November 29th, 2020
The First Presbyterian Church
Cooperstown, New York
The First Sunday in Advent
PRELUDE
“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
arranged by James Pethel, 2003
Based on the hymn-tune Hyfrydol by Rowland Hugh Prichard (1811-1887)
HANDBELL INTROIT
“Peal No. 3” Hal Hopson
Kathy Allen, Carol Beechy, Elizabeth Dunn, and Susan Jones
Katie Boardman, director
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
Advent Song
Refrain: Christmas is coming; the church is glad to sing,
And let the Advent candles brightly burn in a ring.
And we believe God’s promise to put the wrong things right
And bring to Earth’s darkness the gift of Hope and light.
Refrain
CALL TO WORSHIP
Rev. Ed Townsend
MUSICAL OFFERING
“Faithful Over A Few Things”
Words and Music by Glenn Burleigh (b.1949)
Samantha MacElhaney, Soprano; Michelle Trinidad, Alto
Bernard Holcomb, Tenor; Soloman Howard, Bass
Victor Simonson, Curator
COMMUNITY MATTERS
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE READING
I Corinthians 1:3-13 Rev. Joe Perdue
SERMON
“Advent Calls” Rev. Serene Jones
MUSICAL OFFERING
“Done Made My Vow”
Traditional Spiritual
Arranged by Victor Simonson for the Ordination of Faith E. Gay
SERVICE OF ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION FOR FAITH GAY
Constitutional Questions - Larry Beasley
Charge to The Pastor - Rev. Tamara Razzano
Charge to The Congregation - Rev. Ed Townsend
Prayer - Rev. Naomi Kelly
MUSICAL OFFERING
“Total Praise”
Words and Music by Richard Smallwood
Arranged by Patrick Barrett & Doreen Rao
BENEDICTION
Rev. Faith E. Gay
POSTLUDE
“Nun danket alle Gott”
Marche Triomphale from Choral-Improvisationen für Orgel, Op.65
Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933)
Permission to reprint, podcast, and/or stream the music in this service
obtained from ONE LICENSE with license #A-724436. All rights reserved
A highly respected scholar and public intellectual, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones is the 16th President of the historic Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. The first woman to head the 182-year-old institution, Jones occupies the Johnston Family Chair for Religion and Democracy. She is a Past President of the American Academy of Religion, which annually hosts the world’s largest gathering of scholars of religion. Jones came to Union after seventeen years at Yale University, where she was the Titus Street Professor of Theology at the Divinity School, and Chair of the University’s Program in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is the author of several books including Trauma and Grace and, most recently, her memoir Call It Grace: Finding Meaning in a Fractured World.
The Congregation of The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown extends their heartfelt thanks to those pastors and church leaders who have made today's celebration of Ordination and Installation of the Rev. Faith E. Gay a truly blessed event: The Rev. Edward Townsend, Interim Pastor; The Rev. Joseph Perdue, Parish Associate and Pastor of The First Baptist Church of Cooperstown; The Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, New York City; Larry J. Beasley, Presbytery Leader and Stated Clerk for the Presbytery of Utica; The Rev. Tamara Razzano, pastor of The First United Presbyterian Church of Little Falls; The Rev. Naomi Kelly, Chair of the Learning Academy of the Presbytery of Utica and Spiritual Director at Weaving Home; Peter Craig and Carol Beechy, First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, members of the Ordination Commission. Your presence and participation is warmly and greatly appreciated!