9 November 2023 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Praise Medley

“This is The Day” – Les Garrett

This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made
We will rejoice, We will rejoice
And be glad in it, and be glad in it

This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.

“This Little Light of Mine” – Negro Spiritual

This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine let it shine let it shine

Everywhere I go
I’m gonna let it shin

Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine let it shine let it shine

“Victory is Mine” – Dorothy Norwood and Alvin Darling

Victory is mine,
Victory is mine,
Victory today is mine.
I told Satan to get thee behind,
Victory today is mine.
Joy is mine,
Joy is mine,
I know that joy is mine.
I told Satan to get thee behind,
I know that joy is mine.

Love is mine,
Love is mine,
Love today is mine.
I told Satan to get thee behind,
Love today is mine.

Call to Worship

Roeline Ramirez

Leader: In the name of the Creator who made us, let us praise God for inviting all to be
in The Divine Presence. Come in, the door is open.
All: Praise Your Holiness, oh, God! You have called us by our name. You longed
for us to be in your Holy Presence.
Leader: In the name of Christ Jesus who came to set us free, let us thank the Lord, our
Savior, who breaks the chain of sin and binds us in love.
All: Oh, Mighty God, our highest thanksgiving is due only to You. We thank You
for the pureness of our hearts and for uniting us in our diversity.
Leader: In the name of the Holy Spirit who sustains us, let us worship God, the One who strengthens us to be courageous in proclaiming love, justice, and mercy.
All: Glory to You, oh God! You empowered us to grow, to dream, to serve, and to
be of one mind to love one another.
God, we worship and praise You. We give You all the honor. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!

Opening Hymn

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic”
Words: Julia Ward Howe and Tony Larsen

Mine eyes have seen the glory of a world that soon may be.
I have dreamed a dream of peace and freedom for humanity.
I have heard the poor and hungry as they strive to be set free.
And Love goes marching on.

Refrain:
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
God’s truth is marching on.

2 I have heard the sounds of warfare, and I’ve watched my siblings die.
I have seen the costs of violence, and I’ve heard the children’s cries.
I have asked myself, “Who’ll change the world?” and answered “You and I!”
God’s truth goes marching on. [Refrain]

3 God has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
God is searching out the hearts of all before the judgment seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer God; be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on. [Refrain]

Opening Prayer

Terri Deans-McFarlane

Reading of the WoMA’s Profile

Chantel Makarawa

MISSION:
The Women’s Ministerial Alliance (WoMA) is a faith-based caucus at Drew University.
We are committed to social justice for our members and all who self-identify as female,
regardless of race, ethnicity, or religious affiliation. WoMA provides its members and the
Drew community with spiritual formation, leadership development, and general wellness
support to transform, empower, and impact Drew as a whole community. WoMA’s
support includes but is not limited to, chapel services, symposiums, book reviews, and
health and wellness conferences.

VISION:
WoMA uses spiritual formation and social justice to counter gender and race biases
impacting our members and anyone in the Drew Community who self-identifies as
female.

Words of Encouragement or Charge

Dean Edwin Aponte
Dean Tanya Linn Bennett
Dean Robert Seesengood
Dr. Kenneth Ngwa

Scripture Reading – Revelation 3:7-13

Eulynis Matthias-Fridie

The Message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of the Holy One, the True One,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens:
8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door that no one is able to
shut. I know that you have but little power, yet you have kept my word and have not
denied my name. 9 I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are
Jews and are not but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet,
and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word of
endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test
the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no
one takes away your crown. 12 If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of
my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God and the name
of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven,
and my own new name. 13 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying
to the churches.

Leader: The Word of God for the People of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

Seminary Choir

“Ain’t a That Good News” – arr. John Leavitt

Poem

Dr. Traci West

Sermon

Dr. Althea Spencer-Miller

Response Song

“Yes, God is Real”

James Rufflin, soloist

Holy Communion

Dr. Althea Spencer-Miller
Communion Stewards: Eulynis Matthias-Fridie and Roeline Ramirez

God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God, our Creator.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.
You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God,
and spoke to us through your prophets, who looked for that day
when justice shall roll down like waters
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,
when nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Singing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your child Jesus Christ.
Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor,
to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
and to announce that the time had come
when you would save your people.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,
gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you; this is my cup of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Singing:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his love.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.

Through your child Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.

Singing:
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Because there is one loaf,
we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the life and love of Christ.
Come, let us share in this holy meal.