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March 7, 2010 Third Sunday in Lent 11:00 am Welcome! Thank you for turning off cell phones, pagers and beepers, and for refraining from using flash photography. Please maintain a respectful and meditative quiet throughout the service, except of course when congregational participation is invited. THE GATHERING PRELUDE Solace Erik K. Gustafson Olaf Boenisch, soprano sax; Erik K. Gustafson, piano O Come, Every One that Thirsteth from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn Adriana Repetto, soprano; Rebecca O’Brien, mezzo-soprano; Jonas Budris, tenor; Jean Bernard Cerin, baritone O come, every one that thirsteth, O come to the waters, O come unto Him. O hear, and your souls shall live forever. —Isaiah 55:1, 3 *HYMN 18 Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer Cwm Rhondda *CALL TO WORSHIP Elizabeth Myer Boulton One: Gather us in, the lost and the lonely, the broken and breaking, the tired and aching, who long for the nourishment held in your hands. Many: Gather us in! One: The done and the doubting, the wishing and wondering the puzzled and pondering, who long for the company held in your hands. Many: Gather us in! One: The proud and pretentious, the sure and superior, the never inferior, who long for the leveling held in your hands. Many: Gather us in! One: The bright and the bustling, the stirrers, the shakers the kind laughter-makers, who long for the joys held in your hands. Many: Gather us in! One: From corner or limelight, from mansion or campsite, from fears and obsession, from tears and depression, from untold excesses, from treasured successes, to meet, to greet, to be given a seat, to be joined to the vine, to be offered new wine, to become like the least to be found at the feast. Many: Gather us in! *A SIGN OF OUR UNITY AND RECONCILIATION We invite you to greet those around you, wishing them “peace” or “the peace of Christ.” WORDS OF WELCOME ANTHEM When Jesus Wept Williams Billings, arr. Phil Stern The Children’s Chime Choir; Will Palmer, director; Phil Stern, oboe (Children and teachers may leave for their Church School classes.) THE GIFT OF THE WORD SCRIPTURE Isaiah 55:1-9 (adapted) Bob Kosturko One: Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Many Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; come, buy and eat! One: Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Many Ho, come to the waters; come, buy and eat! One: Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Many Ho, come to the waters; come, buy and eat! One: Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. Many: Our ears are inclined! One: I will make with you an everlasting covenant, Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; Many: We are listening and seeking so we may live! One: Let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts. Many: We forsake wickedness and unrighteousness. One: Let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Many: Here we come! Pardon us! One For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. All: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways and God’s thoughts than our thoughts. *HYMN 481 As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams Martyrdom SERMON “Ho!” Nancy S. Taylor *HYMN 187 Again We Keep This Solemn Fast Tallis Canon THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER *CALL TO PRAYER Quinn G. Caldwell One: God be with you. Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts Many: We lift our hearts to God. One: Let us pray. (The congregation may be seated.) PRAYERS OF CONFESSION AND INTERCESSION THE LORD’S PRAYER (unison) 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 debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. PRAYER RESPONSE O Taste and See Ralph Vaughan Williams Alecia Batson, soprano O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blest is the one that trusteth in him. —Psalm 34:8 OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS CALL TO THE OFFERING Jocelyn B. Gardner OFFERTORY ANTHEM The Lord Is My Shepherd John Rutter Olaf Boenisch, oboe The Lord is my shepherd; therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a green pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. He shall convert my soul and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for His Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me: Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me. Thou shalt prepare a table for me against them that trouble me: Thou hast anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full. But Thy loving kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. —Psalm 23 *SONG OF PRAISE Old Hundredth Praise God whose many names abound, Our Judge, our Rock, our Holy Ground. Our Home, our All, earth’s Majesty Love, Spirit, Light and Mystery. Amen. *PRAYER OF DEDICATION *HYMN 198 Lift High the Cross Crucifer *BIDDING TO MISSION AND BENEDICTION Nancy S. Taylor POSTLUDE Joyous from Exaltations, op. 252 Carson P. Cooman Today, immediately following the service, all who are interested in a tour of the Sanctuary are invited to meet docent Dick Yeo at the front of the Sanctuary. TODAY AT OLD SOUTH Welcome to Old South Church in Boston. Our faith is over 2000 years old, but our thinking is not! Old South opens its doors to the city, to tourists from near and far, to the needy, to an array of building users, and to a congregation (of members, friends, and family—both the curious and the committed) who call this their church home. Join us immediately following worship for fellowship and refreshments in Gordon Chapel. Today’s flowers are given by the Rev. David Shepherd King in memory of Stanton W. Putnam on their third anniversary. And by Steve Dutton in loving memory of Valerie Papillo, March 5, 1969 - October 30, 2005. Today’s Scripture Reader, Bob Kosturko, joined Old South in 2006 with his wife, Candace, and serves as a hospitality volunteer. Today’s ASL Interpreter is Michael Sullivan. Wearing name tags is a great way to facilitate community and make newcomers feel welcomed. If you don’t see a tag with your name on it, let us know—there will be one waiting for you next Sunday! Membership matters! If you are interested in deepening your participation, or if you just love Old South, it’s time to think about joining. Contact Minister for Discipleship Liz Myer Boulton at 617/536-1970 or <ejmyer@oldsouth.org>. CD recordings of today’s service may be obtained by calling the Front Desk at 617/536-1970 or emailing <reception@oldsouth.org>. Sunday sermons and worship services are also available on the Web and as podcasts at <www.oldsouth.org>. Audio of the service is available in the Gordon Chapel for those who would like a place to take restless children. Large print bulletins and hearing assistance devices are available at the Front Desk. GARAGE PARKING VALIDATIONS Old South has arrangements for discounted parking with two nearby garages. We are pleased to offer these options for Old South worship or church business (excluding weddings and concerts): 1. Park at the Garage@100 Clarendon (behind Back Bay Station), have your ticket validated at our Front Desk, and you pay the discounted rate of $7 for up to three hours. Old South bears no cost. 2. Park at the Prudential Garage for up to three hours, have your ticket validated at our Front Desk, and the Prudential Garage will bill Old South (costing us in total about $15,000 in 2009). Reminders Here in Copley Square we are just a short walk from many bus stops, subway and rail lines, cab stands, and walking/cycling paths. Bike racks are now available on Boylston Street. Find directions by transit from your address to 645 Boylston Street at <www.mbta.com>. For information or to join the Old South E-mail Forum, send an e-mail message to <communications@oldsouth.org>. NOTES ON TODAY’S MUSIC Isaiah chapter 55 offers the invitation: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live,” beckoning us to pause and be refreshed during this journey through the Lenten season. During the prelude a solo quartet will sing the setting of this text from the oratorio Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). It will be preceded by the poignant instrumental solo “Solace” by Old South’s own Erik K. Gustafson. We sing of our need for refreshment in the hymn “As Pants the Hart for Cooling Streams,” sung to the 1825 tune Martyrdom by Hugh Wilson. The prayer response is another invitation to refreshment from the Psalms, “O taste and see how gracious the Lord is” by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). This brief gem was composed for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey in 1953. Perhaps the most evocative depiction of the God who revives and refreshes may be found in the 23rd Psalm: “God makes me to lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside the still waters; God restores my soul …” During the offertory the Choir will sing a haunting setting of this enduring psalm from the Requiem by John Rutter (b. 1945). The oboe obbligato brings to mind the plaintive chant of a shepherd’s pipe. The postlude “Joyous” is from Exaltations, op. 252 by young Harvard composer Carson P. Cooman (b. 1982). It bears the scriptural reference: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.” (Philippians 2:9). —Harry L. Huff, Minister of Music OLD SOUTH CHURCH IN BOSTON MINISTERS,
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