Service for Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012

Subject: Christ Jesus

 Hymn 49

 John Greenleaf Whittier* 

 Dear Lord and Father of us all,

   Forgive our foolish ways;

 Reclothe us in our rightful mind;

 In purer lives Thy service find,

   In deeper reverence, praise.

 In simple trust like theirs who heard,

   Beside the Syrian sea,

 The gracious calling of the Lord,

 Let us, like them, without a word

   Rise up and follow thee.

 Breathe through the pulses of desire

   Thy coolness and Thy balm;

 Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;

 Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,

   O still small voice of calm.

 Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

   Till all our strivings cease;

 Take from us now the strain and stress,

 And let our ordered lives confess

   The beauty of Thy peace.

The scriptural selection is from I Timothy.

I Timothy 6:6‑19 godliness

godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy

Our Father which art in heaven,

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Enable us to know – as in heaven, so on earth

God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;

And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.

 Hymn 88

 Thomas T. Lynch* 

 Gracious Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would gracious be,

 And with words that help and heal

 Would Thy life in mine reveal;

 And with actions bold and meek

 Christ's own gracious spirit speak.

 Truthful Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would truthful be,

 And with wisdom kind and clear

 Let Thy life in mine appear;

 And with actions brotherly

 Follow Christ's sincerity.

 Mighty Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would mighty be,

 Mighty, that I may prevail

 Where unaided man must fail;

 Ever by triumphant hope

 Pressing on and bearing up.

Solo:  "Christmas Morn" with words by Mary Baker Eddy                  

The lesson-sermon from the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, read by the First and Second Readers.

The content of the Lesson Sermon may be found in the Christian Science Quarterly. You may also read the Lesson-Sermon for this week online by clicking here.

 Hymn 245 

 Frederic W. Root

 O tender, loving Shepherd,

   We long to follow thee,

 To follow where thou leadest,

   Though rough the path may be;

 Though dark and heavy shadows

   Enshroud the way with gloom,

 We know that Love will guide us,

   And safely lead us home.

 We know, beloved Shepherd,

   The path that thou hast trod

 Leads ever out of darkness,

   And on and up to God.

 If from that path we wander,

   And far astray we roam,

 O, call us, faithful Shepherd,

   And bring us safely home.

 Throughout the way, dear Shepherd,

   Thy strong hand doth uphold;

 The weary ones, at nightfall,

   Thou gently dost enfold.

 And when to Truth's green pastures

   With joy at length we come,

 There shall we find, O Shepherd,

   Our blest, eternal home.

"The Scientific Statement of Being" (S&H p. 468} and the correlative scripture according to I John 3:1-3.

There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.468

1John.3

[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Benediction

John 17:3 this

this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.