Round Hill Community Church

ORDER OF SERVICE February 15, 2015

Transfiguration Sunday

PRELUDE Prelude in B flat Major Albinoni Allegro Andante Allegro

Dominic Derasse, Trumpet WORDS OF WELCOME

INTROIT Christ is the World’s True Light J.S Bach

CALL TO WORSHIPLeader: We have gathered here this morning to worship God.All: We have come seeking comfort, inspiration, community and

insight.Leader: We have come to open ourselves to the power of God’s

presence in our midst.All: We have come to offer up the seasons and the turnings in

our lives, and to ask God’s guidance in our learning and in our growing.

*HYMN No. 95 Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun

* The congregation is invited to stand

*OPENING PRAYERGod of glory, we turn towards the light of your hopefulnessas we worship you and share with one anotherthe cost and the joy of living our faith.By your powerful Spirit, turn our fearto courage and our confusion to confidence.And as we behold your glory in the life of Jesus,help us also to embody his fierce and tender love;in your name we pray. Amen

*THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come.Thy will be doneon 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,forever and ever. Amen.

*GLORIA PATRIGlory be to the Father, and to the Son,and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning,is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE The Rev. Lynne KramerChildren may now leave for Church School

ANTHEM Concerto in D Tartini Largo

SCRIPTURE LESSON 2 Kings 2:1-14Leader: Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to

heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha,

Elijah/Men: Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel. Leader: But Elisha said, Elisha/Women: As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not

leave you. Leader: So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets

who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, Prophets/Choir: Do you know that today the Lord will take your

master away from you? Elisha/Women: Yes, I know; keep silent.Elijah/Men: Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho. Elisha/Women: As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not

leave you. Leader: So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who

were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him,

Prophets/Choir: Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?

Elisha/Women: Yes, I know; be silent. Elijah/Men: Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan. Elisha/Women: As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not

leave you. Leader: So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company

of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha,

Elijah/Men: Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.

Elisha/Women: Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit. Elijah/Men: You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I

am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.

Leader: As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out,

Elisha/Women: Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!

Leader: But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle

of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying,

Elisha/Women: Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? Leader: When he had struck the water, the water was parted to

the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

SCRIPTURE LESSON Mark 9:2-10Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led

them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

SERMON Why Not Double? The Rev. Dr. Ed Horstmann

*HYMN No. 602 O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

OFFERINGInvitationOffertory PrayerAnthem Cantique de Racine Faure

English translation:Verb equal to God, the Almighty, our only hope,Eternal day of the earth and heavens;We break the silence of the peaceful night,Divine Saviour, look upon us!

Fan the fire of your powerful grace upon us,So that all Hell may flee at the sound of your voice;Shake off the sleep of a languishing soul,Who has forgotten your laws!

O Christ, be kind to these faithful peopleWho have now gathered in thanks.Listen to the chants they offer to your immortal glory, And may they come away fulfilled with your gifts!

*Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*Hymn No. 721 My Country ‘Tis of Thee (verse 4)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

*HYMN Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name

CHURCH PRAYEROur Heavenly Father, shed forth thy blessed spirit upon all our lives. Make each one of us an instrument in thy hands for good. Purify our hearts, strengthen our minds and bodies, fill us with Christian love. Let no pride, no self-conceit, no rivalry, no ill-will ever spring up among us. Make us earnest and true, wise and prudent, giving no just cause for offense and may thy holy peace rest upon us this day and every day throughout the coming week, sweetening our trials, cheering us in our work, and keeping us faithful to the end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHORAL RESPONSE

POSTLUDE Toccata Martini

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH MISSON STATEMENTWe, the members of the Round Hill Community Church, a self-governing, non-denominational body, seek to foster a community of faith where people of all ages and backgrounds pursue spiritual growth; where God is worshipped in Word and praised in music; where friends are made and hurts are healed. We seek to be a community where individuals commit their time are resources to education, fellowship, and to helping those in need among our Church family and in the broader world. We are a church where faith, hope, justice and love are valued, and above all, Jesus is Lord.

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH CREEDI believe in God, the one universal Father of all mankind, revealed supremely in Jesus Christ, our Lord, and present with us to guide, comfort and inspire in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Kingdom of God; and in the mission of the Christian Church to proclaim the Gospel to all the world, exalting the worship of the Lord our God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of righteousness, the reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. United in Christian love, we pray and labor for the coming of the Kingdom, the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting. Amen.

CHURCH NEWS

Thank you to William Herrick and Anuj Patel for ushering today.

We thank Dee Lewis and Hilary Zerbst for hosting Coffee Hour today. Please join them in the Parlor following worship.

Today, we welcome Dominic Derasse as our guest musician. Mr. Derasse has performed as a classical soloist and has presented master classes and lectures in Europe, the U.S., Japan, Africa, and South America. His career on Broadway includes over 25 shows. The most recent show was the revival of South Pacific (only one ever!) at Lincoln Center where he played first trumpet. This revival earned the show several Tony awards and was telecast on “Live from Lincoln Center” in August 2010.

Following today’s service at 11:30 a.m., in conjunction with the Icons of the Civil Rights Movement exhibition, Professor Randy Williams will share with us his life experience as a Black American. He maintains two careers, one as an active visual artist and another as an educator developing new methods of presenting the visual arts in colleges, universities, schools, and museums. A professor of Studio and Art Education at Manhattanville College, Williams is also an instructor and educational consultant to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Jewish Museum, the Neuburger Museum, and he is the Artistic Director of the New York State Summer School of the Visual Arts.

We will observe the beginning of Lent this Wednesday, February 18 with an Ash Wednesday Imposition of Ashes Service with Communion at 7:30 p.m.

The Meditation group will meet on Thursday at 6:30pm.

On Friday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m., the Women’s Gathering will host a “Poets & Poems” poetry fest led by Helen Itin O’Malley. Helen will share her favorite poems including “Who Are You Grand Canyon” by Yevgeny Yevtushenko and “Her Letter” by Bret Harte. We welcome others to come and share their favorite poems, too! Wine and fellowship will begin at 6pm followed by a delicious chili dinner (both traditional and vegetarian) at 6:30. The program will begin at 7pm sharp. To reserve your spot, please call or email the Church office. Cost is $12 at the door, or a free will offering.

The Icons of the Civil Rights Movement exhibit has been a resounding success to date and we’ve received much positive feedback both from those members of our RHCC congregation who have visited it and the several community groups who have come to Les Beaux Arts Gallery. Our docents are doing an amazing job of sharing their knowledge, insights and passing along the artists’ passion for her creations. We want to encourage anyone who has not come to see the exhibit yet to do so! Should you have any connections to school or church assemblies, local organizations, book clubs, art appreciation societies, senior groups, or the like, that you think might enjoy a visit to Les Beaux, please encourage them to contact the Church office via phone or email.

During these weeks when schools are closed for winter vacations and all variety of weather-related difficulties, translating into the fact that kids are home more often and disadvantaged families may need more food supplies on hand in the home, please keep in mind our friends at Neighbor to Neighbor. They are always very appreciative of donations of non-perishable food stuffs and financial support from our congregation. A food wagon and giving envelopes are located in the Narthex. Please be generous!

REFLECTIONS

The path leading to the mountain of our transfiguration begins in the unsuspected and the ordinary – the relationship which we feel has become

humdrum, the task which we resent, the individual who suddenly displays an unexpected greatness and the courage and faith which blinds us and fills us

with awe and makes us realize that we both stand in a greater presence. These are the secret and unexpected openings that lead to the path by which

we eventually stand on the mountain of life’s transfiguration.

- Herbert O’Driscoll, A Certain Life

Cover Image: Of Water and Spirit© Jan L. Richardson janrichardson.com

Senior Minister: The Rev. Dr. Edward G. Horstmann

Pastoral Associate: The Rev. Lynne S. KramerMinister Emeritus: The Rev. Dr. Ralph Ahlberg

Minister of Music: Christopher KabalaChurch School Coordinator: Connie Blunden

Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831

203.869.1091 roundhillcommunitychurch.org