Service for Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013

Subject: Soul

 Hymn 65 

 Frances R. Havergal – Adapted

 From glory unto glory,

   Be this our joyous song;

 From glory unto glory,

   'Tis Love that leads us on;

 As wider yet and wider,

   The rising splendors glow,

 What wisdom is revealed to us,

   What freedom we may know.

 The fullness of His blessing

   Encompasseth our way;

 The fullness of His promise

   Crowns every dawning day;

 The fullness of His glory

   Is shining from above,

 While more and more we learn to know

   The fullness of His love.

 From glory unto glory,

   What great things He hath done,

 What wonders He hath shown us,

   What triumphs Love hath won.

 From glory unto glory,

   From strength to strength we go,

 While grace for grace abundantly

   Doth from His fullness flow.

The Scriptural Selection is from Psalms

Psalms 51:1,6‑8,10‑12,15‑17

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.  For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psalms 19:7‑11

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.  The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.  The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

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 136 

 Violet Hay

 I love Thy way of freedom, Lord,

   To serve Thee is my choice,

 In Thy clear light of Truth I rise

   And, listening for Thy voice,

 I hear Thy promise old and new,

   That bids all fear to cease:

 My presence still shall go with thee

   And I will give thee peace.

 Though storm or discord cross my path

   Thy power is still my stay,

 Though human will and woe would check

   My upward‑soaring way;

 All unafraid I wait, the while

   Thy angels bring release,

 For still Thy presence is with me,

   And Thou dost give me peace.

 I climb, with joy, the heights of Mind,

   To soar o'er time and space;

 I yet shall know as I am known

   And see Thee face to face.

 Till time and space and fear are naught

   My quest shall never cease,

 Thy presence ever goes with me

   And Thou dost give me peace.

Solo:   "Great Peace Have They"             

Friends:
The Bible and the Christian Science textbook are our only preachers. We shall now read Scriptural texts, and their correlative passages from our denominational textbook; these comprise our sermon.

The canonical writings, together with the word of our textbook, corroborating and explaining the Bible texts in their spiritual import and application to all ages, past, present, and future, constitute a sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized.

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 276

 Charles Wesley – Adapted

 Peace be to this congregation;

   Peace to every heart therein;

 Peace, the earnest of salvation;

   Peace, the fruit of conquered sin;

 Peace, that speaks the heavenly Giver;

   Peace, to worldly minds unknown;

 Peace, that floweth as a river

   From th' eternal source alone.

 O Thou God of peace, be near us,

   Fix within our hearts Thy home;

 With Thy bright appearing cheer us,

   In Thy blessed freedom come.

 Come with all Thy revelations,

   Truth which we so long have sought;

 Come with Thy deep consolations,

   Peace of God which passeth thought.

"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

Psalms 107:8,9

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.