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Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Carmina Gadelica, Vol. III Bless to me, O God, each thing mine eye sees; Bless to me, O God, each thing mine ear hears; Bless to me, O God, each fragrance that goes to my nostrils; the Three that seek my living soul. Bless to me, O God, each taste that goes to my lips, each note that goes to my song, each ray that guides my way, each thing I pursue, each lure that tempts my will, the zeal that seeks my living soul; the Three that seek my heart; the zeal that seeks my living soul; the Three that seek my heart. Hymn Morning Has Broken Glory to God 664 Old Testament Reading Genesis 1:1-2:4 Page Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 28:16-20 Page Morning Message Today is Trinity Sunday. If you think of the church year as the face of a clock, we are right about 6:00. Starting off the church year with Advent, at the end of November, we have moved through Christmas, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. And now we come to Trinity Sunday. We are half-way through the cycle of church seasons. Next week, we begin a long stretch of time- Kingdomtide, also called Ordinary Time. It is called Ordinary Time, not because it is insignificant, but because it refers to the orderly counting of weeks that ends on Christ the King Sunday, or 11:59 on our clock, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. From now until then, our objective is to follow the Great Commission, going into all the world, making disciples, building the kingdom of God. Trinity Sunday calls us to celebrate God in three persons: God, the Father, or Creator, God the Son, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, and God, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, also called the “Paraclete.” The doctrine of the Trinity is among the most difficult concepts to explain. Many a well-meaning Christian has been called out or even condemned as a heretic over the proper way to explain the Trinity. Which is a good reason why I won’t attempt to define it, but will simply suggest that we understand the three natures of God- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as the Holy Other, existing together eternally. The term “Trinity” does not appear in Scripture. The doctrine took shape in the early Church as it began to discern, to witness, to understand God’s relationship to human beings, to you and to me. Today’s Old Testament text directs our attention to the creation story, the work of God, accomplished in the span of six days, as described by the author of Genesis. Sometimes, with the prospect of a long, cold winter ahead of us, I’ve wished we lived in a warmer, less harsh, climate. But, then a beautiful Christmas Eve snowfall blankets everything, as it did this year, and once again I am reminded of how much I enjoy each season in its turn, and how our lives crave a sense of order. Ed went out to run some errands Wednesday night. I received a text from him immediately that directed me outside to see a remarkable sight: against a blue and purple sky, was a circular fuchsia rainbow. Incredible. It left me in awe of a sky that is always changing, with colors in dynamic shades and combinations. God surprises us in new and fresh ways all the time. God’s wonders are new every morning and sure as the sunrise. In nearly 65 years, this was the first circular rainbow I had ever seen. It was awesome. All of nature has its genesis in the mind of God. And you and I can’t even raise a blade of grass without the mind of God to give it form and function and life. Did you notice as we read this text, that when God completes his work each day, God leans back and considers the results, and then pronounces it “good?” The day God created man and woman is declared “very good.” When I preached from this text last year on Trinity Sunday, there was a deep adversarial spirit throughout the country. Tremendous unrest and unspeakable violence raged through the land. Tempers rose in public, in private, and even around our dinner tables. I don’t know about you, but, I wondered many times how we could have fallen so far from what God had pronounced “good.” As the months wore on, the divisions became chasms, communication was strained to the breaking point. The longer the conflict went, the more hurtful the accusations, the more destructive the actions. A person who serves in a high public office was interviewed during the chaotic summer months. She wanted to encourage the American people to be hopeful. She is a woman of Christian faith who said that this world God created is still good, very good. That has not changed. God still creates. God still redeems. God still comforts and sustains. In her opinion, we would emerge from these troubled times, hopefully as better citizens, better caretakers of one another. The follow-up question came swiftly: where do we find this hope? I hope to never forget her answer: Hope is found where it always is, between faith and charity, or love. We recall this truth from the love chapter of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians:. “Faith, hope, love abide, these three. But the greatest of these is love.” So, with faith as our sure foundation, and acts of love our goal, how did we start to turn this around? The Rev. Stephen Bryant, of the Upper Room Ministries, offers this thought: “The call of Christ leads us to share in his life, his suffering, and his ministry, to do each day what he would do in our place. And he asks the questions we are all asking, “Where do we begin? What would Jesus do in our place?” Bryant recommended three practices:
And…it’s working! Look around at the changes we’ve made since March of last year. Note the changes we’ve made since the first Sunday of April this year. We are on our way. A year ago, we were watching our grandson, Tad, while his parents moved from Charlotte to Raleigh, NC. He was so easy to entertain. He would stand at our patio doors, inside or out, watching for the wildlife to show up. Rabbits, squirrels, birds, and an occasional blue-tailed lizard. For hours, it seemed, he would watch in anticipation, jumping and bouncing, and calling to them, obviously trying to establish some form of communication. Waving at them, hoping to coax them to come just a little closer. If we weren’t nearby, he would run and urge us to come quick so we could witness with him the wonder of God’s good creation. Pure delight. We have a lot to learn from children. Tad seemed to know instinctively where hope was. Right there between faith and love. And as a result, he delighted at the appearance of creatures unlike himself, who navigated the world unlike he does. Creatures who will never speak his language. But, with whom he shared his bread, the warm sun, the cool, dewey grass of the morning. This summer, Tad is learning new things about this good creation. He can ride a two-wheeler. He can read some words. He has much more mastery over his body and is learning that actions and attitudes have consequences. But one thing hasn’t changed: he can always go to Mommy or Daddy for help, for comfort, for solace, for love. One thing has not changed for us: we can always turn to God, whom Jesus called Father, for our needs as well. And, it is good. It is very good. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed Glory to God p. 35 *Gloria Patri Glory to God 581 Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Special Music *Blessing May God bless you this week, from morning’s waking til night’s folding. Bless your comings and goings, the spinning of your labor and lives. May the ones you meet, even those with whom you compete, be the better for it. God bless this week. God bless this journey. God bless your work and your leisure. Amen. William John Fitzgerald, A Contemporary Celtic Prayerbook, Chicago, IL, 1998. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship Joel 1, 2 The Word of the Lord to the prophet: I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old shall dream dreams, and your young shall see visions. Prayer of the Day Christina Rosetti, 1830-1894 As the wind is your symbol, so forward our goings. As the dove, so launch us heavenward. As water, so purify our hearts. As a cloud, so abate our temptations. As dew, so revive our languor. As fire, purge out our dross. Amen. Hymn Breathe On Me, Breath of God Text: Edwin Hatch, 1878 Music: Robert Jackson, 1888 Breathe on me, breath of God; fill me with life anew, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do. Breathe on me, breath of God, until my heart is pure, until with thee, I will one will, to do and to endure. Breathe on me, breath of God, so I shall never die, but live with thee the perfect life of thine eternity. Prayer of Confession Almighty God, you poured out your Spirit upon the gathered disciples, creating bold tongues, open ears, and a new community of faith. We confess that we hold back the force of your Spirit among us. We do not listen for your word of grace, speak the good news of your love, or live as a people made one in Christ. Have mercy on us, O God. Transform our timid lives by the power of your Spirit, and fill us with a flaming desire to be your faithful people, doing your will for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Response Take, O take me as I am. Summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live with me. Repeat. Assurance of Forgiveness The Lord separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west. Know you are forgiven and freed to live in peace, to testify to the saving love of God through Jesus Christ, and are empowered by the indwelling Spirit. Amen. Recognition of Our Graduates Chau-tle’ Haught Master of Social Work, Marshall University Brennan Moore Cabell Midland High School Time With Our Young Disciples Reading from Scripture Acts 2:1-8, 11b-21 Morning Message It was a beautiful July day at Cooper’s Rock State Forest near Morgantown. The loud, fierce storm that had blown thru the night before had left the world a bright, fresh green. Wedding guests had assembled…as many as could be seated under the roof of the picnic shelter. The music had begun…there’s nothing more lovely to a West Virginian than the sound of stringed instruments against a backdrop of majestic mountains and sweet summer air. Nothing lovelier except the bride, my daughter. In antique white lace, an exquisite veil falling from the crown of her head, over her shoulders, gently blowing in the breeze. Prayers, promises, rings, and the moment for which all the little cousins waited…the kiss…and the wedding party made their way of out of the shelter to pose for a few quick pictures before joining the guests. Perfect. This was the second time I was officiating clergy and mother of the bride and I was feeling a great sense of relief. I was looking forward to the cake and champagne. And then we heard the groom’s father shout, “Dad!” And then the groom shout, “Papaw!” We all turned to see a woman in a green taffeta dress streak across the shelter, hurdling benches. She started slapping the head of an elderly man with the crowd rising to their feet, some running toward the commotion and others making room for help to move in, the gentle strains of guitar and violin drowned out by gasps of guests and cries of family members. And then we saw it…the plume of smoke…and it seemed to be coming from Papaw. On his way out of the picnic shelter, he had tripped on the stone floor and stumbled into the unity candle, catching his hair on fire! My sister, Amy, was the one smacking him on the head in an effort to put out the flame. She was successful and no permanent damage was done, though it gave us all a fright. Later, trying to elicit a smile from me, my husband observed that we had re-enacted the Pentecost event as described in the book of Acts. A crowd gathered from the four corners of the country, a service of worship, lots of conversation in all kinds of dialects, and flames dancing over the head of at least one person. I wasn’t amused and only stopped shaking sometime in the middle of the next week. Pentecost, Shavout, in Hebrew, is a Jewish festival held on the fiftieth day after Passover, to celebrate the spring fruits. Later, it was expanded to include the arrival of the Hebrew people from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, and the gift of Torah. At the time of the event described in the text, devout Jews were obligated to assemble each year in Jerusalem in celebration of both Passover and Shavout. In our text, we find Jesus’ disciples and other followers gathered in the upper room on that day. In addition to the obligation to assemble in Jerusalem for this festival, the disciples were following the explicit instructions given by Jesus to remain there until that time when they are baptized by the Holy Spirit and empowered to take the Good News of salvation to the ends of the earth. So on that day they were waiting. And suddenly from heaven came the noise and the wind and the fire, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Pilgrims from every nation were gathered in Jerusalem that day and they were drawn to the site of all this commotion, amazed, because they were hearing about God’s mighty acts of power each in their own language, in a way they could understand. What was this language? Was it the kind we speak, with subjects and predicates, verbs that can be conjugated, and participles threatening to dangle? Or was it the phenomenon of ecstatic language, glossalalia, described as a gift of the Holy Spirit? I can’t answer that. But one of my go-to scholarly sources, Dr. Bob Newman, offers this helpful information: “God’s Holy Spirit does not eliminate cultural differences from his modus operandi, but on the contrary, moves in and inhabits cultural differences, co-ops them, in this case different languages, so that these cultural differences become working instruments, tools valuable and necessary in order to make witness real and true. It is worth remembering that the Hebrew Torah insists one time that “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” while there are many, perhaps innumerable, examples throughout the Hebrew canon which insist upon love for the alien, or the stranger whom you may encounter.” It is about the importance of language, a valuable and necessary tool, that can make witness real and true, that I want to lift up today. Here’s why: I recently sat with a session engaged in a pastoral search. We talked about what initially attracted them to the church and what might be said to a newcomer about what they find meaningful there. I saw a look of pain cross the face of one of the members. His grief and concern were evident as he shared his observation that there is a palpable sense of depression in the community, and in the wider world, but people aren’t turning to the church for help, for fellowship, guidance or support. This church member asked the question we should all ask: “Where do people find help, where do they find meaning for their lives? We find it in a relationship with Jesus Christ, but have we lost our ability to bear witness to Christ’s message in such a way as the family of faith expands?” As I drove away, I recalled a sermon I once heard given by Rev. Dr. James Forbes. Before he retired, Forbes was the Senior Minister of the famed Riverside Church in New York City. I have been blessed to hear him preach from that pulpit. His reputation is that of a strong progressive voice for the mainline Church and social justice issues in particular. Briefly, the sermon I remembered was titled “Are All the Children In?” Forbes grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, one of eight children in a Christian home. When the family would gather around the table each night for supper, before anyone prayed over the meal or took even a bite of food, his mother would look around the table and ask, “Are all the children in?” And if someone was missing, they set about fixing a plate so that the one absent would have something to eat when he or she did arrive. He says this simple question has served as a guide to his life and ministry over the years, especially when working through areas of conflict. Many conflicts erupt in the church about who’s in and who’s out, who’s worthy to be a member, or an ordained officer. In particular, Forbes says, this little question was helpful in working through the issues of sexual orientation related to the church membership and ordained service. When he asked himself if inclusion would advance the kingdom, the answer was always yes. God made us for God’s self and calls all of us to the table. That was not an easy sell. Ever. But when he applied himself to listening, really listening to the various concerns, he heard the language of fear. Once the language was identified, he could work on that, and in time, through love and grace and lots of reassurance, folks would come around. He says, quite honestly, he could relate to their fears, because he had once had them, too. But, as scripture tells us, love casts out fear. Friends, I don’t have to tell you the church has changed. We simply can’t do church the way we did it fifty years ago, or even two years ago. But, our call is still them same: to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. We Presbyterians do that thru works of justice, kindness and mercy. Here are a few ways we are being called into service today: In the Greensboro-Winston-Salem- area of North Carolina, Christian and Jewish congregations have joined efforts at sponsoring and supporting a number of Syrian families who have been cleared for residency in the US. This involves a lot of work. It is costly in time, resources and reputation. The American faith communities are heavily invested in helping the refugee community assimilate into American culture and to find a home of peace and security. Those who are involved in this effort report this as the most meaningful, even if socially risky, work they have ever undertaken. Through our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, Central Americans recently arriving at the US border by caravan are being provided emergency assistance of food, first aid, temporary shelter and legal assistance. Closer to home, Second Presbyterian Church of Huntington has intentionally partnered with the recovery community and have offered a warm welcome to those living in a nearby residential facility. Living in the village of Barboursville is a blessed reality for most residents. But, for some, having an adequate food supply is a challenge. Some have little opportunity to socialize and enjoy the benefit of conversation over a meal. To help meet those needs, the churches in Barboursville, including Kuhn Memorial, invite the whole community to fellowship meals on a regular basis. It will be our turn soon to be the hosts. Stay tuned for more on that. The Spring Valley church welcomes residents of their neighborhood into the church every Wednesday for food distribution. Highlawn Presbyterian has a heart for the children and families surrounding the church. Two years ago, they sent about thirty kids to Bluestone summer camp where each one of them was included and celebrated as a precious child of God. I’m sure they will repeat that practice when Bluestone is fully operational again. These are just a few examples of how some congregations are engaged in their communities. Each of them has experienced change in their circumstances. The reality is that as churches decline in membership and resources, human need rises. Interpret that as more opportunity to speak the language of love and belonging to our hurting world, more opportunities to ask if we are doing everything we can to widen the family circle and draw more children of all ages and circumstances in. That language can start at home. Or at a wedding. I share this because so many are dealing with the challenges of dementia and Alzheimer’s. You see, some would say that the accident with the unity candle wouldn’t have happened if Papaw had not attended the wedding in the first place. His health was declining. He had cognitive issues. There was anxiety over whether or not he should attend. Some of you have been there and understand the challenges. But, love conquers fear. The bride and groom and other family members expressed their deep desire to include this man that had been central to their lives, guiding and shaping their character and their faith. But there would have been no judgment should Grandmother have decided the best course would be to stay at home in Kentucky. But, the family’s support gave her courage and strength to bring her husband and be there on that special day. As we are welcomed to the Lord’s Table this day, we look forward to the day when we are gathered at the marriage feast of the Lamb. I can envision that glorious moment when Christ Jesus, our Savior, our brother, and our friend, will look around the vast table and declare with joy that “All the children are in.” Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day, he rose from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Sacrament of Communion Invitation, Words of Institution, Great Prayer of Thansksgiving, Distribution of the Elements Prayer After Communion Gracious God, may we, who have received this sacrament, live in the unity of your Holy Spirit, that we may show forth your gifts to all the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Blessing Women: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Men: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Leader: Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us. All: Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. *Postlude Announcements Today is Pentecost, the day we celebrate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to the Christian Church. We will celebrate the Sacrament of Communion today. The elements are contained in sanitary sealed packages. At the appointed time, please come forward, take the elements from the tray, and return to your pew. We will serve those who prefer to remain seated. When all have been served, we will take the bread and juice together. Tithes and offerings may be left in the offering plates at the front of the sanctuary. Your contributions are appreciated. Thank you to the congregation for observing the health and safety protocol related to Covid 19 for over a year. The session and Covid Task Force are in agreement that vaccinated people may now attend worship without wearing masks. This decision follows the guidance of public health professionals and institutions. Please be aware: 1) masks may still be required in some settings 2) individuals may choose or be advised to wear masks due to vulnerable health conditions For more information, contact your health care provider or go to cdc.gov. Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater. Those who believe in the Son of God have testimony in their hearts. This is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. We gather knowing that we have eternal life. Let us worship together this Lord of life. Prayer of the Day Almighty God, your blessed Son before his passion prayed for his disciples that they might be one, as you and he are one. Grant that your church, being bound together in love and obedience to you, may be united in one body by the one Spirit, that the world may believe in him whom you have sent, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Hymn Crown Him With Many Crowns Text: Matthew Bridges, 1851 Music: George Job Elvey, 1868 Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne; hark, how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own! Awake, my soul, and sing, of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity. Crown him the Lord of love, behold, his hands and side, rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified; no angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright. Prayer of Confession Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our own sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: Cleanse us from all offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding refuge and strength, through Jesus Christ your Son. Amen. Assurance of Pardon Hear the good news! Who is in a condition to condemn? Only Christ, And Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life is gone and a new life is begun. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. Time for Young Disciples Prayer of Illumination Reading from Scripture John 17:6-19 The Morning Message This exquisite passage has been affectionately called “the other Lord’s Prayer.” Sometimes it is called “Jesus’ high priestly prayer.” Words describing it fail us. The setting is the upper room, where so much has happened that night…a Passover meal, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the washing of feet, a betrayal. Still in Jesus’ presence, the disciples remain attentive to his words. But now, the words are not directed to them. Here, Jesus is praying for them. Jesus is praying for that time when they would carry on his ministry, but without his earthly company. Commentators say this is the most detailed prayer of Jesus in all the gospels. In the fifth century, CE, the Bishop of Alexandria, whose name was Clement, said that in this prayer Jesus was fulfilling his role as a high priest for his people. This is the origin of the term, “high priestly prayer.” In the Old Testament, there were three holy offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. No one assumed these offices on their own. Only those called by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit entered into these offices. As we look back over the entirety of Jesus’ life, we can see how he came to fulfill these holy orders. At his birth, Jesus is referred to as the infant king. You recall that Herod decreed that all baby boys two years of age and younger were to be put to death because Jesus’ birth was interpreted as a threat to Herod’s rule and reign. Throughout his ministry, from the time he read scripture in the Temple, to his trek down to the seashore, in visiting the crowded cities, and dining at the homes of his friends, Jesus was prophet. Remember, when we come across the term “prophet” in scripture, we may substitute the word “preacher.” Jesus preached, or prophesied, wherever he went. But, here, in these last few moments with his disciples, in the upper room, their gathering place, it is Jesus, the High Priest, speaking. The work of the priest was to mediate between human beings and God. People would bring their sacrifices to the temple and the priest would present them to God. There were thank offerings that were burned. There were memorial offerings that were waved. And then, there were the sin offerings that were sacrificed. As the people brought their offerings forward, the priest would take the animal, present it to the Lord, sacrifice it, throw some of the blood on the curtain in front of the Holy of Holies, and then throw some of the blood on the sinner. As he performed this rite, the priest would say, “The Lord has forgiven you all your sins.” The High Priest did not mediate for a specific man, woman, or family. The High Priest mediated for the whole nation of Israel collectively. The High Priest carried out one special offering to the Lord. Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter alone into the Temple. No one else was permitted to enter. He would take one animal, a lamb, into the temple, on behalf of the whole nation, and sacrifice it at the altar. He would then take the blood of that one lamb behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies, and pour it out onto the Ark of the Covenant, where God himself was believed to dwell. The High Priest would atone for the sins of whole nation by one sacrifice, “once for all.” We can see how Jesus is, for us, the Great High Priest. He mediates between us and God. He offers himself, the Lamb of God, to take away the sins of the world. In this prayer, Jesus gives us a glimpse into the warmth and depth of the relationship between himself and God. He prays for his friends. He prays for us in our generation. This passage is exclusively prayer. There are no instructions, no charges, no challenges. Jesus is asking God to bless his friends with the kind of relationship he has with God, whom he calls Father. He asks that God bring his friends together as one, as he and God, Father and Son, are one. He pleads for unity among them. He expresses his deep desire that they love one another as he has loved them. How very important these things will be to the fledgling church. To be united in purpose and love would strengthen and empower the believers in the strife-filled years to come. The love of Christ will compel his followers to mighty heroic acts, breaking the chains of oppression and bringing relief to those who suffer. They would advance the kingdom, in size and in spirit, and bear it to generations yet unborn. I’d like to spend a few moments reflecting on the impact of unity. In the last year, we have witnessed what can be accomplished when unity is valued and applied to a challenge. By following a reasonable protocol, we did our part to reduce the damage of a deadly virus. It wasn’t a perfect performance. The challenges came swiftly and with gravid cruelty. There was a psycho-social ingredient added to the mix, and we could explore that, but I think it’s been analyzed to death at this point. In spite of ourselves, and forces beyond our control, we have achieved a sense of unity. We have seen the real benefits from its use. I’ve witnessed some other significant demonstrations of unity. A few days ago a crack was discovered in the Hernando de Soto Bridge that spans the Mississippi River between Arkansas and Tennessee. The discovery called for an immediate closing of the bridge. An inspector actually called 9-1-1 to report the emergency and seek help stopping traffic. But that wasn’t the only concern. The traffic passing under the bridge, the boats and barges, would have to be re-directed, too. Think about that a moment. Picture yourself trying to cross that bridge. Maybe its rush hour and you are anxious to get home, pick up your kids, let the dog out. And you are not alone. Hundreds of others have urgent reason to get to the other side. Those on the river have products to move, deadlines to meet. We can almost feel the adrenalin pumping. With a single goal, a unified purpose, that community prevented a tragedy. The repairs will take awhile and will be inconvenient. But I predict there will be a great unified celebration, with the governors of both states in attendance, and high school bands marching from one side of the bridge to the other on the day it re-opens to traffic. Sadly, we can point to incidents when the power of unity is mis-used. People can be compelled to unite around destructive ideas. They can be emboldened to perform heinous acts. Jesus recognizes this and asks God to protect his friends from the evil one. We don’t talk much about evil, but we are all aware of its power in the world. The theological term for this is theodicy, or the study of evil. One of the best books I have ever read on this subject is M. Scott Peck’s, People of the Lie. It is probably out of print, but it is not out of relevance. The antidote to Covid is a vaccine. Being vaccinated is a process. I’ve been through it and survived. First, you have to qualify by age or condition or occupation. Get your name on a list. Show up when its your turn. Roll up your sleeve. Feel a tiny pinch. Wait fifteen minutes, then off you go. Hopefully, you will not suffer side effects. The antidote to evil is love. No qualifying, no waiting, no pain, no side-effects. For God is love. And, as you’ve heard before, those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. Ascription of Praise Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Gifts of Tithes and Offering Hymn Crown him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways, from pole to pole, that wars may cease, absorbed in prayer and praise. His reign shall know no end; and round his pierced feet fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet. Crown him the Lord of years, the potentate of time; creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime. All hail, Redeemer, hail! For thou hast died for me; Thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity. *Blessing Go out into the blessing of a new week. As Christ prays for you, pray for one another. As Christ forgives you, forgive one another. As Christ loves you, love one another. And may the grace of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Announcements The session meets today after worship. You may place your tithes and offerings in the plates provided on the Communion table. We are refraining from passing the plates through the congregation per health and safety guidelines. Elder of the Month- John Thomas Birthdays and Anniversaries Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship John 14:15 If you love me, says the Lord, Then you will keep my commandments. Prayer of the Day Eternal God, our Creator, As you sent your Son, Jesus, to live in a human family, you set us to live in families. On this Mother’s Day, we commend to your care all the homes where your people live. Make them places of peace and welcome. May they acknowledge you as Lord of heart and home, the unseen guest at every meal. May all who dwell within know the gifts of faith, kindness, compassion, generosity, humor, and forgiveness. Give to mothers and fathers and the families in their care a sense of spiritual purpose that they may know the blessing of joy in your service. Let children and parents be knit together in enduring affection, with life-long love and respect. Light the fire of kindliness among us all, that we may show the beauty of your love within our homes and beyond our doors. Amen. Hymn Though I May Speak Text: Hal Hopson, 1972 Music: English folk melody Though I may speak with bravest fire, and have the gift, to all inspire, and have not love, my words are in vain, as sounding brass and hopeless gain. Though I may give all possess, and striving so, my love profess, but not be given by love within, the profit soon turns strangely thin. Come, Sprit, come, our hearts control; our spirits long to be made whole. Let inward love guide every deed, by this we worship and are freed. Prayer of Confession Gracious God, we confess we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved as you command. We have clung to our own desires, failed to observe your commands, and neglected to walk in your ways. Forgive us, we pray, and renew a right spirit within us, that we may be find joy in obedience and peace by your grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Response Take, O take me as I am; summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat. Assurance of Pardon Hear these comforting words: By the sacrifice of Christ our Savior, God separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west. Believe the good news of the gospel. Our sins are forgiven. Be at peace. Alleluia! Amen. Time for Young Believers Prayer of Illumination Scripture Reading John 15:9-17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit-fruit that will last-and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. The Morning Message Today, being Mothers Day, is all about love. To show our love, we may give Mom, or someone who has been like a mom to us, a beautiful bouquet, or maybe we send her a card expressing our love and appreciation. Maybe we’ve been on the receiving end of the giving. I have a dresser drawer full of cards I’ve received over the years. The dresser doesn’t hold all of them anymore so now there’s a stack in my closet. I bet you have a colletcion, too. Sweet and serious, funny, wacky. Some of them handmade. All expressions of family life. Let’s hold that image in our minds for awhile this morning and turn it just a little. Let’s say we’re all on the receiving end of gifts and cards today. We can feel the love all around us. For the next few moments, I’d like for you to think about giving something back to your family. A card or a letter. Maybe a message via smartphone. On this day that we celebrate families, especially honoring mothers, what is it that must be said? What is love’s most important message? If you think that’s too tall an order, we can look to our scripture text today. You’ll remember that in last week’s gospel lesson, Jesus began what scholars call the Final Discourse. After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his friends on several occasions. But, he will not stay. He must, as he says, “Ascend to his Father.” So Jesus prepares them for his departure. In last week’s message, we heard Jesus explain his relationship to God and his relationship to his followers. We are to understand that we are included as his followers. The image Jesus uses is three-fold: gardener, vine, and branches. He identifies the gardener as God, the creator, and the one who tends to the vine: shaping, caring, pruning, when necessary, in order to produce the best fruit. In one of the “I am” sayings of Jesus, for which John’s gospel is famous, he calls himself “the vine.” He calls his believers “the branches.” Jesus paints a beautiful image, doesn’t he? What do you notice? I picture the scene in the morning, the dew still so fresh I can feel it as I walk though a lush, fertile vineyard. I see a long-standing arbor, weather-worn, bearing the weight of vines, all glossy brown, intent on twisting and turning, but carefully trained across the arbor’s frame. I see the slim new shoots of branches, their leaves with faces turned up to the warm sun. I don’t see the gardener, or vintner, but the signs of his work are evident. Gardener, vine, and branches. According to Jesus, the whole relationship originates with God- the energy, the mind behind the whole creation. It extends to Jesus, God’s Son, then to us. But the story does not stop there. It continues, because these relationships exist for a purpose. Jesus speaks of that purpose: He speaks of the branches “bearing fruit.” This is a metaphor that people familiar with the Old Testament would recognize. When vineyard imagery is used in the Hebrew text it refers to the faithfulness of the Jewish community. Jesus uses it in a new way. “Bearing fruit” emerges here as a way to speak about the works of love that are required of Jesus’ believers. We will hear it again in the letters of Paul. We will hear about “fruit of the Spirit” in a few weeks at Pentecost. To bear fruit is the believer’s purpose. In this text Jesus is summarizing the most important message he wants to leave with his friends. He reminds them of the command to love one another as he has loved them. On the last night in the upper room, he demonstrated his love in a dramatic way. He washed the disciples’ feet and told them to wash one another’s feet. He says, “I give you a new command: love one another.” Jesus says when we love like he loves, this deep, comprehensive love, that originates in God, flows through himself, and makes its way to faithful disciples, his joy will be complete. Bible scholars say that verse 13 is the most explicit statement in the Gospel of what it means to love as Jesus loves: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus’ death is the ultimate demonstration of his love. So, what we have here, these verses of John chapter 15, is the love letter of Jesus, at the end of his life, to his friends and to us. Let’s sit with that a moment. How can we describe such a love? Have we ever witnessed such a love? Is it even possible this side of heaven? Our next-door neighbors have two grandchildren. Their daughter is a full-time nurse and they have always provided child care for the little ones. One day when their grandson was still a toddler, he tobbled over to his grandmother and held up his sippee cup, which, in toddler language is the sign for “more.” She refilled the cup and when she turned to hand it to him, she found him passed out on the floor, still as a stone. Eyes closed. Limp. She couldn’t rouse him. You can just imagine the terror of that moment. She immediately called for help. Minutes later her husband arrived from work. He beat the ambulance to the house. Baby was revived. It appeared he had suffered a seizure, cause unknown, and was bundled off to the hospital, sirens screaming. As soon as I could, I headed that way, too. My pastor’s badge got me into the ER and right back to the exam room. The scene took my breath away. This little boy, so tiny and pale in that stark white bed, clutching his security blanket, safe in the embrace of his mother, who was in the sure embrace of her mother. On the end of the bed sat grandfather. He turned toward me as I entered the room. His expression said it all: he would die for that little boy. I hope they never again experience such a scare. But I do hope they will hold the impact of it in their hearts forever. I hope they will recall it with their grandson as he matures. I hope they will describe it as the moment they experienced love’s true power and love’s true cost. Love’s true joy. That little toddler is now a healthy long-legged ten-year-old. He loves to ride his bike and shoot baskets in his down time. He likes Mexican food. He teases his little sister when his parents aren’t looking. His teacher says he’s one of the best readers in his class. As it is for all parents, taking good care of him is a full-time job. But, who would want it any other way? It is a labor of love. Love that bears rich fruit. I have witnessed your love in the year I have been your pastor. Many of you live in family settings, with more than one generation around your table. Many of you are living with the memory of family around the table. You know the full measure of love. You have lived out stories that are not mine to tell, but, I urge you to share them. Tell your family today what love’s most important lessons are. Better yet, write them down. It will be a gift for you as well. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. *Ascription of Praise Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings *Blessing *Postlude Announcements Happy Mothers Day! We pray God’s blessing on our mothers and all who have been like mothers to us. May you be in touch with your loved ones today and supported by their prayers and ours. The session will meet next Sunday, May 16. You may place tithes and offerings in the plates provided on the Communion table. We are refraining from passing them through the congregation per health and safety guidelines. Elder of the Month for May: John Thomas Birthdays: May 2 Donna Thomas 5 Elizabeth Dilley 6 Leslee Cassidy 12 Carson Wilson 13 Renee Lemley 16 Doug Frost Kim Stooke 29 MacKenzie Cassidy Dante Angelo Roma 31 Shannon Bates Anniversaries: May 2 Jeremy and Mary Ellen Winters 22 Matt and Robin McComas Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” *Prayer of the Day O God, form the hearts of your people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that amid all the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed where joy is found, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hymn Be Thou My Vision These stanzas are selected from a 20th century English poetic version of an Irish monastic prayer dating to the 10th century or before. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me save that thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night; waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word; I ever with thee and thou with me Lord; thou my soul’s shelter, and thou my high tower; raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power. Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise; thou mine inheritance, now and always; thou and thou only, first in my heart; High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won; may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of mine own heart, whatever befall; still be my vision, O Ruler of all. Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, in your presence, we confess our failure to be what you created us to be. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. By your mercy, help us live in your light and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Response Take, O take me as I am; summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat. Assurance of Pardon The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. Believe the good news of the gospel: our sins are forgiven. Be at peace. Time for Young Believers Prayer of Illumination Scripture Reading John 15:1-8 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit, Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Response The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Morning Message If you drive by our house right now you will likely see two un-ruly, un-pruned, wild-looking bushes. Now that the pretty yellow blooms are gone, you may not even recognize them as forsythia. We planted the bushes at least twenty-five years ago. They thrived. Generous yellow blooms every spring. I would clip some and stand them in my favorite Blenko vase. Those tall straight branches heralded the arrival of spring. Warm, sunny days would soon follow. Negotiations with our kids would resume about when it was time to come inside for the day, for they all loved to play outside. But, after a few seasons when we failed to trim, rake, and clean up the ground beneath and around the forsythia, they are now a mess. The branches are so long they rake at our bedroom window on the second floor. They sound like someone is scratching on the window screen when the wind whips up. One day I noticed a sweet smell coming from the direction of the forsythia and upon inspection, realized that honeysuckle had wound its way into the bushes. And then, much to our dismay, the honeysuckle was joined by poison ivy. Like I said…it’s a mess. It’s safe to say we know just a little about how vines and branches grow due to the neglect we’ve shown ours. To frame it in theological language, we could call this a sin of omission. The vine is one of Jesus’ favorite images for himself and his followers. We interpret the vine of which he speaks as a grape vine, for scripture is full of references to wine, the fruit of the vine. Jesus uses this image to demonstrate the closeness of the relationship he has with his disciples. The lives are inter-dependent, inter-twined. Jesus also uses this image to demonstrate his relationship with God, whom he calls, “Father.” I don’t know much about planting or tending a vineyard, but, from what I have learned, in order to reproduce grapes to type, a vine is grafted onto a strong root-stock so that two plants, in effect, become one. The root-stock grows deep in the ground where it extracts nutrients. Branches sprout from the main root, and in turn, this sprouts leaves and tendrils. All this growth may be a joy to behold, but if the branches are left to themselves, they will grow and grow with abandon. The growth may continue at the expense of any fruit coming on the vine. The plant is so busy sending energy and nutrients to the farthest point on the vine, it by-passes any existing fruit, essentially starving it. So, an important task of the vine-dresser is to prune, prune, prune, the vine, taking it all the way down to the nub if necessary. The energy has to be directed to the emerging fruit and not the foliage. The remaining branches that are not bearing fruit are also removed in order that the grapes closest to the vine will thrive. If we think of this in human terms, we might say that, from time to time, we, too, need to be pruned. Churches may need to be pruned. Now, this may not be pleasant, or scheduled, or expected. But, life hands us changes and challenges. We have to adapt. Preferably, we will engage in a little self-examination to inform those changes. Hopefully, we will identify our strengths and weaknesses. Maybe we will set new priorities or goals. We may examine our resources, financial and human, that are necessary for living out our call. Sometimes, we may even sense that we are being called away from an earlier purpose and into a new one. One of the mixed blessings of this pandemic is that is has forced this and all churches to figure out what is essential for our lives. A week or two into the pandemic, the church where a friend and colleague of mine is senior minister, published a full schedule, 24/7, of meetings, Bible studies, support groups, Sunday School, Circle meetings, outreach plans, community engagements. They had decided early on that the show must go on. No hiccups. And it worked, for awhile. Then fatigue set in. They needed more help, more leadership. They needed more tech-savvy volunteers to keep up. Everyone was stretched to their limit. All in an effort to defy the notion that an international health crisis had the world in its tight grip. Having a full, elaborate schedule gave a sense of security, in my view, a false sense of security, that the church wasn’t affected by the pandemic. Most of us took a less-strenuous and more rational approach. Worship, pastoral care, simplified outreach, stewardship in order to stay afloat. Transitioning from traditional worship to worship presented electronically has been a big challenge. It has been a steep learning curve for me, if not for others. From what we have heard, offering an alternative to in-person worship was a good decision. The important thing, to me, is to do as this scripture text directs: abide in Jesus. One translation for the word “abide” means “to make our home with” Jesus. When we make our home with Jesus, we become intimately related. We know each other’s routines and habits. Conversation becomes more familiar and less formal. At times, there is no need for words. Scripture tells us that God knows our thoughts even before the words are formed on our lips. What has been on your mind already today? Joy? Hope? Concern? Jesus already knows. That is the product of abiding in him. In her blog, Suzanne Guthrie writes that Jesus’s teaching about the vine helps her not to panic in what can be a stressful, demanding culture, but to live into the perspective of our connectedness to one another and to the Holy One. This gospel reading of the vine and the branches “reminds me that I am not only in community with other people and that I am inseparably grafted to the vine-the source of my deep and enduring happiness and love.” Catherine of Sienna, several centuries ago, had this to say about the passage: “keep in mind that each of you has your own vineyard. But everyone is joined to the neighbor’s vineyards without any dividing lines. They are so joined together, in fact, that you cannot do good or evil for yourself without doing the same for your neighbors.” Think about that. How different would the world be if we all shared that understanding of connectedness? There is a Jewish story that says when we are created, we are tied to God with a string. When we sin, the string breaks. But, on the Day of Atonement, the angel Gabriel arrives from heaven to tie a knot in our string, putting it back together. After a lifetime of this, the string will be full of knots at the broken places in our lives. And the string will be shorter than it was when we were created, demonstrating our ever-closer relationship to God. May it be so for all of us. Amen. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father, Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Ascription of Praise Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Please place your offering in the plates on the Communion table at any time. There is also a container for the Cents and Sensibility Offering. *Blessing Just as God’s Word was sent into the world to heal and redeem, so God sends you into the world this day to be light and love, healing and hope. Go now, and share the good news generously, and may the grace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Announcements Elder of the Month The session will meet May 16 following worship. We want to celebrate your good news! Please send notice of graduations and other milestones to Jessica Kidd at [email protected] or 304-634-7960. |
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
July 2024
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