Princeton United Methodist Church - November 21, 2021

Laity Sunday November 21, 2021

"Alleluia"

by Jen Norton

The Church Gathers Pre-Service Music

“Apparition de l’église éternelle”

Messiaen

Words of Welcome The Peace

The peace of the Lord be with you. And also with you.

Call to Worship Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

We glorify our God with songs of thanksgiving and joy.

God has done great things for us, filling us with grace.

God fed our ancestors in the wilderness, God clothes us with hope.

We will offer our hearts to God, always saying, 'Thank you!' to the One who loves us.

We will sing our praises, shouting of God's presence in our lives. {from Thom Shuman} Hymn “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing” Refrain: Let all the world in every corner sing: my God and King!

UMH #93

1. The heavens are not too high, God's praise may thither fly; the earth is not too low, God's praises there may grow. {Refrain} 2. The church with psalms must shout, no door can keep them out.

But, more than all, the heart must bear the longest part. {Refrain} Prayer of Confession Because we live in this modern, tech-driven, twittering age, we often forget what you have done for us, God of every blessing. We pat ourselves on the back for our ability to learn new computer skills but have forgotten that life is more than a machine. We have more than we could ever use yet, like squirrels, store up more and more.

Our faith is often pushed to the back of the closet, to make room for all the fears we wear so easily.

Forgive us, Restorer of life. As you clothe us with your grace and mercy, may we share with those who have so little. As our hearts overflow with your love and wonder, may we offer them as gifts to everyone we meet. As you feed us with your joy and hope, may we welcome to the Table all those whose lives are filled with tears and pain. As we gather with family and friends during this season, may we continue to give thanks for the gift of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. {silence is kept}

Words of Assurance This is the good news: as God dresses creation in wonder, so you will be clothed in grace; as God pours out abundance upon the earth, so you will be blessed with peace and joy.

We don't say it often enough, but thanks be to God for healing, for life, for wonder, for mercy.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Alleluia! Amen. {adapted from Thom Shuman}

To Hear the Word and Reflect Special Music Children’s Time

Scripture Sermon

“Irish Blessing”

arr. Laurence

This, this is where children belong Welcomed as part of the worshiping throng Water, God's Word, bread and cup, prayer and song.

This is where children belong.

“Psalm 95:1-7a; 100” This is the Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

TFWS #2233

“Thanksgiving”

Vinette Jones, Claudio DaSilva

To Respond in Faith Hymn “Give Thanks” Give thanks with grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ his Son. Give thanks with grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because he's given Jesus Christ his Son. And now let the weak say, "I am strong"; let the poor say, "I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us."

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"; let the poor say, "I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us." Give thanks, give thanks.

TFWS #2036

Prayers of the People The Lord’s 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 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, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Sign-in and Connect! Card Let us know you are here, and connect with ways to Feed and Be Fed through PUMC: • Use the Connect! card , text “PUMC” to 609-542-2192, or scan the QR code.

Invitation to Offering We provide lots of options to give electronically: • Give on our church website, scan the QR code, text 844-908-2593, or give via PayPal.

Offertory

“Allegro" from “Voluntary nº VIII in D minor”

Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below: Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise God, the source of all our gifts!

Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts! Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Stanley

Prayer of Thanksgiving

And Scatter To Be in the World Hymn “Now Thank We All Our God” Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things has done, in whom this world rejoices; who from our mothers' arms has blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

UMH #102

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us; and keep us still in grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills, in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given; the Son, and him who reigns with them in highest heaven; the one eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be ever more.

Prayer Concerns Emelia Timpo Catherine Williams and Family The Family of Cindy Gordon The Francisco Family Sara and Zion Hicks

The Birkel Family Emma’s Grandmother Pastor Jae Hong & Family Iona’s mother, Edith Michele’s sister, Jacqueline

Today’s flowers are given in loving memory of

Adrienne Hartley

by Duncan Hartley

Tom Terry Dries, Andrea, Diane Joseph Guidry Nicole Meo’Martino Jonathan Seltzer

Have Prayer Concerns?

For our Prayer Chain, call Mary Lib Stewart at 609-632-1973 or contact Yvonne Macdonald at yvonnee.mac@verizon.net, 609-497-0337.

Please notify Pastor Jae Hong at jae@princetonumc.org when you or a family member is in the hospital or in need of a pastoral call.

Sharing in Our Worship Today Worship Leader: Lay Reader: Liturgists:

Claudio DaSilva, Vinette Jones Medina Arthur Steve Wong, Doug Fullman, Michele Tuck-Ponder Designated Singers: Hyosang Park, Lori Pantaleo, Stephen Offer

Musicians: Conductor: Sound & Video: Ushers: Acolyte: Children’s Time:

Richard Spotts, Handbell Choir Pamela Bradley Ian Macdonald, Bill Gardner Ralph Newhall, Rich Hadley Izzy and Alex DiStase Anna Ifft

For a full listing of calendar events, visit our website: https://princetonumc.org/calendar/ Sunday, November 21 8:45 am Contemporary Issues 10:00 am Worship Service 10:15 am Children's Ministry 3:00 pm Divorce Support Group 3:15 pm Youth Choir in the Sanctuary 3:30 pm Love Lives On in Room 204 4:00 pm MS & HS Youth Group SD Room 6:00 pm Ministerio Internacional Monday, November 22 10:00 am Monday Morning Group 12:15 pm AA in Room 203 7:00 pm Bravura Philharmonic Rehearsal 7:00 pm NJGMC Rehearsal Tuesday, November 23 12:15 pm AA in Room 203 4:30 pm PhilaFLAM French Class 8:00 pm Godfulness Meditation Group Wednesday, November 24 9:00 am Love Lives On 5:00 pm Cornerstone Community Meal Thursday, November 25 11:00 am Thanksgiving Service at Princeton University Chapel Sunday, November 28 8:45 am Contemporary Issues 10:00 am Worship Service 10:15 am Children's Ministry 11:45 am Handbell Choir in the Music Room 3:00 pm HS Youth Group in Fellowship Hall 4:00 pm Youth Choir in the Sanctuary 4:30 pm MS Youth Group in Fellowship Hall 6:00 pm Ministerio Internacional

Brown Bag Food Drive Today This year we can return to our annual Thanksgiving donation of food and monetary offerings for local hungry people. They are served by Arm in Arm - a Trenton-based organization that maintains three client choice food pantries and also serves to those who are elderly and homebound. Princeton UMC's connection with Arm in Arm covers more than 30 years. Today we bring food donations up to the altar, which will go directly to Arm in Arm. Prefer to give a financial gift to Arm in Arm instead? Go to our church website to make an online contribution, designating "Arm in Arm" in the comments field. Checks can be made out to PUMC, and designated “Arm in Arm.” Thanksgiving Community Service November 25 | 11:00 am The Princeton Clergy Association Thanksgiving Community Service will be held in person on Thursday, November 25, 2021, at 11 am, in the Princeton University Chapel. This year’s service will require all participants to be fully vaccinated and to wear a mask throughout the service. Rev. Jenny Smith Walz and Hyosang Park will both be helping to lead the service this year.

TASK Food Donations This Month Extra turkey and extra ham as a result of all the supermarket promotions? The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) is currently serving over 1,700 meals at lunch time, five times the number prior to the pandemic, and would greatly appreciate your donation. As the church has not yet returned to normal hours, and for your convenience, please email appersonsr@aol.com to make arrangements for your delivery to the church.

Musical Notes from Guest Organist Richard Spotts Today Today is Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of the liturgical calendar. It is a day the deals with eternal end times as encapsulated in the Christian notion of eschatology and God’s ultimate dominion over Creation.

We begin today with Olivier Messiaen’s “Apparition de l’église éternelle” (Apparition of the Church eternal). This incredibly famous work for organ was written in 1932 and depicts a vision of the “Eternal Church” and draws its imagery from the hymn “Urbs beata” and “Cœlestis urbs Jerusalem.” It has often been compared to Dante’s description of the inferno in its foreboding awe. In addition to an epigraph, Olivier Messiaen wrote a poem based upon the hymn “Urbs beata” to accompany this piece: Poem: Faite des pierres vivantes, Faite des pierres du ciel, Elle apparaît dans le ciel: C’est l’Épouse de l’Agneau!

C’est l’Église du ciel.

Faite des pierres du ciel Qui sont les âmes des Élus.

Ils sont en Dieu et Dieu en eux Pour l’éternité du ciel!

Translation: Made out of living stone, Made out of heavenly stone, It appears in heaven: It is the Bride of the Lamb!

It is the heavenly Church Made out of heavenly stone Which is the Chosen’s souls.

They are in God, and God is in them For heavenly eternity!

We conclude today with a work of equal apocalyptic grandeur by the French composer Charles Tournemire. The “Fantaisie sur le Te Deum et Guirlandes alléluiatiques” is the final movement of Tournemire’s “L’Orgue Mystique” It conjoins a cry for deliverance with the Church’s hymn of praise, the “Te Deum laudamus.”: “It is thou, O Lord, that savest us from our enemies: and puttest them to confusion that hate us. We make our boast of God all day long, and will praise thy Name for ever.” (Psalm xliij/xliv) “Alleluia, alleluia. Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord: Lord hear my voice. Alleluia.” (Psalm cxxix/cxxx) “We praise thee O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.” (Ambrosian Hymn, IV century)