The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Presider
The Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence
Preacher
Pat McDonald
Reader
The Chautauqua Choir
Sonya Subbayya Sutton
Interim Director & Organist
Owen Reyda
Organist
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
Tuba Tune
Norman Cocker, 1922
Welcome & Announcements
The Rt. Rev. Eugene Sutton
Call to Worship*
“Venite”
Psalm 95:1-7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving
and raise to the Lord a shout with psalms.
For you are a great God;
you are great above all gods.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth,
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you made it,
and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For you are our God, and we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!
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
My friends, we are not always the community God wants us to be, nor whom we aspire to be. We miss the mark; we fall short of the glory of God. Let us confess our wrongdoings before the Holy One and each other:
Gracious God, we have not loved You with our whole heart, mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
We’ve been too easily seduced by easy answers, half-truths and false judgments. We have failed to seek Your truth, and to love one another as You have commanded.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
We’ve ignored the cries of the poor, the groans of a hurting world, and been indifferent to the exploitation of peoples.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Accept our repentance, Lord, for the wrongs we have done; for the evil that enslaves us, and for the evil done on our behalf. Forgive, restore, and strengthen us through our Savior Jesus Christ,
That we may abide in Your love, and serve only Your will. Amen.
Words of Forgiveness
Almighty God is full of mercy, having forgiven us all our sins through our Savior Jesus Christ, has strengthened us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit will keep us in eternal life. Amen.
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
Spiritual, arr. Gwyneth Walker, 2017
"Let Us Break Bread Together"
Let us break bread together on our knees. When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me. Let us love one another, on our knees. Let us rise up together all as one. When I rise from my knees, with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy – And bring us peace.
Prayers of the People
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 week, 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.
A Prayer From The Christian Tradition: 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*
“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need”
Tune: Resignation
Invitation to the Offering
Offertory Anthem
“I Hear America Singing”
Music: Neil Ginsberg, 2017
Text: Walt Whitman, 1860
I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat,
the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning,
or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work,
or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
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.
The Doxology*
“America The Beautiful”
Text: Katharine Lee Bates, 1893
Music: Samuel A. Ward, setting: Cecil Effinger, 1967
All: O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties above the fruited 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
I Kings 17:8-16
Pat McDonald, Reader
The word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people.
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
“Bread at the Gate”
Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence
Hymn*
“How Firm a Foundation”
Tune: Foundation
Blessing and Dismissal
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you,
and our neighbors as ourselves.
Amen.
Let us go forth, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
Postlude
Toccata on “Great Day”
Adolphus Hailstork, 1999
You are invited to remain seated for the postlude.
This program is made possible by the generous support of The Mr. and Mrs. William Uhler Follansbee Memorial Chaplaincy and The Alison and Craig Marthinsen Endowment for the Department of Religion.
Flower Dedications
The flowers on the stage are given in loving memory of Alfreda Locke Irwin and Forest B. Irwin by their children.
Happening Today
8 p.m. Sacred Song Service: Celebrating the CLSC, Amphiteather
9 p.m. CLSC Vigil, Hall of Philosophy
9:45 p.m. CLSC Reception, Alumni Hall
Weekday Morning Worship at 9:15 A.M.
Amphitheater, The Rev. Anna Carter Florence
Monday, August 3 – Bread at the Gate
Tuesday, August 4 – Learning to Climb Trees
Wednesday, August 5 – Changing the Subject
Thursday, August 6 – Chaplain’s Faith Journey, at the Hall of Philosophy
Friday, August 7 – Communion service, at the Hall of Philosophy
Interfaith Lectures at 2 P.M.
Hall of Philosophy, A More Perfect Union: Faith, Memory and the American Promise
As the United States marks its semiquincentennial, this week examines the religious and ethical dimensions of the American experiment. How have religious communities shaped — and been shaped by — the nation’s ideals and contradictions? What does it mean to pursue liberty, justice and flourishing for all? Through reflection and multireligious dialogue, we explore how memory, repentance, celebration and civic faith can guide us in telling a more complete national story.
Monday, August 3 – Rosemarie Zagarri
Tuesday, August 4 – Manisha Sinha
Wednesday, August 5 – Brandon Dillard
Thursday, August 6 – David Waldstreicher
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.
The CLSC Class of 2026
Keepers of the Flame “Voices For Democracy”
Thomas G. Armstrong
Kathleen Mitchell Barksdale
Rev. Rebecca Anne Barnes
Anne C. Bauer
Judith M. Beck
Elizabeth Bender
Dr. Edith Bernosky
Barbara K. Bisno
Laura Boniface
Christine R. M. Bourgeios
Bradford Brackin
Susan G. Bradford
Sarah Merchant Breding
Therse Brink
Elizabeth K. Butterfield
Jonathan E. Butterfield
Amy H. Camardese
Nancy Chamberlain
Robyn L. Chamblin
Dawn Lynn Check
C. Hunter Christian
Kells Christian
L. Jay Clise
Nancy A. Clise
Gail L. Collister
Janie Constantine
Frannie Corzine
Diana Crawford
Zahra Daar
Anna Denton
Elizabeth Elder
Christine M. Farquhar
Natalie Francois
Cheryl Goffney Franklin
Brigid A. Gallagher
Annell George-McLawhorn
Carole Gilfillan
Whitney Rappole Gleason
Judy Roberts Godinez
Elizabeth Grohowski
Beth Hadley
Corinne Hatcher
Kathleen Heide
Kendra Heide
Todd Hillmer
Judith Holder
David Randall Hollier
Joan G. Holmes
Jacqueline Housel
Judy Frye Jones
Melinda Keefe
Elizabeth Ann Kelly
Bruce Martin Kestner
Susan Krantz
Ann Kuo
Sarah Lancaster
Judy Lewis
Teri Jo Luecke
Patricia B. Lundquist
Carolyn A. Mackey
Lynn Joyce Manning
Mary Maxwell
Athena McMonagle
Mary Ellen McNerney
Suzanne Miller
Janet R. Muchnik
Alison Nickerson
Jamie Bailey Oliver
Cheryl Patton
Jan Pomerantz
Barbara Eileen Rappole
Jenny Chilcott Rappole
Pamela Petre Reis
Margaret M. Rice
Caroline Starr Rose
Norah McDonough Rowland
Beth Rush
Bonnie Saks, MD
Felicia D. Saunders
Carolyn English Seymour
Ann Shayne
John Patrick Shekitka
Julie L. Smith
Robert B. Snyder
Jordan Marie Stefko
Joel W. Steger
Lynette Woelfle Steger
Sandra Steinbach
Stacie G. Stone
Mark D. Stucky
Charlene Marie Tobie
Constance L. Tomczyk
Karen Harton Allen Vaca
Sarah Nicole Vest
Karen Watson
Julie Wells
Michael Wells
Adam Francis
Jodi DeSciscio
Barbara J. Welsch
Barbara L. Williams
Amy Young Filko
Kriss Young Miller
2026 Guild of Seven Seals Graduates
“To Learn, To Teach, To Serve, To Enjoy”
Guild of the Seven Seals
Marisa Albridge
Patricia A. Armstrong
Melissa Bartok
Alan Blackburn
Kelly Bongiorno
Irene Cramer
Scott Dahlie
Rachael Ellis
Maria Emert
Kristen K. Evans
Susan Joy Evans
Emma Francois
Pamela Gardner
Steven Goldberg
Michelle Hannahs
Beth Lynn Hinman
Jennifer Hostutler
Mark Hrabe
Barbara Hudson
Joe Hudson
Susan Kuhn
Christine Malanga
Kate Mayberry
Merry Kim Meyers
John G. McIntosh
Karen Williams Miller
Linda Price
Nancy Richter
Alison Russell
Ellen Grapes Sautter
Brian Christopher Smith
Robert B. Snyder
Wendy Stephens
Mary Stokes
Laura Piper Taylor
Susan Turnquist
Susan Weeks
Kay Karslake White
Lauralynn White
Parnassian
Gwen Alegre
Mitchell Alegre
Patricia Assad-Ketcham
Dean A. Baker
Marjorie Bass
Theresa Chalich
Laura R. Dawson
Janet Sass McDermott
Melinda G. Falkoff
Willie La Favor
Jennifer Francois
Lauren Guth
Jennifer Hudson
Catherine Hunter
Penny Krug
Christine L. Manzey
Sarah Masters
Thomas McCray-Worrall
Dawn McGriff
Kathleen McIntosh
E. Marlee Mitchell
Jeremy Musher
Robin Musher
Carol Obernauer
Danica D. Olson
Cheryl Philipps
Susan K. Porter
Ruth Powell
Larry Robinson
Deborah Rowe
Tobin Schermerhorn
Linda A. Stewart
Dorothy E. Trefts
Michael J. Randall Jr.
Marla J. Wasson
Joan Vondra
Olympian
Alice Alessi
David Blank
Patricia Braga
Sandra Cline
Benjamin Doolittle
Rachelle Francis
Peter Franklin
R. Thomas George
Maura Giannini
Kathy Hurst
Donna Myers
Jenni Propst
Sabeeha Rehman
Carole Stevens
Margaret Viehe
Jo Ann Wolfe
Centurion
Robert Gardler
Rosa Linda Guadarrama
Chris Milks
Karen Paul
George B. South Jr.
Melinda Valencia
Evelyn Waldron
LaVerne F. Wallace
Miller Echelon
Patricia S. Beagle
Arlette Berlin
Judith Borden
Mrs. Suzanne Brandon
Shelley Dahlie
Wayne A. Gnatuk
Stephine Hunt
Mary Kellner
David J. Munch
Linda Ann Oesterle
Nancy R. Schrader
Virginia May Stanton
Sandra Stupiansky
Nicholas Stupiansky
Sally Wingerter
Vincent Echelon
Shirley Adams
Patricia M. Brown
Lee Heinz
Anita Jencks
Paul Jencks
Barbara C. Jones
Alexis McAvoy
Barbara L. Miles
Carole Neely
Kathryn Peate
Sigi Schwinge
Linda M. Stutz
Laurie Weatherlow
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