Community Congregational Church of Chula Vista UCC (276 F St)
No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey… You are welcome here!
We are so grateful for the generous gift to our church from Jerry and Judy May’s daughter- in- law, Laura. This beautiful baby grand piano was donated to our church by her. Pictured here is Lionel Jasmin, our minister of music, with the piano, in the choir room. Thank you Laura May!
Rev. Liz Aguilar, our Senior Pastor was just invited to participate in an ecumenical television program, aired on Chicago’s CBS local station, called Different Drummers. She and two other clergy speak about the challenges and blessings of church ministry during the pandemic. Please watch.
Greetings to all,
Please find attached the order of worship for this coming Sunday, when we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. We will be worshiping “live” from the parsonage again at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday.
Please find attached the worship liturgy for Sunday’s worship service, which you can print so that you can follow and participate in worship.
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Pentecost Sunday
May 31, 2020
Community Congregational Church,
United Church of Christ
P.O. Box 5574 Chula Vista, CA 91912
www.chulavistachurch.com
Call to Worship:
Pastor: We have come to celebrate the birthday of the church.
People: We have come to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor: We have come to celebrate Pentecost and to open ourselves to God’s Spirit that it might fill us.
Together: O God, help us to put our selfish desires aside and direct our thoughts to you, that your power might fill this church and our lives fully, just as it has filled churches and people through the ages. Teach us to be your church and your people wherever we go and whatever we do. Amen.
Prayer of Invocation: (In unison)
Dear Creator of heaven and earth, be with us as we worship and praise your name. Be with us as we gather as a community of God, asking that the Holy Spirit descend on us as it did in that upper room of our ancestors so many years ago. We welcome the Holy Spirit which sustains us each and every day in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Opening Hymn of Praise: “Every Time I Feel The Spirit” (New Century Hymnal 282, verses 1 and 2)
(Refrain)
Every time I feel the Spirit in my Heart I will pray. Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Verse 1
Upon the mountain my God spoke, out of God’s mouth came fire and smoke. Looked all around me, looked so fine. I asked my God if all were mine.
(Refrain)
Every time I feel the Spirit in my Heart I will pray. Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Verse 2:
Oh, Jordan river, chilly and cold, it chills the body, not the soul. There’s only one train this track it runs to heaven, then right back.
(Refrain)
Every time I feel the Spirit in my Heart I will pray. Yes, every time I feel the Spirit moving in my heart I will pray.
Prayers of the People and Lord’s Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit, come!
Enter our lives. Free us from all fear.
Give us strength to carry on.
Give us hope ad joy sufficient for each day.
Come, Holy Spirit, come:
Give us power to be the Church.
Impart your many gifts to our members,
That we may be the body of Christ’s presence in the world.
Free us from all fear, and renew our life together.
Come, Holy Spirit, come.
Bind us close together.
May we rejoice with one another’s joys and weep with one another’s sorrows.
Bind us together, not only with the sheep of this fold,
But all of Christ’s people around this city and world.
Forgive the price, prejudice, and self-righteousness which separate us from one another.
Come, Holy Spirit, come:
That all may be one in Christ, source of all true unity,
Who is with us today and always, even to the end of time. Amen.
Special Music “People Need The Lord” sung by Abner Limbo
Scripture Reading Acts 2: 1-21 (Read in Spanish and English)
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Sermon: “Come Holy Spirit, Come!”
Closing Hymn “Revive Us Again” (Red Hymnal, #574)
Verse 1
We praise Thee, O God, for the Son of Thy love for Jesus who died and is now gone above.
(Refrain)
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, amen! Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again.
Verse 2
We praise Thee, O God, for Thy Spirit of light. Who has shown us our Savior and banished our night.
(Refrain)
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, amen! Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again.
Verse 3
Revive us again fill each heart with Thy love. May each soul be rekindled with fire from above.
(Refrain)
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, amen! Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Revive us again.
Benediction (in Unison)
Let us go now as Spirited people, powerful as the wide in doing God’s will, energetic as fire in extending the love of Christ. Be builders of understanding and makers of peace.
Announcements
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(The Call to Worship and the Pastoral Prayer are from Gifts of the Spirit, by Ruth C. Duck. The Pilgrim Press., New York, NY. 1985. The prayer of Invocation is from Worship Ways, online liturgy from. Justice and Local Church Ministries Team, The United Church of Christ, Cleveland, OH.2020)
Dear Friends in Christ,
Grace and peace to each of you! Please find attached the order of worship for this coming Sunday, when we celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven. We will be worshiping “live” from the parsonage again at 9:30 a.m. this Sunday.
Please find attached the worship liturgy for Sunday’s worship service, which you can print so that you can follow and participate in worship.
Thank you Lionel for beautiful recordings of our worship music. Below is our worship liturgy including Lionel’s songs.
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Worship Service On-Line for May 24, 2020
Ascension of Jesus and 7th Sunday of Easter
Community Congregational Church of Chula Vista
United Church of Christ
Welcome
Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 47)
Pastor: Clap you hands, all you peoples, shout to God with loud songs of Joy.
People: For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great kind over all the earth.
Pastor: God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
People: Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
All: For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.
Hymn of Praise “Shall We Gather At The River” (NCH, #597; Verses 1,2,4)
Verse 1
Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God?
Refrain
Yes, we’ll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river,
Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.
Verse 2
On the margin of the river, washing up its silver spray,
We will walk and worship ever, all the happy golden day.
Verse 3
Yes, we’ll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river,
Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.
Prayer of Invocation (Special Prayer for Ascension Sunday, Said in litany form)
Pastor: Almighty God, we come today reminded of your greatness and glory, your sovereign power and eternal purpose all expressed so wonderfully in Jesus Christ, our Lord, Risen and Ascended.
People: We thank you for the wonder of Ascension, that marvelous yet mysterious moment in the life of the Apostles which left them gazing heavenwards in confusion yet departing in joy.
Pastor: We thank you for the way that it brought the earthly ministry of Jesus to a fitting conclusion; signifying his oneness with you, and demonstrating your final seal of approval on all that he had done.
People: We thank you that through his Ascension Jesus is now set free to be Lord of all: no longer bound to a particular place or time,
but with us always—able to reach even to the ends of the earth.
Pastor: We thank you that through his departing Jesus prepared for his coming again: through his Spirit, his Church, and his coming again in glory.
People: Give us a deeper sense of wonder, a stronger faith, and a greater understanding of all you have done. Loving God, like the Apostles, we too will never fully understand all Ascension means. We accept, but we do not fully understand. We believe, yet we have many questions. Help us, despite our uncertainty, to hold firm to the great truth that the wonder of Christ Jesus goes far beyond anything we can ever imagine, and in that faith may we live each day to His glory and honor. Amen.
Special Music by Lionel Jasmin, Minister of Music
Prayers of The People
Lord’s Prayer (said in any language you prefer)
Scripture Reading Luke 24: 44-53
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Sermon “The Ascension of Jesus- Mystery, Awe, and Questions”
Closing Hymn “When We All Get To Heaven” (Red, #123, Verses 1,2,4)
Verse 1
Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed He’ll prepare for us a place.
Refrain
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!
Verse 2
While we walk the pilgrim pathway clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over not a shadow, not a sigh.
Verse 3
Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open we shall tread the streets of gold.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Dear Friends in Christ,
We celebrate our graduates. You’ll be hearing a special message to our graduates from our Rev. Dr. Jamall Calloway. Blessings to our graduates!
On Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. we’ll have a video worship service here and and a watch party on our Facebook page.
Please find attached the worship liturgy for Sunday’s worship service, which you can print so that you can follow and participate in worship.