June 13, 2021 – Being Good Ancestors, Part I (Forever Stamps and Permanent Tattoos)

THE FIRST CHURCH OF DEERFIELD
“The Brick Church”  / “The Brickless Church”

Good morning (or afternoon, or evening) and welcome to worship. The Brick Church Meeting House remains closed due to coronavirus response measures, and so we invite you to worship with us here — in the Brickless Church.

Whoever you are, wherever you may be (figuratively or literally), you are welcome here.

 

ORDER OF WORSHIP
Sunday, June 13, 2021

 

PRELUDE
Prelude    Lied   Louis Viverne
Dr. Thomas Pousont, organ

WELCOME
June 13, 2021
Rev. Liza B.Knapp

HYMN
Hymn  As Those of Old Their First Fruits Brought
Marc Dancer, soloist

 

READING

Psalm 90,  verses 1-13
You may listen to the psalm here, or read it aloud. If you are worshipping with a friend, we invite you to read it responsively, with one reading the italics.

Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust,
and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath;
our years come to an end like a sigh.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
So teach us to count our days
that we may gain a wise heart.

 

 

ANTHEM
Anthem  No Longer Mourn For Me   Shakespeare/ Charles H.H. Parry
Stephen Morris, Choral Scholar;  Yu-Mei Wei, piano

THREE READINGS ON TIME

I.
Consider the earth’s history as the old measure of the English yard, the distance from the kings nose to the tip of his outstretched hand. One stroke of a nail file on his middle finger erases human history.
(John McPhee)

II.
Most educated people are aware that we are the outcome of nearly 4,000,000,000 years of Darwinian selection, but many tend to think that humans are some help the combination. Our sun, however, is less than halfway through its lifespan. It will not be humans who watch the sun’s demise, 6 billion years from now ….
(Martin Rees, astrophysicist)

III.

Eternity is not infinity.
It is not a long time.
It does not begin at the end of time.
It does not run parallel to time.
In its entirety it always was.
In its entirety it will always be.
It is entirely always present.

(Wendell Berry,
from This Day: Collected and New Sabbath Poems)

 

 

SERMON
Forever Stamps and Permanent Tattoos
Rev. Liza Knapp

 

A PAUSE FOR MEDITATION

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings, that you are mindful of them,
or mortals, that you care for them?
 (Psalm 8)

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Eternal One: You give to us the gift of Time,
so that our lives may unfold
as a song, or a flower.

But often we see time as our enemy.

For hours that we have squandered,
which we might instead of savored: forgive us.
For kindness as we have postponed,
which we might instead of rendered: forgive us.
For changes we have delayed,
which we might instead of he said: forgive us.

Teach us to befriend your gift of time.

We place in your hands
not only our future, but also our past;
trusting in your everlasting love,
to bless and redeem them both.

amen.

 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
June 13, 2021
  https://youtu.be/sPhLCx5kZQs
shared by Mary Dancer

 

SHARING OF GIFTS
To make a donation
to the First Church of Deerfield
(aka “The Brick Church,” aka “The Brick-less Church”),
click here.
For more ways to give, see announcements, below.

 

ANTHEM
Anthem  Du bist wie eine Blume  Robert Schumann
Christopher Gergis, Choral Scholar; Thomas Pousont, piano

 

OFFERING PRAYER

Bless these our offerings,
that they might serve your people,
and bring your healing love
to the places it is needed most.

in Christ’s name / in Love’s name,
amen

 

HYMN
Hymn   Eternal, Unchanging We Sing
Karen Smith Emerson, soloist

 

BENEDICTION
(Wendell Berry)

The seed is in the ground.
Now may we rest in hope
While darkness does its work.

Amen.

 

POSTLUDE
Postlude   Trumpet March  Jeremiah Clark
Dr. Thomas Pousont, organ 
​

Images:
Brick Church Window, L. Knapp
Ancient Yew Tree, Church of St. Cynog, Powys, Wales – estimated age > 5000 years
Bristlecone Pine, National Forest, Madera County, California – estimated age >5000 year
Baobab Trees by starlight, photograph by Beth Moon. Baobabs may live 2000-3000 years
Walking under Baobab trees, photograph by Yasmine Arfaoui, unsplash.com

 

FURTHER EXPLORATION

For more astonishing images of ancient trees by photographer Beth Moon
click here

 

The First Church of Deerfield
an inclusive, inquisitive congregation of
the United Church of Christ
and the Unitarian Universalist Association

Rev. Liza B. Knapp, Pastor
deerfieldpastor@gmail.com
office@firstchurchofdeerfield.org.
Dr. Thomas Pousont, Director of Music Ministry
Tom Mershon, Sexton
Pat Auchard, Office Administrator
Ann Hallstein, Pastor Emerita

If you wish to make a donation in support of our ministry,
text “GIVE” to (413) 307-3730 or click below:
https://fcd.breezechms.com/give/online.