Worship | Sunday June 13, 2010

FAREWELL TO REV. SUSAN

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.

Gathering Music (insert)                 Lead Me, Guide Me                                                Doris M. Akers
                       Hymn # 458               I’ve Got a Feeling                                I’VE GOT A FEELING
Paul Scribner, drums

Welcome and Announcements

Passing of the Peace

Prelude                                           My Shepherd Will Supply My Need                          arr. Mack Wilberg
The Chancel Choir; Sam Brush, piano
Lynne Joseloff, flute; Lazo Momchilovich, oboe
                                                        
*Call to Worship
            Come, let us worship and bow down in awe of God’s steadfast love for us.
            For God gives ear to our words; God listens to the sound of our cries.
            Come, let us take refuge in the God of our salvation.
            For God is our shield, our protection in times of trouble.
            Come, let us rejoice and sing for joy!
            For God is surely in this place!  Let us worship God!

*Hymn of Praise #423                         Great Is Your Faithfulness                                FAITHFULNESS

Prayer Of Invocation And The Lord’s Prayer                             
Loving God, we come to you eager to experience the tender warmth of your embrace. Help us to set aside any distractions that would keep us from resting in your presence. Open our ears to hear what you have to say to us. Open our eyes to see how you are at work among us. Open our hearts to feel your inspiration and guidance. Give us courage to follow you wherever you may lead us. Grant us the courage to pray as 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.

Scripture                                              Luke 7:36-50                                                          Kate Rogers

Time With Children                        “Peace, Love and Joy”                                Rev. Susan A. Henderson

Musical Response                          I’ve Got Peace Like a River                                  PEACE LIKE A RIVER

Hymn (Insert)                                          To God Be The Glory                     TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Meditation                                                The Alabaster Jar                              Rev. Susan A. Henderson

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,

Prayers of the People                                                                              Rev. Amy L. Lewis                    

Presentation of Tithes and Offering

Offertory                                             Fairest Lord Jesus                                              arr. Derek Hakes
The Chancel Choir
                    
 *Doxology                                                                                      Sung to the tune: OLD HUNDREDTH
            Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
            Praise God, all creatures here below;
            Praise God for all that love has done;
            Creator, Christ and Spirit, One.                                                                    
                                                              
*Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, we offer our gifts as an act of extravagant faith.  Bless this offering, that it might be a witness to your realm of forgiveness, justice and healing.  Encourage us to show great generosity throughout the coming weeks.  In your many names we pray, Amen.

A Service of Farewell

Leader (Bob Brown, Co-chair of the Transition Committee):
Our church family is constantly changing.
People come and go.  Babies are born.  Children grow up.
People commit themselves to one another.
Loved ones and friends among us come to the end of their lives.
Individuals move into our community and church life.
Others leave us, moving away to new places, new experiences, and new opportunities.

It is important and right that we recognize these times of passage, of endings and beginnings. Today we share the time of farewell with Reverend Susan Henderson and her husband Ken. Reverend Henderson has completed her interim ministry with us after nearly three years of faithful service and leadership, guiding us with grace and intention.  An interim ministry has its important stages and Susan has carefully brought us through those to the time when we are ready to find and then follow our new spiritual leader.

Leader (Sue Dollins, Co-chair of the Transition Committee):
On October 1, 2007, Christ Congregational Church hired Reverend Susan Henderson to serve as Interim Senior Minister.

Reverend Henderson:
I thank Christ Congregational Church, its members and friends, for the love, kindness and support shown me these last three years.
I ask forgiveness for the mistakes I have made.
I am grateful for the ways my leadership has been accepted.
As I leave, I carry with me all that I have learned here.

Congregation:
We receive your thankfulness, offer forgiveness, and accept that you now leave to follow your life as it leads you elsewhere.

We express our deep gratitude for your time among us, intentionally making us more ready to enter a journey with our next called Senior Minister.

We ask your forgiveness for our mistakes.
Your influence on our faith and faithfulness will not leave us at your departure.

Reverend Henderson:
I forgive you and accept your gratitude, trusting that our time together and our parting are pleasing to God.

Leaders:
On behalf of our entire congregation, we acknowledge that we will miss both of you.  You have contributed so much to our life together, in worship, in meetings, in choir, in the fellowship of shared times and events and hospitality.  May your own journey from this time and place be blessed and guided by our still speaking God. 

Congregation:
             God, whose everlasting love for all is trustworthy, help each of us to trust the future which rests in your care.  The time we were together in your name saw our laughter and tears, our hopes and our disappointments.  Guide us as we hold these cherished memories but move in new directions, until that time to come when we are completely one with you and with each other.  In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

*Hymn of Going Forth #547                                                                                   NEW BRITAIN
Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

Benediction  
Let us bless one another as we journey into the future.
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May God look upon you with kindness and give you peace. Amen.
                                                                                                             (Numbers 6:24-25)

Postlude                                        Ain’t Got Time to Die                                                     Hall Johnson  
The Chancel Choir; Rick Brush, solo

                                                      
Sign Language Interpreter
Jennifer Wagner

Music
Our musical gifts today are offered to the Glory of God and in Thanksgiving
for the ministry of The Reverend Susan Henderson.
With appreciation to the Chancel Choir,
The CCC Brass Ensemble; Brian Frye, director;
The CCC Orchestra and Members of the Intergenerational orchestra,
  Sam Brush, assistant director and Accompanist.

Flowers
The flowers on the altar are given by Deb Anderson, Bob Fraley and Madelyn and Isaac in honor of Rev. Susan Henderson and in gratitude for the love, nurturance, guidance and grace she has bestowed upon our church community.

 Portions of this service were adapted from Worship Ways, a resource of the United Church of Christ;
Before the Amen; Creative Resources for Worship edited by Maren C. and Maria I Tirabassi
The Service of Farewell is adapted from The UCC Book of Worship.

All musical resources reprinted with permission under CCLI License 2837543

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Christ Congregational Church