June 4, 2023

Communion Sunday

trinity sUNDAY 10 am

“As an Open and Affirming church:

We respect the worth and dignity of all persons who come into our church family regardless of race, age, marital standing, gender, economic status, mental or physical challenges, nationality or sexual orientation. We promise to support one another in our personal struggles, to understand and accept differences in one another, and pray to strengthen our love and acceptance.”

*indicates those who are able are invited to stand

WELCOME AND SHARING THE WORK OF THE CHURCH

PRELUDE “Ave Maria” - Gounod/J. S. Bach

Michelle Macina, Alto Flute

SILENT MEDITATION IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

*CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 8 - adapted

Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory in the heavens.

When I consider your heavens, which you have set in place,

What is humankind that you are mindful of us?

Though we are lower than the angels

You have given us dominion over the works of your hands;

all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,

The birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea,

Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is your name in all the earth!

*HYMN #277 Holy Holy Holy Nicaea

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Amazing God, the more we learn of your creation, the more we are filled with awe and wonder. Yet, our vision narrows to our limited concerns and we forget the immense reaches of the stewardship to which you appoint us. We have not taken good care of this planet which is our home. We have not cared as well for one another as sisters and brothers as we should. Our doubts outweigh our obedience. O God, clear our vision, set us straight, let us be open to your offer of forgiveness.

Hear us as we pray...

PERSONAL CONFESSION

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

If we but remember Christ died for us, we may no longer live only for ourselves, but for others in his name. We are a new creation!

The old has passed away, the new has come.

The Spirit is alive in us. Thanks be to God. Amen

*A GLORIA (from #42)

Glory to God, and love and praise be ever, ever giv’n

By all the saints in every age,

The church in earth and heaven. Amen.

*PASSING OF THE PEACE

May the peace of Christ be with you.

And also with you. (We greet each other with a sign of Christ’s peace)

SCRIPTURE LESSONS (NT page 34 ) Matthew 28:16-20 (NT page 186) 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

SENIOR CHOIR “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” - Behnke

SERMON One Moment of Clarity

MOMENTS OF SILENCE

*HYMN #278 Creator God St. Anne

OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS

You are invited to place the blue prayer requests in the offering plate

OFFERTORY “Bourrée” - Telemann, arr. Wolff

*DOXOLOGY (#780)

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise God all creatures here below;

Praise God above, you heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

For you Creator God, the valleys laugh and sing and the trees of the field clap their hands.

Your earth summons us to break silence and be one with the song of creation, for which we give you thanks and praise.

For you, God of all, the church in its myriad forms and countless languages honors its Savior.

Millions upon millions invite us to be one with them in the drama of worship where we offer thanks and praise.

In heaven, beyond our seeing the angels and saints are caught up in song, calling us to be one with the harmony of heaven:

Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

Words of Institution

Prayer of Consecration and Lord's Prayer("debts” and “debtors”)

Distribution of the Elements

The Bread – we eat of the bread together. “Take, and eat.”

The Cup – we partake individually as received.

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

O Brother Jesus, we have been guests at your table. Come with us wherever we go and be present in all we share. Summon out in us, whom you have fed, generosity of spirit to ensure that all the hungry are nourished and earth’s barren places are fertile with food, faith, hope and love. Amen

*HYMN #273 Praise with Joy the World’s Creator Lauda Anima

*BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE “Holy, Holy, Holy” - Dykes, arr. Broughton

Please exit quietly so those who wish to stay and listen may.

We are live-streaming worship and recording it

for viewing on our website.

PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR PHONE DURING WORSHIP

Welcome. Thank you for worshiping with us today! You are invited to sign our guestbook or fill out a pew card and place in the offering plate. All children are welcome to attend church school. A nursery is located downstairs.

The service is available at www.northstoningtonucc.com.

We light one white candle each Sunday to remember and pray for military and civilians serving our country and in harm’s way.

The flowers are given to the glory of God by Pastor Sue in honor of and thanksgiving for all the fathers and father-figures in our lives.

We Light the Steeple To honor or remember someone by lighting the steeple you may sign up on the sheet on the wall outside the office.

Serving in worship Monica Eppinger, deacon at the door; Paul Ames, Pat Turner, ushers; David Larson, lay reader; Amy Foster, Anne Nelson, communion.

Today we welcome flautist, Michelle Macina. Michelle is a senior at Wheeler High School , graduating June 21st. We are blessed to have had Michelle playing here since the 8th grade. She recorded many church services during the pandemic and has played here for many special services.

Michelle is an active musician and athlete. She has performed in the school band throughout her school career and performed in the Thames Valley Youth Symphony. Michelle played volleyball for Envy Club Volleyball as well as Wheeler volleyball and lacrosse, and is the vice president of the Wheeler Class of 2023.

Please keep in your prayers: those serving overseas; all battling cancer; all struggling with financial crisis; for all working to bear the burdens of others; Stephanie and Doug Murray; Grace (Teddy) Graber; Janet Allen; Karen Clarke; Susan; Debbie Janda; Jeff Sullivan; George McCullen; Larry Murphy; Aggie Terrill; Finn Fox; Melissa Thaxton; Wayne Sander; Janetha Sander; Amy Foster; Kathi Thaxton.

Graduation time is with us! We would like to recognize our graduates in the July/August Chimes. Please contact the office to let us know whether you or a loved one is graduating from high school, college, or receiving an advanced degree. Send us the name, the school, date of the graduation and degree. Please don’t assume we already know. We don’t want to leave you out! 860-535-0379

NoStoUCC@comcast.net

Ladies! You’re all invited to ....

Our Annual Dine-Out

Wednesday, June 7, NOON

Mystic Pizza II Sign up in Hewitt Hall

We can carpool from the church if necessary.

CALENDAR

Today, after worship: Deacons, Fundraising

12 pm-3 pm: Denson Farm Market, Mystic

Wednesday: Noon: Women’s Fellowship Dine-Out.

6 pm-9 pm: Substance Abuse Prevention Seminar (in-person and via zoom) All are welcome. Hewitt Hall.

Thursday, 10 am: Study Group - One of the Bad Girls of the Bible

5 pm: Youth Choir (last one for the season)

CHOIR ANTHEM - Behnke

Refrain: Bless the Lord, O my soul;

bless the Lord, O my soul;

bless the Lord, O my soul,

all that is within me

bless his name!

Refrain:

Think on all his gifts

that he gives to us:

forgiveness and redemption

and new life.

Refrain:

Even though we sin,

if we do repent,

He casts our sins

as far as east to west.

Refrain:

God’s love remains

through every day,

It will not change

nor it decay.

Refrain:

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

bless the Lord, O my soul;

bless the Lord, O my soul,

all that is, all that is,

all that is within me

bless his name!

Permissions granted under CCLI License # 1121211

Communion liturgy adapted from Iona Abbey Worship Book pp 43-44.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. - Psalm 111:10a
            My family loved the ocean. Mom taught salt heals cuts and the frigid temperatures of the Atlantic would make you resistant to colds in winter. Dad taught us about tides, marine life, currents—always conveying a sense that the sea was much more ingeniously arranged than land. And nothing was tastier and better for you than seafood.
            The ocean seems a vast and bountiful source of all things good and fascinating. When I was four or five years old, a wave came that sucked me underwater, flung me around, and spit me out headfirst onto the beach. Now I knew to keep an eye on those waves. I had the beginning of wisdom that was, if not fear, then brand-new respect for the fact that when you’re in the ocean—even just standing up to your knees in it—you are not in charge.
            If it’s really God, and not actually the Atlantic Ocean, that is the vast and bountiful source of all things good and fascinating, then the beginning of wisdom must be to respect—if we can’t bring ourselves to fear—God’s power. And to know that when you step into God’s world, you’re not in charge.   God, help me remember not to fight your currents and to swim with them. Amen.                                                                                            -Tina Villa

Global Ministries Prayer for Indonesia: Lord God, teach us to be able to appreciate and be grateful for all the differences between us: ethnicity, race, culture, religion, generation, gender, and social status. Make us tools that are able not only to think and hope about the realization of justice but also to practice justice from within our families, our households, our communities, and to the people. May all of us, the people of Indonesia, be able to live in sisterhood and brotherhood and respect one another in love and peace. We pray for the issues of crimes against humanity that are currently taking place in Indonesia, such as the problem of human trafficking which is increasingly becoming a humanitarian emergency. Crimes are caused by weak education, poverty, and the weakness of law enforcement. May God always hear the prayers of the victims and their families and all those who are working and trying to overcome this problem. Lord, hear our prayer. In Jesus Christ who is our Unifier, now and forever. Amen.

Our Ministers: the congregation

Susan G. Latourette, Pastor – 860-759-4231, pastorsuel@yahoo.com

Michael G. Noonan, Director of Music

Kay Lautzenheiser, Christian Education Coordinator

Rosemary Kuemper, Church Secretary

Charlotte Melia, Sexton

Office hours: Monday –Thursday, 9am - 1 pm 860-535-0379