The Feast of Pentecost
Liberty Weekend All Faith Service
We welcome in a spirit
of silence as the prelude begins our service. Chaplain George Munkenbeck,
14th Brooklyn Regiment, Company H is co-officiating this
morning.
OUR APPROACH
TO GOD
Prelude
Introit "Spirit of the Living God"
Welcome and Call to
Worship: A Native American Prayer by Black Elk
Then I was standing on the highest mountain of them all,
AND ROUND BENEATH ME WAS THE WHOLE HOOP
OF THE WORLD.
And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell,
AND I UNDERSTOOD MORE THAN I SAW.
For I was seeing in the sacred manner the shape of all things of the
spirit
AND THE SHAPES AS THEY MUST LIVE TOGETHER
LIKE ONE BEING.
And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops
that make one circle, wide as daylight and starlight,
AND IN THE CENTER GREW ONE MIGHTY
FLOWERING TREE
To shelter all the children of one mother and one father.
AND I SAW THAT IT WAS HOLY.
*Hymn 572
"America the Beautiful"
Let us pause in silence before our God.
Prayer in Unison: GRACIOUS GOD, WHEN THE STRUGGLES OF LIFE HEM ME IN
ON EVERY SIDE, OPEN ME TO THE FREEDOM OF YOUR PRESENCE THAT CAN HELP ME
SEE BEYOND EVERY RESTRICTION, EVERY LIMIT THAT BINDS ME. O GOD, GIVE ME
THE WISDOM TO SEE THE SUBTLE WAYS PEOPLE CAN BE ENSLAVED AND THE COURAGE
TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE. I ASK THIS FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR
LOVE.
O GOD, WHEN WE
WAKE TO YET ANOTHER DAY OF WONDER AND JOY IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR CREATION,
GIVE US THE HEART TO KEEP OUR NEEDS SIMPLE, OUR DESIRES SOFT, OUR WILLS
PLIABLE, SO THAT WE NEVER PARTICIPATE IN THE EXPLOITATION OF THE EARTH
WHICH IS THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS OR THE EXPLOITATION OF ONE ANOTHER,
BECAUSE ALL PEOPLE ARE THE WORK OF YOUR HEART.
Kyrie
(sung)
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US.
CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON US.
LORD, HAVE MERCY ON US.
A Word of Assurance: Micah 4:3
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own
vines and fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid.
The Summary of the
Law
(Mark
12:29b-31)
This is the
first commandment:
HEAR O
ISRAEL,
THE LORD OUR GOD,
THE LORD IS ONE.
THEREFORE YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD
WITH
ALL YOUR
HEART,
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
WITH ALL YOUR MIND,
AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.
This is the
second commandment:
YOU SHALL LOVE
YOUR NEIGHBOR AS
YOURSELF.
There
is no greater commandment
than these.
Anthem
"Come Holy Spirit" W. Gaither
THE WORD OF
GOD
*Responsive Reading: An excerpt from "Liberation is
Costly" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Liberation is costly. Even after the Lord had delivered the Israelites
from Egypt, they had to travel through the desert.
THEY HAD TO BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DIFFICULTIES OF FREEDOM.
There was starvation and thirst and they kept complaining.
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT LIBERATION IS COSTLY. IT NEEDS UNITY.
We must hold hands and refuse to be divided. We must be ready.
LET US BE UNITED. LET US BE FILLED WITH HOPE, LET US BE THOSE WHO
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER.
All people of Christian faith are
welcome to join us as we conclude this prayer of praise:
*Gloria
Patri (Hymn No. 623)
GLORY 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, AMEN!
The Greeting of Peace and Special Greetings
"Soldier" by Robert Frost, read by Elder and Vice President, Susan
Hanyen,
Meditation by The Reverend Terry Troia
OUR
RESPONSE TO GOD
*Hymn "This is My Song"
*The Offering
*Doxology (625) and Prayer
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM
ALL BLESSINGS FLOW;
PRAISE GOD ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW;
PRAISE GOD ABOVE YE HEAVENLY HOSTS;
PRAISE FATHER (CREATOR), SON (CHRIST) AND HOLY GHOST. AMEN.
(Non-Christians are invited to sing this
verse in place of the Triune Doxology above.)
PRAISE GOD, THE LOVE WE ALL MAY SHARE.
PRAISE GOD, OUR BEAUTY EVERYWHERE.
PRAISE GOD, THE HOPE OF GOOD TO BE.
PRAISE GOD, THE TRUTH THAT MAKES US FREE. AMEN!
A Time of Giving Thanks & Praise
The Prayer of the People ending in the
Lord’s Prayer
*Hymn 252 "Sweet, Sweet Spirit"
*Benediction
*Response to the Benediction
Postlude
*Please stand if you are able.
The flowers gracing the sanctuary this morning are
given to the glory of God and in loving memory of our beloved parents,
Josephine & Henry & grandfathers, Antonio Costarella & Joseph Safay.
The Memorial Wreath commemorating the 223rd anniversary of the
Liberty Pole is
graciously donated by the Ruggiero Family of Bath Beach Florist. Thank you
for your enduring friendship!
Special thanks and much gratitude is extended to
our
New Utrecht Liberty Pole Association
President, Rose Lood and
Friends
of Historic New Utrecht President Bob
Buonvino, Vice President Edward Paunetto and Angela Sarro, Chairperson of
the New Utrecht
Liberty Weekend,
David Elligers, our cemetery tour guide and trustee, and the
Boy Scout
Leaders and Scouters for making Liberty Weekend possible! Many, many
thanks to Chaplain George Munkenbeck and the soldiers of the Brooklyn 14th
Regiment, Company H, N.Y. State Militia. Our hats off to Brian Worsdale
for a magnificent concert he conducted last night to a full house! Thank
you Brian and the
ISO Band! To our
own New Utrechters and many Scouting and community volunteers who made
this weekend possible: thank you!!! Many thanks also to any volunteers
whom I may have inadvertently omitted. We thank you all profoundly. We are
graced by your efforts and enthusiasm! God bless you!
If you do not have a church home, we invite you to join us!
