Sunday, March 19, 2023
10:00 a.m.
Welcome and Announcements Rev. Norman Tippens
Prelude Dean Shinn
*Call to Worship (responsive) Jeremy Hooten
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
*Congregational Hymn The Church’s One Foundation UMH 545
1. The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is his new creation by water and the Word. From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
2. Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth; her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued.
3. Though with a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed, yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up, "How long?" And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
4. Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consummation of peace forevermore; till, with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
5. Yet she on earth hath union with God the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won. O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we like them, the meek and lowly, on high may dwell with thee.
*Opening Prayer (unison)
Almighty God, your blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan. Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations. And, as you know the weakness of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Meditation for the Fourth Sunday of Lent Jeremy Hooten
Our Lenten journey brings us to a moment of light. We can lift our heads from looking inward and look around at our church family. We can delight in the truth that we are not alone in our desire to deepen our faith. And that four persons whom we already know and love will add to our number by becoming new members of the First United Methodist Church of Hampton family. God has led them here. They will make us stronger as we move forward as a church. This day will encourage us even as we extinguish one more candle and enter deeper into the shadow places of our lives and seek to remove them. Amen.
As we extinguish the fourth candle, we pray that all who struggle to deepen their faith will know they do not walk alone.
God, we are thankful that Christ has called us into communities of faith where we can work out our salvation together, and better serve the world. Amen.
Baptism and Reception of New Members
HOLY BAPTISM
RECEPTION INTO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
RECEPTION INTO FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAMPTON
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERVICE Rev. Norman Tippens
Brothers and sisters in Christ:
Through the Sacrament of Baptism
we are initiated into Christ's holy church.
We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation
and given new birth through water and the Spirit.
All this is God's gift, offered to us without price.
PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES Dr. Cecelia Short
I present Jared for baptism and membership. He comes from First United Methodist Church, Portales, NM.
I present Nancy who comes to us from Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Warrenton, NC.
I present Leanne who comes to us from Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Alexandria, VA.
I present Mark who comes to us from Arden Road Baptist Church in Amarillo, TX.
RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH
Rev. Norman Tippens
Jared, on behalf of the whole church, I ask you:
Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness,
reject the evil powers of this world,
and repent of your sin?
I do.
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you
to resist evil, injustice, and oppression
in whatever forms they present themselves?
I do.
Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior,
Put your whole trust in his grace,
And promise to serve him as your Lord,
In union with the church which Christ has opened
to people of all ages, nations, and races?
I do.
Jared, according to the grace given to you,
Will you remain a faithful member of Christ's holy church
And serve as Christ's representative in the world?
I will.
Will you, the congregation, support and encourage Jared in his Christian life?
We will.
Congregation, do you, as Christ's body, the church,
Reaffirm both your rejection of sin
and your commitment to Christ?
We do.
Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life
and include these persons now before you in your care?
With God's help we will proclaim the good news
and live according to the example of Christ.
We will surround these persons
with a community of love and forgiveness,
that they may grow in their trust of God,
and be found faithful in their service to others.
We will pray for them,
that they may be true disciples
who walk in the way that leads to life.
Let us join together in professing the Christian faith
as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Do you believe in God the Father?
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
He ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
[The holy catholic] church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Eternal Father:
When nothing existed but chaos,
you swept across the dark waters
and brought forth light.
In the days of Noah
you saved those on the ark through water.
After the flood you set in the clouds a rainbow.
When you saw your people as slaves in Egypt,
you led them to freedom through the sea.
Their children you brought through the Jordan
to the land which you promised.
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Tell of God's mercy each day.
In the fullness of time you sent Jesus,
Nurtured in the water of a womb.
He was baptized by John and anointed by your spirit.
He called his disciples
To share in the baptism of his death and resurrection
And to make disciples of all nations.
Declare his works to the nations,
His glory among all the people.
Pour out your Holy Spirit,
To bless this gift of water and those who receive it,
To wash away their sin
and clothe them in righteousness
and throughout their lives,
That, dying and being raised with Christ,
they may share in his final victory.
All praise to you, Eternal God,
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
Who with you and the Holy Spirit
Lives and reigns for ever. Amen
Jared, I baptize you in the name of the Father,
And of the Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The pastor and sponsors place hands upon Jared.
The Holy Spirit work within you,
That being born through water and the Spirit,
You may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Now it is our joy to welcome our new brother in Christ.
Through baptism
you are incorporated by the Holy Spirit
into God's new creation
and made to share in Christ's royal priesthood.
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
With joy and thanksgiving we welcome you
as members of the family of Christ.
RECEPTION INTO THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mark, as a member of Christ's universal church,
will you be loyal to The United Methodist Church,
and do all in your power to strengthen its ministries?
I will.
RECEPTION INTO THE LOCAL CONGREGATION
Jared, Mark, Leanne, and Nancy, as members of this congregation,
will you faithfully participate in its ministries
by your prayers, your presence,
your gifts, and your service?
I will.
COMMENDATION AND WELCOME
Members of the household of God,
I commend these persons to your love and care.
Do all in your power to increase their faith,
confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.
We give thanks for all that God has already given you
And we welcome you in Christian love.
As members together with you
in the body of Christ
and in this congregation
of The United Methodist Church,
we renew our covenant
faithfully to participate
in the ministries of the church
by our prayers, our presence,
our gifts, and our service,
that in everything God may be glorified
through Jesus Christ.
May the God of all grace,
who has called us to eternal glory in Christ,
Establish you and strengthen you
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
that you may live in grace and peace. Amen.
Hymn (refrain only, seated) We Are the Church UMH 558
New Testament Lesson Ephesians 4:1-16 (NRSV) Jeremy Hooten
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said,
‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.’
9 (When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
The Word of God, for the people of God.
Thanks be to God
Prayers of the People Rev. Norman Tippens
Pastoral Prayer Rev. Norman Tippens
Lord’s Prayer (unison)
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.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
Offering
Offertory Dean Shinn
*Gloria Patri UMH 71
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.
*Offertory Prayer Rev. Norman Tippens
Anthem Over My Head soloist: Christine Woods Chancel Choir
Sermon Building up the Body of Christ Rev. Norman Tippens
*Congregational Hymn This Is a Day of New Beginnings (v. 1-4) UMH 383
1. This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on, time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that's gone.
2. For by the life and death of Jesus, God's mighty Spirit, now as then, can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again.
3. Then let us, with the Spirit's daring, step from the past and leave behind our disappointment, guilt, and grieving, seeking new paths, and sure to find.
4. Christ is alive, and goes before us to show and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new.
*Blessing from Ephesians 4:1 Rev. Norman Tippens
May the Holy Spirit help us lead lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called.
Amen.
*Postlude Dean Shinn
Our new members are asked to process out with Pastor Norman so each may be welcomed in the narthex.
· CCS WorshipCast License #12794
· CCLI License #11363160
· Call to Worship and Opening Prayer UMC Book of Worship
