Season of Epiphany

FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE

Congregational 1633-1636 United Church of Christ

Garden and Mason Streets Cambridge, Massachusetts

FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE, CONGREGATIONAL, UCC February 16, 2014

THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

VOLUNTARY Sonata in G Minor C.P.E. Bach *HYMN 249 Open Now Your Gates of Beauty

*GREETING Don Johnson L: Sisters and Brothers, grace and peace to you from God!

C: And to the whole earth peace!

L: Come into the shelter of God’s mercy:

C: Wide as the heavens, warm as the shining sun.

L: Come be at home in the circle of Christ’s love:

C: Dare to be known and welcomed and free!

L: Let us lift up our hearts in prayer and praise!

WORDS OF WELCOME Kate Layzer CALL TO CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Jan Lo and Phil LaFollette ANTHEM Andover William Billings

INVITATION TO CONFESSION SILENCE

*You are invited to stand. Hymns proceeded by a “C” may be found in the beginning section of the hymnal. The

C (Cambridge) - section contains hymns written and composed by current and past members of First Church.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION L: Let us join in our Prayer of Confession:

C: Lord, open unto me

Light for my darkness, courage for my fear

Hope for my despair, peace for my turmoil

Joy for my sorrow, strength for my weakness

Wisdom for my confession, forgiveness for my sins

Love for my hates, thy Self for my self.

Lord, Lord, open unto me! (Howard Thurman)

DECLARATION OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS *GREETING OF PEACE

*HYMN 223 Gracious Spirit, Dwell With Me

PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING RESPONSIVE READING Matthew 5:3–12 L: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

C: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

L: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

C: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

L: Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

C: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

L: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

C: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the

kingdom of heaven.

L: Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil

against you falsely on my account.

C: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way

they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Children from Preschool to 8th grade are now invited to leave for church school. Teach-

ers will meet children at the side door to accompany them to their classrooms. Parents can

meet their children in Lindsay Chapel (through Margaret Jewett Hall and to the left) after

READING Matthew 5:17–37 SERMON Kate Layzer HYMN C– 8 Psalm 139

PRAYERS FOR CHURCH AND WORLD Sheehan Scarborough L: God be with you. C: And with your spirit.

L: Let us pray . . .(intercessions, silence, and the Lord's Prayer)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Please pray this prayer and address God in words most meaningful to your heart.)

All: 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, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING OFFERTORY Brother James’ Air Arr. Gordon Jacob *DOXOLOGY AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

To God, all glorious heav’nly light,

To Christ revealed in earthly night,

To God, the Spirit, now we raise

Our joyful songs of thankful praise! Amen.

*HYMN 352 Go Forth for God

*BENEDICTION *CHORAL RESPONSE Benediction Layzer/Taylor

The Word is flesh and dwells among us! Glory to God in the highest!

VOLUNTARY Sonata in G Minor C.P.E. Bach

The Epiphany bulletin cover was created by Milly Clark,

as part of a church school creative arts project.

WELCOME TO FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE...

Whoever you are, wherever you are on life's journey, we are thankful that you are with us today, and we hope that you will stay for a bit after worship for refreshments and conversation. First Church is an open and affirming, just peace congregation of the United Church of Christ. If

you'd like to know more about us, please introduce yourself to one of the ministers after church and explore our website at www.firstchurchcambridge.org.

Large print bulletins and assistive listening devices are available.

Please ask a greeter for assistance.

Children of all ages are welcome in our worship. Picture books, children's Bibles and activity packets can be found in the Children's Book Corner located by the door to the parish building (to

the right of the chancel). Children may visit the Book Corner at any point during worship. Nursery care for infants and toddlers is located through that door and down the hallway (up four

stairs to the door on the right). Fussy babies and their caregivers are invited to the Hastings Room, just across the hall from that same door, where the service is broadcast through speakers.

PREACHING TODAY IS Kate Layzer, Community Minister and member of First Church. Assisting with worship is Sheehan Scarborough, ministerial intern. Our liturgist is Don Johnson, co-chair of our Building and Grounds Committee. Peter Sykes, Director of Music, is playing the organ and directing and choir. Rev. Dan Smith and Sarah Higginbotham are away this weekend on vacation with their families. The YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED section is omitted in the online version to respect the privacy of those mentioned. To find out who we are praying for this week, please contact the church office at 617-547-2724 or by emailing parishadmin@firstchurchcambridge.org.

TODAY’S HAPPENINGS

THEY RAISED ME UP! A BLACK SINGLE MOTHER AND THE WOMEN WHO IN-SPIRED HER, BY CAROLYN WILKINS Today at 12:30 p.m., Hastings Room In addition to being an amazing jazz pianist and for many years a leader of our Jazz 5:30 Vespers Service, Carolyn Wilkins is a Professor at Berklee College of Music and highly acclaimed author. Her latest book is They Raised Me Up! A Black Single Mother and the Women Who Inspired Her. At the height of the cocaine-fueled 1980s Carolyn left a disastrous marriage in Seattle, and hoping to make it in the music business, moved with her four-year-old daughter to a gritty working class town on the edge of Boston. Alternating with Carolyn’s own story are the stories of her ancestors and mentors ― five musically gifted women who struggled to realize their dreams at the turn of the twentieth century. Join as we celebrate Carolyn’s gifts, her writing, and her story! Copies of her book will be available for purchase. SPIRITUALITY & MENTAL HEALTH GROUP Today at 2 p.m., Tower Room We meet as persons with questions about our inner lives, pursuing wellness. Yet we don't seek a fix for our problems. Instead, we bring our difficulties alongside our experience of that healing Spirit to consider how our faith and our soundness inform each other. We continue to meet every Sunday afternoon from 2:00 to 3:30 in the Tower Room. Participation in the group is open to any and all who identify with our purpose. For a warm welcome and to learn more, see Carter West or e-mail him at cartergw24@gmail.com.

NIGHT SONG: SOLEMN MYSTICAL COMPLINE Today at 7:00 p.m., Sanctuary Night Song is based on Compline, the last daily service of Christian worship, dating back to monastic life in the Middle Ages. Offered in the quietness of the evening, Night Song invokes a sense of protection and peace for the night that is to come. Join us for Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony.

FUTURE HAPPENINGS

CALL TO CONGREGATIONAL MEETING: Notice is hereby given that a Congregational Meeting of First Church in Cambridge, Congregational, United Church of Christ will be held in its 379th year at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, 2014, in the Margaret Jewett Hall on Gar-den Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the purpose of voting to call a ¾ time Minister. The name of our candidate was announced in a Search Committee Report to the congregation after church last Sunday and will be repeated in church this Sunday. A packet with the name and bio and a letter from the search committee will be mailed out next week. We are unable to announce the name of our candidate in print or share that name beyond our congregation since the candi-date will not announce the pending news to her congregation until after our vote on Sunday the 23rd. Also, please join members of the Search Committee for a Ministerial Candidate

Open House at the First Church parsonage (44 Garden St.) on Saturday, February 22nd

from 9:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. This will be a time for welcoming our candidate, for informal

conversation and for getting to know each other.

GOD’S INVITATION TO US Sunday, February 23, 10:00 a.m., Hastings Room At our An-nual Meeting on January 26, First Church will be asked to explore a new framework for our indi-vidual lives and for our life together ― “God’s Invitation to Us.” Join Dan Smith, Gaylen Mor-gan, and Brent Coffin for a 10 o’clock hour session in which we will explore this theme of invi-tation, using several texts from the Gospel of Matthew as backdrop for our conversation.

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION: Wednesdays from 6:00–7:00 pm in the Tower Room Chris-tian meditation or centering prayer is the spiritual practice of sitting in silence, centering the at-tention on the indwelling presence of God. Many who have undertaken this way of prayer have found a path of healing and peace, as well as a means to draw closer to God. Our group begins with a spoken prayer and one or two brief readings, followed by an introduction to meditation and 30 minutes of silent practice. No prior experience is necessary, but all experience is wel-come. Speak to Kate Layzer for more information, or e-mail her at klayzer@gmail.com. FLASH BACK SUNDAY: A FESTIVE GATHERING FOR LGBT ELDER ADULTS

AND FRIENDS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Sunday, February 23rd from

2:00 pm– 4:00 pm. Let us celebrate the legacy of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Elders of Color! This festive celebration will allow old friends and to reconnect and reminisce about the good old days of places like: ‘Somewhere Else’, ‘The Other Side’, ‘E-lite’ and ‘The Garage’. The event will also help the LGBT Elders of Color Outreach Team to Spread the word about an important community meeting this spring for all LGBT Elders of Color. Free food, beverages, entertainment, and vibrant social opportunities await! Sponsored by Central Boston Elder Services, The LGBT Aging Project of the Fenway Institute and Fen-way Health. The celebration will take place at Central Boston Elder Services (2315

Washington St. , Boston). RSVP by calling (617) 396-4926.

WITNESS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE AND INEQUALITY Wednesday, February

26 at 7:00 p.m., the Parsonage We are responding to the invitation to "go deeper" in our witness against gun violence and inequality with an evening of "Soup and Stories" on Wednesday, February 26 at 7 p.m. at the Parsonage. Join members of First Church, Roxbury Presbyterian Church and possibly others in sharing a simple meal and our stories around experiences of gun violence and inequality. Add to a discussion that will help build relationships and explore future paths. Because of space and program constraints, RSVP's are a necessity. To reserve a place or to find out more, please contact Ann McCann (ann.mccann44@gmail.com) or Jean Bellow (jean_bellow@comcast.net) or Alice Kidder (flintkiddr@aol.com).

MARDI GRAS PANCAKE SUPPER, Tuesday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m., in Sage Hall The First Church Family Night regulars invite you to join them for an all-church pancake supper on Mardi Gras, Tuesday, March 4, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Come celebrate with pancakes and maple syrup, a traditional sweet treat on the eve of the Lenten season. We’ll decorate our “Alleluia” banner and bury it in the sanctuary, where it will await its unveiling on Easter morning. Pan-cakes will be provided; please bring fruit or breakfast meats (ready for serving) to share. If you are interested in coming early to help make pancakes, please contact Sarah Higginbotham. LENT BEGINS ON ASH WEDNESDAY, March 5, 7:30 p.m., in Lindsay Chapel The forty days of Lent prepare us to live into the events at the end of Jesus’ life — his cross and rising. Beginning with Ash Wednesday, Lenten worship faces us with our very selves, with where we have not loved our neighbors or ourselves as God has loved us. We are called to let God’s mercy change our hearts. The season is filled with images of wilderness, thirst, and conflict. In the an-cient church during Lent neophytes prepared for baptism with study, prayer, and fasting. Purple is Lent’s color, signifying repentance and conversion. On Ash Wednesday we acknowledge our origins in the dust, our brokenness, and our dependence on God, and we receive ashes as a sign of mortality. Join us for worship and the Imposition of Ashes on Wednesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m., in Lindsay Chapel. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about keeping Lent at First Church, including small group and spiritual practice opportunities

SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 19 FOR A WOMEN’S RETREAT BRUNCH Transitioning from the Craigville venue, we invite First Church women to a potluck brunch gathering and dis-cussion on the theme of comfort. We'll meet Saturday morning in Margaret Jewett Hall from 9:30-12:00. Childcare will be provided. Further details to come closer to the time, and/or speak to Jacqui Gates or Chris Reynolds.

IS THERE A FURNITURE REFINISHER IN THE HOUSE? We have a couple of sad look-ing mahogany end tables that badly need attention from one or two persons with time and will-ingness to serve in this particular way. To volunteer, contact Pauline Fennel at pauline-fennel@alum.syracuse.edu.

SUPER SATURDAY

March 1, 2014

8:00 AM - 3:45 PM

Ludlow High School, 500 Chapin St., Ludlow, MA

Join hundreds of pastors and lay leaders from across two Conferences for a day of “Risking Vision” through wor-ship, workshops, forums, networking and a marketplace.

Featuring Diana Butler Bass

Acclaimed author and speaker Diana Butler Bass will share a message during the opening worship and will lead a mid-day forum based on her work exploring the dimensions of religion and spirituality in today’s world.

Butler Bass is the author of eight books, including Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening (2012) and the best-selling Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith (2006).

Butler Bass regularly leads conferences for religious leaders, blogs at The Huffington Post and comments on relig-ion, politics, and culture in the media including USA TODAY, Time, Newsweek and various television networks.

Cost: $49 per person or $39 per person in church groups of 5 or more who register at the same

time. Registration deadline is Feb. 20, 2014.

Register Online at www.macucc.org

The Connecticut and Massachusetts Conferences of the United Church of Christ

present:

Looking Ahead

Sunday, February 16 10:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship, Kate Layzer, preaching 11:20 a.m. Church School: Classes (presch.-Grade 8) 12:30 p.m. Carolyn Wilkins Book Celebration, Hastings Room 2:00 p.m. Mental Health and Spirituality Group, Tower Room 7:00 p.m. Night Song, Sanctuary Monday, February 17 Building Closed in observance of President’s Day Wednesday, February 20 9:30 a.m. Staff Meeting, Dan Smith’s office 1:00 p.m. ‘Friends of Fellowship’ Workday Thursday, February 21 9:30 a.m. ‘Friends of Fellowship’ Workday 7:45 p.m. Choir Rehearsal, Hastings Room Saturday, February 22 9:30 a.m. Ministerial Candidate Open House at the Parsonage (44 Garden Street) Sunday, February 23 9:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary 9:45 a.m. Community Gathering Time, Margaret Jewett Hall (MJH) 10:00 a.m. Christian Formation 11:00 a.m. Morning Worship, Candidating Sermon 11:20 a.m. Church School: Creative Arts (presch.-Grade 8) 12:15 p.m. Congregational Meeting, Sanctuary 12:45 p.m. Last Sunday “Life Together” Lunch, MJH 2:00 p.m. Mental Health and Spirituality Group, Tower Room 7:00 p.m. Night Song, Sanctuary

FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE, CONGREGATIONAL United Church of Christ

11 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-2724

First Church Covenant Testimony Adopted 1990

We believe that our covenant with God and each other calls us: To love God with all that we are, and our close and distant neighbors as ourselves; To seek peace with justice and equity for all people; To engage in non-violent resistance to evil; To respect and preserve God’s earth; To foster community across every barrier and division; To attend to God’s unfolding and reconciling word; To support each other in our frailties and strengths, that we may embody that love which overcomes fear and death. This we testify, confessing always our reliance on God’s grace in Christ, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Staff of First Church in Cambridge

Senior Minister Rev. Dan Smith, 617-547-2724, ext. 23 dsmith@firstchurchcambridge.org

Minister of Stewardship and Finance

Rev. Karen McArthur, 617-547-2724, ext. 22 karenmc@firstchurchcambridge.org

Ministerial Intern Sheehan Scarborough, sscarborough@firstchurchcambridge.org

Havruta Scholar-in-Residence Rev. Brent Coffin

Director of Music Peter Sykes, 617-645-0833 psykes@aol.com

Director of Creative Worship & Arts Sarah Higginbotham, 617-547-2724, ext. 42 shigginb@firstchurchcambridge.org

Staff Composer Patricia Van Ness

Shelter Director Jim Stewart, 617-661-1873 jstewart@firstchurchcambridge.org

Parish Administrator Kirsten Manville, 617-547-2724, ext. 21 parishadmin@firstchurchcambridge.org

Pastoral Associate Julie Rogers, 617-547-2724, ext. 41 jrogers@firstchurchcambridge.org

Facilities Manager Dan dos Santos ddossantos@firstchurchcambridge.org

Sextons Ronaldo dos Santos, Tina Quimby, George Williams, Kimel Williams, 617-642-3980