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Hampstead Congregational Church

February 16, 2025

Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

 

No Matter Who You Are or Where You Are on Life’s Journey,

You are Welcome Here!

 

Order of Worship

 

Greetings and Announcements

 

Call to Worship                                                                                      Brad Robie

Leader:  Here we can come together, people searching for healing and hope:

People:  here we are met by the One who would bless us with abundant life.

Leader:  Here we are called to gather as the family of God:

People:  we may find those who are strangers, yet are beloved siblings of.

Leader:  Here we discover the truth that God makes no distinctions among us:

People:  here we are welcomed and embraced by the One whose arms are open to all.

                                                            

Gathering Prayer:   (unison)                                                              Brad Robie

      Compassionate God,
we recognize that our world is a broken place, hurt by poverty, famine, and disease. We admit that sometimes we make the world a broken place,
tolerating prejudice, conflict, and self-interest.  We confess that our hearts also suffer with anger, Resentment, and jealousy.

     Renew us in Your love, O God, and heal us with the comfort of Your abundant love.  Awaken us to the role we can play in healing Your creation.
Strengthen us through the power of the Holy Spirit to hear Your word and move forward in faith. Amen.

 

Passing of the Peace of Christ 

(Feel free to pass the peace by shaking hands, offering hugs or waves.  Those who would like to share peace without physical contact are invited to place their hands over their hearts in greeting.)

 

Opening Hymn:  

1

 

Readings:  Gen 45: 3-11, 15   (NSRVUE)                                 Brad Robie

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me; do not delay. 10 You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will provide for you there, since there are five more years of famine to come, so that you and your household and all that you have will not come to poverty.’

 

15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them, and after that his brothers talked with him.

 

Children’s Message

 

Sermon:  "The Junk Artist"                                  Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin                   

 

Special Music

 

Remembering Gisela Koester

          HYMN:  NC #561  When In Our Music God is Glorified  (verses 1 & 2)
2

 

Call for Concerns & Celebrations

 

Pastoral Prayer                                                                 Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

The Lord’s Prayer:

     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, the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

 

Call to Offering

*Doxology:    NC #779

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Christ, all creatures here below;

Praise, Holy Spirit, Comforter,

One God, Triune, whom we adore.  Amen.

 

Prayer of Dedication                                                           Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

God,
You’ve given each one of us unique gifts and abilities
and have called us to unique settings— our homes, schools, neighborhoods and places of employment.  Just as You used Joseph’s abilities to fulfil Your purposes in Egypt long ago, we pray that You would use us, too.  Take our gifts, our time and our resources. Use them—and us—as You see fit so that, through us, Your Kingdom might come and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Amen.

 

Hymn of Going Forth:  

3

 

Benediction                                                              Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

May the God who shakes heaven and earth, whom death could not contain, who lives to disturb and heal us, bless you with power to go forth and live the gospel.  Amen.

 

Music Usage permitted through OneLicense HCC License # A-730412 and CCLI License Number 2927783. All rights reserved.

 

 


4

Gisela Koester was born on June 17, 1926 in Giessen Germany, 30 minutes north of Frankfurt.  Her father was a Geology professor and her mother, who had her own PhD in Chemistry, was a leader in civic society and church.  The two brothers and two sisters grew up steeped in music and learning, but also followed the expectation to participate in Nazi youth activities.  The oldest brother, Ulrich, was killed in action on the Russian front, and Gisela eventually worked in a munition’s plant.

18 years of age at the end of the war, her childhood home uninhabitable after being hit by a firebomb, her country in ruins, Gisela nevertheless went to study at the nearby University of Marburg.  There she met the young theology student Helmut Koester, who shared her passion for music, religion, and making a better world.  Gisela earned a pedagogy degree in Geography, History and German and began a high school teaching career.  Eventually, she joined her new husband Helmut, who now worked in Heidelberg, and gave birth to two daughters, Reinhild and Almut.  Soon after came the call for Helmut to teach at Harvard and the family moved first to Cambridge, then to Lexington MA.

Giesela insisted on keeping a German home but embraced life in middle-class America.  She learned English, then to drive, shop in supermarkets, and navigate the school system for her children.  Two boys, Ulrich and Heiko, joined the family as the 60’s moved along.  Gisela grew to love the land and soil of New England – growing herbs and roses in her garden, camping and hiking in the White Mountains and cross-country skiing.  She also enjoyed into her 90’s swimming in the beloved Walden Pond as well as in the community pool.  There she earned a 100 mile award!

Much of what Gisela loved in Germany she rediscovered at an American church – University Lutheran in Cambridge.  Here there was intellectual activity and an international congregation.  Gisela’s leadership skills blossomed as she joined the Lutheran Church Women, led a musical ensemble for the youth, and served on many committees.  While she did not pursue her teaching career after coming to the US, she remained a teacher at heart, sharing her specialist knowledge with her children and instilling in them a love of German language and literature as well as working with local ESL programs and tutoring Harvard Students.

For decades, Gisela led the Madrigal Group at Harvard Divinity School, where Helmut was her most faithful participant.  Active with the Lexington chapter of Amnesty International, she organized letter drives at area churches and spent many an evening writing to the despots of the world and demanding they free their political prisoners.  In 2011, at Amnesty’s Northeast Regional Conference, she received an “Activist Recognition” award for her service to the organization.

In the later years, with the children grown, Gisela enjoyed annual trips back to Germany, visiting with relatives and old friends.  Yet another country became beloved by Gisela when she joined Helmut’s study trips to Turkey with his students.

When Helmut died 9 years ago, Gisela moved first to Concord MA and then to Windham NH.  She loved making and listening to music to the end, was delighted by her children’s visits, and walked outside every chance she could get.  She often participated in our Book Group and its activities and attended worship here from time to time with her daughter Reinhild.

Many will miss her friendly nature, her deep interest in others, and her song.



Announcements…

 

Annual Meeting- TODAY -- Our 272nd Annual Meeting will be held today,

February 16, 2025 following worship.  Please plan to attend this special event in the life of our congregation.  

 

Slate of Officers for Election at Annual Meeting:

Auditor - Maura Mulhall 

Clerk - Seneca Moyer

Collector - Barbara Wallack 

Co-Moderators - Fred Malcolm & TJ Arndt (Siwacki)

Treasurer - Dave Chin


Valentines for Disaster Victims: Hygiene Kits Project

In an effort to do what we can do for those recently affected by the California fires and hurricanes of 2024 we are putting together Hygiene Kits – a UCC/Church World Service mission.  

 

For the month of February, we will have hearts on a tree in Hadley Hall with items needed for the Hygiene Kits. We are hoping to put together twenty kits and will assemble them in March at our next Loaf and Ladle (date TBD). If you would like to assist, please take a heart and supply the goods on the tag. Each tag requests 4 of the same item, also there is a $2 processing fee per kit so some hearts will ask for $8, check made payable to HCC, with a note Hygiene Kit in the memo section. We will have a collection box in the Sanctuary on Sundays and in the foyer of Hadley Hall during the week. 

 

A Hygiene Kit includes:

• Washcloth

• Toenail clipper

• Toothbrush (individually wrapped)

• Bath size bar of soap (in original packaging)

• Travel size deodorant (3.4 oz or less, non-aerosol) 

• Travel size lotion (3.4 oz or less, fragrance free, new only)

• Travel size shampoo (3.4 oz or less, new only)

• Travel size toothpaste (3.4 oz or less, expiration date of 1 year)

• Sturdy wide-tough 6” comb

 

February 17th Church Weekly Calendar

Monday

    6:00 P.M.

Boy Scouts

Tuesday

    6:00 P.M.

    6:30 P.M.

    7:00 P.M.

45’s, Hadley Hall

Operations, Library

Alcoholics Anonymous, Davis Room

Wednesday

    4:45 P.M.

    6:00 P.M.

    6:30 P.M.

    7:30 P.M.

Missions, Pastor’s Office

Hampstead Garden Club, Hadley Hall

Worship, Library

Al-Anon, Davis Room

Thursday

  10:00 A.M.

    7:30 P.M.

Book Group, Davis Room

Gamblers Anonymous, Hadley Hall

Friday

  11:00 A.M.

Life Share, Hadley Hall

Sunday

 10:00 A.M.

Sunday Worship followed by Coffee Hour & Mosaic Event

 






 





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Steeple Lighting


In loving memory of

George T. Brenza

Forever in our hearts & Memory

 

 

 Steeple Lighting


 

In loving memory of

Margaret Favorat

We Love You, Mammy