Service for Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012

Subject: Man

 Hymn 86

 Frederick W. Faber* 

 God's glory is a wondrous thing,

   Most strange in all its ways,

 And of all things on earth, least like

   What men agree to praise.

 O blest is he to whom is given

   The instinct that can tell

 That God is on the field, although

   He seems invisible.

 And blest is he who can divine

   Where right doth really lie,

 And dares to side with what seems wrong

   To mortals' blindfold eye.

 For right is right, since God is God;

   And right the day must win;

 To doubt would be disloyalty,

   To falter would be sin.

The scriptural selections are from Psalms.

Psalms 112:1‑7,9

Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.  His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.  Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.  Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.  A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.  Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

Psalms 113:1‑6

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.  Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.  The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.  Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

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 168 

 10th Century – Richard Mant, Tr. – Adapted

 Let all the earth with songs rejoice;

 Let heaven return the joyful voice;

 All mindful of our God's great name,

 Let every man His praise proclaim.

 Ye servants who once bore the light

 Of Gospel truth o'er darkest night,

 Still may our work that light impart,

 To glad the eyes and cheer the heart.

 O God, by whom to them was given

 The key that shuts and opens heaven,

 Our chains unbind, our loss repair,

 Reveal Thy power through answered prayer.

 For at Thy will they preached the Word

 Which cured disease, which health conferred:

 And now, that healing power once more

 Our peace and health to us restore.

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,

Solo: “Mark the Perfect Man”                    

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 249

 Vivian Burnett 

 O, when we see God's mercy

   Widespread in every place

 And know how flows the fountain

   Of His unbounded grace,

 Can we withhold a tribute,

   Forbear a psalm to raise,

 Or leave unsung one blessing,

   In this our hymn of praise?

 Our gratitude is riches,

   Complaint is poverty,

 Our trials bloom in blessings,

   They test our constancy.

 O, life from joy is minted,

   An everlasting gold,

 True gladness is the treasure

   That grateful hearts will hold.

"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

Benediction

I Peter 4:11

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.