easter sunday
TRANSCRIPT
Christ and St. Mary Magdalen at the Tomb by Rembrandt Van Rijn
EASTER SUNDAY
APRIL 12, 2020 | 10:00AM
You will be able to find the live stream on FCC's Facebook and YouTube pages or on the FCC website: • https://www.facebook.com/firstconghouston/ • https://youtu.be/qObZGHgXbB0 • http://www.fcc-houston.org
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PRELUDE Prelude to Te Deum Marc-Antoine Charpentier Taylor Kollmeier, trumpet
WELCOME
HYMN Christ the Lord Is Risen Today EASTER HYMN
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PRAYER CHILDREN’S MESSAGE “Recognition” Krysia Lynes SCRIPTURE John 20:1-18 Michael Schafer
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.† SERMON “Resurrection in the Time of Coronavirus ” Rev. Jon Page
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ANTHEM A Repeating Alleluia Calvin Hampton
PASTORAL PRAYER THE LORD’S PRAYER (using debts/debtors)
Our Creator, 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.†
BRINGING FORTH OUR GIFTS AND OFFERINGS Michael Schafer
The preferred method of giving electronically is through Zelle. Zelle is available through most major bank apps under transfers and incurs no additional fees to either the donor or FCC for the gift. To use Zelle enter the following charity address: [email protected] and include your name and fund you are contributing to. [Please make multiple transfers if you are contributing to multiple funds.]
You can also give to FCC electronically at http://fcc-houston.org/give or text the amount you wish to give to 281-717-6093. If you are visiting FCC, reach out to Rev. Jonathan Page ([email protected]) to learn more about the church and its ministries. He would be happy to meet with you via Zoom, Skype, or over the phone.
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HYMN Christ Is Alive TRURO
BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Trumpet Tune in G Jeremy Bankson
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WORSHIP NOTES: The Easter Lilies that grace the Meeting House today were given by Members and Friends of FCC listed on pages 11 through 13.
PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS: Amber Hicks and her mother; family, colleagues, and students of Patrick Reagan (Karen Gleason’s co-worker); Dr. Angela Kuhnen (Linda Kuhnen’s daughter); Amira Zamudio; Jane Nicholson (Beth O’Sullivan’s good friend); Joe King (Michael Schafer and Ellen Benninghoven’s friend); Barbara Shook (Mona Rhines’ sister); Teddy Kissell; Ava Roberts and family of Laura Roberts Blake Galloway (Ava Roberts’ younger sister); Ginger and Ron Korolak (Janet Rexroad’s friends); Erin Hutchinson (Nancy Murdock’s friend); Tiffani Murphy (Heather Davis’ friend); Mary Lou Strange; Melissa Murry; Jennifer Schafer (Michael Schafer’s daughter-in-law); Becky and Murry Witcher (Janet Rexroad’s dear friends); Pedro Rengal, Jr. (Gary Wurl’s friend); Marcia Potempa (dear friend of Janice Van Derbur); Brian Gilbert; Jary Earl (Jim Earl’s sister-in-law); Bill Houston (friend of Jim Tucker); Lucy Maves (Jessica Seff’s friend); Diane Brahm; Claire Cardwell; Leon Wehunt (friend of John and Linda Fosseen); Larry Edmondson (Sarah Garrison’s father); Dianne Bub; E.G. “Jay” Ruoff (Jamie Strong’s father); Joyce Wurl (Gary Wurl’s mother); Nancy and Bob Been (Naomi Black’s friends); Don Lane; Cameron Skey (Jon Page’s friend); Jennifer Chapin (Robin Stilwell’s friend); Tonya, Sonya, and James Scott (Robin Stilwell’s friends); Jack Poppe (Naomi Black’s friend); Sharon Ross (Doug Bernard’s sister); Dr. William Riley (dear friend of Michael Schafer); Maxine Heath; Fran Smith; Frances Davis (Mary Harper’s friend); Victor Joe; and all of those who are unable to be with us today.
FORMING OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH Godly Play Story: The Faces of Easter The faces of Easter show the arc of Jesus’ life and how his resurrection changes everything. Please click on this link: https://youtu.be/UlFho5BRyEc Resources for Parents: Easter Egg Coloring Science Lesson https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/eggs-to-dye-for/
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NB: All activities are cancelled or postponed unless otherwise noted below. We will still be online streaming Sunday’s service. We will update you with changes as
they occur.
PAUL TITUS’ BIRTHDAY Paul will be turning 92 on April 21. Please join us in wishing him a wonderful birthday!
MAIL CALL!!! The new directory was recently sent out. Grown-ups should look up the folks they most often sit beside at church and drop a note in the mail for them. Children should choose one or more friends from Sunday school and send them a letter AND send a letter to a grown-up. Maybe you’ll get some letters back after a few days. You could wish them a happy Easter. Tell them what is new and exciting since you saw them last. Offer some encouragement. Send as many notes as you are able. People love getting something good in the mail … not just junk! The USPS postage stamp is a tremendous value.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT FOOD PANTRIES If you are feeling the desire to do more to help those in need, you may sign up for the upcoming FCC shifts at the Houston Food Bank. The food bank is doing a great job of enforcing social distancing and is temperature screening all volunteers as they enter the building. Lots of handwashing and washing and gloves. Even a little bit like exercise. This is an essential service and not covered by the Stay Home, Work Safe order.
Friday, April 17, 6-9pm (Pantry - ages 16 and up): bit.ly/HFB17AprFCC
To help slow the spread of COVID-19, the CDC is now recommending using a cloth face covering in public settings. Therefore, the Houston Food Bank is asking all volunteers to bring their own face coverings when coming to volunteer. The CDC has provided helpful tutorials on making your own masks from various materials and with varying degrees of craft skill needed: https://bit.ly/CDCClothMaskInstructions Contact Krysia Lynes at [email protected] with any questions.
MAKING AN ALLELUIA TOGETHER Let’s get together to create a mosaic version of this poster. Send Krysia an email ([email protected]) and she will send you as many pdfs as you would like that you can print at home on white 8 1/2 x 11 paper to color. When we get together again we can assemble our butterfly.
CIS (CHURCH IN SOCIETY) REPORT ON MEMBERS’ ADVOCACY DURING ISOLATION Though the Church in Society board has not met during this stay-at-home isolation period our members have nonetheless been active in advocating and helping in a rich variety of efforts. Our board chair’s part time job with St. Vincent de Paul mushroomed overnight into a more than fulltime job helping food pantries around the city stay open, another of our members attended remotely a Houston City Council meeting public session, and he has been selling produce from his front porch on behalf of a MVFM (Memorial Villages Farmers Market) vendor. He wants us to know the Deputy Voter Registrar training has been postponed. In addition, one of our members has kept in touch with PURE JUSTICE, a reentry home for incarcerated women, has called solo friends to check on them, and has connected with Houston Food Bank for volunteer opportunities when they can assure her of safe distancing. Two of our members are fulltime professors and teachers, and as
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one put it, “Teachers are run ragged and doing amazing work to keep young hearts and minds together.” Lastly one of our members has been advocating using email to call a collection of officials’ attention to issues such as a COVID-19 outbreak in migrant children detention facilities, the administration’s proposal to change we measure poverty in this country, urging the administration to use the Defense Production Act to its fullest extent, and letters to our U.S. senators urging passage of the DREAM Act. These advocacy appeals were rooted in the American Friends Service Committee and our UCC Justice and Peace Action Network. Contact Roxanne Taylor at [email protected].
CHURCH IN SOCIETY (CIS) BOARD The CIS board hopes all of you are well and safe. In these uncertain times it is easy to focus on ourselves and our needs, so we would like to encourage all of us to remember the needs of the especially vulnerable in our midst, and those just beyond our borders. Because of the current administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols asylum seekers have been forced to wait in Mexico for their hearings, and they often lack shelter and basic needs such as food and medical care. If you have a little extra the CIS board encourages you to donate to one organization, Angry Tias and Abulas (Angry Aunts and Grandmothers). On our Courts and Ports trips to the border we have met some of these women and one person on our board has donated to them. The group provides emergency assistance such as food, water, clothing, toiletries, logistical support and other necessities for comfort. You can find out more about the Angry Tias and Abuelas and how to donate at angrytiasandabulas.com. The accompanying pictures are courtesy of Mary Harvey who with her husband Kenneth Schneider were FCC’s most recent Courts and Ports visitors to Brownsville. Contact Roxanne Taylor at [email protected] or Robin Stilwell at [email protected].
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FCC FACILITY CLOSURES Church Staff is now working from home as part of our ongoing effort to help minimize the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The Trustees have closed the Office for the foreseeable future except for Trustees on an as needed basis. Please call 832-367-0717, If you need to contact our Office Administrator. Our part-time Sexton will be making a daily round to check the buildings. As of now, we plan to have the Trustee’s bookkeeper come to the office twice a week to check the mail and pay bills. If you see anything that needs to be brought to the Trustee’s attention please call Tom O’Neill at 281-684-0776. The Trustees have also closed the Christian Education (CE) Building for any non-essential meetings for the foreseeable future, except for AA and Terry Ward. CoDA will meet again in two weeks. We have also closed the playground. Tom O’Neill, Chair of Trustees
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FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF HOUSTON
10840 Beinhorn Road - Houston, Texas 77024 Phone: 713.468.9543 | www.fcc-houston.org
The Reverend Jonathan C. Page, Senior Minister | [email protected] Krysia Lynes, Director of Christian Education | [email protected]
M. J. Gallop, Minister of Music | [email protected] Stevie Berryman, Director of Handbells
Jane Bradbery, Office Administrator | [email protected] Gary Wurl, Financial Secretary | [email protected]
Richard Heustess, Bookkeeper | [email protected] Terry Smith, Wedding Coordinator | [email protected]
Maggi Tucker, Minister of Music Emerita | [email protected] ab
Church Officers:
Moderator: Anne Amador | [email protected] Vice Moderator: Pat Rickey | [email protected]
Treasurer: Shawn Gleason | [email protected] Clerk: Denise Zoch | [email protected]
Board of Christian Education: Naomi Black | [email protected] Board of Communications: Sydney Isaacs | [email protected]
Board of Church in Society: Roxanne Taylor | [email protected] Board of Deacons: Lynette Ross | [email protected]
Board of Hospitality co-Chair: Diane Foote | [email protected] Board of Hospitality co-Chair: Phyllis Roberts | [email protected]
Board of Missions: Chuck Stilwell | [email protected] Board of Trustees: Tom O’Neill | [email protected]
At-Large Members: John Fosseen | [email protected] Eric Toskey | [email protected]
UCC Delegates: Doug Bernard | [email protected] Jane Holland | [email protected]
Darlene Jones | [email protected] Krysia Lynes | [email protected]
Sue Earl | [email protected]
In case of emergencies, contact Rev. Jon Page at 203-815-3816.
FCC is an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. We joyfully welcome everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.