Heirlooms of UCN History #59

by Will Frank

In 1940, the Rev. Robert W. Sonen composed his worship services on the following model:

Organ prelude

Exhortation

Invocation

Hymn [from the Unitarian Hymns of the Spirit]

Responsive Reading (standing)

Doxology

Praise God, the Love we all may share:

Praise God, the Beauty everywhere:

Praise God, the Hope to Good to be:

Praise God, the Truth that makes us free

Lesson

Litany

Prayer

Devotional Interlude [organ]

Offertory\Announcements

Hymn [from Hymns of the Spirit]

Sermon

Hymn [from Hymns of the Spirit]

Benediction

Chant

Spirit of Truth, of Love, of Power

We bring ourselves as gifts to thee:

O, bind our hearts this sacred hour

In faith and hope and charity. Amen

Organ postlude

The mimeographed order of service included various drawings on the cover of scenes from around the church (as Wayside Pulpit signboard, or the open front door). On the inside on the left was the order of service with an epigram before and after the order. On January 7, 1940, as a header was “Up from the world of the many, to the over-world of the One,” and as a footer was “Back to the world of the many, to fulfill the life of the One.” On the right were “Parish Notes” (such as a request for people sign up to request flowers for Sunday worship in memory or honor of someone or something, and “Will anyone possessing an unwanted supply of inch and a half iron pipe kindly notify the church office”).