United Church of Chapel Hill1321 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Telephone: 919-942-3540E-mail: office@unitedchurch.org

www.unitedchurch.org

March 11, 2018Fourth Sunday of Lent

Order of Worship

For we are as God has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

~Ephesians 2:10

THE BELL OF INVITATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

In Music Trumpet Festivo for Handbells Purcell, arr. Spevacek

Lift Your Voice in Praise and Thanksgiving Handel

In Word

One: This is the day that the Lord has made.All: We will rejoice and be glad in it.

One: We are the children of a Living God.All: We will rejoice and express our thanks.

* HYMN 66 O Day of Radiant Gladness ES FLOG EIN KLEINS WALDVÖGELEIN

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

All: Merciful God, in your gracious presence we confess our sin and the sin of this

world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided

against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and

pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and

jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against

nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and

reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy

upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of

your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.

-- Silent confession --

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

One: You must remember that the grace of God extends without partiality to all ofcreation. Was it not God who created the heavens and the earth and thenpronounced them good? Has God not been there since before we were even in thewomb? And has God not repeatedly renewed an everlasting covenant withfaithless people? We were created in love, by God's own preexisting goodwill - allour faults and limitations notwithstanding - for persevering works of beauty andcompassion. So don't dare forget it: you are beloved and we are forgiven.

* PASSING OF THE PEACE

The peace of God be with you. And also with you.

* GLORIA WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Glory be to our Creator, Praise to our Redeemer Lord,

Glory be to our Sustainer, Ever three and ever one,

As it was in the beginning, now and ever more shall be.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHILDREN’S MOMENT

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As children leave the Sanctuary, we invite the congregation to sing a blessing:

As you leave this friendly place,

Love give light to every face;

May the kindness that you learn

Light your hearts ‘til you return.

Encountering the Word

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION DUNDEE

FIRST LESSON Ephesians 2:1-10You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of thisworld, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who aredisobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires offlesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. But God, who is rich inmercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses,made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him andseated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might showthe immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you havebeen saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works,so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

GOSPEL LESSON John 3:14-21

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, thatwhoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the worldmight be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do notbelieve are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather thanlight because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, sothat their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may beclearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’

Reader: This is the Word of God for the people of God.People: Thanks be to God.

ANTHEM Give Me Jesus Mark Patterson

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

Individuals are invited to offer their own prayers. After each the congregation responds, “Lord, hear our

prayer.”

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, for ever. Amen.

* HYMN 208 God Loved the World ROCKINGHAM

MESSAGE “Live Like Humans” Rev. Cameron Barr

Music for Meditation

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Giving Thanks

OFFERING OURSELVES TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER

Invitation

Offertory Children of the Heavenly Father Kathy Moklebust

*Doxology TALLIS’ CANON

* Dedication of the Offering

* SERVICE OF COMMUNION [8:45]Invitation

This is the joyful feast of the people of God.Men and women, youth and children,

come from the east and the west,

the north and the south,

and gather about Christ’s table.

This table is for all who wish to know the presence of Christand to share in the community of God’s people.

Everyone is welcome at Christ’s table.

(Please be seated.)Words of InstitutionSharing of the Bread and Cup

Communion is offered by intinction, a practice of dipping the bread in the cup. You may go to any

of the stations with servers. Those who’d like to be served in their seats need only signal an usher.

Gluten-free bread is available in the middle station.

Communion Music Ex more docti mystico Trad. Latin hymn(Again We Keep This Solemn Fast, text hymnal 187)

Healing PrayerPastoral staff are present at the back of the Sanctuary for those who wish prayer and laying on of

hands for healing. You may come for yourself or as a channel for God's healing for someone else.

Prayer of ThanksgivingWe give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the

presence of Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth

into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sending

* HYMN 307 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken AUSTRIAN HYMN

* BLESSING IN WORD

* RESPONSE

BLESSING IN MUSIC Orgel Werk 9 Hermann Schroeder

You are invited to continue worshiping as the Blessing in Music is shared. Please welcome visitors who are with us this morning and introduce them to one of

the pastors who are waiting to greet you in the Narthex. We hope you will join us for refreshments in the Fellowship Hall.

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SERVICE NOTES

Flowers today are given by Lucy Austin in honor of her daughters - Sara and Ann Austin.

Sound System volunteers 8:45 Serena Fenton 11:00 Grant Berry

Ushers 8:45 Susan Sharpe, Mary Jenne, Dianne Bertsch, Jeff Hall, Alex Hall11:00 Janet Flowers, Victoria Adeleke, Genie Jansen, Nancy Jones

ASL Interpreter Jen Ferraro

Worship Participants

Dennis Pagano, Dan Vermeer, Alecia Brower, Katherine Henderson, Anitra Grove, Rinnie Orr

Musicians Julie Mitchell, organ; Jenny Anderson and Larry Triplett, directorsChancel Choir (8:45, 11:00) and Youth Choir (11:00); Jennifer Potts, alto saxophoneChancel Bells, Jackie Bruce, director (8:45); Jenny Anderson, director (11:00)

Worship Notes:

Cover art work by UCCH member David Taylor.Prayer of Confession from the Book of Common Worship. Westminster: John Knox (1993), 87.

Welcome to UnitedChurch of Chapel Hill

If you are new to our church, welcome!

• You are welcome regardless of age, race,

marital status, sexual orientation, means,

ability and spiritual tradition.

• Please introduce yourself to our pastors.

Worship at UCCH:

• If you have prayer requests, please write

them in the Prayer Book in the Narthex

before worship to be read to the

congregation during the Prayers of the

Church in the worship service. To include a

prayer request for another person, please do

not share that person’s name and

circumstance without permission.

• Please remember to turn off your cell phone.

• Please wear your name tag.

• In the bulletin:

* As able, please stand

Bold indicates congregational response.

Accessibility:

• Large-print bulletins, children’s bulletins, and

hearing devices are available from ushers.

• ASL is available at the 11 am service.

• All-Gender Handicapped accessible

bathrooms are clearly marked throughout the

building.

• UCCH is fully handicapped accessible.

• An elevator to the lower floor is in the

Narthex.

For families:

• Rocking chairs are available in the back of

Sanctuary for your comfort; you are also free

to stand whenever necessary.

• If your child needs space to roam, privacy to

nurse or a bathroom with a changing table,

you may go to the Family Parlor, directly

across the Narthex. The service is broadcast

into the parlor; during communion services,

ushers will bring the sacrament to you.

• Nursery care for infants through first graders

is available from 8:30 am-12:30 pm every

Sunday in rooms 130, 127 and 126 (our crib

room).

• We encourage children in second grade and

above to worship with their families for the

entire service. To enhance their experience,

children's bulletins are available in the

narthex, as are children's Bibles and Bible

storybooks.

• Nursery and pre-school care are available

downstairs during worship.

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UNITED CHURCH STAFF

Senior Pastor Cameron Barr

Associate Pastor for Faith Formation Susan Steinberg

Associate Pastor of Outreach and LanguageMinistries David Mateo

Youth Director Katherine Henderson

Director for Children’s Ministry Anitra Grove

Director of Congregational Care Alyson Breisch

Director of Music Ministry Jennifer Anderson

Assistant Youth Choir Director Gillian Fields

Office & Communications Manager Rinnie Orr

Administrative Assistant Claudia Galvez

Bookkeeper/Business Manager Duane Gilbert

Hostess Mirna Rodriguez, Anna Martinez

Nursery Director Alison Robertson

Assistant Nursery Director Lori Lay

Nursery Assistants Dah Eh Htoo, Marisa Mee

Rosy Moo,Hla Win Tway

Custodians Claudia Galvez, Sandra Hernandez

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