Gathering Music
Welcome and Announcements
Centering
Prelude
“For What It’s Worth”
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Stills
Performed by Kate Howard-Bender
Service Introduction
Chalice Lighting and Opening Words
“The Task of the Religious Community”
By Mark Morrison-Reed
The central task of the religious community is to unveil the bonds that bind each to all. There is a connectedness, a relationship discovered amid the particulars of our own lives and the lives of others. Once felt, it inspires us to act for Justice.
It is the church that assures us that we are not struggling for justice on our own, but as members of a larger community. The religious community is essential, for alone our vision is too narrow to see all that must be seen, and our strength too limited to do all that must be done. Together, our vision widens and our strength is renewed.
Opening Hymn
“My Life Flows on in Endless Song”
#108 in Singing the Living Tradition
Words: Early Quaker song
Music: American gospel tune
My life flows on in endless song above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real though far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing.
It sounds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing!
What though the tempest ‘round me roars, I know the truth, it liveth.
What though the darkness ‘round me close, songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love prevails in heav’n and earth, how can I keep from singing!
When tyrants tremble as they hear the bells of freedom ringing,
when friends rejoice both far and near, how can I keep from singing!
To prison cell and dungeon vile our thoughts to them are winging;
when friends by shame are undefiled, how can I keep from singing!
Joys and Concerns
Offering
For the month of November, our regular community outreach offering will be dedicated to Manchester Senior, Adult, and Family Services, which works to improve the quality of life and help maintain the independence of Manchester residents by offering information, referral, outreach, advocacy, assessment of needs and individual consultation on human services benefits and programs.
Offering Music
“Blowin' in the Wind”
By Bob Dylan
Performed by Kate Howard-Bender
Sermon “Why Faith-Based Community Organizing Matters” (Marika Stewart)
Closing Hymn
“We’ll Build a Land”
#121 in Singing the Living Tradition
Words by Barbara Zanotti (Isaiah/Amos), adapt.,
Music by Carolyn McDade
We’ll build a land where we bind up the broken.
We’ll build a land where the captives go free,
where the oil of gladness dissolves all mourning.
Oh, we’ll build a promised land that can be.
(Chorus)
Come build a land where sisters and brothers,
anointed by God, may then create peace:
where justice shall roll down like waters,
and peace like an ever flowing stream.
We’ll build a land where we bring the good tidings
to all the afflicted and all those who mourn.
And we’ll give them garlands instead of ashes.
Oh, we’ll build a land where peace is born.
(Chorus)
We’ll be a land building up ancient cities,
raising up devastations from old;
restoring ruins of generations.
Oh, we’ll build a land of people so bold.
(Chorus)
Come, build a land where the mantles of praises
resound from spirits once faint and once weak;
where like oaks of righteousness stand her people.
Oh, come build the land, my people we seek.
(Chorus)
Extinguishing the Chalice and Closing Words
“Commitment”
By Dorothy Day
People say, what is the sense of our small effort.
They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.
A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that.
No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless.
There’s too much work to do.
Closing Circle
May faith in the spirit of life
And hope for the community of earth
And love of the light in each other
Be ours now, and in all the days to come.
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