael Deegan

PERSONAL WITNESS Susan Moor

SUNG PRAYER Father (O God) of Earth and Heaven (tune of This Is My Father’s World)

O God of Earth and Heaven, your hungry children feed,

Your grace be to our spirits given, That true immortal bread.

Grant all in every place, in Jesus Christ to prove

The sweetness of your pardoning Grace, the manna of your love.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION Rev. Damrow

GOOD NEWS / SHARING OF PEACE

RESPONDING IN GRATITUDE

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OFFERTORY You Satisfy the Hungry Heart Nellie Rustick

You satisfy the hungry heart with gifts of finest wheat.

Come give to us, O saving Lord, the bread of life to eat.

With joyful lips we sing to You our praise and gratitude

That You should count us worthy, Lord, to share this heavenly food.

The mystery of Your presence, Lord, no mortal tongue can tell:

Whom all the world cannot contain comes in our hearts to dwell.

You give Yourself to us, O Lord; then selfless let us be,

To serve each other in Your name in truth and charity.

GATHERING AT THE TABLE

INVITATION Rev. Damrow

SUNG COMMUNION LITURGY Mark Miller

Pastor: We give you thanks, God of majesty and mercy,

for the gift of creation

the beauty and bounty of the earth

and for the vision and promise of the day

when sharing by all will mean scarcity for none…

…Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with the choirs of heaven

and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to

the glory of your name:

Continued on next page

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Sanctus

Pastor: You are indeed holy O God of Majesty and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who came as the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it… …Together as one we proclaim the great mystery of our faith.

Memorial Acclamation

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Pastor: We remember the great story of this table

That on the night where Jesus gave himself for us

He gathered his disciples, his chosen family around him

For the feast of the Passover…

…Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Amen

SHARING THE FEAST Rev. Damrow

In the tradition of a love feast, following the serving of both the bread and cup,

actions are undertaken to bring the symbolism into expression.

Following sharing the bread, we will remember those who are hungry through

a special appeal for the People’s Pantry by Cindy Brown, on behalf of the Board

of Mission & Action.

SONG One Bread, One Body, by John Foley Nellie Rustick

Following the sharing of the cup, we will remember our covenant to God and

neighbor by sharing the prayers of the people.

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PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Mark Miller

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PERSONAL WITNESS Jeremy Ridenour

GOING FORTH INTO THE WORLD

*INVITATIONS Rev. Damrow

*SENDING CHARGE Ted Randolph

One: Take us out living God to live as changed people

All: Because we have shared the Living Bread and cannot remain the same

One: Lead us forth forgiving God to be agents of peace

All: Because we have drank deeply from your cup of forgiveness and have

taken your covenant into our hearts

One: Ask much of us

All: Expect much from us

One: Enable much by us

All: Encourage many through us

One: Loving God abide in us

All: As we abide in and with you.

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*HYMN Pass it On Kurt Kaiser

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We welcome our visitors this morning. We are an Open and Affirming Church which means that we invite persons of every sexual orientation, gender identification and expression, racial and cultural identity, age, physical ability, economic circumstance, faith background and family

structure to share fully in the ministry, leadership and fellowship of this congregation’s life in Christ.

The Rev. Brent Damrow, Pastor

Will Garrison, Administrator | Ron Hanft, Financial Secretary

(413) 298-3137 | office@stockbridgeucc.org | stockbridgeucc.org

All hymns reprinted under OneLicense.net A-723107

*BENEDICTION Rev. Damrow

POSTLUDE Trumpet Tune in B-Flat, by David Blackwell Ron Hanft

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Special Events in September

Rally Day – September 12 – Worship Outside

This festive Sunday brings the church back together to launch the

“Program Year” and to share our stories from summer adventures. This

year the Kid’s Choir will sing, we will bless the Sunday School (including

students, teachers, and the ministry itself), and we will have a time of

fellowship following the service with food and drink. Also don’t miss the

chance to have your photo taken for our new church directory and to

make sure we have correct contact information for you. Members of

Growth and Fellowship will be on hand to snap pictures and receive your

updates.

Blessing and Sending Sunday – September 26 – Worship Location to be Determined

The time of sabbatical and renewal for both church and Pastor Brent will

begin after a joyful and celebratory worship. The service will be jointly

led by Pastor Brent and the Sabbatical Committee and will include

celebrations of the last few years, hopes for the coming few months, and

charges given both to pastor and congregation. We will be singing

favorite songs, talking with the kids about what this time is for, and enjoy

each other’s company. Pastor Brent would love for the chance to see your

faces, chat with you, and share love and good wishes before he heads off

for a time to rest and re-charge before he returns to the church in