United |
|
Phones: 253-7698 • Phone/Fax: 253-8668 Email: chccucc@verizon.net • Website: www.chccucc.org | |
Pastor..................................................... Reverend Carol Asher Home Phone: 744-7864 E-mail: clsasher2@aol.com Ministers.............................................................. All Members Director of Music............................................ Secretary............................................................. Diane Lamper Ukama/Partner........ |
Word of the Week: “Easter Irony”
Enjoy the irony of the Easter story: in Matthew 28:13, the Roman soldiers couldn’t even make up a believable story! They were to claim that Jesus’ disciples came and stole his body while they were sleeping. (How would sleeping people know what happened?) Why would those soldiers risk incriminating themselves even for a large bribe? Despite the cover-up conspiracy, word got out… a glimmer of faith took hold, and it STILL takes hold!
This Week in Our Church Family
Boldface = Church-sponsored events
Sunday (3/23) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship in Gilpatric Hall
Monday (3/24) 9:00 am T’ai Chi
Tuesday (3/25) 7:30 am Spirituality
Wed. (3/26)
Thursday (3/27) 6:30 pm T’ai Chi
Friday (3/28)
Saturday (3/29) 2:00 pm NH Conference Meeting in
Sunday (3/30) 10:00 am Worship and
11:00 am Fellowship and Refreshments in Gilpatric Hall
3:00 pm End of Life Series
Thank You to Today’s Volunteers
Ushers: | Sean Donohoe and Josiah Weeks | Nursery Care: | Ask an usher |
Liturgist: | Terrence LeBlanc | Greeters: | The Phillips |
Acolytes: | Monica Meier and Charlotte Morrow | Fellowship Host: | Ruth Costello |
Our Memorial Flowers and Donations are listed on the insert
March 23, 2008 10:00 a.m.
Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Large print bulletins available—please ask an usher.
An asterisk (*) indicates “Please stand if you are able.”
Gathering for Worship
PRELUDE “Il Gardellino” Vivaldi
IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH (announcements)
PREPARING THE WAY The whisper grows to shout the glad tidings!
Entering into Worship
CHORAL INTROIT
RESPONSIVE CALL TO WORSHIP
L: Shout it from the mountaintops— P: Christ is risen!
L: Make it echo off the canyon walls— P: Christ is risen!
L: Let it ride on every wave— P: Christ is risen!
L: Let it soar on the wings of a dove— P: Christ is risen!
L: Plant it deep in your hearts— P: Christ is risen!
L: Sing it over and over— P: Christ is risen, alleluia!
*OPENING HYMN “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” Hymn #216
*GATHERING PRAYER (in unison)
Great God, this past week has been one of mixed emotions; of faith struggling to understand. We have greeted you with palm branches; we have set at table with you to share a farewell meal. We have witnessed your death on a simple wooden cross. Yet on this third day, you come to us again in victory. By this, we know that death is not the final word. As the sun rises boldly to meet each new day, even though it be covered by thick clouds, rise in us this Easter morning, for you are our hope, our life, and our joy. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying: “Our Father…”
*LORD’S PRAYER (using “debts”)
SPECIAL EASTER MUSIC “Cantabile” Vivaldi
CHILDREN’S STORY “From Lamb to Our Shepherd”
*PASSING OF THE PEACE “Christ is Risen!” “Christ is Risen Indeed!!”
*HYMN “Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna!” Hymn #222
(Today is Family Worship—children will remain with their families)
A Time of Sharing
PRAYER JOYS AND CONCERNS
Easter means we can stop fighting battles that are already won.
EASTER ANTHEM “Christ Is Risen, Alleluia” Innes
CALL TO PRAYER
"Lord, listen to your children praying; Lord, send your Spirit in this place.
Lord, listen to your children praying. Send us love, send us power, send us grace."
PASTORAL PRAYER
CHORAL RESPONSE
OFFERING
(Please use the envelopes in the pews for your special offering—
all of this special Easter offering will go toward the $3500 matching challenge)
Offertory “That Easter Day With Joy Was Bright” Praetorious
*Doxology (sung by the people) #379
Accept, O God, the gifts we bring of spirit and of clay,
Transform them into blessings on those we serve today.
Rekindle deep within us all a passion to fulfill
The ministry disciples have, empower'd to do your will.
*Prayer of Dedication
Reflecting on God’s Word
SCRIPTURE Matthew 27: 62 - 28:15 p. 33 NT
SERMON “The Last Laugh”
Sending
*CLOSING HYMN “Thine is the Glory” Hymn #218
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Gavotte” Gossec
THE ALLELUIA HUNT
Born to Rise
There was a group of men with a problem. They owned a lake fed by an artesian well, that is, a well of water that rises to the surface under natural pressure from deep within the earth, producing a steady stream of clear, cold water. Their problem was that it was a swimming lake that they owned and the water was always very, very cold. So they decided to solve their problem.
They sank a 6-inch steel pipe in concrete and placed it over the well-head, driving it deep into the ground. They threaded the top of the pipe and on that placed a cap to finish the job. They made it secure! They stood back, dusted off their hands and said, “There, that takes cares of that!”
But as they stood there, the irresistible force deep within the ground simply lifted it all, pipe, concrete and cap, right out of the ground. And the cold, clear water again gushed forth.
How did Matthew put it in the words describing the resurrection? The next day, that is, after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore, order the sepulcher to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people the he has risen from the dead, and the last fraud will be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, and make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the sepulcher secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
They hung him on the cross until he died. They buried him in the tomb, which they sealed and guarded. Then they stood back, dusted off their hands and said, “There, that takes care of that.”
But try as they might, they could not stop Him, for He was born to rise. And with the inevitability that swept away Pharisees, seal, stone and guards, rise He did!
Behold, the Lamb of God
When John the Baptist first saw Jesus, he exclaimed
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world.” (John 1: 29)
Long ago, lambs were used to pay for sins. Strange,
but true. People have always sinned. God has always
demanded payment. People paid with lambs. It worked
like this:
Someone who sinned wanted God to forgive him.
So he picked out a perfect little lamb as payment. The
sinner laid his hands on the lamb. A priest killed the lamb.
That killed the sin. Payment was made. God forgave that person.
Trouble was, people kept on sinning. So they kept sacrificing lambs, until...
The very first Good Friday. Jesus died that day. God said Jesus’ death would pay for everybody’s sins, forever. Jesus was God’s lamb. He was perfect, yet God put everybody’s sins on Him. When Jesus was killed, everybody’s sins were killed. But Jesus didn’t die forever. He walked right out of the grave on that very first Easter. He proved that He was stronger than sin and stronger than death. He still is. He’s still the Lamb of God, and his long-ago death still pays for sins. God said so.
Jesus, the Lamb of God, paid for your sins on that first Good Friday. He conquered sin and death on that first Easter.
After Easter, Jesus takes on the role of the Good Shepherd. He asks all His disciples: “If you love Me, feed the lambs and tend My sheep.” (John 21:15-16)
Announcements
____________________________________________________________________________
Welcome
We greet all who are worshiping with us today in the name of our Risen Savior. We are gathered as a community of Christians. Our center is Jesus Christ. We are here to know again the touch of his forgiving and healing hand. We come to put our hands confidently into God’s hands. We hope you will feel welcomed and will worship here again.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Welcome Kate Vachon
Thank you to Kate for sharing her special music with us on this great morning.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Alleluia Egg Hunt
The younger children are invited to join the Alleluia Egg Hunt right after the postlude ends. Please help the little one find the eggs that are hidden all over the church, and to help them shout “alleluia” as they find them. Hunt quickly and then return to Gilpatric Hall.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
April Newsletter
All articles for the April newsletter must be submitted by Tuesday noontime. On Thursday at 1 PM, help is requested to prepare the newsletter for distribution.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NH Conference meeting to call Associate Conference Minister
Next Saturday, delegates from churches in the NH Conference will gather to decide to call Rev. Richard Slater as the new Associate Conference Minister. The special meeting will take place at 2:00 PM at the Brookside Congregational Church in
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One Great Hour of Sharing
Next week will be your last opportunity to give to this month’s special offering. The OGHS is an inter-denominational offering that supports educational, health and agricultural training projects in all parts of the world; responds to disasters; and helps refugees resettle. Your offering helps transform lives! Thank you for your generosity.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
End of Life Series
This series continues next Sunday afternoon 3-5 PM. The last video segment will be “The Time to Change.” You can join this session and get all the information even if you have not attended any other session.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Grand Announcement for our Time—it’s SPRING!!
It has been promised… the calendar says that it’s true… can birds and blossoms be far behind?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________