Sunday Worship Service
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
Sunday, 10am, Princeton University Chapel
Join us each Sunday for worship in the University Chapel, led by the dean and the associate dean of religious life and of the chapel, that draws students, faculty, staff, and townspeople together to hear God’s word, to sing God’s praise, to lift up the University in prayer. Each season, marvelous guest preachers are invited to preachin the chapel as well. We hope you can join us!
*All persons, including members of the broader community, are welcome to attend this event if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 if over age 12. Registration is required for contact tracing purposes. Face coverings are optional in most University spaces, with some exceptions. Details may be found here.
Register in advance through this link
The bulletin for this service is below.
Princeton University Chapel – May 22, 2022 – Sixth Sunday of Easter
*You are invited to rise, in body or spirit, for those parts of the service marked with an asterisk.
Invitatory - Andante, K. 616 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791); Elegy by William Grant Still (1895-1978)
Welcome and Announcements - Dean Boden
*Hymn No. 370 - What Gift Can We Bring (Anniversary Song)
*Call to Worship - Dean Thames
*Invocation
Reading - Revelation 21:1-6 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them; they will be God’s peoples, and the Holy One will be with them; God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’ And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.’
Anthem - May Thy Words Fill My Heart by J. Ashley Hall - May Thy words fill my heart as I read the scriptures with real intent; may Thy will guide my way as I search the scriptures prayerfully. Grant me a craving to learn thy ways, revealed to prophets, bearers of truth; may I find delight in Thy words as I reflect and I ponder and pray. May Thy words fill my heart as I read the scriptures, search the scriptures ponder the scriptures; this I pray. - J. Ashley Hall
Reading - John 5: 1-9 - After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath.
Sermon - Do We Want To Be Made Well? by Rev. Jim Antal '72
*Hymn No. 54 - O Praise the Gracious Power (Christpraise Ray)
Prayers of the People
One - God of love and mercy,
All - Hear our prayer.
Lord’s Prayer - Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Choral Response - Peace I Leave with You by M. Ryan Taylor - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Peace I leave with you. - John 14:27
*Exchange of the Peace
One - The peace of God be always with you.
All - And also with you.
Offertory Sentence
Music at the Offering - Singet Gott, lobsinget dem Herrn by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847) - Sing to God, sing praises to the Lord. Make a path for the one who comes gently. His name is the Lord, rejoice before him. Rejoice with drums, all people, and praise the Lord with joyful sound. God has ascended with rejoicing and the Lord with bright trumpets. Praise him with bright cymbals, psalter, and harp. Praise him with resounding cymbals. All that has breath, praise the Lord. Amen. - Psalm 68:4, 47:1,5, 150:3-6
*Doxology - Lasst uns erfreuen -Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise God all creatures here below, alleluia, alleluia. Praise God above ye heavenly hosts, Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
*Prayer for Princeton - O Eternal God, the source of life and light for all peoples, we pray you would endow this University with your grace and wisdom - give inspiration and understanding to those who teach and to those who learn; grant vision to its trustees and administrators; to all who work here and to all who bear her name give your guiding Spirit of sacrificial courage and loving service. Amen.
*Hymn - Christ, You Call Us All to Service (In Babilone)
*Benediction
*Choral Benediction - The Road Home by Stephen Paulus (1949-2014)
Voluntary - Crown Imperial by Sir William Walton (1902-1983) and arranged by Herbert Murrill
Guest Preaching - Jim Antal '72 serves as Special Advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. Antal’s 2018 book, “Climate Church, Climate World”, is being read by hundreds of churches. From 2006-2018, Antal led the 350 UCC churches in Massachusetts as their Conference Minister and President. Antal is a graduate of Princeton University, Andover Newton Theological School, and Yale Divinity School, which recently honored him with the William Sloane Coffin Award for Peace and Justice. He has preached on climate change since 1988 in over 300 settings and has engaged in non-violent civil disobedience on numerous occasions.
University Chapel Staff - The Rev. Alison L. Boden, Ph.D., Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel; The Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames, Associate Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel; Nicole Aldrich, Director of Chapel Music and of the Chapel Choir; Eric Plutz, University Organist; Elizabeth Powers, Chapel Administrator; Otis Byrd, Jr. Seminary Intern; Edgar Gomez, Sexton; Lisa McGurr, Sexton
The University Chapel is a welcoming community of faith. We gather to sing God's praises, to hear God's living Word, to seek justice, and to proclaim God's love for all people. Every Sunday of every month the congregation is invited to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to Arm in Arm. If you are interested in making a contribution toward Sunday flowers in the chapel as a memorial, please contact Liz Powers for details at 609-258-3048. The offering this morning will go to further the ministry of the University Chapel.
Calendar of Events
- Baccalaureate Service, today, Sunday, May 22, 2022, 2pm. Open to ticket holders only.
- Worship Service, Sunday, May 29, 2022, 10am - Summer services will continue in the Chancel at 10:00 a.m. through Sunday, August 28, 2022.
All events are in the University Chapel unless otherwise stated. For more information, please visit chapel.princeton.edu or call 609-258-3047.
Preaching Schedule - All services are in the University Chapel unless otherwise noted.
April 24, 2022 – Guest preacher, Rev. Dr. Traci C. West, Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School, Madison, NJ
May 1, 2022 – Rev. Alison L. Boden, Ph.D., Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel at Princeton University
May 8, 2022 –“Student Recognition Sunday” The preacher will be Thomas Hontz ’22, the winner of the Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Williamson Student Sermon Competition.
May 15, 2022 – Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames, Associate Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel at Princeton University
May 22, 2022 at 10am – Rev. Jim Antal ’72 - Guest Preacher from the 50th Reunion Class of 1972 for Reunions Weekend. Please note this is the first Sunday of the Summer Schedule when the service begins at 10am throughout the summer months.
