Jacob, Bach, Britten, EPIC2 at MCC

"God makes room for quantum mechanics. ... and regular ones, too."

Sunday July 31 is the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost, where you are welcome no matter who you are or how many candles are on your birthday cake.

Rev. Tom O’Brien breaks from the summer theme of the Parables of Jesus to turn to the subject of Jacob wrestling with God.  Taking the inspiration from the story from the Old Testament book of Genesis, Chapter 32, Verses 22-31, Rev. Tom reminds all that “… just like Jacob wrestling with the angel, we are all struggling with God's plans for us.”

From the prophet Isaiah, in Chapter 55, Verses 1-5, comes the Invitation to the Thirsty to buy without money: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”

Sudbury resident and MCC member Jeannette McLellan will provide music for the service.  Ms. McLellan directs choral groups at Hudson High School and JFK Middle School.  She begins the third year with the HHS Camerata, a audition_only select group of teen singers which she created for the HHS music department trip to Germany in 2009.  She founded and directs the MCC Gospel Choir, a choral group for singers from age eleven through eighteen, now in its ninth year.

Ms. McLellan will play the organ prelude ‘Ich Ruf' zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ’ from the J.S. Bach Orgelbuchlein, BWV 639 for the Prelude.  Joining Ms. McLellan is Acton resident and Acton’s Liberty Tree Farms owner Carol Stone.  Ms. Stone is a soprano trained at the Hartt School of Music and Boston University.  The duo will offer songs by Benjamin Britten from the ‘Folk Song Arrangements’ for the Offertory – ‘The Salley Gardens’ – and for the Postlude – ‘The Ploughboy.’

On Sunday evening at 7:00 PM, the second of four EPIC worship services will illustrate that the Creator God can be seen wherever we look and continues to be a solid foundation under our feet.  The EPIC series is an interactive approach to worship, where worshippers EXPERIENCE God, PARTICIPATING however they are comfortable.  The IMAGINATIVE services engage the senses and all CONNECT to hear that the Holy Spirit is present.  Recorded music enhances the worship experience, and a free will offering is welcome to benefit the church general operating expenses.  Evening EPIC services continue in August on Wednesday August 17 and conclude on Sunday August 28.

Bible quotations are from www.biblegateway.com: “THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”

Memorial Congregational Church is a member congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC).  MCC has an open and affirming ministry to all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability or financial situation.  All areas of the building are handicapped accessible.  Summer Sunday morning worship services begin at 9:30 AM.  Nursery care for infants is available on during Sunday morning worship throughout the summer months.  Church school classes for toddlers through eighth grade are not in session; children enjoy intergenerational worship and age-appropriate coloring and reading activity worksheets.

Information on MCC worship services, music programs, Christian education, Outreach, and teen programs may be found at the church web site on the Internet at http://MCCsudbury.org, or by calling the church office at 978-443-3885, or by email at office@mccsudbury.org.   Search for us at http://sudbury.patch.com,   Find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/mccsudbury.  Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MemCCEvents.  The church is located at 26 Concord Road in Sudbury. Directions to the church may also be obtained from the church website.  Click on the “About Us” tab and then click “Directions/Map”.