Worship Bulletins
Hampstead Congregational Church
June 13, 2021
Third Sunday After Pentecost
No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s Journey,
You are Welcome Here!
Order of Worship
Prelude Herb Tardiff
Greetings and Announcements
Passing of the Peace of
Christ
Responsive Call to Worship
All around us, God is looking for folks
who will join in serving others.
It is as if God is planting seeds of compassion in us,
watching for them to bloom in our lives.
In our midst, Jesus is walking among us,
tending our hearts, watering us with grace.
It is as if Jesus is trusting that our souls
will grow big enough to welcome everyone.
From morning to evening, the Spirit is at work,
gently tending this garden called life.
It is as if the Spirit has found the perfect spots
to bring forth crops of justice and peace.
Opening Hymn
Opening Prayer
O God, maker of all that is beautiful,
Jesus gave us the seeds of your justice, peace, and love.
In this time together, touch us, teach us, inspire us
to sow those seeds through our ministries
so that all may share in Creation’s abundance to make true the promise
that no one will know scarcity, and no one will suffer deprivation
in this community and beyond. Amen.
Children’s Moment
Scripture Reading: Mark 4: 26-34 Jane Conradsen
He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”
He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
Sermon Rev. Kathy Youzwak
Special Music
Celebration of Holy Communion
Invitation to Communion
May the Listening God be with you.
May God also be with you.
Let us open our hearts to the One who hears us.
We offer them to our God, who knows we are all the same.
Shout for joy, people of God, and sing glad praises.
We join praising the One who is always with us.
Words of Remembering
Into the emptiness of chaos, you flung the seeds of creation, Gardening God.
Volcanoes erupted to become gentle lakes;
eye-delighting eagles soared high in the skies;
gentle does and fawns strolled through the mists of morning.
All this beauty and goodness was shaped for those created in your image, but we reached out for the weapons of sin and built homes on death’s condemned properties.
Prophets came to call us back home, yet we persisted in believing
that our old ways were the best ways.
Determined to no longer grieve over us, you sent Jesus to plant resurrection in our lives.
With those who are well known to you, and with those we have just met,
we sing our joy to you at this mean:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God who hears us.
All creation remembers your gifts.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who scatters your seeds.
Hosanna in the highest!
Night or day, you are holy, God of love, and blessed is your Child, Jesus Christ.
Walking ancient roads, he would lead us into your kingdom;
when we are sleeping, he would give us fresh visions of you;
when we arise, he takes us by the hand to show us your wonders.
Accepting everyone as sisters and brothers, he gave his life so death
would lose its power over us-- your resurrection love poured out for all.
As we remember his life, ministry, and death, as we celebrate the gifts of his table, we speak of the mystery we call faith:
Christ died, so the old creation could begin to pass;
Christ was raised, the new creation growing in our midst;
Christ will come, so everyone will be made new.
Prayer of Consecration
We ask that you would pour out your Spirit upon the gifts of the bread and the cup, as well as those gathered for this feast.
The bread which is broken becomes the seeds of hope planted in despair,
of joy planted in grief, of kindness planted in cruelty.
The cup which is poured out becomes the grace which nurtures
those who would welcome the forgotten, those who would listen to the voiceless, those who would become justice so all might find a welcome and home.
And when you gather us home from all the far fields we have been planted,
we will join with our sisters and brothers around your Table of grace and hope, forever shouting our joy to you. In anticipation, we pray,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Sharing of the Elements
Come, for all things are ready.
Eat this, for it is the body of Christ, broken for you.
Drink this, for it is the blood of Christ, shed for you.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
We thank you, God, for inviting us to this table where we have known the presence of Christ and have received all Christ's gifts. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and let us show forth your praise in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Call for Concerns & Celebrations
Pastoral Prayer
Call to Offering
Jesus’ teachings give us many seeds to sow in this community and beyond.
It is, however, through our offering that we can nurture these seeds
so all may know the gospel’s promise.
Prayer of Dedication
You have been exceedingly generous to us, O God.
We return a portion of what we have to you in grateful thanksgiving.
Bless our offerings that they will nurture the seeds
of hope and healing in this community and beyond. Amen.
Hymn of Going
Forth
Benediction
May God’s love be with you as you sow seeds of justice, peace and love
along the paths you will travel so all may know the gospel’s promise. Amen.
Copyright 2021 Faith INFO Ministry Team, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH
Announcements...
The Steeple will be lit by The Finocchiaro Family from June 7th – June 13th.
The lighting recognizes the Hampstead students from Pinkerton Academy's class of 2021. The members of the graduating class of 2021 are Super Heroes for making it through the hardest Senior year that any PA Senior class has ever experienced.
Congratulations PA Class of 2021!
The Finocchiaros are so proud of their daughter Madison and her Hampstead graduating friends: Vera Backman, Ella Burroughs, Skyler Gacek, Arica Hassler & Madison Henry.
Sunday, June 20th (Father’s Day)
Weather permitting, please join us right after Service for an Ice Cream Social. The Missions Team will be serving Ice Cream Sundaes with all the "fixins" outside of Hadley Hall.
Donations will benefit Isaiah 58 NH.
Bible Study-- Bible Study is meeting weekly. All are invited! Right now we are studying the parables of Jesus. This study will take readers back in time to understand how the original Jewish audience heard the stories. We meet every Thursday at 10 am at Jeanne Stalker 's home. For more information, or to get the address to attend, contact Linda Tilden at latdet50@comcast.net or call
An Update from Pastor Kathy (Summer 2021 Plans)— I will be out of the office for a continuing education week from Monday, June 14-Sunday, June 20. Rev. Linda Snyder will be providing pastoral coverage (203-927-5387).
Recently it has become clear that in order to stay healthy and have the time and space I need to grieve the loss of my mother, I need an extended time away from professional responsibilities. I will be taking five weeks of extended leave beginning on June 28 and ending August 1.
It is a blessing to have the support of the HCC leadership team as well as the Association's Committee on Church and Ministry. I look forward to returning well-rested and ready to continue the strong ministry that is Hampstead Congregational Church.
I will also be traveling to Wisconsin in late August for my mother's memorial service.
I appreciate your care and concern, and I am so grateful to be a part of this congregation.
Calling all Singers & Musicians-- If you like to sing or play an instrument, please consider volunteering your talent for one or more Sunday services. Our Spring-Summer worship services are less formal than others, and the people in our congregation especially appreciate all the music.. Contact Judy Dobson at
Missions Food Drive-- From now through June 30 we will be collecting the items listed below for the Upper Room’s summer session. This summer, the Upper Room’s older youth will be spending time on outdoor community service projects and the younger youth will be spending time on outside activities including hikes. You can leave your donations in the foyer of the church any time. Please no fresh items – only shelf-stable, non-expired products. Thank you as always for your generous donations to the Mission Team’s community needs drives!
· Sun Screen
· Bottled Water
· Non-Perishable Snacks including individual packages of:
· Granola Bars
· Goldfish
· Pretzels
· Fruit Snacks
· Peanut Butter or Cheese filled Crackers
· Cookies
- 61 Main Street
- Hampstead
- New Hampshire
- 03841
(603) 329-6985
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