Organ Prelude

Improvisation

Call to Worship

Leader: Happy are those whose help is in the God of   Jacob,

Circle:  The Lord God reigns forever, for all generations.

Praise the Lord! 

  (Psalm 146: 5, 10)

Leader:  Let us worship God!

Gathering Hymn

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty! 

tune: Nicaea
(James Bacchus Dykes 1861)

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 shalt 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!

  Reginald Heber, c. 1820, altered

Call to Confession

Leader:  If we call out in need, the Lord will answer.

Let us confess our sins against God and our  

neighbor, trusting in the Lord who sets prisoners free.

Prayer of Confession

All:  We have sinned, O God,

hoarding what we have, grasping for more,
and ignoring those who hunger and thirst.

We stay with our own kind; we are complacent in the  

face of systems that oppress.

Forgive us; purify us; remake us,

that we might love as you love.

 Amen.  

Declaration of Forgiveness

Leader:

The Lord welcomes all who return from the exile of greed  

and self-interest.

Be at peace, for in Christ we find our way home again

where all are forgiven, loved and restored.

Amen.

Anthem

Hymn of Mercy  

Dan Forrest, 2006

Gracious Lord, thy mercy filleth all the earth below; and from heaven’s throne it falleth when to thee I go. Mercy flowing, swift pursuing like a river strong, sympathizing with my weakness; mercy suffering long. Mercy calling with compassion: “Oh, return to me.” Wounded hands extended, loving is the plea. How can I feruse thy mercy? Whither would I flee? From my idol shrine I turn, Lord, reaching up to thee.

-Eileen Berry, basked on Hosea 14:1-4

Pastoral Prayer and Intercessions

Good and gracious God…

O God, on this day we offer special intercessions for…

The Prayer 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, for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn

Morning Has Broken                  

Bunessan
Gaelic Melody

Morning has broken
like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing
fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
of the new day!

-Eleanor Farjeon, 1931

Invitation to the Offertory

We bring nothing into this world, and when we depart from   this life we will take nothing out of it.

All that we have is a gift from God; therefore let us offer our   lives to the Lord.

Let us pray:

Prayer of Thanksgiving

We give you thanks and praise, generous God,

for every good gift that comes from your hand:

for food and clothing, for life and health,

for family and friends, above all for the treasure of your grace.

Make us rich in good works, generous and ready to share,

taking hold of the life that really is life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  Amen.

Anthem

My Hope is Arisen 

Peter Latona, 2006

My hope is arisen from the dead. Alleluia.

Dawn’s shining light bedecks the sky

and heaven thunders victor cry:

The glad earth shouts her triumph high

and mournful hell groans in reply.

Hell’s pains are loosed and tears are fled,

captivity is captive led:

The angel crowned with light has said:

“The Lord is risen from the dead!”

“I beheld the glory bright

of the rising Lord of Light.

Christ my hope is risen again;

now he lives and lives to reign.”

My hope is arisen from the dead.

Alleluia.  

Text from

Aurora lucis rutilat, tr. J.M. Neale (1818-1866)

Victimae Paschali, tr. Jane E. Leeson (1807-1882)

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise God all creatures here below,

Praise God above ye heavenly host,

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Scripture Reading: Lamentations 3: 20-24

Reader: Errol B. Davis, Jr.

Today’s Sermon

“Did Heaven Make A Mistake?”

Preacher, Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas

Closing Hymn

Faithfulness
William Marion Runyan, 1923

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, Creator;

there is no shadow of turning with thee.

Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not.

As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hath provided.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

sun, moon, and stars in their courses above

join with all nature in manifold witness

to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hath provided.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:

blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hath provided.

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

-Thomas O. Chisolm, 1923

Benediction/Blessing

Benediction Response

Peter Lutkin

Postlude

Toccata

John Weaver, 1968

The flowers on the stage are given …                                   

 … in loving memory of Martha H. and C. Vey Smith, Martha J. Hadley, and Helen H. Hodill, by Courtney Shaffer, Candace Gregory, and Phyllis H. Wilmot.

… in loving memory of Walter and Margaret Clark Horn and Arthur Dodd, by their daughter and wife, Pauly Dodd.                                   

… in loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Gerrard and the Reverend and Mrs. Paul T. Gerrard, by Wendell and Ruth Gerrard Cole.

Support for this week’s Worship Services is provided by the Geraldine M. and Frank E. McElree, Jr. Chaplaincy Fund, and by the John William Tyrrell Endowment for Religion.

Tonight’s CHQ Vespers will be ONE HOUR EARLIER than usual, at 7 p.m. (one time only), here in the Amp, in the tradition of our Sacred Song Service, with music dear to Chautauquans for generations.