Prelude: “Blessed Assurance” Setting by John Carter of the tune Assurance by Phoebe P. Knapp, 1830-1908
Welcome and Announcement: Jeffrey Lantin
Call to Worship and Invocation
Hymn: “Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life”
Where cross the crowded ways of
life,
where sound the cries of race and
clan,
above the noise of selfish strife,
we hear Thy voice, O Son of Man
Offertory Prayer
Moments of Prayer
Choir Anthem: “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris, Choral Setting by Lloyd Larson
Choir Director: Richard Freeman
Scripture: John3:22-30
Sermon: “He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease” by Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong
Hymn: “I Come with Joy”
I Come With Joy To Meet My Lord,
Forgiven, Loved, And Free;
In Awe And Wonder To Recall
His Life Laid Down For Me.
I Come With Christians Far And Near
To Find, As All Are Fed,
The New Community Of Love
In Christ’s Communion Bread.
As Christ Breaks Bread And Bids Us Share,
Each Proud Division Ends;
The Love That Made Us, Makes Us One,
And Strangers Now Are Friends.
And Thus With Joy We Meet Our Lord;
His Presence, Always Near,
Is In Such Friendship Better Known:
We See And Praise Him Here.
Together Met, Together Bound,
We’ll Go Our Different Ways;
And As His People In The World,
We’ll Live And Speak His Praise.
Reading of Our Church Covenant
Communion: Lord’s Supper
Hymn: Trust and Obey”
When we walk with the Lord in the
light of His Word, What a glory He
sheds on our way! While we do His
good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other
way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust
and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in
the skies, But His smile quickly drives
it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a
tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Refrain…
But we never can prove the delights of
His love until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows and the joy He
bestows are for them who will trust
and obey.
Refrain…
Not a burden we bear, Not a sorrow
we share, but our toil He doth richly
repay. Not a grief nor a loss, not a
frown nor a cross but is blest if we
trust and obey.
Refrain…
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at
His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He
sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Refrain
Benediction
Postlude: “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” by Barbara Poertje, on the tune Ellacombe from Gasangbuch de Herzogl, 1784
Pianist: Marilyn Glover
Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong is the Executive Director of Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministry (MBMM). Mar came from Nagaland, northeast India and is an ordained minister in the United States. He holds a doctoral degree (Th.D.) in Social Ethics from Boston University School of Theology. Prior to coming to the United States Rev. Imsong worked in the Student Christian Movement of India, sensitizing and advocating for justice and human rights for the poor and marginalized in India. He also taught Christian Theology in Oriental Theological Seminary and Bishop’s College Kolkata. He authored several journal articles including the book “God-Land-People: An Ethnic Naga Identity.” His scholarly interest intersects with contemporary issues of culture and theology.
Rev. Imsong is a trainer, coach, mentor, public speaker and preacher. Mar, as we casually call him in church, is an observant listener, preacher, activist, bridge-builder and he enjoys gardening and fishing. His wife, Bendangla “Ben”, has served as a co-minister and is now a pre-school teacher. He and Ben have a daughter, Aren now a Senior IT Business Relationship Manager and sons, Stephen now a Mechanical Engineer and Kirs now a Senior Software Engineer.