BETHEL-MOUNT VIEW CIRCUIT OF BAPTIST CHURCHES
OBSERVANCE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MOUNT VIEW BAPTIST CHURCH AS A SOLE CONGREGATION AND HOLY COMMUNION
Sunday, 17th December, 2017, 1015 a.m.
Leader: Deacon Glendon Brown, Circuit Secretary
Preacher: Rev Dwight Fraser
ORDER OF SERVICE
Call to Worship
Hymn Immortal, invisible, God only wise
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the ancient of days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3 To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish: but noughtchangeth Thee.
4 Great Father of glory, pure father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces this grace, Lord, impart-
Take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.
5 All laud we would render; O help us to see,
‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee;
And so let Thy glory, Almighty, impart
Through Christ in the story, Thy Christ to the heart.
[W C Smith, 1824-1908]
Prayer of Approach – Adoration, Confession
Responsive Reading
Leader:Encourage one another and build up each other.
People:Live in peace with each other.
Leader:You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy’.
People:But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,’
Leader:for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
People:For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Leader:And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,
what more are you doing than others?
People:See that none of you repays evil for evil,
but always seek to do good.
Leader:Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
ALL:give thanks in all circumstances
for this is the will of God.
Song – We are one in the Spirit
- We are one in the spirit; we are one on the Lord
We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.
REF: And they’ll know we are Christians
By our love, by our love,
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
- We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand,
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land;
- We will work with each other; we will work side by side;
We will work with each other; we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity, and save each one’s pride.
- All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one.
[Peter Scholter, 1966]
[Children 10 years and under leave for JUNIOR CHURCH]
Welcome and Announcements Tithes and Offering Doxology
Scripture Readings[OT] Ezra 1:1-4; 3:10-11 [Deacon Melvin Johnson, MVBC]
[NT] Eph. 4: 1-8. 11-13 [S Schl Student- BBC]
Hymn The Church of Christ in every age
1. The Church of Christ in every age 3. Then let the servant Church arise
Beset by change but Spirit led, A caring Church that longs to be
Must claim and test its heritage A partner in Christ's sacrifice
And keep on rising from the dead. And clothed in Christ's humanity
2.Across the world, across the street, 4 For he alone, whose blood was shed
The victims of injustice cry Can cure the fever in our blood
For shelter and for bread to eat, And teach us how to share our bread
And never live until they die. And feed the starving multitude
- We have no mission but to serve
In full obedience to our Lord:
To care for all, without reserve,
And to spread his lib’rating Word.
[Fred Pratt Green, 1969 [Herongate]
Statement of Background and Intent
[Congregation is seated]
Leader
Brothers and sisters, led, as we believe, by the Holy Spirit, from the early years of its existence, Bethel Baptist Church has been moved to pursue the mission of Jesus Christ, as we have understood it, and its imperatives. Consequently, in the 1970s, this Church ventured east and with the help of God, Mona Baptist Church was established in Papine, St Andrew. Again in the 1980s, Bethel ventured westward, and New Haven was born. In the 1990s, we moved south-west into St Catherine, and the Greater Portmore church came forth. Each of these offspring churches eventually took leave of their parent-church, and ventured out in mission on their own. Finally, in the first decade of the present century, not content that this work was completed, Bethel moved once again to the east, and Mount View Baptist Church sprouted to life in East St Andrew; all this, we are convinced, with God’s gracious and sufficient direction and enabling.
Mount View Baptist Church was formally constituted on November 8, 2011 , with membership of thirty-two (32) , the required officers installed, and administrative arrangements settled, and was admitted as a member-church of the Jamaica Baptist Union at the General Assembly on Sunday, 27 February 2011, as the Norman Gardens Baptist Church; then in June 2011, the Church’s name was changed to the Mount View Baptist Church. The ministry consists of the traditional services including, regular Sunday services, evangelism, Sunday school, Bible teaching and pastoral care. Non-traditional services have also been attempted, such as ministry through sport. The centre of operation is the Norman Gardens Primary School and the church is engaged with the school in a mutually beneficial relationship as it serves the surrounding communities. Attempts to acquire suitable property for a permanent home are ongoing and once possession of such property has been gained, we are confident that bold and new initiatives in mission, in the extroverted fashion of the parent-church, will be undertaken. Today, Bethel is grateful to have played some part in the conception, birth and growth of Mount View, and promises ongoing support until Mount View will have achieved reasonable self-supporting capacity.
And now, Sisters and Brothers, led of the Holy Spirit, as we believe, to this occasion, and as we have been led to do in the past, today we release and dismiss another offspring-church, Mount View Baptist Church, to venture on into the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ, as an independent congregation. This we do by mutual agreement between our two churches, in the spirit of partnership, and with the knowledge and endorsement of the Kingston & St Andrew Baptist Association, and the Jamaica Baptist Union.
In the circumstances, I now call upon the members/representatives of Mount View Baptist Church to rise and give answer to the following question:
[The members and representatives of Mount View asked to stand]
Do you, members of, and representing, Mount View Baptist Church, take upon yourselves the status of an independent congregation, to go forth in pursuit of the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Answer:We do.
Leader:
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and with the combined blessing of Bethel Baptist Church and the churches of Kingston & St Andrew Baptist Association, we now declare Mount View Baptist Church to be an independent congregation, bearing the privileges and obligations appurtenant to such a status.
[Mount View Baptist Churchrepresentatives remain standing]
Bethel Baptist Church shall now express farewell to the Secretary of Mount View Baptist Church: - Deacon Victor Anderson
Bethel Baptist Church has been honoured to be instrumental in the conception, birth and journey of Mount View Baptist Church. We now bid you god-speed, and as you venture on into the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ, may you always orient yourselves towards the Lord, who has promised to be with his people always, to the end of the age.
The Moderator of Kingston & St Andrew Baptist Association shall then express welcome to Mount View Baptist Church to the Association.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church, and on behalf of Kingston & St Andrew Baptist Association, we now welcome you into our fellowship as a member congregation, and pledge to you our support and cooperation in your particular sphere of work, and in the corporate efforts of the churches of our region, may God enable us all to walk together in harmony and holiness
Leader:
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people but now you are God’s people … (I Peter 2:9).
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the Church and in Jesus Christ to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
[Mount View Baptist Church representatives sit]
RemarksKingston and St Andrew Baptist Association –
Mrs Monica Graham. Moderator
Bethel Baptist Church– Deacon Dr R Karl James
Jamaica Baptist Union– Rev Taniecia McFarlane
Mount View Baptist Church – Deacon Jewell Spencer
Special Music - The Youth Chorale
Sermon- Rev Dwight Fraser
Litany of Thanksgiving, Intercession and Commitment
[Congregation stands]
Leader: O Lord our God, we bless and thank you that you love the world, despite human sin against your good purposes and actions. We thank you that you did not condemn your creation, but that with self-sacrificing goodwill you sent your Son Jesus Christ to make us right with you, and to open the gate to life.
People: We thank you, God of love.
Leader: We thank you that through your church we received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that by grace, and in baptism, you made us members of the living body of Christ, and joint heirs with Jesus.
People: We thank you, God of mercy.
Leader: We thank you for entrusting to the church the continuing work of Jesus, and for entrusting to us, here, a part of in it.
People: We thank you, God of grace.
Leader: We pray for your church throughout the world:
for its faithfulness in proclaiming the good news,
for its mission to reach out with Christ’s loveto all who are in need,
for its witness to shine as light where darkness prevails,
People: for its peace and unity,
to be a sign of reconciliation in a divided world.
Leader: We pray especially for Mount View Baptist Churchand for all Christ’s servants here and everywhere,
People: that we may be given strength to walk in his way,
embrace his truth, and show forth his life.
Leader: Enable us always to remember that our purpose isto go into all the world witnessing to Christ, making disciples, baptizing, teaching, and serving.
All: In the bonds of Christian faith we yield ourselves to youOur God and savior, that we may serve faithfully the One whose kingdom has no end. Amen.
Hymn– I, the Lord of sea and sky
I, the Lord of sea and sky 2. I the Lord of wind and flame
I have heard m people cry I will tend the poor and lame.
All who dwell in dark and sin I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save. My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night, finest bread I will provide
I will make their darkness bright. Till their hearts be satisfied.
Who will bear my light to them? I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send? Whom shall I send?
CHO: Here I am , Lord. 3. I, the Lord of heat and rain
Is it I, Lord I have borne my people’s pain
I have heard you calling in the night I have wept for love from them.
I will go, Lord, They turn away.
If you lead me. I will break their hearts of stone,
I will hold your people give them hearts for love alone,
In my heart. I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?
[Daniel L. Schutte -1947]
Prayer
Holy Communion
Hymn Come and feast, for all are welcomed
1. Come and feast, for all are welcomed
at God’s table spread with love,
Come proclaim God’s grace and goodness
in, around us, and above.
Come and feast, for all are welcomed
at God’s table spread with love.
2. Here we nurture and encourage
as we share this common meal,
while we foster deep communion
and our inner-selves reveal.
Here we nurture and encourage
as we share this common meal.
3. See the chalice lifted upward
smell the fragrant, broken bread
taste the gifts from field and vineyard
hear the words that Jesus said
‘Eat and drink, and in remembrance
touch your souls with wine and bread.’
4. With the Spirit-blessed commission,
‘Go and serve this meal to all’.
take its love and peaceful vision
into every banquet hall
Go and serve as nourished people
gladly feeding one and all!
[Larry Schultz -2004: [REGENT SQUARE -87 87 87]
Benediction