Sunday Bulletin

Prelude           “Morning Hymn”                 Flor Peeters

Introit             “Holy, Holy, Holy”                

Welcome & Announcements

Call to Worship                                   Lay Leader: Charlie Burnham

Friends, we know what God desires of us:
That we do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with God.
We gather this morning to remind each other about that.
To remember that now is always the right time to do theses things.
So with thanks in our hearts, let us worship God.

Hymn           “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”     #5

Unison Prayer

Oh God, our teacher, example, companion. You have shown us
what is good, and call us to remember that what you require is
not repayment of debt or settling the score, but obedience.
Show us, God, when to do justice, how to love kindness, and
where to walk, humbly, with You. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Children’s Message

Reading Micah 6:1-8
Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.

Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring
foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his
people, and he will contend with Israel.

“O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you?
Answer Me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and
redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what
Balaam son of Be’ or answered him, and what happened from Shittim
to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”
“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?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands
of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgressions, the
fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

He 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 Gloria Patri

Anthem          “Jesus, Sun of Life, My Splendor”            George Friderick Handel

Prayers of the People

Hymn           “Rejoice, You Pure in Heart”     #15

Reading Matthew 5:1-12

Message “The Vision Beatiful”                                 Rev. Dan Haugh

Offering                                 
Offertory         “O Christ Who Art the Light of the World” Marcel Dupre
Doxology*                                                                             #46
Offertory Prayer*

Communion

Hymn           “This is a Day of New Beginnings”     #518

Benediction      

Closing           “Here I Am, Lord” refrain

Postlude         “Caprice”                                                  Clerambault

Calendar of Events

Monday, 2/2          Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Tuesday, 2/3          7:30 AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, 2/4   Noon AA meeting in Fellowship Hall
                                 5:30 Choir Rehearsal in Organ Loft
Thursday, 2/5 3:15 Cherub Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary
4:00 Youth Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary
Saturday, 2/7 1:00 XC Ski Day at Trapps

Happy Birthday this week to:
Cameron Beecy, Randy Durett today 2/1
Henry Reilly on 2/2
Maggy Dunphy on 2/3
Shea Loomis and Courtney Smith on 2/6
Guy Cote, Kathleen Jones and Joshua Whitlock on 2/7

Happy Anniversary this week to:
Roger Keller and Nancy Small on 2/5

Announcements

The ushers today are the Deacons.  Thank you for helping today.

Stewardship Update

As of January 30, 2026 we have received pledges for a total of $231,939.  Our goal is $325,000, and we are now at 71% of our goal.  Sincere thanks to all of you who have already pledged. There are pledge cards on the table in the Narthex. Sincere thanks, Nancy Money, Stewardship Chair

SCC Ski and Ride Day February 2nd!

Our first SCC Ski and Ride day for the season will be on Monday, February 2nd at the Stowe Mountain Resort. We will gather by the Sunrise Six-Pack lift at 9:00 am. We’ll join Pastor Dan for skiing and riding on mostly Intermediate terrain. Invite friends to join us. At 11:00 Pastor Dan will lead a short service at the Mountain Chapel weather permitting! Again, all are invited to attend. We’ll wrap up the day at the Round Hearth at 1:00 pm for lunch or apres-ski. Even if you don’t ski or ride, you can meet us there to socialize!

SCC XC Ski Day February 7th!

XC Ski Day at the von Trapp Family Lodge Ski Center Saturday, February 7th at 1:00 pm. Please join Lynne Von Trapp, Meg Scotti, and Dan for a cross-country ski day. 
Afterwards, we are meeting at the von Trapp Kaffeehaus. 
Thanks to the von Trapp Family Lodge, this will be a complimentary ski afternoon. Ski rentals would be extra. 
Hope to see you there! 
Please contact megscotti@mac.com or 802-363-3720 if you are interested or have any questions. 

SSC Men's Group Valentine's Day Pancake Breakfast- February 14th 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first Men's Group Breakfast in November- it was a great success, and we're doing it again! Please save the date and join us on February 14th (Valentine's Day) for a morning of great food, fellowship, and a potential guest speaker!  Let's make this even better- see you there!

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner- Feb 17th, 5-7 pm
All are invited to a fun and festive Shrove Tuesday Pancake dinner, hosted by our C.E. Committee.
The children and youth will be making pancakes and serving our congregation as we prepare for Lent.
A suggested donation of $5 will be gladly received to help offset the expenses and support our CE programs.
Please RSVP to info@stowechurch.org

Musical Notes by Karen Miller

    Prelude:  "Morning Hymn" is the first piece of four in Flor Peeters' collection titled Four Pieces written in 1945.  A quiet piece evoking sunrise, the theme principally remains in the soprano line, with an occasional "dip" into the tenor.  Peeters (1903-1986) was a celebrated Belgian organist, recitalist, composer, and teacher.  He gave over 1,200 recitals and wrote over 550 organ works.  His home base was the Michelen Cathedral, and he was one of the few musicians ever to be made a Baron by the King of Belgium.  He suffered a spinal injury in 1978 that curtailed his playing career, and his last recital was at the Michelen Cathedral in 1982.

    Anthem:  "Jesus, Sun of Life, My Splendor" is from the dramatic oratorio Brockes Passion, written by Georg Frideric Handel in about 1716, using a text by Johann Frank, written in 1649.  This was an early Handel work when he was immersed in London's operatic activity.  As opera became less popular, Handel turned to writing oratorios.  The Catherine Winkworth translation of this text reads:
    Jesus, Sun of Life, My Splendor.  Jesus, Thou, my Friend most tender.
    Jesus, Joy of my desiring.  Fount of Life, my soul inspiring.
    At thy feet I cry, my Maker.  Let me be a deep love's treasure -
    Of this blessed food from heaven, for our good Thy glory, given.

    Offertory:  The chorale tune "Christ, der du bist der helle Tag" (O Christ, who art the Light of the World) is an old melody probably written in the 7th or 8th century, and first published around 1535.  Several Baroque composers created chorale preludes on this tune, and 20th century French organist/composer Marcel Dupre included it in his Seventy-nine Chorales for the Organ.  It is a quiet piece in F Minor where the soprano carries the melody. 

    Postlude:  Louis-Nicolas Clerambault (1676-1749) was a contemporary of both Francois Couperin and J. S. Bach.  He was a court and a church musician appointed as harpsichordist to King Louis XIV.  He served the Paris churches Grand Augustins, Saint-Cyr, Saint-Sulpice, and Saint-Jacques.  To non-organists he was best known for his cantatas and choral works, but he did write his Livre d'Orgue in 1710 that contains two suites based on the first and second tones.  "Caprice" is the last piece of the second suite and is a kind of free-form fugue for keyboard.