The Worship of God Sunday, November 18, 2018

Each breath is borrowed air, not ours to keep and own, and all our breaths as one declare what wisdom long has known:

The sea flows in our veins. The dust of stars is spun to form the coiled, encoded skeins by which our cells are run:

From earth and sea and dust arise yet greater things, the wonders born of love and trust, a grateful heart that sings:

And when our death draws near and tries to dim our song, our parting prayers will make it clear to whom we still belong:

Opening Sentences Rev. Alan Sherouse

†Responsive Call to Worship

We have gathered in the name of the LORD. What is your response?

Shout to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before the LORD with joyful songs.

Why do you give this time to the LORD?

Know that the LORD is God, our maker to whom we belong; we are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture.

How will you worship the LORD?

Enter the gates of the LORD with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks and bless God’s holy name.

What is the basis for this outpouring of praise?

Good indeed is the LORD, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from age to age. —from Psalm 100

2.

to live is to receive and answer back with praise to what our minds cannot conceive: the Source of all our days. —Above the Moon Earth Rises poems for a new creation, Thomas Troeger

†Introit Taizé Jubilate Deo

Text and Music © 1979 Les Presses de Taizé (admin. GIA Publications, Inc.) Used by permission from OneLicense #707453-A

†Congregational Hymn 317 OLD HUNDREDTH

All People That on Earth Do Dwell

†Words of Friendship Dr. Steve Sumerel

Children, ages four through first grade, may attend Junior Church at this time.

†Prayers of God’s People Dr. Sumerel

Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo brings to life the global aspect of the traditional Psalm 100 text, “O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands,” by setting it in seven different languages and drawing from a wide spectrum of musical influences. Each movement combines characteristics of its language-group’s musical culture with the composer’s own musical language.

3.

Jubilate Deo

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come into God’s presence with a song.—Psalm 100.1-2

The opening movement sets the ancient liturgical Latin translation of the Psalm in a rather American musical idiom, reflecting various influences from the composer’s native country and introducing key musical motives for the work.

Ve adthdor vador sung in Hebrew and Arabic Melanie Rodgers, Levone Tobin Scott vocal soloists

Good indeed is the Lord, whose steadfast love is everlasting, whose faithfulness endures from age to age.—Psalm 100.5

Jeremiah 31.33-34 Tamran Inayat, pastor read first in Urdu, then in English First Indo-Pak Church, High Point

The second movement sets the “from age to age” portion of the text in Hebrew and Arabic, evoking ancient cultures from the Middle East. The music intentionally intertwines the two languages in a symbolic gesture of unity between these cultures.

Ta cao chang de yang sung in Mandarin Chinese Terri Vancil vocal soloist, Zhi Gong Erhu

Know that the Lord is God, our maker to whom we belong; we are God’s people and the sheep of God’s pasture.—Psalm 100.3

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.—Psalm 23.1-2

John 10.9-10, 14-15 Thao Le read first in Vietnamese and then in English Vietnamese Baptist Church, Jamestown, NC

Movement three uses Mandarin Chinese in a tranquil setting of the shepherd-sheep metaphor from the traditional text and quotes “the Lord is my shepherd” from Psalm 23, while the orchestra evokes the sounds of traditional Asian instruments.

4.

Ngokujabula! sung in Zulu

Shout with great rejoicing to the Lord, all the earth!—Psalm 100.1

Philippians 3.4-7 Louise Ngo Bikond read first in French and then in English First Baptist Church, Greensboro

The fourth movement shifts to Africa, setting celebratory portions of the text in Zulu and drawing from African vocal and drumming traditions.

Bendiced su nombre sung in Spanish

Maggie Martin vocal soloist

Enter the gates of the Lord with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Be thankful, and bless his name.—Psalm 100.4

Acts 2.43-47 Carlos Delgado read first in Spanish and then in English First Baptist Church, Greensboro

Movement five represents Latin America, setting Spanish text to a folk-song style melody and blending traditional folk instrumental sounds with polyphonic textures from the classical choral tradition.

Invitation|Prayer of Dedication Rev. Sherouse

During Song of the Earth worshipers are asked to place their 2019 Commitment Cards in the receptacle found at the front center of each section of pews. Children attending Junior Church will return to the sanctuary at this time.

Song of the Earth

The sixth movement Song of the Earth portrays the Earth itself singing—first wordlessly, but eventually finding its own voice—and leads seamlessly into the final movement.

5.

†Responsive Benediction Rev. Sherouse

Day and night without ceasing they sing,

Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;

you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.

—Revelation 4.8,11; 5.9-1 10

†Finale: Omnis Terra!

The Sanctuary Choir is joined by Young Musicians and Youth Choir. The finale unites many of the key themes and cultures from previous movements with other material, both old and new, as all the earth sings as one, “omnis terra, jubilate!"

†Song of Blessing OLD HUNDREDTH

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God all creatures high and low; Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ, and Spirit One! Amen!

6.

Sanctuary Choir

Cheryl Angel, Alice Angell, Robert Angell, Phil Barbee, Jim Bearden, Jeff Bennett Olivia Boddicker, Kelly Brame, Louise Burroughs, Jack Foxworth, Sarah Frye, Don Fuller

*Fia Goudes, Charles Hartis, Seth Hawker, Genelle Hix, Seth Hix, Robert Jessen Keighley Johnson, Rosemary Kellam, Phyllis Kelly, Addison Lawrimore, +Baker Lawrimore, Anne Lewis

Laura Lomax, Maggie Martin, Heidi McLaughlin, Holly Messick, Matt Messick, Betty Morgan Richard Noel, Vicki Norman, Jill Pegram, Angela Perry, Daniel Perry, Jeff Perry, Coolidge Porterfield

Lorie Rainey, Lollis Reynolds, Melanie Rodgers, Nevin Rohrbaugh, Penny Rowe, *Tony Sanders Levone Tobin Scott, *Jamell Strickland, Hannah Taylor, Terri Vancil, Ellis Vaughan, Gina Waters

William Waters, Judyth White, Becky Yaun

* McCormick Music Intern +Ministry Fellow

Youth Choir

Kate Austin, Carter Bland, Graham Bland, Lydia Bradford, Justin Childs, Millicent Childs Avery Cox, Danielle Delgado, Gracie Ellis, Henry Ellis, Morgan Hall, Sarah Hall, Spencer Hall, Sydney Hall

Anna Hartis, Steven Key, Taylor Kirkman, Joshua Knight, Samuel Lones, Christopher Lyle, Julia Lyle Grant McCord, Kate Messick, Kyleigh Pegram, Lindsey Pegram, Rachel Perry, Grant Petitt, William Petitt Alex Porter, Hannah Porter, Joel Reynolds, Harrison Rose, Melissa Sample, Davis Smith, Grayson Smith

C. J. Tillotson, Garrison Trotter, Alex Wells, Noah Woodell, Lauren Worsley, Bowen Young

Young Musicians

Morgan Alexander, William Bolton, Mitchell Bradford, Patrick Cashwell, Drew Cornett, Davis Cox Aubreigh Duckworth, Benjamin Duckworth, Braden Hall, Ada Noel Harris, Caleb Hix, Madilyn Hix

Lily James Kesler, Kate Kirkman, Jake McCord, Ellis Moody, Sarah Moore, Miller Norman, Katie Parrish Andrew Petitt, C. J. Rainey, Lily Rodgers, Jack Sherouse, Palmer Shively, Declan Stephens, Indigo Stephens

Caleb Wall, Avery White, Perrin White, Patrick Whitehead, Berkley Willis

Orchestra

Doug Vancil director Megan Makeever flute, Brian Skinner oboe, Darkson Rocha clarinet, Jacob Kadan horn

Zhi Gong erhu, Wendy Rawls violin, Margaret Petty cello, Bonnie Bach harp Erik Schmidt, Chris Thompson percussion, Aaron Matson guitar, Andre Lash organ

Assisting in the service today is Danielle Delgado lighting the Christ Candle and Caleb Wall opening the sanctuary Bible.

The white rosebud welcomes John Blanton Hardy born November 9 to Sara Beth and Ben Hardy.