Sunday Bulletin
Celebration Service
Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
October 12, 2025 9:30am
Prelude “Chorale Prelude” Healey Willan
Introit “Summer’s End”
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship Lay Reader: Adella Perroti
O God, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,"
even if the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Hymn* “Morning Has Broken” #53
Prayer of Confession and Petition (Inspired by Psalm 139)
God, you know us better than we know ourselves.
You know our thoughts, our weaknesses, our motivations, our sins.
And you love us still. Forgive us when we don’t believe such love is
true or possible; when we wonder how You could love us just as we
are, when we forget our intricate construction, fearfully, wonderfully
made, in Your image! Remove from our minds every thought which
keeps us from you. Break down the walls, push aside the pride, and
help us to trust anew. You know our hearts. And you love us still.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer #307
Children's Message
Psalm 112
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures
forever.
He has gained renown by his wonderful deed; the Lord is gracious
and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his
covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the
heritage of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are
trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever, to be performed with
faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant
forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who
practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
The Gloria Patri* #35
Anthem "Prayer from Psalm 139" John Weaver
Prayers of the People
Hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth” #56
Reading Psalm 139:1-18 #577
Message A Psalm of ________ Rev. Dan Haugh
A Litany for the World #664
Offering
Click here to make an online donation
Offertory “Modal Trio” Seth Bingham
Doxology #46
Offertory Prayer
Hymn “For the Healing of the Nations” #668
Benediction
Closing: “Let Us Now Depart in Your Peace”
Postlude “Trumpet Tune in D Major” David Johnson
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Calendar of Events
Monday, 10/13 Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, 10/14 3:30 Elf rehearsal
7:30 AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, 10/15 Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
5:30 Choir Rehearsal in Organ Loft
Thursday, 10/16 3:15 Cherub Choir rehearsal in Sanctuary
4:00 Youth Choir rehearsal in Sanctuary
6:00 Pot luck dinner interfaith women
Saturday, 10/18 1:00 Forgotten Carol rehearsal
Happy Birthday this week to:
Henry Alario, Alysdair Arnot, & Amy Marshall today, 10/12
David Proulx & Peter Ballyk on 10/13
Ben Brayton, Eric Grover, Dean Salvas & Tracy Wall on 10/14
Kelley Kartluke on 10/16
Travis Spaulding on 10/17
Happy Anniversary this week to:
Christopher and Elizabeth Saylor on 10/14
Brice and Bryce Simon on 10/15
Announcements
The ushers today are Lisa Nelson and Barb Shonio. Thank you for helping today.
The flowers today are given by Wendy Jones in loving memory of Peter Jones.
Praying the Psalms: You are invited to join Pastor Dan each week for 30 minutes on Tuesdays at noon to pray together beginning 9/9/25. See the article in the Quest for zoom links. This is through 11/25/25.
Bible Study on the Psalms this Fall
During Pastor Dan’s sermon series on the Psalms, plan to enhance your understanding of this rich book of the Bible by joining the study series, Praying the Psalms. For six weeks, beginning October 9 from 7 to 8 PM on Zoom, we will explore psalms as prayers on such topics as hope, joy, gratitude and trust. The study guide is entitled Praying the Psalms, by Juanita Ryan and can be ordered from www.ivpress.com. To join the study, please contact Kathe Rhinesmith at katherhinesmith@gmail.com.
The Women's Fellowship of our church have invited the women from the Blessed Sacrament Church, the St. John's Episcopal Church, and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Stowe (JCOGS) to join us for an Interfaith Potluck Dinner on Thursday, October 16, at 6:00, in our Fellowship Hall. Please RSVP if you plan to attend or if you need more information to women@stowecommunitychurch.org. Also contact the same address if you are not on the Women's Fellowship email list and would like to be added. More information is also in the Quest.
New Member Orientation on 10/19/25 following the morning worship service in Fellowship Hall in person or Zoom meeting on Monday 10/20/25 at 6pm. These are for anyone interested in learning more about our church or signing up to become members. We will welcome new members on Sunday, 11/16/25 at our 9:30 worship service.
Seeking Halloween Candy
The Parsonage and Church will be giving out candy on Halloween and we need your help purchasing bags of candy to ensure we have enough to go around. Over the past few years, between 800-1000 children have come through our doors on Halloween. Thank you!
The CE committee would like the congregation’s help in providing chili for the annual Pumpkin Carving event at the Parsonage on Saturday, October 25th, at 4pm. Sign up sheet is in the Narthex. Only need 2 or 3 volunteers
October Green Team tip: The webinar cited 50 states, 50 Fixes which is a very engaging project undertaken by the New York Times that highlights an environmental solution or strategy in the works in each state. This is a fascinating article about innovative approaches to stewardship across the country. If you subscribe to the NY Times, you can read the article by clicking the link below:
https://www.nytimes,com/interactive/2025/climnate/50-states-fixes.html
A similar but less comprehensive article can be found at:
https://www.oneearth.org/nine-examples-of-local-governments-taking-climate-action/
Vermont’s “Clean Commitment” to our renewable energy bill is listed as one of theses nine examples, reinforcing the fact that our Green Mountain state is committed to staying “green”!
Please remember our neighbors in need and bring in food etc.
Lamoille Community Food Share. Non-perishable items can be put in our two bins, one in the Narthex and one in the hall downstairs. Thank you.
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Musical Notes
Prelude: The old chorale tune "Mit Fried' un Freud" was written by an unknown composer. It first appeared in print paired with a Martin Luther text "In peace and joy I now depart" in Geystliches Gesangh Buechleyn, Wittenburg, 1524. In J. S. Bach's cantata No. 106 he has the altos sing the first line of this chorale in the background while the baritone states "Thou shalt be with me in Paradise." Twentieth century Canadian composer Healey Willan (1880-1968) wrote a chorale prelude based on this melody in 1956. When asked how he regarded himself as a musician he considered himself "a musician who rather likes to compose and has a good time doing it." His list of over 300 compositions includes two symphonies, a concerto, chamber music, choral works in many forms, instrumental pieces for a variety of instruments, a short radio opera, a historical pageant, and a full-length opera.
Anthem: "Prayer from Psalm 139" was a commissioned choral piece requested by L. Anthony Fisher in memory of Beth Sherman Fisher. John Weaver (1937-2022) wrote the music to the text of Psalm 139: 17, 18, 23. and 24. Whenever John Weaver was asked to write a commissioned choral piece, he often chose a passage from a psalm as the text. Throughout this quiet piece he has the voices enter sequentially: bass, alto, tenor, then soprano. He was a bass himself, and he dearly loved to feature that choral voice.
Offertory: Seth Daniel Bingham (1882-1972) was a professor of music at Columbia University in New York for over 40 years and was organist at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church (a position later held by John Weaver). He wrote a considerable number of pieces for organ. His short "Modal Trio" was included in Harold Gleason's Method of Organ Playing. It is written in the mixolydian mode, ending in a G-Major chord.
Postlude: David Nathaniel Johnson (1922-1987) studied at Syracuse University and then held professorships at St. Olaf College, Syracuse University, and finally at Arizona State University. He was also organist at Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix from 1970. He had the happy knack of writing Purcell-like trumpet tunes and these featured prominently in his compositional output. He dedicated his "Trumpet Tune in D Major" to his wife Margaret. He unfortunately died in a swimming pool accident at his home.
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