April 2011 Archives

THE FIRST LESSON Acts 2:14a, 22-32

THE GOSPEL LESSON John 20: 19-31

SERMON "Recognizing Resurrection"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this Second Sunday of Easter in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The liturgical season of Eastertide begins on Easter Sunday (April 24) and concludes with our observance of Ascension Sunday (June 5) before the season of Pentecost begins on June 12. The liturgical color for Eastertide is white.

Throughout Eastertide, we reflect in worship on how we encounter and recognize the risen Christ in our midst. In worship today, we read the account of "Doubting Thomas." The hymns and service music we sing this morning all reflect the joyous celebration of Christ's resurrection and speak of the role doubt plays in our faith journey.

This is the lesson and sermon from Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011

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This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, April 17, 2011

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Epistle Reading 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Gospel Reading John 13:1-17, 31-35

Sermon "God's True Glory"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on the Sixth Sunday in Lent, which is more commonly known as Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday officially begins our Holy Week journey. The season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday (March 9) and continues for 40 days, excluding Sundays. The liturgical color for Lent is purple. The baptismal font, the communion table, and the pulpit have been placed in the center of the chancel for this liturgical season as a visible reminder to us of the equality and centrality of God's word and sacrament in our worship.

On Palm Sunday, we add our voices to those in the crowd at Jerusalem as we shout our loud "Hosannas" to the son of David. As our service begins, we hear the text from Matthew's gospel, which recounts the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. Westminster's youngest Christians will lead our procession into the sanctuary waiving palms as we sing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" to Christ the King. After the weeks of Lent, this service seems abundant with joy. However, today we foreshadow our understanding that the crowd that cries "Hosanna" today, is the same crowd that will shout "Crucify Him!" on Good Friday.

The voice of the crowd is represented musically in two texts sung today by the choir. The first, a setting by Jean Berger (1909-2002), will be used as an offertory. The second is the Sanctus movement of the Requiem by French composer Gabriel Faure (1845-1924). The full Requiem will be used in the collaborative Good Friday Service, which will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church on April 22.

Due, in part, to the alternative format for our Maundy Thursday service on April 21, we will progress in this worship service from waiving palms to the upper room in which we gather as the disciples gathered with Jesus. Communion this morning will be received by modified intinction. After coming forward down the center aisle to receive the bread and cup, please step to the basin, dip your hands in the water and allow the person ahead of you in line to dry your hands. This act, which is done to symbolize the servanthood of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples after the meal, is a traditional element of Maundy Thursday worship.

This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, April 10, 2011

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Hebrew Scripture Reading Psalm 130

Gospel Reading John 11:1-6, 14-26,33-45

Sermon "Weeping"

Worship Notes

Welcome to worship at Westminster on this the Fifth Sunday in Lent. The season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday (March 9) and continues for 40 days, excluding Sundays. The liturgical color for Lent is purple. The baptismal font, the communion table, and the pulpit have been placed in the center of the chancel for this liturgical season as a visible reminder to us of the equality and centrality of God's word and sacrament in our worship.

During our Lenten journey, we have put our "Alleluias!" away as we follow the path of Christ through the "valleys," in part so that we may experience the "mountaintop" of Easter more fully and more completely. Lenten worship is characterized by the use of more purposeful silences, an increased focus on confession, and an opportunity to seek and find God through corporate and personal prayer. However, throughout this season, we will focus on God's promises of salvation offered freely through grace to a people who walk in darkness. The theme of salvation will be an integral one in each of our Lenten worship services.

In worship today, we consider the meaning and purpose of sadness and grief within the context of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Through the gospel account of Jesus' encounter with Mary, Martha and the crowd after the death of Lazarus, we consider what it means to be a Christian and embrace our sadness and that of those around us. The music through which we worship is chosen to reflect the tension between our grief and our offering of praise to God for all things. The hymns and service music we sing today proclaim not only our faith in the midst of darkness, but speak to the solace we find in Christ.

The response hymn this morning, "When We Are Called to Sing Your Praise" is a text written by Rev. Mary Nelson Keithahn, a pastor who briefly served the congregation in which Joe Chrisman was confirmed. The choir's anthem is an early American setting of a passage from today's scripture lesson composed by William Billings (1746-1800). Billings is considered the "father" of American choral music and many of his pieces are still sung by choirs and congregations today. The text of this anthem is found at #312 in your hymnal

This is the lesson and sermon from Sunday, April 3, 2011

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