Hampstead Congregational Church UCC

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Hampstead Congregational Church

June 29, 2025

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                                                                       Judy Dobson

Call to Worship (responsive) based on Psalm 77:1-2,11-20                            Kari Allard
Leader: Day and night, I cry out to you, O God, praying that you will hear me
          People: Time and again, I stretch out my hand, seeking your presence and

your comfort.
Leader: When my mind is full of anxious thoughts, my heart and soul refuse to be
comforted;
          People: But when I recall your wonderful deeds of past days -
Leader: the way you responded to the cries of your people - saving  them from
slavery and guiding them to freedom;
          People: then I know that you hear my cry.
Leader: Your way, O God is holy.  No one is as great as you. You are the God who
works wonders and performs mighty deeds.
          People: You are the God who hears our cries and answers them.

Invocation   (unison)                                                                                           Kari Allard

Come, Holy God, offer us your mantle of love and power in this place. In the shelter of its love let us lay before you our troubles, our longings, our hopes. Let its power open us to new ways through difficulty, struggle and loss into your Spirit’s realm of joy and peace. Come, Holy God, in your presence there is fullness of glory. 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:  

Scripture Readings:2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Galatians 5:1, 13-2 (NSRVUE)  Kari Allard

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Children’s Message

Sermon: "A Chosen Burden"                                                                                   Rev. Carolyn Keilig

*Hymn:  

Call for Concerns & Celebrations

Pastoral Prayer                                                                                                            Rev. Carolyn Keilig

     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. Carolyn Keilig

Lord Jesus Christ, you free us to love one another without the constraints
of the law. You empower us with your Spirit to live abundant and fruitful
lives.  In response to such gracious gifts, we offer these gifts and our lives to
be blessed by you as we seek to be your faithful and enthusiastic disciples.  Amen

*Hymn of Going Forth:  

*Benediction

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

Certain worship materials are used or adapted with permission from Liturgies Online, Trinity, by Rev Moira Laidlaw, Uniting Church in Australia, and from  Worship Ways by Rev. Catherine Rolling, of Portland, OR Copyright 2010 Local Church Ministries, UCC.

Announcements:

Welcome Rev. Carolyn Keilig - This morning we welcome Rev. Carolyn Keilig to our pulpit. She is a retired UCC minister, having pastored a number of churches in Maine and New Hampshire either as a settled or interim pastor, for over forty years. She has served in a variety of leadership roles on the Association, Conference and national levels and is now active in her home church in Hopkinton. Since retirement, she has been enjoying working for the Pension Board of the UCC visiting retired clergy and their spouses/partners. Carolyn has also rediscovered an interest in birding and can be found traipsing the woods and fields of N.H. and around the world on the lookout for a new Lifer. She is blessed with three adult children, who along with their life partners, keep her on her toes while bringing her much joy.

Office Closed This Week:  Maria will be on vacation this week – June 30^th to July 4^th and Pastor Paige will be at the Horton Center from June 28^th to July 5^th.  Therefore, the office will be closed for the entire week.

In case of pastoral emergency, please contact Judy Dobson at 603-603-548-9381.

 June 30th Church Weekly Calendar