and Little Farms UCC

Easter Cantata

Second Sunday of Easter

April 16th, 2023 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart                            

Bold face indicates congregational participation.          

* indicates to stand in body or in spirit

GATHERING

PRELUDE                      

*PROCESSIONAL HYMN {Blue#155] [GTG# 363]        “Rejoice, the Lord Is King” 

1 Rejoice, the Lord is King! Your Lord and King adore!

Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, and triumph evermore.

Lift up your heart; lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

2 Our Savior, Jesus, reigns, the God of truth and love;

when he had purged our stains, he took his seat above.

Lift up your heart; lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

3 His kingdom cannot fail; he rules o’er earth and heaven;

the keys of death and hell are to our Jesus given.

Lift up your heart; lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

4 Rejoice in glorious hope! For Christ, the Judge, shall come

and gather all the saints to their eternal home.

Lift up your heart; lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

WORDS OF WELCOME                   

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP (John 20:19, 21)

ONE: Peace be with you. Jesus stands among us.

MANY: Peace be with you. The risen Lord is here.

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. 

Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin. Return us to paths of righteousness through Jesus Christ, our savior. Amen. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON       

GLORIA PATRI (Blue#579) (GTG581)      

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE READING [Pew Bible NT pg.32 or 33]         Matthew 28:16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

THE CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

RESPONSIVE HYMN [GTG543] “God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me”

God be the love to search and keep me

God be the prayer to move my voice

God be the strength to now uphold me

O Christ, surround me

O Christ, surround me

EASTER CANTATA

“No Greater Love”

By Lloyd Larson

Music Director/Conductor: Sam Garnett

Assistant Music Director/Accompanist: Kelly Cuppett

Narration: Louise Ochart

Choir: Bill Bottomley, Lila Crotty, Pat Ellzey, Will Ellzey, Cheryl Emory, Sharon Fortin, Briana Mayfield, Cameron Mayfield, Aaron Ochart, Ron Palmisano, Lindsay Shin, Betty Wan, Theo Wan, and Dee Watkins

Forward From the Composer

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (Jn. 15:13)

This biblical verse has always enthralled me. It is certainly a succinct summary of the sacrifice that Jesus demonstrated for His followers and for us. It also reflects the immeasurable gift of this One who subjected Himself to hate, rejection, and ultimately a cruel death on the cross merely because He lived a life of service and love for others. Truly amazing!

In our world, love is a prominent theme. It is addressed in all forms of media, from music to movies, from TV to think tanks. We yearn for it. We need it. We value it on a personal level. It is something all of us have experienced in some fashion. Yet, we struggle to define it, to receive it, or to adequately convey it to the important people in our daily circles of life.

Jesus brought a whole new dimension to the meaning of love. In a world where selfish love was the norm, Jesus modeled a selfless form of love. He whole-heartedly gave of Himself while anticipating nothing in return. What does that kind of love mean for us? Our feeble words may attempt to explain and describe it. But it is in our actions that we validate what selfless love truly is.

You or I may never be called upon to sacrifice our love for another person. But each day we likely have the opportunity to sacrifice our preferences, our convenience, our time, our resources for the sake of others. Whether noticed or not, it seems to me that this is one of the great lessons to be modeled by those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, who lived a life of perfect love.

We cannot journey to the cross and ultimately an empty tomb without again being challenged by Jesus to be conduits of love. That may mean offering a cup of cold water to a thirsty person or it may mean sacrificing our all to save another from catastrophe. Our Lord has demonstrated that love is something we live out in the daily deeds of life, be they large or small. Love one another as I have loved you. (Jn 13:34). There is no greater love than this. 

-Lloyd Larson

“Sing Hosanna to the King!”

Sing hosanna to the King of kings! Sing hosanna to the King!

Lift your voice in praise and let it ring.

Sing hosanna to the King of kings, sing hosanna to the King.

Lift up your heads, O mighty gates; open wide you ancient doors

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory who comes in the name of the Lord?

He is the Lord Almighty! Sing hosanna to the King!

Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang; 

through pillared court and temple the lovely anthem rang.

To Jesus who had blessed them, close folded to His breast,

the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

Hosanna in the highest! That ancient song we sing;

for Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heav’n our King.

O may we ever praise Him with heart and life and voice,

and in His blissful presence eternally rejoice!

“Remember Me”

Remember Me in the bread and wine, remember Me in these sacred signs.

Take the truths I’ve planted in your soul,

share with others that they may be whole,

and remember you are mine.

Remember Me, seek and you shall find; remember Me till the end of time.

Go to all the world and save the lost; go and serve as one, count not the cost,

And remember you are mine.

Go and teach, go and preach, be a light that all may see.

Go and pray, I will guide your way, and my truth will set you free.

“Alone in the Garden He Prays”

Alone in the garden the Savior kneels to pray.

“My God, my God, please take this cup away!

Yet not my will, but Your will be done.”

Alone in the garden He prays.

Alone in the garden, Gethsemane, the Savior prays beneath the trees.

“My soul is in anguish, with grief overwhelmed.”

Alone in the garden He prays.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,

what wondrous love is this, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss

to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul.

Alone in the garden, a solemn, holy place,

the Savior pleads, blood and sweat stain His face.

“Abba, take this cup from me, but Your will be done.”

Alone in the garden He prays.

“Betrayed, Rejected, Condemned”

Christ was betrayed, rejected, condemned by His very own,

yet He chose to bear sin’s heavy load.

He was denied, abandoned by those He came to save,

and alone He walked Calv’ry’s road.

Betrayed by Judas for thirty silver coins, 

and a gentle kiss in the garden where He prayed.

Denied by Peter, His faithful, loyal friend:

the “Rock” who said he’d love Him to the end!

Rejected by those who had hailed Him as their King!

“Free Barabbas!” they did loudly proclaim.

Condemned, convicted in a trial of deceit,

the Savior bore our cross of shame!

“Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs”

Surely He has borne our griefs. Surely He has borne our sorrows.

He was wounded for us, bruised and rejected for us.

The chastisement of our sin was placed on Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs. Surely He has borne our sorrows.

He was chosen for us, alone, He stands there for us.

The sins of all the world were placed on Him.

All we like sheep have gone astray, we’ve turned to our own way,

yet by His stripes we have been healed.

Messiah, holy Lamb of God, Redeemer full of love,

rejected Man of sorrows.

“Man of Sorrows,” what a name for the Son of God, who came.

He came for ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die, “It is finished,” was His cry;

now in heav’n exalted high! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

“There Is No Greater Love”

Truly this was the Son of God, blameless, the perfect Lamb of God.

Yet He paid the price, holy sacrifice!

Truly this was God’s Son.

Worthy! This servant sent from God. Redeemer, eternal love of God!

Yet He died for me. How can it be?

Truly this was God’s son.

There is no greater love than this; 

no greater sacrifice than this that One lay down His life so willingly, 

this One who lived so perfectly.

There’s no greater love than this.

O Living God, what have I done that You would send Your only Son

To die for me, to set us free.

My Lord is crucified for me!

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

“Christ Is Risen from the Dead!”

Christ is risen! Sing alleluia!

Celebrate and sing His praise!

All creation, sing alleluia! Celebrate this day of days!

Christ is risen! Sing alleluia!

Gift of God who came to save.

All creation, sing alleluia! Christ is risen from the grave!

Sent by God to set us free, He lives to reign eternally.

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead.

Son of God who was crucified; the Gift of love now glorified! 

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ is risen from the dead!

There is no greater love than this; 

no greater sacrifice than this that One lay down His life so willingly, 

this One who lived so perfectly.

There’s no greater love than this.

Christ is risen! Sing alleluia!

All creation, sing alleluia!

Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia!

 RESPONSE 

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH  Apostles’ Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ [God’s] only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.            

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY                          

*DOXOLOGY [GTG#609]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures high and low. Alleluia, alleluia!

Praise God, in Jesus Fully know:

Creator, Word, and Spirit one. 

Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia!

*HYMN [GTG277]                     Hail Thee Festival Day!

Refrain:

Hail thee, festival day!

Blest day to be hallowed forever,

day when our Lord was raised,

breaking the kingdom of death.

1 All the fair beauty of earth,

from the death of the winter arising!

Ev’ry good gift of the year

now with its master returns: [Refrain]

3 God the Almighty, the Lord,

the ruler of earth and the heavens,

guard us from harm without;

cleanse us from evil within: [Refrain]

*PARTING PRAYER

Glory to you, O God: you have won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life. 

Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you overcame death and opened the gate to everlasting life.

Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you lead us into the truth. Glory to you, Blessed Trinity, now and forever. Amen.

CHARGE, BENEDICTION, and PRAYER for MEAL

*RESPONSE [GTG277]    

Hail thee, festival day!

Blest day to be hallowed forever,

day when our Lord was raised,

breaking the kingdom of death

POSTLUDE               Carillon from 24 Pieces en style libre (excerpt) – Louis Vierne

A special thanks to Little Farms United Church of Christ and Chinese Presbyterian Church for joining us this morning for worship, and sharing in worship leadership and choir members.  

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Susan Lassall, Pastor of Little Farms UCC; Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor John Calvin Presbyterian Church; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Asst. Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland. Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.  

JOHN CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

For more information, visit our website at www.JohnCalvinChurch.org

 or find us @JohnCalvinMetairie on

CHINESE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

For more information, visit our website at www.cpckenner.org

 or find us on

LITTLE FARMS UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST