Hampstead Congregational Church UCC

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Hampstead Congregational Church

August 3, 2025

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

with Communion

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                                                                   

Call to Worship (responsive)                                                                          

Leader:  We come here from the world whose siren song tells us that we do not have enough – we do not buy enough – we are not enough.

People:  Here we re-learn God’s wisdom – that we have enough if we share;  that security cannot be found in the marketplace; that we are always enough.

Leader:  Center us once again, Holy God.

People:  Ground us in your love. Grow us toward your sense of abundance:  abundant listening, active love, fullest life.

Invocation   (unison)                                                                                       Brad Robie

      Amazing God, we honor and celebrate your presence among us. We rejoice in your goodness and delight in your wonderful works. We lament the suffering of the world and take courage that you are with us. We ask that you make your presence known to us. Speak, O God, for we attune our attention for your guidance. Receive our praise as we glorify your name! 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: "Bigger Barns"                                              ABERYSTWYTH 7.7.7.7 D

"Bigger barns are what I need!" So a rich man said one day.
"From my worries I'll be free when my wealth is stored away."
"Fool!" God said, "Today you'll die! Will your wealth mean anything?
All life's blessings really lie in my life that wealth can't bring."

"Bigger barns are what we need for our money, gadgets, more!"
Lord, we're tempted to believe having wealth, we'll be secure!
Somewhere children cry for food or to have a doctor's care.
Can our bigger barns be good when poor neighbors know despair?

God of love, we long to know what will make us truly blest.
Jesus taught us long ago wealth won't give us peace or rest.
You are our security! Safe in you, we serve, O Lord.
May we find we're rich indeed when we're sharing with the poor.

Tune: Joseph Parry, 1879 ("Jesus, Lover of My Soul"; "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night") 
Text: Copyright © 2001 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved.
Included in Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor (Upper Room Books, 2009).

Hymn Use Permission: Songs of Grace: New Hymns for God and Neighbor by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (Upper Room Books, 2009) includes a permission note for those who own this book to use this hymn (along with the 76 other new hymns in the book) in their local church's worship services. People who do not own Songs of Grace are asked to contact Carolyn (carolynshymns@gmail.com) for permission to use the hymn and to get a copy of the hymn formatted for worship bulletin use.

Scripture Readings: Luke 12:13-21    (NSRVUE)                                       Brad Robie

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Children’s Message

Sermon: "Where do we invest?"                                   Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

Special Music

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:        Praise God from whom all blessings flow; 
                           Praise God, all creatures here below;
                           Praise God above, you heavenly host: 
                           One God, Triune whom we adore.

*Prayer of Dedication                                                          Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

      As we are able, we have offered gifts in this place and on these plates.   May they flow through this community and into the world and help to build your realm of enough for all. Amen.

Communion Hymn:  

Celebration of Communion 

Invitation to Communion
Communion Prayer
Words of Institution
Prayer of Consecration
Sharing of the Elements—All are welcome to the table always
Sharing of the Bread (please come forward and eat once you receive)
Sharing the Cup  (served in the pew.  Please hold so we can take together.)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We give thanks almighty God, that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the presence of Jesus Christ.  Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our savior.  Amen.

*Hymn of Going Forth:  

*Benediction                                                                              Rev. Paige Besse-Rankin

Go out into the world in courage and peace,

holding lightly to the things of this world,

and tightly to God’s love.

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

Announcements:

Outdoor Worship & Picnic Next Sunday – Please join us for outdoor worship on

Sunday, July 20th at 10am on the lawn next to the Historical Society (if the weather allows!)  Chairs will be provided, but feel free to bring your own comfy chair and join us for this special service.  We hope you’ll stay after worship for a picnic!

August 4^th Church Weekly Calendar

Steeple Lighting

August 1st to August 7th

In loving memory of

Richard J. Opolski

Ten years have gone by too fast.

                                We miss you every day.