July 18, 2021 – Unassimilated

The First Church of Deerfield, Massachusetts

The music for this morning’s service is pre-recorded.
Our thanks to Marc Dancer, our worship DJ, and to the recording artists, local and distant.

 

PRELUDE
Andante Tranquillo from Sonata III (Bartholdi Mendelssohn)
Tom Pousont, organ

 

 WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Joe Durham, moderator 

 

CALL  & INVOCATION (responsive)
(from Spaciousfaith.com, adapted)

Some of us are exhausted.       We come to rest.
Some of us are curious.           We come to learn.
Some of us are hungry.           We come to be fed.
Some of us are disoriented.     We come to pray.
Some of us are broken.           We come to be healed.
All of us are beloved.             We come to love.

From east and west, from north and south,
we gather together in common prayer:
Teach us, feed us, hear us, heal us.
Grant us your peace. Amen.

 

1st READING
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians 3:26-29

In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. (NRSV trans.)

 

ANTHEM
In Christ there is no East or West (MCKEE)
sung by the choir of St Martin in the Fields

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
listen here or read below

Heart of Courage, Heart of Compassion,
you call us to love both neighbor and self;
but we confess, we are afraid to bridge the gap.
We long for unconditional love,
but we offer our own with strings attached.
We long to be included,
but we deny the subtle ways that we exclude others.
We build walls to shut out the stranger,
and so imprison ourselves as well.

Forgive our narrowness of heart.
Cast out our fear, and free us to live at peace,
both with the Other, and with our Self. Amen.

{a time for silent prayer follows}

 

2nd READING
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 2:11-22
read by deacon Jean Turner

 

REFLECTION
Unassimilated
Rev. Liza B. Knapp, pastor

 

ANTHEM
Ubi Caritas (Dufle)
sung by the Choir of St. John’s Elora

Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear and love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
deacon Mary Dancer

 

THE DISCIPLE’S PRAYER (unison)
Our (Father / Mother / God), 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

 

OFFERTORY ANTHEM
United We Are (Boyd/Manor)
sung by the Choirs of Deerfield Academy and The First Church of Deerfield

 

DEDICATION (responsive)

Make of these gifts, one gift —
not ours alone, but ours together.
May our shared offering be a sign
of our solidarity with one another,
and with all who, like us, are in need
of love, of compassion, of friendship.
Amen.

 

BENEDICTION
God be with you til we meet again
The First Church of Deerfield Choir

 

POSTLUDE
Lobt Gott, ihr Christen allzugleich (Walther)
Thomas Pousont, organ

 

The service is over;
Let our service begin.
The Church will now leave the building.