Worship | Sunday May 16, 2010

Confirmation Sunday

At CCC, we honor and celebrate people of all races, cultures, ages, abilities,
sexual orientations and gender identity.

Let us now enter into the Holy One’s presence.

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude                                          Duet on Borning Cry                                                  John Ylvisaker
Michelle Esposito and Nae Pearson, piano
                              
*Call to Worship                                                                                                            Kristen Curlee
One Voice:            The Spirit of God bids us, “Come.”
One Voice:            Let everyone who hears within their hearts “Come.”
One Voice:             We come to this scared place where we know God’s presence.
Beltway:             Here we can bring our hopes and dreams, 
Downtown:            Here we can bring our hidden fears
and the doubts we wear on our sleeves.
One Voice:            We come to this place where we experience God’s grace,
Under 45:            Here we learn compassion and joy, 
Over 44:            Here we discover how deeply we are loved.
One Voice:            We come to be with the gathered people called the church.
Women:            Here we are blessed by the variety of gifts.
Men:                        Here we live as one for our God.
One Voice:            We come to rejoice in the presence of God.
One Voice:            We come giving thanks for God’s steadfast love.
All:                        Together we come to worship and give thanks!
           
*Hymn of Praise #433                            In the Bulb There Is a Flower                                  PROMISE

Prayer Of Invocation And The Lord’s Prayer
Faithful God, you create a path in front of us that we might discover what it means to be your people. You show us the importance of becoming companions along the way. You love us and you grant us compassion for the journey. We give you thanks as we pray in the way Jesus taught, Holy God, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your 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.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Time With Children                               

Rite of Confirmation

Introduction of the Covenant Class
Questions for those being confirmed

*Christ Congregational Church Covenant                                                                Board of Deacons
We covenant with one another as a community of faith grounded in God, the source of all life.  We seek to walk in the ways of God’s abiding love, made known or to be made known to us through the Holy Scriptures, the life and teachings of Jesus, and the continuing guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives and worship.  Affirming that all persons are created in the image of God, we honor and celebrate people of all races, cultures, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.  In our life together we endeavor to support each other on our spiritual journeys with open minds and loving hearts.  We hold it to be the mission of the church to embody the good news of God’s love for all people by laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, and the reign of peace.  We work and pray for the transformation of ourselves and all creation into realms of God’s compassion; and in faith we place ourselves in God’s hands, in death as in life.

Response of the Congregation,                                           Board of Outreach and Engagement
We, members and friends of Christ Congregational Church, welcome each of you with great joy into our community of faith. No matter where you are on the journey, we pledge to you our love and prayers as together we walk, work and worship in the ways of Jesus Christ. We will pray for you and invite you to pray for us. May our Still Speaking God be revealed to you in ways that give you hope eternal, insight as you are called to lead, courage to act, wisdom to listen, comfort when life is lonely or sad, and faith to believe in things that are not yet seen. May God grant that by our loving and being loved, serving and being served, forgiving and being forgiven, we may truly be faithful people who further your realm on earth. Amen.

Affirmation of Faith
Act of Confirmation

Hymn  (Page 8 of the bulletin)                             You Are Mine                                              David Hass

(The Lambs, 3 years old – pre kindergarten, through third graders leave for their classes)

Scripture            John 17:20-26
                                                                               
Meditation/Presentation                        “On Life and Faith”                               Covenant Class                                    

Call To Prayer
 The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us pray,

Pastoral Prayer                                                                                      Rev. Amy Lewis                       

Presentation of Tithes and Offering

Offertory                                    
                       
*Doxology                                                                               sung to the tune: LASST UNS ERFREUEN
            Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
            Praise God, all creatures here below; Alleluia, Alleluia.
            Praise God for all that love has done;
            Creator, Christ and Spirit, One.  Alleluia, Alleluia.
            Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.   
                                                                                                                                 
Prayer of Dedication
When Jesus calls us to believe in him today, he’s telling us that we can trust the goodness of God in our lives. Generosity springs from our trust in God’s goodness, a goodness that is stronger than anything else in the world. Let us share with this church and the world our abundance.

*Hymn of Going Forth #351                                                                                BORNING CRY
I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry

Benediction  
          
Postlude                                       Now Thank We All Our God                    J.S. Bach                                   

*     *     *     *     *     *

Covenant Class 2009 – 2010
Confirmation Sunday, May 16, 2010

Madelyn Celeste Anderson Fraley
Baptized March 26, 2005   Mentor, Stephanie Helsing

Gregory Richard Brown
Baptized November 19, 1995   Mentor, Bud Dennie

Karl James Brown
Baptized in April 1996   Mentor, Sallie Holmes

Michelle Christine Esposito
Baptized May 12, 1996   Mentor, Aldene Ault

Alexandra Vaughn Fitzpatrick
Baptized May 7, 1995   Mentor, Carolyn West-Gipson

Caren Margaret Holmes
Baptized in December, 1995   Mentor, Tim Carrigan

Bryce Lawrence Ingram
Baptized in February 1996   Mentor, Gordon Forbes

Erin Marie Michel
Baptized March 2, 1997   Mentor, Toko Ackerman

Marc Anders Nelson
Mentor, Nae Pearson

Katherine Sonya Rogers
Baptized May 12, 1996   Mentor, Jane Weber

Alice West-Gipson
Mentor, Jane Meier

Flowers
The flowers this week are given by Jeanne Young
with love and appreciation for Steve Young,
who celebrated a milestone birthday on May 14.

Portions of this service were adapted from
Worship Ways, a resource of the United Church of Christ;
Congregational Life, a resource of Seasons of the Spirit;
and Prayers to Share by David Sparks.

All musical resources reprinted with permission under CCLI License 2837543

Please turn off cell phones during the worship service.

Lectionary Readings for May 23
Acts 2:1-21                                                
Genesis 11:1-9                                          
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b                                 
Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21                   
John 14:8-17, (25-27)

CCC Calendar

Christ Congregational Church