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Hingham Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
Hingham, Massachusetts
An Open and Affirming Congregation
November 15, 2020
10 a.m.
Welcoming Covenant
In the name of God and Jesus Christ, the Hingham Congregational Church welcomes all who seek to know and worship God, and invites everyone to join in our mission through participation and leadership of the congregation.
As a community of faith, we take seriously the biblical call to love God and our neighbors as ourselves, and recognize that, although we are many members, we are one.
❖ We celebrate the uniqueness of everyone.
❖ We rejoice in our diversity of views and understandings of our shared faith.
❖ We affirm relationships based on love, commitment, and mutual respect.
❖ As is stated in our by-laws, we strive for righteousness, justice and peace.
It is with this spirit and the love of God that we openly welcome all persons, inclusive of every race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and inclusive of any others, to journey with us as we move forward with the work of this church in the world.
Order of Worship
Prelude Cradle-Song Johannes Brahms
Welcome
Introit
Opening Prayer and Lord’s Prayer:
Faithful God, we begin our worship today by giving thanks. Your deep love for us endures forever. Despite our faults and failures, your mercy and grace are boundless and inexhaustible. We thank you for revealing yourself through Christ and for inspiring within us a sense of trust and generosity. May your Holy Spirit open our ears and our hearts to the ever-increasing possibilities you set before us. We pray in the spirit of Jesus, who taught us to pray…
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 debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.
*HCC recognizes the power of language, while also respecting traditional practices. We acknowledge a God that transcends all human ideas of genders, identities, and abilities. Please pray in whatever way is most comfortable to you.
Hymn “O How Glorious, Full of Wonder” NCH #558
O how glorious, full of wonder is your name o’er all the earth,
God, who wrought creation’s splendor, bringing suns and stars to birth!
Rapt in reverence we adore you, marveling at your mystic ways.
Humbly now we bow before you, lifting up our hearts in praise.
When we see your lights of heaven, moon and stars, you power displayed,
Who are we that you should love us, creatures that your hand has made?
Born of earth, yet full of yearning, mixture strange of good and ill,
From your ways so often turning, yet your love does seek us still.
You have set us in communion with the wonders of your hand,
Made us fly with eagle pinion, pilgrims over sea and land.
Soaring spire and ruined city, these our hopes and failures show.
Teach us more of human pity, that we in your image grow.
O how wondrous, O how glorious is your namr in every land,
God, who purpose shines before us toward the goal that you have planned!
Yours the will our hearts are seeking, conscious of our human need.
Spirit in our spirit speaking, make us yours, O God, indeed.
Message for Children Priscilla Anderson
Prayer
Special Music
Scripture Matthew 25:14-30
‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Sermon “Risky Business” Rev. Dr. Peter W. Allen
Benediction
Postlude Intermezzo Robert Schumann
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