The Congregational Church
   of
   North Stonington, U.C.C.

   89 Main Street
   North Stonington, CT 06359
   860-535-0379
   NoStoUCC@comcast.net
   www.northstoningtonucc.com

May 22, 2022

SIXTH  SUNDAY OF EASTER                                               10 a.m. 

“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 ANNOUNCEMENTS

(An usher will bring you a microphone so all may hear)

PRELUDE           “Clair de Lune” - Debussy

        
SILENT MEDITATION IN PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP

*CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 67:2-5)

May Your way be known upon earth,

Your saving power among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise You.

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for You judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise You.

 *HYMN #69       Come God, Creator, Be Our Shield          Old First L.M.

*INVOCATION AND LORD’S PRAYER (debts – debtors)

Come, Holy Spirit. Overwhelm us and fulfill us, inspire us and guide us in Your ways of love, justice, and mercy. Renew our hearts, open our minds, reenergize our spirits to seek You. The terrible news of the world continues to drag us down, but You lift us up on the wings of eagles. Your Holy Spirit catches us at the first breath of dawn and does not let us go. Help us,. breathe new life in us and remind us that You are the One who truly makes all things new.  In Jesus name we pray,  

Our Father…

*GLORIA PATRI  (#759) 

Glory to the Creator, the Christ, the Holy Spirit

Three in One; As it was in the beginning,

Is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

 *PASSING OF THE PEACE

May the peace of Christ be with you. 

And also with you. 

(We greet one another with a handshake of peace)

 (Children are invited to attend their church school classes.)

SCRIPTURE LESSONS         John 14:23-29                                       Acts 16:9-15

SENIOR CHOIR ANTHEM

     “Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands” - arr. Holstein

SERMON            Living Like Jesus             

MOMENTS OF SILENCE

*HYMN #597          Shall We Gather at the River     Hanson Place

OFFERING OF OUR TITHES AND GIFTS

OFFERTORY                        “Nocturne” - Mendelssohn                 

*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

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION 

*HYMN #249          Peace I Leave with You       Peace, My Friends

*BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE       “The Call of the Trumpets” - Purcel                  

If you wish to leave during the postlude, please leave 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 to worship.   Thank you for worshiping with us today!   Social distancing and masks are required in order to protect one another.  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 God by the 

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

Serving in Worship: Matthew Sander, deacon;  Paul Ames, Pat Turner, ushers; Matthew Sander, lay reader.

We Pray For:   healing from the continued effects of  CoVID-19; the grieving; those serving overseas; all battling cancer; all struggling with financial crisis; those working to bear the burdens of others, and the healing of:  Stephanie Murray; Larry; Grace (Teddy) Graber; Janet Allen; George Danley; Mark Ball (Pat Danley’s son);  Mobby Larson’s brother, Steve Brown; Mike Laing; Karen Clarke; Elaine Falk Smith; Susan; Julie Evans; Mary Wassung; Debbie Janda; Jeff Sullivan; and Janet Lewis with a recurrence of cancer.  We lift up all our local health care workers continually exposed daily to Covid.  

CALENDAR        

Tuesday, 7 pm:  Senior Choir.   

Thursday, 10:30 am:  Study Group.

                   6 pm:  Centering Circle (pastor’s office)

                                                                                                                               You Can Help us Repair the Ceiling on GoFund Me.  the link https://gofund.me/e7596345. We are also on Givelify.

BLANKET THE WORLD WITH LOVE

May is Blanket Month

When difficult times happen, a kind and loving response can make all the difference. That’s why the Church World Service Blanket program was created—to give a kind, loving and tangible response to someone facing a difficult time, reminding them that they are not alone. Through the generosity of CWS partner organizations, congregations and individual supporters, our most vulnerable neighbors around the world can feel safe and keep warm with fresh linens and clean sleeping quarters.  A $10 donation provides one blanket.  

CHOIR ANTHEM                   - arr. Holstein

Put peace into each other’s hands and like a treasure hold it; 

protect it like a candle flame, with tenderness; enfold  it.

Put peace into each other’s hands with loving expectation;

be gentle in your words and ways, in touch with God’s creation.

Put peace into each other’s hands, like bread we break for sharing;

look people warmly in the eye:  our life is meant for caring

Give thanks for strong yet tender hands held out in trust and blessing.

Where words fall short, let hands speak out, the heights of love expressing.

Put Christ  into each other’s hands, he is love’s deepest measure;

In love make peace, give peace a chance and share it like a treasure.

All Hymns from the (NCH) New Century Hymnal; © 1995 The Pilgrim Press, have been granted permission for this one-time use.       

Permission to reprint, podcast, and / or stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #735340-A. All rights reserved.  Permissions granted under CCLI License # 11212116 

Call to Worship, Invocation from rev-o-lution.org 

“Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?”   - Acts 11:1-3 (NRSV)

Once, white slaveholders required enslaved Africans to attend pro-slavery worship services.  Their intention?  To keep the status quo of slavery and force obedience through scripture and the name of Jesus.  In so doing they’d preserve their own freedom.  Instead, the slaves found in Jesus both the faith and the code for freedom. “Steal away to Jesus,” they sang. Steal away to freedom.  For freedom just for a few is not freedom.  Just like the good news of Jesus only for a few (or, the-good-news-of-Jesus-for-all-but-exactly-like-we-tell-you) is not the good news of Jesus.

“Why did you go visit them, Peter? Why did you affirm that they can have the good news of Jesus, too? We thought Jesus was just for us.”

Just for us to have and assign freedom. Only for us to receive grace for our sins and crimes. Only for us to grocery shop without being terrorized. Just for us to legislate the control of women’s bodies.

When Peter explained  how God gave visions to all people, how the Holy Spirit baptized circumcised and uncircumcised alike—the believers silenced their complaints … and they rejoiced.

God, have mercy! We cling to “ours” and anger so quickly over “theirs.” Forgive our possessiveness over freedom, over grace, over life, over Jesus himself. Multiply goodness for all on earth as it is in heaven.

Global Ministries Mission Prayers for El Salvador - Holy God, Creator of the Universe, we lift up the people of El Salvador who have long experienced such hardship and violence, and it is increasing.  We lift up the victims of violence and families who grieve.  Be with those seeking to bridge the divides.  Be with the pastors of the Lutheran Synod, many of whom are the women you have called to do your work, just as you called Lydia into your service. Holy God, I also pray for President Bukele and all the elected officials of El Salvador that you may guide them to lead the country to peace and economic security in a society that desires democratic values.  

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