Prelude Etude Tableux in g minor Sergey Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Congregational Welcome
Call to Worship
*Opening Hymn No. 79 Kind Maker of the Word
*Prayer of Invocation and Reconciliation
One voice: Hear the words of the Apostle Paul to the people of Corinth: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” Let us pray,
All: Renewing God, throughout Lent we seek relief, renewal at-one-ment and reconciliation. Throughout Lent we seek the ancient gifts and graces that you have always offered. We seek them for ourselves, but also so that we may share them with others: those who need relief and those who need love. So be with us this hour, that we may follow the ministry of reconciliation in Christ’s name always, Amen.
The Day’s Psalm Psalm 32
The Children’s Time
Children proceed downstairs to our mission project (sung twice, as a round)
Go with us, Jesus, guide the way, *through this and every coming day,
That in your Spirit strong and true, our lives may be our gift to you.
The Gospel Reading Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Choral Anthem Our Soul Waiteth for the Lord Joan J. Pinkston
The Morning Meditation William Cordts
Prayer and Lord’s Prayer (“Our father and mother, who art… trespasses…”)
*Hymn No. 184 How Blest Are Those st. 1, 3-5
*Benediction
*Choral Response Amen
Postlude Prelude in c minor J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
* Those who are able please stand
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Changes in the sanctuary: We are still moving the organ back to its loft.
It’s slowed by a supply chain issue. We understand that it will
be installed by Easter. We’ve removed some of the ropes in the pews.
We are still intentional about spacing ourselves, and during this time of covid caution we create safe congregational assembly. To care for one another we wear masks (except for worship leaders at times) and our leaders are vaccinated.
But you may notice that our worship has added back some traditional
bits, and it is good to worship together and to celebrate that things are improving.
We have a touch-free offering today. You may leave a gift in the basket, deliver an envelope after worship, go online, or any touch-free method you wish.
Thanks to worship leaders William Cordts, Wendy Donnell, Lynd Matt,
Yevgenia Semeina, Amanda Ketchpaw, Carol Jensen and Melissa Dietrich
Our Licensed Minister Bill Cordts leads worship today — thank you;
Ken Baily is at Christ Church, Philadelphia, reading the Gospel for a clergy friend
Our mission to support World Central Kitchen continues today;
WCK is feeding the hungry in Ukraine and we invite your gifts
NHCC is an Open and Affirming, Still Speaking congregation where all are welcome regardless of the divisions or separations that some in society would impose: whoever you are you are welcome in God’s house. “In Christ we are a new creation,” so we are blessed to be together in Christ’s name.
Newton Highlands Congregational Church, UCC
54 Lincoln Street, Newton, MA
www.nhcc.net 617 527 3898
Morning Meditation:
“All theology spins from the power we have
to think beyond ourselves.”
— Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki