Ascension Sunday
NHCC: Visible, Viable & Valuable
Prelude “Impromptu” (Henry Durham)
Congregational Welcome
Choral Introit “Sing Out a Joyful Song in Praise” (Wood)
Call to Worship
*Opening Hymn (insert) Renew Your Church
*Prayer of Gathering and Giving
One voice: Psalm 47 proclaims this– “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the most high God is awesome and fills us with wonder from the highest heaven, throughout the earth… Sing out to the Holy One, sing out! For God is sovereign over all the earth.” Let us pray in joy to the God of all the nations.
All: Holy and wondrous God, beyond our comprehension yet here in our congregation, we seek to know you through the poor vehicle of words, and praise you with the sincere joy of our ways. We long to hear what Jesus calls ‘the words that I spoke while I was with you,’ and to follow his call in our lives. Be with us through your Holy Spirit, and unite our hearts and hopes in Her way. Amen.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
*Response in Praise
Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna! Celebrate this day of days!
Christ is Risen! Hush in wonder; All creation is amazed.
In the desert all-surrounding, see, a spreading tree has grown.
Healing leaves of grace abounding, Bring a taste of love unknown.
*Sharing of Peace
The Gospel Reading Luke 24: 44-53
The Children’s Time Wendy Donnell and Ken Baily
Hymn Response (Children proceed to Christian Education; congregation is seated) Go, my children, with my blessing, Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing– You are my own.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me.
Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.
Here my Spirit’s power filled you,
here with tender comfort stilled you, Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.
The History of the Church Acts 1: 1-11
The Morning Meditation The Rev. Kenneth F. Baily
Call to Offering
Choral Offering “Here I Am, Lord” (Schutte, arr. Courtney)
*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Christ the word in flesh born low,
Praise Holy Spirit evermore,
One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer and The Lord’s Prayer
“Our Father and Mother…trespasses…”
*Hymn #429 Lord, You Give the Great Commission
(stanzas 1, 2, 4, and 5)
*Benediction
*Benediction Response “God Be With You” (Tomer)
Postlude “Final” (Henry Durham)
* Those who are able please stand
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Our worship is “masks optional.” We continue to be careful,
our leaders are vaccinated, and our choir continues with masks.
We now pass plates for our offering. Meanwhile, you are welcome to
use our website for any offerings; and thank you.
Thanks to worship leaders Kenneth Baily, Wendy Donnell,
Yevgenia Semeina, Jan Zimmerman, Isabelle Draper, Joy Huber,
Sally Brickell & Sam Higgins, Carol Jensen, and Misha Hill.
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.
Would you like to learn more about membership at NHCC?
Contact Ken Baily or any Deacon (readers and welcomers).
“Sabbath is uncluttered time and space in which we can distance
ourselves from our own activities enough to see what God is doing.”
-Eugene H. Peterson