Service for Sunday, May 1, 2011

Subject: Everlasting Punishment

 Hymn 421

 Violet Hay

 From these Thy children gathered in Thy name,

 From hearts made whole, from lips redeemed from woe,

 Thy praise, O Father, shall forever flow.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 O perfect Life, in Thy completeness held,

 None can beyond Thy omnipresence stray;

 Safe in Thy Love, we live and sing alway

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 O perfect Mind, reveal Thy likeness true,

 That higher selfhood which we all must prove,

 Joy and dominion, love reflecting Love.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 Thou, Soul, inspiring‑‑give us vision clear,

 Break earth‑bound fetters, sweep away the veil,

 Show the new heaven and earth that shall prevail.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The scriptural selections are from Psalms.

Psalms 31:1‑5,7,8,15,16,19‑21,23,24

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.  Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.  Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room. 

My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake. 

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!  Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.  Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. 

O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. 

Psalms 107:1‑9

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.  Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.  Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook.

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 153 

 Luke I:46 – Maria Louise Baum

 In Thee, my God and Saviour,

   Forevermore the same,

 My spirit hath rejoicing,

   For holy is Thy name.

 My soul doth magnify the Lord,

   Sing all in glad accord!

 Praise Him who lifts the lowly,

   For faithful is His word.

 I magnify and bless Thee,

   For faithful is Thy word.

 Thou who alone art mighty

   Hast done to me great things,

 Remembrance of Thy mercy

   Sure help to Israel brings.

 Thy power, O Lord, will I extol,

   Who hast redeemed my soul;

 I praise Thee, Lord, with gladness,

   For Thou hast made me whole.

 I magnify and bless Thee,

   For Thou hast made me whole.

A Rule for Motives and Acts

This is from Article VIII, Section 1, of the Manual of the Mother Church, and is read as part of the service of the first Sunday in each month.

“Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.” 

Solo: "Great Peace Have They Which Love Thy Law"

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 378 

 Frances Thompson Hill

 We turn to Thee, O Lord,

 And sing in sweet accord;

 We would Thy beauty see,

 Lifting our lives to Thee,

      Thou art God.

 Our hearts redeemed from strife,

 And comforted in grief,

 Healing and joy are ours,

 Blessings of peaceful hours,

      Thou art Life.

 O God, we bless Thy name,

 Thy wondrous power acclaim,

 Lord, Thy salvation strong,

 Now is become our song,

      Great I AM.

"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

Isaiah 43:1 thus (to 1st ,),1 Fear

thus saith the Lord that created thee, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.