The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Presider
The Rev. Robert W. Henderson
Preacher
The Rev. Dr. Mary Lee Talbot
Reader
The Chautauqua Choir
Sonya Subbayya Sutton
Director & Organist
Owen Reyda
Organist
Arlene Hajinlian
Guest Musician
Sunday Morning Worship
We invite you to quietly prepare your hearts for worship during the Prelude.
*Denotes that the congregation is invited to rise in body or spirit. It is our custom to sing the first and last verses of hymns in unison; the interior verses may be sung in parts.
Prelude
Festival Prelude
Horatio Parker
Welcome & Announcements
The Rt. Rev. Eugene Sutton
Call to Worship*
Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely, it is God who saves me;
I will trust and will not be afraid.
For the Lord God is my stronghold and my song,
and has become my Savior.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation,
and in that day you will say:
Give thanks and call upon the name of the Lord.
Make known among the nations what the Lord has done;
proclaim that the name of the Lord is exalted.
Sing praises, for the Lord has done great things;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O people of God,
for great in our midst is the Holy One!
Hymn*
"Holy, holy, holy!"
Nicæa, John Bacchus Dykes, 1861
Reginald Heber, 1827, alt.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty;
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea!
Cherubim and seraphim, falling down before Thee,
who wert, and art, and evermore shall be.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea!
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty;
God in three persons, blessed Trinity! Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Fran Pratt
God, we turn our attention now to the work of peacemaking and reconciliation.
Christ is our peace.
We remember Jesus in the throes of death, offering forgiveness
and peace to those who had taunted and tormented him.
Christ is our example.
We remember Jesus after his resurrection, offering forgiveness
and restoration to his disciples who had denied and forsaken him.
Christ is our leader.
We acknowledge that we have wronged others and been wronged by others,
And need forgiveness applied to both.
Help us to forgive others as we have been forgiven by You,
For in forgiving, we find peace and freedom.
Help us to have humility and courage
To admit when we are wrong
To confess and apologize
To make amends to those we have hurt.
We acknowledge that forgiveness benefits the forgiver
And that we can never force others to forgive us.
We acknowledge that we may never see the results of our peacemaking
But that you see our hearts.
We thank you God, for removing our transgressions from us
Thanks be to God
We ask for hearts conformed to the way of Christ
Ready to offer peace; willing to forgive and be forgiven.
Amen.
Words of Forgiveness
Matthew 11:28-30
Hear these words from Holy Scripture: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Believe this good news and live in peace.
The Passing of The Peace
May the peace of God be always with you.
And also with you.
You are invited to greet your neighbor saying, “Peace be with you.”
Anthem
Hymn for America
Stephen Paulus (2004)
We have loved you for your rivers, We have loved you for your shores;
Every treasure you have shown us, Every seed that you have sown;
We have loved you for your mountains, For your prairies, for your fields,
All these gifts we have been given, All these glories that we share;
Now we thank you for these blessings, We, your people, everywhere.
Many are the stars of heaven, Many are the hopes of earth;
All around us, worlds unfolding, All around these dreams to grow;
From the moment of our rising Till we rest when day is done,
May we tell our hearts’ own story, Hearts that honor and believe,
Through our care for one another, For this life and land we love.
Prayers of the People
God of song and silence,
God of life and breath,
God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow:
You fill our eyes with the beauty of your creation,
Our ears with the sounds of all that you have made.
You know us in every time and every season,
filling our hearts and minds with love,
filling our days and nights with hope,
filling our lives with the light of your presence.
Pour out your Spirit upon this assembly,
as we bring our intercessions before you now, saying,
“God in your mercy, hear our prayer.”
For our Chautauqua community,
That we may strive to become more and more a people of curiosity and compassion.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the peace of the world, for an end to racial, ethnic, and religious strife everywhere, and for the unity of all peoples.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For this good earth which you have given us, and for the wisdom and the will to conserve it.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and the orphaned, and for the sick and the suffering, especially those whom we name now either silently or aloud:
(You may name your individual petitions here.)
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of abundance, fill us with a renewed sense of awe in your presence this season, and just as you blessed our forebears in ages past, so may you bless us and keep us and make your face to shine upon us in our times.
Amen.
The Prayer that Jesus Taught
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 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn*
"This is My Song "
FINLANDIA
Invitation to the Offering
Offeratory Anthem
“The Promise of Living"
Aaron Copland (1954)
The promise of living with hope and thanksgiving
Is born of our loving our friends and our labor.
The promise of growing with faith and with knowing
Is born of our sharing our love with our neighbor.
The promise of loving, the promise of growing
Is born of our singing in joy and thanksgiving.
O let us be joyful, O let us be grateful to the Lord for his blessing.
The promise of living, the promise of growing
The promise of ending is labor and sharing and loving.
Presentation of the Offering
Our Sunday offering supports not only the ministry of Chautauqua Institution’s Department of Religion, but also a tithe of your contribution is directed to organizations that meet the urgent needs of our neighbors in Chautauqua County. We thank you for your generosity! Gifts and offerings may be made by check payable to the Department of Religion, or you may donate online by visiting https://giving.chq.org/religion.
America The Beautiful
"The Promise of Living"
Samuel A. Ward
Setting: Cecil Effinger
Text: Katharine Lee Bates
All:
O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties above the fruitless plain!
America, America, God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
Choir:
O beautiful for pilgrim feet, whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat across the wilderness,
America, America, God mend thine ev’ry flaw.
Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.
Choir:
O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,
who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life.
America, America, may God thy gold refine,
till all success be nobleness and ev’ry gain divine.
All:
O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears.
America, America, God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
Reading From Scripture
Matthew 15:1-14
The Rev. Dr. Mary Lee Talbot, Reader
Some Pharisees and teachers of the Law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’ But you say that whoever tells their father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’ then that person is no longer obligated to support them. So, for the sake of your tradition, you nullify the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’”
Then Jesus called the crowd together and said to them, “Hear this and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended by what you said?” Jesus replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Ignore them - they are blind people leading other blind people. And when the blind lead the blind, they all will fall into a ditch.”
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
"A Spacious Moral Vision"
The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Henderson
Hymn*
“Life Every Voice and Sing”
J. Rosamund Johnson, 1873–1954
Text: James W. Johnson, 1871–1938
Benediction and Dismissal
Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage, hold fast that which is good, render to no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honor everyone; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessing of the almighty Creator, Redeemer and Breath of Life be upon you and remain with you forever.
Amen. Let us go forth in the power of the Spirit. Thanks be to God!
Postlude
Toccata for America
Brenda Portman (2020)
You are invited to remain seated for the postlude.
Flower Dedications
The flowers on the stage are given …
...in loving memory of Katherine King Karslake, Frank Gookin Karslake, Phillip Arthur Karlslake, Donald King Karslake, Gerald Bulley White, Joan Karslake Beauchamp and William Gale Karslake by their families.
... and in loving memory of Helen and Paul Sample, Auntie Beck Lytle, Mathilda Munroe Klaus, Robert L. Munroe, Richard H. Miller, and William F. Hill by their families.
Weekday Morning Worship at 9:15 A.M.
Amphitheater, The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Henderson
Support for this week’s chaplaincy and preaching is provided by The Geraldine M. and Frank E. McElree, Jr. Chaplaincy Fund.
Monday, July 6 – Perfection?
Tuesday, July 7 – Imago Dei
Wednesday, July 8 – Conflicted?
Thursday, July 9 – Chaplain’s Faith Journey *at the Hall of Philosophy
Friday, July 10 – Communion service *at the Hall of Philosophy
Happening Today
4:30 p.m. Children's Worship (Ages 3–Grade 6)
Hall of Philosphy Grove - in the case of rain, Hall of Christ
5:15 p.m. Blessing of the Animals
Hall of Philosophy, Weather permitting
7 p.m. Palestine Park Tour
Near Miller Bell Tower
8 p.m. Sacred Song Service: Light in the Darkness: An Interfaith Expression
Amphitheater
Interfaith Lectures at 2 P.M.
Hall of Philosophy, Truth, Trust and the Sacred
In an age of misinformation, fractured narratives and contested truth, religious communities face profound questions: What does it mean to bear witness to truth? How do traditions cultivate discernment, trust and moral clarity? This week examines how moral and spiritual frameworks can help rebuild trust in public life, strengthen media literacy and foster communities capable of deep listening. We explore the ethics of speech, the power of storytelling and the responsibility of faith leaders in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Monday, July 6 – Rabbi Joshua Stanton
Tuesday, July 7 – Elizabeth Dias
Wednesday, July 8 – Naomi Riley
Thursday, July 9 – Rev. Nicole Martin
Join the Chautauqua Choir
Thu 6:15 p.m. Rehearsal at Fletcher Hall
Fri 6:15 p.m. Rehearsal at Fletcher Hall
Sat 6:15 p.m. Rehearsal at Fletcher Hall
Do you love to sing? Do you have some choral singing experience? We invite you to join us and sing on Sundays with the Chautauqua Choir, whether for one service or the whole season. You must attend at least one out of three weekly rehearsals (though attending more rehearsals are preferred). We ask that you plan to sing both Sunday Morning and Sunday Evening services when possible.
Questions can be directed to choir@chq.org or by calling the choir library at 716-357-6321.
Join the Motet Choir
The Motet Choir, which leads our weekday worship services, comprises experienced auditioned singers who rehearse and perform a variety of works from the rich heritage of sacred choral music of the past and a diversity of styles from the present. Singers must have a background of choral singing experience with excellent vocal quality and sight-reading ability. Members of the Motet Choir are compensated in the form of a gate pass for the weeks that they sing in the choir. Interested singers should email choir@chq.org or call the choir library at 716-3576321 to schedule an audition for the 2026 Summer Season.
Chautauqua Institution
Department of Religion
Robert Wilson-Black
Director of Religion
The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Senior Pastor
Sonya Subbaya Sutton
Interim Director of Sacred Music
Carolyn Snider
Administrative Assistant
Owen Reyda
Organ Scholar
Alicen Roberts
Religion Intern