"Kind hearts are the garden, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the blossoms, kind deeds are the fruits.” ~ John Ruskin A warm welcome to all visitors to our church email newsletter or web page. If the Pastor or any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or Rev. Harpster at 802-875-8895. His email is harpsterd@vermontel.net. Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the pastor, Rev. Harpster. Executive Board Meeting The Executive Board Meeting will be held this week on Wednesday, May 6 at 7 PM via Zoom. George will be sending out an invitation to join the meeting. Weekly Offerings Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending 4/26/20 were $ 1870 which includes $545 in memory of Pat Liao. The costs for each week are $ 1,118 (derived by dividing the annual budget by 52 weeks). As always, please continue with your weekly offering by writing a check to The United Church and sending it in to Anne Oakes at 145 Merrill Rd., Ludlow, VT 05149. Thank you so much. Prayer Concerns We ask for prayers for all those on the front lines of the pandemic and those who are working feverishly to slow and end this pandemic. There are other people who are leaving the safety of their homes so that we can have food, medicines and supplies and we thank them and keep them in our prayers. Prayers for all those who have COVID 19 and whose families have been affected by illness and death. We pray for wisdom for our leaders and scientists and for kindness to spread even faster than the virus around the world. In our own community let us keep the following in our prayers: James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Carolyn Gauthier, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Annie Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. Jim Peplau’s brother needs our prayers. Continue to keep the family of Pat Liao in your prayers as they continue to adjust to life without her. We know the power of prayer. If you have others to add to our prayer concerns, please email Thomson131VT@gmail.com Zoom Church Services Continue United Church of Ludlow We will continue until further notice to have Zoom services complete with music as an alternative. If you are not already in the “Zoom Community” it is not very hard. We would love to have you join us for Sunday worship. Read below to see how you can participate in the service. The invitation is listed below. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at a number below. If you have used Zoom before and have it downloaded to your computer you do not need to contact us, but if you have never used Zoom, please contact us before Sunday so we can add you to the invitation we will be sending out Sunday morning. New to Zoom? We can help you navigate the program. Just ask. Linda: 802-558-9055 George: 802-558-9057 The Bulletin for the service and the words to the hymns are at the end of the newsletter. They are also attached as .pdf documents which you can download. You may wish to print them out prior to the meeting. Here are a few things to note: We will be opening the meeting and checking in at 10 with the worship service to start at 10:15. Following the service, we will leave the meeting open for a while so folks can enjoy fellowship time. We will be muting everyone during most of the service INCLUDING during the hymn singing. You will hear the piano or organ and can sing loudly to you or your family, but a Zoom group of 20+ singing does not seem to work. Everyone will be able to speak during announcements and during prayer concerns. Simply raise your hand and you will be recognized to speak. If you are not on a computer, we will ask if anyone on a phone connection has anything to share. Linda or I will be announcing each section of the service to make sure we have unmuted those that are participating in the service. If you have any suggestions or would like to provide feedback on how the service goes, please feel free to let us know afterwards. Zoom church services are not ideal or glitch free (especially when you have novices doing it) but we are trying to make them as meaningful as possible having the congregation safe in the comforts of their own home. At 10AM on Sunday Go to your computer and click on the url link below (it starts with https://us02… etc.) or copy it into your browser. If I have sent you a previous invitation to join a meeting for a previous week, that url will NOT work. You must click on the one contained in this email. We are constantly learning more about Zoom and with additional knowledge, endeavor to improve the service each week. Hopefully, you will hear a big difference in the music offerings this week. PLEASE NOTE: At any one location, you should only have one live microphone. Please make sure to NOT use your phone AND the microphone on your computer. Turn one off. When both are on, this causes rather unpleasant reverberations for everyone. George Thomson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: UCC Church service Sunday, May 3, 2020 - Communion Time: May 3, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85493238629 Meeting ID: 854 9323 8629 One tap mobile +16465588656,,85493238629# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 854 9323 8629 Communion Sunday - Today Don will be providing a service of Communion during our Zoom service Sunday, May 3. It will be a little different, but we can do it. The Communion portion of the service will be condensed. Everyone in the Zoom service will serve themselves and be responsible for their own bread or crackers and beverage. At the appointed time we will partake together. May 3, 2020 10:15 A.M. SERVICE OF WORSHIP FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER PRELUDE Voluntary in D Composed by William Boyce GREETING Peace be to this house and to all for whom this is home. The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) CALL TO WORSHIP I will sing of your steadfast love, O God, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. For your steadfast love was established forever, your faithfulness is firm as the heavens. Hear these words of Jesus Christ: I am the bread of life; anyone who comes to me shall not hunger; anyone who believes in me shall never thirst. HYMN 139 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Linda Announce) Stanzas 1 & 2 PRAYER OF CONFESSION Gracious God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have promised to receive us when we come to you. We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have disobeyed your law. We have not loved you or our neighbors as we should. Forgive us, O God, and grant that we may live and serve you in newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS Hear the Good News! God has forgiven each one of us and calls us to take our parts in the drama of redeeming love. Praise God, who accepts and uses our very lives in the unfolding story of salvation and new life! READING OF SCRIPTURE THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Psalm 23 THE GOSPEL LESSON John 10: 1-11 SERMON “Constantly On the Watch” JOYS AND CONCERNS PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE PRAYER RESPONSE Hymnal, No. 473 Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face. For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, That makest me dwell in safety. OFFERTORY SENTENCE PRAYER OF DEDICATION HYMN 381 Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us Stanzas 1 & 2 THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION INVITATION BLESSING OF THE ELEMENTS THE LORD’S PRAYER BREAKING THE BREAD AND LIFTING THE CUP THE COMMUNION PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Let us give thanks. Bountiful God, we give you thanks that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the presence of Christ. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. HYMN 671 Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing Stanzas 1 & 2 BENEDICTION BENEDICTION RESPONSE POSTLUDE Gigue Fugue Composed by Dietrich Buxtehude Hymns for the service on May 3, 2020 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty page 139, verses 1 & 2 Praise the Lord the Almighty, the King of Creation. O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation. All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near. Join me in glad adoration. Praise to the Lord who o’er all things is wondrously reigning And as on wings of an eagle, uplifting sustaining. Have you not seen, all that his people has been Sent by his gracious ordaining. Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us page 381, verses 1 & 2 Savior, like a shepherd lead us, Much we need Thy tender care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Thy folds prepare: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast brought us, Thine we are; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast brought us, Thine we are. We are Thine; do Thou befriend us, Be the Guardian of our way; Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us, Seek us when we go astray: Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Hear, O hear us when we pray; Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Hear, O hear us when we pray. Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing page 671, verses 1 & 2 Lord, dismiss us with Your blessing, Fill our hearts with joy and peace; Let us each, Your love possessing, Triumph in redeeming grace. O refresh us; O refresh us, Trav’ling through this wilderness. Thanks we give and adoration, For your gospel’s joyful sound. May the fruits of Your salvation, In our hearts and lives abound. Ever faithful, ever faithful, To Your truth may we be found. "Live for today but hold your hands open to tomorrow. Anticipate the future and its changes with joy. There is a seed of God's love in every event, every unpleasant situation in which you may find yourself." ~ Barbara Johnson Zoom Service United Church of Ludlow Although we will not be together in person for our Service, we will be having a Zoom service complete with music on April 26, 2020 at 10:00 am. If you would like to participate in the service, please do not hesitate to call us at one of the numbers below before Sunday: Linda: 802-558-9055 George: 802-558-9057 Home phone: 802-228-6275 The Bulletin for the service and the words to the hymns are at the end of the newsletter. They are also available as .pdf documents which you can download when you receive an invitation to the Zoom service. Hopefully we will see you in church! George and Linda A warm welcome to all visitors to our church email newsletter or web page. If the Pastor or any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or Rev. Harpster at 802-875-8895. His email is harpsterd@vermontel.net.
Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the pastor, Rev. Harpster. Weekly Offerings As always, please continue with your weekly offering by writing a check to The United Church and sending it in to Anne Oakes at 145 Merrill Rd., Ludlow, VT 05149. Thank you so much. Prayer Concerns We continue to keep people around the globe in our prayers as we all cope with COVID 19. In our own community let us keep the following in our prayers: James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Carolyn Gauthier, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Annie Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. Continue to keep the family of Pat Liao in your prayers as they continue to adjust to life without her. We know the power of prayer. If you have others to add to our prayer concerns, please email Thomson131VT@gmail.com Russ Green is at home recovering from surgery Cindi Cole is at DHMC following emergency surgery As the unprecendented pandemic of COVID 19 is affecting our every day lives in ways we never could have anticipated, there will be many in our community who will need our help from picking up groceries or medications, taking out trash, a home cooked meal or even a phone call to brighten their day. If you or anyone you know of in our community needs help in any way, please contact: Laura Lienhard laura_lienhard@hotmail.com (802) 236-7310 or Linda Thomson Thomson131VT@gmail.com (802)-228-6275 Communion Next Week You heard that right. Don will be providing a service of Communion during our Zoom service next week, May 3. It will be a little different, but we can do it. The Communion portion of the service will be condensed. Everyone in the Zoom service will serve themselves and be responsible for their own bread or crackers and beverage. At the appointed time we will partake together. April 26, 2020 10:15 A.M. SERVICE OF WORSHIP THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER PRELUDE Prelude in E flat major Op.41 No.1 Alexandre Guilmant. GREETING The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) CALL TO WORSHIP We come to hear the story of God’s faithfulness to past generations. But we are looking to the future, not the past. Our God is also God of the future, the God who was with our ancestors will be with us as well. Then we can go forward in hope. Whatever else fails, God remains faithful. Nothing can separate us from the love of God! Praise be to God! HYMN 312 Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise Stanzas 1 & 2 PRAYER OF INVOCATION READING OF SCRIPTURE THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Psalm 16: 5-11 THE GOSPEL LESSON Luke 24: 13-35 SERMON “A Message for the Heart” HYMN 168 At the Name of Jesus (Don announce) Stanzas 1 & 2 THE LORD’S PRAYER (“trespasses”) PRAYER RESPONSE Hymnal, No. 473 Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face. For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, That makest me dwell in safety. OFFERTORY SENTENCE PRAYER OF DEDICATION HYMN 715 Rejoice, the Lord is King Stanzas 1 & 2 BENEDICTION BENEDICTION RESPONSE POSTLUDE Troisieme Livre:I Grand Dialogue David Ponsford and Louis Marchand Hymns for the service on April 26, 2020 Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise – page 312 Verses 1 and 2 Hail the day that seems him rise, Alleluia To his throne above the skies, Alleluia Christ a while to mortals given, Alleluia Re ascends his native heaven, Alleluia There the glorious triumph waits, Alleluia Lift your heads, eternal gates, Alleluia Christ hath conquered mortal sin, Alleluia Take the King of glory in, Alleluia At the Name of Jesus - page 168 Verses 1 & 2 At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow Every tongue confess him King of Glory now; ‘tis the father’s pleasure, we should call him Lord, Who from the beginning was the mighty Word. Humbled for a season, to receive a name From the lips of sinners unto whom he came, Faithfully he bore it, spotless to the last, Brought it back victorious when from death he passed. Rejoice, the Lord is King – page 715 Verses 1 & 2 Rejoice the Lord is King! Your Lord and King above; Mortals, give thanks and sing, and triumph ever more Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice; again I say, rejoice Jesus the savior reign, the God of truth and love; When he had purged our stains, he took his seat above. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice; again I say, rejoice "Live for today but hold your hands open to tomorrow. Anticipate the future and its changes with joy. There is a seed of God's love in every event, every unpleasant situation in which you may find yourself." ~ Barbara Johnson Zoom Service United Church of Ludlow Although we will not be together in person for our Service, we will be having a Zoom service complete with music on April 12, 2020 at 10:00 am. If you would like to participate in the service, please do not hesitate to call us at one of the numbers below before Sunday: Linda: 802-558-9055 George: 802-558-9057 Home phone: 802-228-6275 The Bulletin for the service and the words to the hymns are at the end of the newsletter. They are also available as .pdf documents which you can download when you receive an invitation to the Zoom service. Hopefully we will see you in church! George and Linda A warm welcome to all visitors to our church email newsletter or web page. If the Pastor or any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or Rev. Harpster at 802-875-8895. His email is harpsterd@vermontel.net.
Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the pastor, Rev. Harpster. Weekly Offerings As usual Please continue with your weekly offering by writing a check to The United Church and sending it in to Anne Oakes at 145 Merrill Rd., Ludlow, VT 05149. Thank you so much. Prayer Concerns Thousands of people across the country and around the world have been tragically affected by COVID 19 and need our prayers. We ask for prayers for all those on the front lines of the pandemic and those who are working feverishly to slow and end this pandemic. There are other people who are leaving the safety of their homes so that we can have food, medicines and supplies and we thank them and keep them in our prayers. In our own community let us keep the following in our prayers: James Almond, Terry DeYoung, Kathy Doyle, Pam Dundy, Judy Edwards, Carolyn Gauthier, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Annie Oakes, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. We know the power of prayer. If you have others to add to our prayer concerns, please email Thomson131VT@gmail.com As the unprecedented pandemic of COVID 19 is affecting our everyday lives in ways we never could have anticipated, there will be many in our community who will need our help from picking up groceries or medications, taking out trash, a home cooked meal or even a phone call to brighten their day. If you or anyone you know of in our community needs help in any way, please contact: Laura Lienhard laura_lienhard@hotmail.com (802) 236-7310 or Linda Thomson Thomson131VT@gmail.com (802)-228-6275 Progress Continues on Church Addition Progress continues on the new handicapped entrance to the church despite the Stay at Home Order. We continue to be pleased with the changes that are being made to the church building. If you are in town shopping for groceries, consider stopping by the church to peek in the door. The entrance is progressing very nicely. This week the Executive Board agreed to match the color of the new outside door with the burgundy on the front door and picked the indoor/outdoor carpeting which is a beautiful burgundy/olive/ tan tweed. April 19, 2020 10:15 A.M. SERVICE OF WORSHIP SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER PRELUDE Selection of Franz Shubert Lincoln Center Stage – Holland America GREETING The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) CALL TO WORSHIP Grace to you and peace from the One who is and who was and who is to come. We gather in the name of Jesus Christ, the faithful witness and firstborn of the dead. God calls us to proclaim our faith, to put our trust in reality as yet unseen. Receive the Holy Spirit and recognize your call. God meets and empowers you now. HYMN 304 Easter People, Raise Your Voices Stanzas 1 & 3 PRAYER OF INVOCATION READING OF SCRIPTURE THE EPISTLE LESSON I Peter 1: 3-9 THE GOSPEL LESSON John 20: 19-31 SERMON “ Hand in Hand” HYMN 306 The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done Stanzas 1 & 4 JOYS ANPETHE LORD’S PRAYER (“trespasses”) PRAYER RESPONSE Hymnal, No. 473 Lead me, Lord, lead me in thy righteousness; Make thy way plain before my face. For it is thou, Lord, thou, Lord only, That makest me dwell in safety. OFFERTORY SENTENCE PRAYER OF DEDICATION HYMN 308 Thine Be the Glory Stanzas 1 & 2 BENEDICTION BENEDICTION RESPONSE POSTLUDE Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place Hymns for Today's Service Easter People, Raise Your Voices Page 304 in the United Methodist Hymnal Verses 1 & 3 Easter people raise your voices, Sounds of heaven in earth should ring. Christ has brought us Heaven's choices; Heavenly music let it ring. Alleluia! Alleluia! Easter people let us sing. Every day to us is Easter, With its resurrection song. When in trouble move the faster To our God who rights the wrong Alleluia! Alleluia! See the power of Heavenly throngs. The Strife Is O’er the Battle Done Page 306 - United Methodist Hymnal Verses 1 & 4 Refrain: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, The strife is o’er, the battle done; the victory of life is won; the song of triumph has begun: Alleluia! Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee, from death’s dread sting, thy servants free, that we may live, and sing to thee: Alleluia! Refrain: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Thine Be the Glory Page 308 in the United Methodist Hymnal Verses 1 & 2 Thine be the glory, Risen, conqu'ring Son; Endless is the victory, Thou o'er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment, Rolled the stone away, Kept the folded grave clothes, Where Thy body lay. Thine be the glory, Risen conquering Son, Endless is the victory, Thou o'er death hast won. Lo! Jesus meets us, Risen from the tomb; Lovingly He greets us, Scatters fear and gloom; Let the church with gladness, Hymns of triumph sing; For our Lord now liveth, Death hath lost its sting. Thine be the glory, Risen conquering Son, Endless is the victory, Thou o'er death hast won. “The great gift of Easter is hope - Christian hope, which makes us have that confidence in God, in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love, which nothing can shake.” - Basil C. Hume Zoom Easter Service United Church of Ludlow Although we will not be together in person for our Easter Service, we will be having a Zoom service complete with music on April 12, 2020 at 10:00 am. If you would like to participate in the service, please do not hesitate to call us at one of the numbers below before Sunday: |