A Service of Installation of
The Reverend Cassandra Hartnett
Sower at Sunset by Vincent Van Gogh
October 23, 2022
3pm
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Westborough, MA
GATHERING
The Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God
PRELUDE
THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM
Eternal and gracious God, we give you thanks:
For the crashing waters of creation, calmed by your spirit.
For the high waves of the Red Sea, a pathway from oppression to freedom.
For the banks of the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptized,
whom you claimed as your Son, the Beloved.
For the Galilean Sea where Jesus called his disciples.
For the well where a woman learned to thirst for living water.
For the water that rushed from Jesus’ side on the cross.
For the gentle waves on the beach where he appeared again.
God, your faithfulness is ever-flowing, a river that never runs dry.
Through the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection,
you set us free from the chains of sin and death,
and give us cleansing and rebirth.
In baptism you give us your Holy Spirit,
our teacher and truth-teller, who unfolds in us a variety of gifts,
that we might share your good news with all people.
Holy Spirit, pour yourself out upon us and upon this water,
that this font may be your womb of new birth.
May we who pass through these waters be delivered from death to life,
from bondage to freedom, from sin to righteousness.
May we feel the power of your grace.
Bind us to the family of faith, guard us from all evil, and
strengthen us to serve you with joy until the day you make all things new.
To you be all praise, honor, and glory;
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
who, with you and the Holy Spirit,
lives and reigns forever. Amen.
GATHERING SONG
The Summons
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
CANTICLE OF PRAISE
Let My Prayer Rise Up
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Almighty God, through your son Jesus you gave his disciples many gifts, and commanded them to care for all your people. Inspire pastors and all church leaders to proclaim your word diligently and your people to receive it with curiosity and joy, until our work is done and we are reunited with you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
WORD
God speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song
FIRST READING ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15
A reading from Ecclesiastes.
1For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
9What gain have the workers from their toil? 10I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 11He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. 14I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. 15That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING MICAH 6:6-8
A reading from Micah.
6“With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
8He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
GOSPEL MATTHEW 13:24-33
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
24He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'”
31He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON The Rev. Alyssa Kaplan St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Baltimore, MD
HYMN OF THE DAY
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
INSTALLATION OF A PASTOR
Presentation
The assembly stands.
Having been authorized by the church to install the Reverend Cassandra Hartnett,
our co-worker in the gospel, as Pastor,
I now ask for certification of this call.
Dana Gillin, member of Good Shepherd’s Council, addresses the Rev. Sara Anderson
After prayerful deliberation,
we, of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church,
have called the Reverend Cassandra Hartnett as Pastor.
I present her and this letter certifying the call.
Address and Questions
The assembly is seated.
A reading from John: Rev. Alyssa Kaplan
Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21-23)
A reading from Matthew: Rev. Geoff Sinibaldo
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
A reading from First Timothy: Rev. Jeff Goodrich
Set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Attend to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:12-16)
Pastor Cassie, in the presence of this assembly
will you commit yourself to this new trust and responsibility,
in the confidence that it comes from God through the call of the church?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Will you preach and teach in accordance with the holy scriptures
and with the confessions of the Lutheran church?
Will you carry out this ministry in harmony with the constitutions
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Will you be diligent in your study of the holy scriptures
and in your use of the means of grace?
Will you love, serve, and pray for God’s people,
nourish them with the word and sacraments,
and lead them by your own example in faithful service and holy living?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Will you give faithful witness in the world,
that God’s love may be known in all that you do?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Almighty God, who has given you the will to do these things,
graciously give you the strength and compassion to perform them.
Amen.
The assembly stands.
People of God,
will you receive Pastor Cassie as a messenger of Jesus Christ
sent to serve all people with the gospel of hope and salvation?
Will you regard her as a servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God?
We will, and we ask God to help us.
Will you pray for her
help and honor her for her work’s sake,
and in all things strive to live together in the peace and unity of Christ?
We will, and we ask God to help us.
Cassandra Hartnett, the office of Pastor is now committed to you
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Blessing
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,
make you complete in everything good so that you may do God’s will,
working in you that which is pleasing in God’s sight;
through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.
Amen.
The assembly is seated. The Reverend Cassandra Hartnett stands in order to process to the places of the word and sacraments and receive charges from members of the congregation and community.
Receive these signs of your calling
to serve God and the people of God in the ministry of word and sacrament.
At the pulpit…
You have been called to be among us
to proclaim Good News with relentless love and passion,
and to join us in wrestling with God’s word.
(with Pastor Jeff Goodrich, senior pastor of Good Shepherd)
You have been called to be among us
to encourage the faith of all our young people,
to laugh with them, to welcome them,
and to walk with them as they grow.
(with Kristin and Phillip Delannoy)
At the table…
You have been called to be among us
to preside at the Lord’s supper.
(with Stephanie Leclair, chair of Good Shepherd’s Altar Care)
You have been called to be among us
to serve alongside our community
while we seek to be the hands and feet of Christ for those who hunger and thirst.
(with Kim Brennan)
At the font…
You have been called to be among us
to baptize and to forgive sins,
to proclaim the freedom found in Christ.
(with Pat Fontes)
You have been called to be among us
To delight in our families,
To welcome each member, and to care for children.
(with Matt, Emily and Calvin Hartnett)
You have been called to be among us
to strengthen the fellowship of the Christian family,
to work in ecumenical partnership so that all God’s people thrive.
(with Rev. Joshua Fitterling, Pastor of First Congregational Church in Worcester)
At the door…
You have been called among us
to welcome the stranger, regardless of age, race, ability, gender, or sexual orientation.
(with Ernie Zimmerman, Chair of Reconciling in Christ committee.)
You have been called to be among us
to be a companion for the grieving, sick and suffering,
and to help us say goodbye when lives come to an end.
(with Joan Olson, Pastoral Care Committee member)
You have been called among us
to foster understanding and respect toward friends of different faiths
and to embrace the diversity of the community beyond these doors.
(with Rev. Laurel Gray, Unitarian Universalist Congregational Society of Westborough)
The whole congregation says in unison:
Pastor Cassie, you have been called among us to grow, nurture, and make disciples in Christ.
PRAYERS Hear My Prayer O Lord Debbie Owens
Hear my prayer, O Lord, from the ends of the earth, I cry.
Your peace will lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.
In gratitude and humility, let us join together in prayer on behalf of all of God’s creation.
A brief silence.
God of mercy, you are in the midst of us and we are called by your name. Inspire your church to serve and love all people with the unceasing grace you extend to us. Strengthen the bonds between pastors and the congregations alongside whom they serve.
God of all creation, you formed a world where every plant and animal finds a home. Preserve the beauty and diversity of all creatures with whom we share the earth and lead us to protect all living things. Bless the dogs and cats and animal friends whose companionship means so much to us.
God of peace, you are an ever-present help in time of trouble. Rescue families and nations torn apart by violence and warfare, and remind us of your promise to lift up all who have been oppressed. Unite all people toward common goals of reconciliation and justice for every person.
God of hope, you stand with the suffering and give strength. Comfort your people who feel isolated by grief or shame. Soothe the sick and injured and give all caregivers strength. Offer hope and healing to those living with mental illness, with past or ongoing trauma, with addictions or eating disorders. Help us see where you are in the midst of difficult places.
God of restoration, you call us to trust in you and not ourselves alone. Make this congregation a community of humility and curiosity, ready to encounter you in love and follow in your ways. Encourage us to learn and grow with you, and in partnership with all our leaders.
God of eternal life, to you be the glory forever. We give you thanks for all who have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, and now live with you. We give thanks for past leaders in the church who have pointed towards you and carved a path for new leaders to follow.
With grateful hearts we commend our prayers to you O God, both spoken and left unsaid, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
OFFERING INVITATION
At this time an offering is gathered for the mission of the church.
Today’s offering will be divided between The Pastor’s Discretionary Fund, used for the care of those in need and Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, the organization that supports and advocates for LGBTQ+ seminarians and clergy in the ELCA. Pastor Cassie was a recipient of their Joel R. Workin Memorial Scholarship.
OFFERING ANTHEM
OFFERING CANTICLE
One Bread One Body
OFFERING PRAYER
After the table is set, the assisting minister may lead one of the following or a similar prayer.
Let us pray. Merciful God, as grains of wheat scattered upon the hills were gathered together to become one bread, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom, for yours is the glory through Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
MEAL
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ.
DIALOGUE
The presiding minister greets the assembly and invites all present to give thanks.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
PREFACE
It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God,
through our Savior Jesus Christ.
And so, with all the choirs of angels,
with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
SANCTUS
THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE
We praise you, holy God, our maker, and our keeper,
nurturing our past, present, and future;
for the universe beyond our knowing, for creatures seen and unseen,
for animals both wild and tame, and for the places we humans call home.
We praise you for your covenant people, and for centuries of faithful Christians.
We praise you for your Son, who continues to lead us to new life.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
And so, we remember your Son, his life, his death, and resurrection, his word, and his presence in this meal, and we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Send your Spirit upon this bread and cup.
Through this meal, inspire your people for service,
and renew the world with your healing, justice and peace.
We praise you, holy God, Abba, Living Water, Breath of Life, today, tomorrow and forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Let us pray as Jesus taught us, each in the words or language of our choice.
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, forever and ever. Amen.
OR
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Behold who we are: the broken body of Christ. Let us become what we receive!
AGNUS DEI
COMMUNION
At this table, Christ is both host and meal, and offers himself to all who hunger and thirst for his presence. We believe that he is truly present in this sacrament. Come to the front, where bread is placed in your hand (you can request a gluten-free wafer), and where you receive wine by taking a cup from the tray (the cups in the center contain white grape juice). If you do not wish to commune, you are welcome to come forward and receive a blessing. If you need to receive communion in your seat, simply notify an usher. No one is too young to receive this sacrament, though some families wish to give their children some instruction before they take their first communion. If a young child accompanies you, please indicate to the pastor whether they should receive bread or a blessing.
COMMUNION SONG
Reason to Sing All Son’s & Daughters
TABLE BLESSING
The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in God’s grace. Amen
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Let us pray. O God, we give you thanks that you have set before us this feast, the body and blood of your Son. By your Spirit strengthen us to serve all in need and to give ourselves away as bread for the hungry, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SENDING
God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.
BLESSING
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.
May God look upon you with favor and + give you peace. Amen.
SENDING SONG
I Will Follow
Tomlin | Ingram| Reuben
- All Your ways are good, all Your ways are sure; I will trust in You alone
Higher than my sight, high above my life; I will trust in You alone.
Chorus 1: Where You go, I’ll go; where You stay, I’ll stay;
When You move, I’ll move. I will follow You.
Whom You love, I’ll love; how You serve, I’ll serve;
If this life I lose, I will follow You, yeah
I will follow You, yeah.
- Light into the world, light into my life I will live for You alone.
You’re the one I seek, knowing I will find All I need in you alone.
Chorus 2: Where You go, I’ll go; where You stay, I’ll stay;
When You move, I’ll move. I will follow You.
Whom You love, I’ll love; how You serve, I’ll serve;
If this life I lose, I will follow You, (chorus 1)
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Love your neighbor!
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE
Endless Praise
PlanetShakers
Please join us in the Fellowship Hall for a reception.
WORSHIP SUPPORT
Acolyte Carys
Lectors Samantha and Donna
Worship Assistant The Rev. Jeffrey Goodrich
Preacher The Rev. Alyssa Kaplan
Presider The Rev. Sarah Anderson
Communion Presenters Christopher and Gail
New Direction Praise Band Randy, Michelle, Linda, Lawrence & Sam
Director of Music Kirby
Ushers Caryn and Stephanie
Altar Care Elaine and Stephanie
Livestream Operator Ernie
Reception Hostesses Carie and Ellen
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