Prelude
*Call to Worship Holy God of wind and fire, dance through our worship today. Holy God of earthquakes and illness, share our memories, our tears of sadness and loss. Holy God of creation and new beginnings, show us again your vision of healing and wholeness and the promise of life here and in the world to come. *Hymn 326 For All the Saints Opening Prayer Eternal God, you have knit together your people of all times and places into one communion in the mystical body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant us your Holy Spirit that we may be encouraged and strengthened, seeking your forgiveness in our moments or seasons of failure, persevering in our part of faith’s course, until such time as we join the great cloud of witnesses in our eternal home. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Jesus said, “For the Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Friends, believe in the good news of the gospel. Our sins are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen. First Reading Revelation 21:1-6 Time With Our Young Disciples New Testament Reading Matthew 5:1-12 The Morning Message Saints Among Us *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p.35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Prayers of the Faithful and the Lord’s Prayer Romans 6:3-5 This morning we remember family, friends, and loved ones who have joined the blessed company of the saints in light during this church year. When we were baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism unto death, so that, as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with Christ in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Received into the Church Triumphant this year: Clara Adkins Karen Gold John Cooke James McTyre Joan Cassidy Anita Woodrum Eternal God, we bless you for the great company of all those who have kept the faith, finished their race, and now rest from their labor. We praise you for those closest to us whom you have received into your presence… and others we name now in our hearts… We lift our concerns for our community, our nation, and the world, that all may be supplied their daily needs and know the security of freedom, safety, and peace. We pray for those who suffer from illness and other circumstances which prevent them from living whole and blessed lives. We give you thanks for all gifts of healing and compassion offered in your name. Help us to believe where we have not seen, trusting you to lead us through our years. Bring us at last with all your saints into the joy of your home, through Christ Jesus who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father… Amen. Presenting Our Gifts of Tithe and Offering Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 730 I Sing a Song of the Saints of God *Blessing Go out in the confidence that your lives are safe in God. Keep your hands clean and your hearts pure. Do not act falsely or deceitfully. Trust in the Lord, even in the face of death, and follow in the footsteps of all God’s saints. And may God keep a protective eye on you; May Christ Jesus show you his grace and mercy; And may the Holy Spirit give you a vision of the life of the world made new. *Postlude Prelude
*Call to Worship Psalm 46:1-3, 8-11 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. The Holy One says, “Be still and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. *Hymn 275 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Prayer of Confession Almighty God, We confess that we have taken your commandments and turned them into rules. We have criticized those who have fallen short and selfishly proclaimed ourselves righteous. We have failed to understand the spirit of the commandments and the way you showed us to live- loving God and loving neighbors. Forgive us for turning your law into burdens and ignoring the glorious freedom from sin, gained by the saving death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Grace 1 John 4:16 God is love. Those who abide in love, abide in God, and God abides in them. Friends, believe the good news of the gospel. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Time With Our Young Disciples Scripture Readings Romans 1:17; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Peter 2:5; 2 Timothy 3:18; Matthew 11:29-30 The Morning Message This is a special day in the life of those churches who trace their history to the Protestant Reformation. That includes us and our Lutheran and Reformed brothers and sisters. Other Protestants acknowledge Reformation Sunday for the contributions the Reformed Movement made in the life of the Christian Church, and even influenced their own denominations. Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, comes from the faith and writings of John Calvin, whose first vocation was the practice of law in France. Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland. From there, the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe and the British Isles. This new movement gave great consideration to which form of government would be most effective for the church. Some thought the church should be governed by bishops and became the Episcopalian Party. Some believed the church should be governed by elders, and became the Presbyterian Party. Still others believed government should be conducted directly by the congregation, and they became the Congregationalist Party. The name Presbyterian comes from the Greek word, presbuteros, which means “elder.” It is used 72 times in the New Testament in reference to church leadership. Presbyterian Church government emphasizes that the leadership of the church is to be shared between pastor and session, what we also call Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders. Our strong emphasis on church government is our heritage from John Knox and the Scottish Presbyterians. I’m wearing tartan plaid today in their honor. Many of the early Presbyterians in America came from England, Scotland, and Ireland. The first American Presbytery was organized at Philadelphia in 1706. The first General Assembly was held in Philadelphia in 1789. The first GA was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence. The Presbyterian Church is distinctly confessional and connectional. I always like to say you can’t be anonymous in the Presbyterian Church. We are family. We believe the faith that unites us is always stronger than disputes that divide us, though I have witnessed some dangerously close calls. So what is unique about the Presbyterian Church? We are distinctive in two major ways: we adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed Theology and we practice the representative form of government that values both ministers and members. What is Reformed theology? The Shorter Catechism, that many of us learned as children, says that our chief end, or primary goal in life, is to “know, or glorify, God and enjoy God forever.” Theology is a way of thinking about God and how God relates to the world God made. We affirm the holiness of the One who creates, sustains, rules and redeems the world out of love and grace. I think we see this clearly in our Sacrament of Baptism, especially infant baptism. That’s a topic that deserves a much more detailed discussion, but, here’s what I want to lift up for today: When parents present their child, the evidence of their love, for baptism, they affirm their belief and reliance on Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. They claim the promises of the Christian faith for their child until he or she can learn and accept them as their own. By the work of the Holy Spirit, that child is washed in the waters of baptism, received into the family of faith, marked and sealed as Christ’s own forever. He or she is surrounded by love and supported in prayer, disciplined and guided, not with threats about the wages of sin, but, in ways that echo with notes of grace, love, forgiveness, acceptance, and with an eye toward the wellbeing of all God’s children. Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin are still at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers. These are all good features of the faith we express as Presbyterians. John Calvin, Martin Luther, Jan Hus, Zwingli, Knox, and others, have given us a foundation upon which we can advance the Kingdom as we are called. Calvin insisted that the Holy Spirit continues to work in both individuals and institutions, transforming us, sanctifying us, and conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ. The church, Calvin explains, is also in the process of changing. It is “Reformed and always reforming, according to the Word of God.” If we take a look around this sanctuary, we see evidence of Calvin’s influence. He believed that the congregation is the main choir in worship and the choir performs a supporting role. Which is why, when this sanctuary was constructed, the choir loft was built behind the congregation. There are three pieces of furniture which remain in the sanctuary for all services, though we’ve been known to allow them to be moved to accommodate special occasions in worship. The baptismal font, which is positioned close to a door from which the congregation enters, symbolizing our entrance into the family of faith. The Communion Table, to symbolize the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and to be filled with his love and grace. And to recognize our communion with all believers over time and space. The pulpit, from which God’s Word is read and proclaimed. This was a high priority of the Reformation: to make the Scriptures accessible to the people in the language they understand and use. Because this idea that the church is reformed and always reforming, we embrace the fellowship of other Christian denominations in specific ways. Today, we are called a “Formula of Agreement Church,” which joins us to the Disciples of Christ, the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Reformed Church in America. We can and have in the Presbytery of West Virginia, approved ministers ordained in these denominations to pastor our churches and administer the sacraments. We are so similar in liturgy that if we were to open a Presbyterian Book of Common Worship, the Lutheran Book of Worship, and the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, we would find nearly identical language and movements in worship. The Episcopal Church in America is not a Formula of Agreement Church, but we are very similar in theology and practice. Friends, the Word of God is living and active in the world, making all things new, in and through Jesus Christ. We are being ever-transformed by this Word. As we consider the challenges of every day life in the United States, we may think there is no hope of ending violence, or poverty, or racism, or lawlessness, or any other obstacle to peace and human progress. But our faith teaches us otherwise. Did Jesus not feed a couple thousand people with a little boy’s lunch, heal a man so mentally ill that his family banished him to live in the town graveyard? Did not Jesus raise a twelve year old girl from the dead? Did he not go to the cross, dying in our place, that we might live? Yes, our needs, the worlds’ needs, are staggering. This is the Good news: God isn’t finished with us yet. “Soli Deo Gloria.” To God alone be the glory. *Hymn 630 Fairest Lord Jesus, verses 1 and 2 *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn Doxology *Prayer of Dedication We give Thee but Thine own, whatever the gift may be. All that we have is Thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee. Amen. *Hymn 360 Fairest Lord Jesus, verses 3 and 4 *Blessing For all that God can do within us, for all that God can do without us. Thanks be to God! For all in whom Christ lived before us, for all in whom Christ lives beside us. Thanks be to God! For all the Spirit wants to bring us, for where the Spirit wants to send us. Thanks be to God! The blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good; For the Lord’s steadfast love endures forever. Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all God’s praise? Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times. *Hymn 475 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Prayer of Confession O God, who alone can probe the depths of the heart, you hear the prayers of the faithful; you justify the repentant sinner. Grant us the gift of humility, that we may see our sins clearly and refrain from judging our neighbor. We make our prayer through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness God pours out mercy and grace, never giving up on us, but freeing us to live lives worthy of our calling. Friends, believe the good news of the gospel: Jesus Christ saves us from sin and sets us free to enjoy newness of life. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. First Reading Joel 2: 23-32 Moments With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 18:9-14 Morning Message You may know that one of my favorite TV shows is Blue Bloods. At least once an episode we see the Reagan clan gathered around the Sunday dinner table hashing out the highs and lows of the week. There is a lot of mirth and sometimes, some deep and dark angst. Dinner always begins with a blessing over the meal: “Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from the bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.” Traditional Catholic table grace. If danger has come calling, if grief or loss is upon them, someone may add to the prayer that particular concern. Likewise, should there be a reason to celebrate, the prayer sounds much like a cheer. But, one night, following lively, irreverent banter, daughter-in-law, Linda, offers to say grace. “Lord, bless these sinners while they eat their dinners. Amen.” Sounds a little like the prayer of the Pharisee in our text today. “God, I thank you that I am not like those other people, those sinners.” Rev. Mandy Sayers of Elliot City, Maryland, says she had to fight the urge to think something similar when she was asked to submit a sermon to a well-respected radio program and web-site, Day 1.org. There are many famous, popular preachers who are invited each Sunday of the year to proclaim the Word of God on Day 1. She was honored to be included though she is very young and inexperienced. Feeling her Cheerios she thought for a moment, “I thank you, Lord, that I’m better than at least one of the great multitude of preachers they’ve had in their decades of amazing ministry.” But, after some self-reflection and sober thought, her prayer changed to, “Be merciful to me, a preacher.” I confess that’s where I am most weeks. “Help me, Lord! Your Word is precious and I can do harm, or through my feeble attempts, your word can inspire, enlighten, correct and challenge. Help me.” Sayers says, two men went up to the Temple to pray-one leading with his extensive resume. He’s a Pharisee, a church regular, a charter member, city council chair, faithful in marriage, raises well-heeled kids, honest, forthright, thrifty, brave, and even a tither. A church valedictorian in the making. The other fellow, the tax collector, seems to have staggered in there at the last minute. He’s in the corner, in the back row. You can bet he forgot his homework at home and has to borrow a pencil. He has little to commend him by way of righteousness. A tax collector is despised and rejected by most. Tax collectors and sinners seem to be paired in scripture like we pair peanut butter and jelly or nuts and bolts, mac and cheese. Jesus asks which one does God love most? The saint or the sinner? Let’s break it down a bit. At first, the Pharisee’s prayer seems to be directed toward God in thanksgiving, but if you look closely, it’s really a form of bragging and ridicule. The man is trusting himself for righteousness, as if to say, “Don’t worry about me, God. I got this. Send me a job to do because nobody can do it better than I can.” The Pharisee regards other people with contempt. He’s thankful he’s not like the other screw-ups and misfits. Convicts, addicts, dead beats, people who vote for the other party. Meanwhile, the tax collector is exhausted by his self-inventory. These moments of confession leave him so spent and aggrieved that he is beating his chest. He can’t even look up. The tax collector knows he is a sinner who found his way to the temple, and other than that, it’s all about God. If the Pharisee’s prayer is “I got this,” then the tax collector’s is, “I got nothing. Nothing but you, God.” Sayers says she thinks that whenever we get to the place where we realize we cannot achieve or earn our way into God’s heart, that’s when God’s eyes begin to sparkle. Because that’s when we are ready to be purposed by God. We are ready to serve, to show and share the love of Jesus with Pharisees, tax collectors, and everyone in-between. Jesus demonstrates humility over and over. He says take the last place at the banquet. If you want to be great, be a servant. Become like a child to enter the kingdom. Take up a towel and wash each other’s feet. Sayers says a few times in her ministry, she has had the privilege of going up to the temple to pray with some folks in recovery groups. Or rather down to the basement to pray. She finds it humbling and inspiring to hear the stories from those who are very clear that they need God’s help, they can’t do this on their own, that they need and want the help of their brothers and sisters here in their daily walk. Every single person is welcomed. There is coffee, hospitality, acceptance. There is love. People of all ages, pedigrees, conditions, in biker jackets and business suits and yoga pants. Whenever she is there, Sayers feels like it’s an oasis where those in attendance are able to be themselves, with no need to pretend they are anything other than the beloved children of God, freed from the endless torrent of judgment and shame, and competition, if even for a couple of hours. One evening, when the program was over, a man named Tom got out his harmonica and Chuck played the out of tune piano. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.” She wonders if, when we all get to heaven, if it may look more like that church basement than a beautiful stained-glass sanctuary. The surprise ending is this: a tax collector knows he needs God, that he is saved by God’s grace and not by his own achievement, or how well he kept the commandments. People who are saved by grace, whose hearts are broken and re-made make great Sunday School teachers, and choir members, and committee members and even preachers. They are wonderful at setting the table for Communion. They know what it is to be hungry and thirsty for the things of God. Those who are forgiven great debt can be the most forgiving. They are the ones who sit with people in the hospital waiting room or at the bedside, not counting the time, just bearing witness to the pain and fear and unknown. If they have a theme song, it’s probably more like “Standing On the Promises” than “I Did It My Way,” no offense to Frank Sinatra. Two men went up to the temple to pray…and we can see ourselves in both of them, can’t we? I’ve had some eye problems lately. Thankfully, they are being resolved. I’m going to have cataract surgery after the New Year. But, at the end of a doctor’s visit a few days ago, I was told I would have to return in a week for another exam…this time I was to to go without eye makeup for a minimum of 48 hours before the appointment to avoid any stray particles of the products affecting my readings. Seriously? Forty-eight hours without mascara? I am so self-concious about my hair loss, and absentee eyelashes, that I used to get eyelash extensions and had them refreshed about once a month. The Pharisee in me is afraid to be seen as I really am. And that’s my spiritual work in the days ahead. So, when we go up to the temple, or down the street, or kneeling beside our beds to pray, let us let go of all the vain things we carry, and bow before the one who calls us beloved, the one who made us in God’s own image, called us God’s people when we were no people, the one who, when we were in a far-off country, threw us a party and put the best robe around our shoulders, and said, “Come home.” *Affirmation of Faith A Declaration of Faith, PCUSA, 1985 We are certain that Jesus lives. He lives as God with us, touching all of human life with the presence of God. He lives as one of us with God. Because he shares our humanity, He has bound us to himself in love. We declare that Jesus is Lord. We have an advocate in the innermost life of God. His resurrection is a decisive victory over the powers that deform and destroy human life. His lordship is hidden. The world appears to be dominated by people and systems that do not acknowledge his rule. But his Lordship is real. It demands our loyalty and sets us free from all the lesser lords who threaten us. We maintain that ultimate sovereignty now belongs to Jesus Christ. In every sphere of life, Jesus is Lord. He has been from the beginning. He will be Lord at the end. Even now he is Lord. *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Gifts of Tithe and Offering Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 36 For the Fruit of all Creation *Blessing May the God of endurance and encouragement, grant you to live in such harmony with one another that with one voice we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Go now in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen. *Postlude Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14 Prelude Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship As Jesus called to Zaccheus, so he calls us. Jesus longs to abide with us: Here in this place, in our homes, at our games, in the marketplace, and wherever the body of Christ is gathered. Jesus invites us, just as we are. Let us worship God, who calls us by name, who came to seek and save the lost. Let us praise God’s name together! *Hymn 39 Great Is Thy Faithfulness Prayer Athlete’s Prayer Gregg Easterbook God, let me play well, but fairly. Let competition make me strong but never hostile. Forbid me to rejoice in the adversity of others. See me not when I am cheered, but when I bend to help my opponent up. If I know victory, allow me to be happy. If I am denied, keep me from envy. Remind me that sports are games. Help me to learn something that matters once the game is over. And if through games I set an example, let it be a good one. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Friends, God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. Never giving up on us, God’s love pursues, guides, and “coaches” us our whole lives long. God is always in our corner, ready to forgive and set us free from sin. Be at peace. First Scripture Reading Hebrews 12:1-3 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 19:1-10 Morning Message Do you remember the song? Zacchaeus was a wee little man And a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. And as the Savior passed that way, he looked up in that tree. “Zacchaeus, come on down! For I’m ging to your house today. I’m going to your house today.” One of my kids always insisted Jesus said, “I’m going to your house for tea.” I’ve always liked Zacchaeus. He was short. Short people have some unique problems. They’re always picked last for games. No athlete aspires to be short in adulthood, unless they’re a jockey or maybe a gymnast. Short people have to learn to adapt. Can’t reach something on the top shelf of a grocery store aisle? Grab a broom from the household supply aisle and knock it down. I’m not above it. When we were still at Marshall, I had to drive Ed to the ER one day. He had fallen at a rehearsal and his ankle looked like it might be broken. The driver’s seat in Ed’s car wasn’t adjustable. He’s a foot taller than I am. I drove with Norton’s anthology of English Literature behind my back. I did what I had done all my life: adapted. Zacchaeus had probably lived a lifetime of not being acknowledged, overlooked, pushed to the back of the crowd. And since he was a dreaded tax collector, he probably endured frequent ridicule. If his temple had Bring a Friend Sabbath, I don’t know who he would invite. And I doubt he had many invitations to tailgate. But, like all short people, Zacchaeus had learned to adapt to his environment. Which is why he was up in that tree. He had a bird’s eye view of the gathering in the town square. He achieved his goal. He did see Jesus. And Jesus saw him and something unexpected happens. Pastor and author Bruce Epperly suggests in The Adventurous Lectionary, the story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus portrays the quest for spiritual stature. Jesus is passing by but Zacchaeus can’t see him because he is short in stature. While the gospel writer is pointing to Zacchaeus’ height; he is also describing his spirit. Before he heard of Jesus’ visit, Zacchaeus had a small soul. Some commentators think he may have even cultivated a cramped spirit, focusing primarily on his occupation which had him assessing property and prosperity to the exclusion of forming healthy personal connections, friendships, and becoming invested in the life of the whole community. His small spirit allowed him to deny the pain and hardship he inflicted on others. Small in stature, Zacchaeus climbs a tree. He needs a larger vision. He needs to see Jesus more clearly. He needs a wider perspective. Zacchaeus is being called from self-focus, from that rugged individualism we Appalachians love to tout, to a broader interest in the world around him. When Jesus notices Zacchaeus, he invited himself to the tax collector’s home. Now, if Jesus called me or sent me a text saying he was on his way over to my house, I confess my first thought wouldn’t be about what a blessing this is. Nope. My first thought would be, do I cook or do I clean? So, we see, Zacchaeus isn’t the only one who needs a wider vision. The community may have been scandalized that Jesus was having dinner with Zacchaeus. His self-righteous neighbors are grumbling. He may be rich and powerful, but, Zacchaeus is a social outcast because of his profession. He is a Roman agent. Surely Jesus doesn’t want to dine with this man. But, Jesus is always surprising us, which makes some people uncomfortable and some even angry. Before we think that wouldn’t happen here, think again. This community has had its share of unpopular community officials. I don’t think we’d want to be seen with some of them. Once again, Jesus demonstrates a new way of life. Jesus’ spiritual stature allowed him to eat with sinners and women, to embrace the clean and unclean, the socially acceptable and those who were called social misfits. Jesus thinks big. He looks beyond appearances and beyond social expectations to discern God’s deep work taking place in Zacchaeus’ soul. His spiritual stature grows. He sees a larger vision of himself. He sees the error of his ways and the importance of setting things right. He makes a commitment to a higher standard in his work, work based on honesty and integrity and generosity. People were never again to be exploited, taken advantage of, but honored and respected. In this way the whole community could be transformed. Jesus now proclaims that salvation, wholeness, and healing have come to those who were thought to be lost. Salvation is about a larger perspective, a new vision of reality, and values, and maybe even vocation. The Christian faith is about conforming to those qualities we see in Jesus. Jesus proclaimed the value of every man, woman, and child. He cared about what was right and true and good for the community, for his neighborhood and the one across town. Jesus cares for the people of the middle East. We know it grieves him that innocent lives were lost in recent days in Israel and Gaza. He was always opposed to exploitation and derision, and injustice, the de-humanization of others, which is what it takes to inflict the atrocities suffered. In large part the Protestant Reformation was about these things, too. When Martin Luther nailed those 95 theses to the door of the Wittenburg Chapel, he was standing up for the people the Church had exploited. And thanks to the printing press, which came along in that era, people like us would finally be able to read the Word of God, the Bible, in their own language. Until that moment in history, Scripture was read and interpreted by clergy, and it wasn’t always beneficial to the masses. In fact it could, and still can be, twisted and contorted in devastating ways. Much more could be said about the Reformation, but, we will save that for another time. Poet Howard Thurman penned these words: Each night by bonny, sturdy lad persists in adding to his “now I lay me down to sleep,” the earnest wistful plea: “God, make me big.” And I, his mother, with greater need, do echo in a humbled, contrite heart, “God, make me big.” Current events, tragic events like what happened to our Jewish brothers and sisters can constrict our visions. Fear creeps or crashes in on us. We can become imprisoned by our desire for security, safety, and affluence and fail to remember Paul’s admonition that when one of us is hurt, all of us hurt. God is calling us to larger visions and larger spirits to match the challenges of our time. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and so can we. God can “make us big,” And we can discover that even within limitations, no matter our physical stature or skill, we can adapt and the possibilities are unlimited. I pray that God will make our spirits big, too. *Hymn God, You Give Us Recreation (There’s a Wideness In God’s Mercy) Verses 1 and 2 Carolyn Winfrey Gillette *Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Gifts of Tithes and Offering Offertory *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn God, You Give Us Recreation, Verse 3 *Blessing As we move from this place to our fellowship hall, let us give God thanks: For food in a world where many walk in hunger; for faith in a world where many walk in fear; for friends in a world where many walk alone; we give you thanks, O Lord, and go out to love and serve you. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
*Call to Worship Shine like stars in the world, holding fast to the word of life. *Prayer of the Day Lord, tireless guardian of your people, Ever-prepared to hear the cries of your chosen ones, teach us to rely, day and night, on your care. Support our prayer, lest we grow weary, drive us to seek your enduring justice and your ever-present help. Grant this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Hymn 157 I Danced in the Morning, verses 1,2, and 3 Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. Have mercy on us, Lord, for we are sorry for all we have done to displease you. Forgive us our sins and help us to live in your light, and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. *Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Chrsit 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 has begun. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. First Reading Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 Moments With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 21:33-46 Morning Message In years past, if you would drive by our house, you would have seen two un-ruly, un-pruned, wild-looking bushes on the lefthand side of our yard. If the pretty yellow blooms were gone, you may not even have recognized 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 became a mess. The branches were so long they raked at our bedroom window on the second floor. They sounded like someone 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 was a hot mess. And eventually, we had to remove them. It was an ordeal. 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. We failed to adequately care for what was entrusted to us. 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 used this image to demonstrate the closeness of the relationship he has with his disciples. Their 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. The first time I saw a vineyard was traveling through New York state in the dead of winter. A group of us was driving to Toronto for a conference. We passed acres and acres of grape arbors topped with thick, dark vines, silhouetted against the winter sky. You could see the orderliness of the whole system and I wondered how it would feel to watch it transform with the seasons. 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. The Presbytery of West Virginia is in such a time right now. The Leadership Team is calling people together for table-talk meetings, to seek God’s direction in shaping the church’s future. We will host one such event here on October 29th. One of the mixed blessings of the pandemic was that it 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. They tried to hire me! 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 the church staff and congregation 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’ 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. *Hymn I Danced in the Morning, verses 4 and 5 *Affirmation of Faith p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication *Hymn 720 Jesus Calls Us *Blessing Go now and continue in what you have learned and believed. Pray always, and do not lose heart. Proclaim God’s message, endure hostility, carry out your ministry fully. And may God be quick to answer your prayers, may Christ Jesus inspire faith within you, and may the Holy Spirit tutor your hearts and equip you for every good work. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship To those who are hungry, Jesus says: “Come and eat! There’s more than enough for all!” To those who are thirsty, he says: “Come and drink! It’s free for the taking!” Stop wasting your money on food that doesn’t satisfy. Come to me and you will find everything you need!” *Hymn Prayer of Confession Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, that we may walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen. *Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Be at peace with God and one another. Amen. First Reading Isaiah 65: 17-25 Time With Our Young Disciples New Testament Reading John 21:15-17 Morning Message The air conditioning in my car went out last summer. It was finally scheduled for repairs, meaning Ed and I made two trips in three days to the Honda dealership in South Charleston. On our way home after picking up the car, we stopped for dinner at a place we like in Teays Valley. Ed arrived first, but, he told the hostess I may have beat him because I had a head start. Could he just walk thru the restaurant to see if I might already be there? To which the hostess replied, “Well. Do you know what she looks like?” We got a lot of mileage out of that this weekend. When we entered the sanctuary today, we probably noticed something different. The paraments have been changed to white. The Table is set for Communion, the holy meal to which Jesus calls us. We know what it looks like. Bread and wine. Simple. And profoundly filling. Food and drink were important to Jesus. The first of the miracle stories happened at a wedding in Galilee. He turned water into wine. Then he multiplied a little boy’s lunch of bread and fish to feed thousands of hungry people. We remember the poignant story of Jesus being the dinner guest at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. After the resurrection, Jesus shows up on the beach to cook breakfast. On our scripture text, Jesus connects the act of feeding people to love. If we love one another, we show it by feeding one another. Food is important to Jesus and to us. Who remembers their high school love interest? I clearly remember one boyfriend. We had a debate one day: Which is better- to live to eat or eat to live? He argued that I seemed to live to eat, whereas, he had taken the better, higher understanding- he ate to live. I fired that boyfriend. Today Christians around the globe are celebrating World Communion Sunday, a day when we are urged to embrace the Biblical vision of unity and peace. Not as a far-off dream, but as Christ’s calling to us. World Communion Sunday is a gift of the Presbyterian Church to the larger ecumenical body of Christ. The first observance was at the Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, in 1933. The Rev. Dr. Hugh Thompson Kerr was the pastor. It was from his vision that the day was set apart for the purpose of promoting peace and global witness. Years later, his son, the Rev. Dr. Donald Kerr, reflected on his father’s vision. “The concept spread very slowly at the start. People did not give it a whole lot of thought. It was during the Second World War that the spirit caught hold, because we were trying to hold the world together. World wide Communion symbolized the effort to hold things together, in a spiritual sense. It emphasized that we are one in the Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” It seems to me, we are trying to hold the world together in the 21st century. Hurricanes, fires, tornados, drought- all wreak destruction upon us. Health concerns are top of mind and have been since the early days of the Covid pandemic. My doctor says I need four immunizations this year: flu, Covid, RSV, and pneumonia. Has anyone else been advised to make sure you get your shots? We have other causes for anxiety. I’m sure I’m not the only person who was concerned that congress would fail to pass a funding bill in the past few days. They finally managed to do it yesterday, but not without causing many US citizens great fear and anxiety. Many around us have experienced job insecurity, which leads to a multitude of concerns. Food insecurity exists even here in our neighborhood, which is the reason behind the community dinners on the last Saturday of every month. Noted theologian, Karl Barth, is remembered for saying this about preaching: “Hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” Faith, apart from real life, is irrelevant. Rev. Christine Chakoian of Los Angeles says the first time she heard the gospel preached that way wasn’t at her church, but in her parents’ family room. It wasn’t from a pulpit, but a record player. It was Simon and Garfunkel’s “7 O’Clock News/Silent Night.” Silent Night is one of our most beloved Christmas carols, a lullaby that the Christ Child and the world he came to save, would “sleep in heavenly peace.” But, in this particular recording, over that carol, another sound intrudes, growing louder and louder. The voice of a reporter announces that demonstrators have been forcibly evicted from the US House of Representatives. And then the grim announcement that unless there is a substantial increase in the effort in Viet Nam, the US should look forward to five more years of war. And then the reporter signed off, “That’s the 7 o’clock news. Good night.” Christine Chakoian says she has been thinking about that Simon and Garfunkel song a lot lately, and Barth’s words of preaching advice. There is a taught tension between the Bible’s vision for the world and the world’s news. Let’s consider just a few. The Bible says: “No more shall there be the sound of weeping, or the cry of distress.” The New York Times says: “An incalculable Loss: America has reached a grim milestone in the Coronavirus outbreak.” The Bible says: “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” The newspaper says: Political Battle Erupts Over Homeless Encampment on Venice Boardwalk.” It also says that another family has taken ownership of their Habitat-sponsored house. The Bible says: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” The newspaper says: Collateral Damage of COVID-19: Rising rates of domestic and social violence. The paper also records those Barboursville Community meals which serve a lot of folks. We find these competing truths in our own town. What are we supposed to do? On the one hand, we can see signs of God promise of peace, but violence still exists, poverty exists, disease and death exist. One way we can respond is to just look the other way. Don’t concern ourselves with social ills. Ignore the Bible. It’s irrelevant today. It certainly doesn’t compel many people to action. Judging by the inactivity in my own neighborhood on Sunday mornings, I’d say this is the prevalent attitude. But, Christians have to do better than that. We could take the eschatological approach and lean into the time to come when Christ returns to make all things new and establish the peaceable kingdom. God will take care of this in God’s good time. No worries. This approach reminds me of a high school friend of mine who decided not to apply for college admission because he believed the Rapture, or Christ’s return, was imminent. We could concentrate on our personal salvation. It is important. Jesus saves. Our eternal security is sealed. But, Jesus saves us for what purpose? What is the work or mission to which Jesus has called us? Christine Chakoian says we could set all those approaches aside and try another way- the prophetic way. “A way that lifts up God’s end game vision and at the same time, opens our hearts to let Christ make a difference now.” The churchy way to say this is “inaugurated eschatology.” The reign of Christ the King was begun through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus over two thousand years ago. His kingdom is here, but it is not here in its fullness/ We still have that to look forward to. That’s the prophetic way, the Gospel way-where God’s reign can be real, even now. Where peace is not a pipedream, where God assures that none of his beloved sheep goes hungry. Is that too naïve, too idealistic? Or is there a way to embrace that vision for the world God created and loves? Seminary Professor Fred Craddock shares this story of how the reconciliation of faith and current events came together in his classroom. At the beginning of many seminary classes, a student leads the class in prayer or shares a brief devotion. Maybe the student brings along a guitar and invites everyone to sing a hymn or chorus. This was a part of seminary education that I loved. Every lecture, every assignment, was wrapped in the Word read and proclaimed, and sealed with prayer. On this particular day the student leading devotions stepped up to the front of the class with her yellow legal pad. It had a lot of writing on it. Fred thought this could take a long time. The student spoke sofly, first in one foreign language, then another-one sentence repeated over fifty times in different languages. Fred said it was only when she spoke in German, Spanish and French, that he began to understand what she was saying. She ended in English with these words: “Mommy, I’m hungry.” And then she sat down. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Jesus asks all of us here, “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” Christine Chakoian offers these thoughts to us who are even now praying about the world’s great problems and waiting in hope for the coming kingdom: “Cynicism is the fate of realists who clearly see the present, but see nothing of God’s vision for the way the world could really be. That vision is before us now: where wolves and lambs can feed together; where all of God’s hungry children are fed at the table of grace.” It takes some imagination and not a little courage to live into God’s vision. But, that is the call of Christ on our lives: to feed his sheep, so that every single one of the children of earth is fed- fed with security, fed with love… and bread. *Hymn *Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Celebrating the Sacrament of Communion With Our Global Family Prayer After Communion Holy One, we have been strengthened at this table, by loaf and cup, and will live in gratitude for the dying and rising of Jesus Christ, our Savior and friend. And we will become bread for a hungering world. And we will become drink for those who thirst. And the blessed will become the blessing, and everywhere will be the feast. Amen. Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn Doxology *Hymn 761 Called As Partners In Christ’s Service *Blessing This is a vision of the way it can be, the way it should be: Shouts of welcome, a joyful procession, a community celebrating Christ’s transforming power in unity. As we go out, may we hold fast to his vision of goodness, giving ourselves to God’s love, pouring it out into the world in God’s name. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Gracious God, give us pure hearts that we may see you, humble hearts that we may hear you, hearts of love that we may serve you, hearts of faith that we may live in you, reverent hearts that we may worship you, here and in the world beyond our doors, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 32 I Sing the Mighty Power of God Prayer of the Day Direct and help us, O Lord, in all our deeds, that by what is begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy name, and finally. by your mercy, come to know the joy everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. First Reading Esther 7:1-6; 9-10; 9:20-22 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Mark 9:38-50 Morning Message Nah nah nah nah nah! That’s universal for: “Shame on you!” “Serves you right!” “I’m telling Mom…or Dad…or the teacher.” “I’m better than you are!” The first few verses of today’s text remind me of some over-eager kids running up to the teacher on the playground to tattle on a classmate. I’ve been on both sides of that, I confess. The disciples, eager to follow the rules of this new movement, have encountered someone performing a healing rite, in this case, casting out demons, doing so in Jesus’ name. It’s the use of Jesus’ name that catches their attention. The healer wasn’t one of the twelve, so the act wasn’t legitimate, at least they way they saw it. So, they try to stop him. Apparently they were unsuccessful and they run to Jesus. “Master, someone is practicing healing without a license!” Surely, Jesus would drop what he was doing and follow them to the scene of the crime so he could rebuke the wrong-doer. He would set the healer straight. Only the qualified were eligible to do deeds of power in Jesus’ name. All others were cheap imitations. But, that’s not what happened. Once again, Jesus does the unexpected. The shame and blame aspect of this report doesn’t grab his attention. What grabs him is that a believer has tapped into the source of power and changes the life of one who suffered. He doesn’t need to itinerate with Jesus and the twelve to be legit. He goes on to lay a pretty heavy message on the disciples. He tells them they are in the wrong in confronting the believer. Jesus calls them “little ones,” indicating they are young in the faith. The greater sin would be for the disciples to break that new believer’s spirit. Jesus says even the smallest kindness done in his name comes from a holy place. To underscore his message, Jesus tells them that if they think it’s their duty to inspect the activity of new believers, they are way off the mark. It would be better if they drowned in the sea. That’s pretty serious. He carries that further and tells them to be aware of their own sins and stop committing them, even if they have to amputate the body part involved in the sin. Reading between the lines, we can almost hear Jesus saying that there are greater challenges ahead of them and getting hung up in the trivial would only sap their strength. There’s a lesson there for all of us. In a few years, the fledgling church will be under persecution. They would have to identify and reject false religions. And they did at great peril. They refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods. The penalty for that was high. You might be forced into slavery or used for sport in the Coliseum. Or, even worse, failing to pay homage to the Roman gods might earn you the mutilation of your body in order to serve as warning to the rest of the community. Threats have always been a strong source for control. Who wants to sign up for slavery or mutilation? Not many. But, thanks be to God, some came to faith, or found their faith strengthened by those whose courageous allegiance was to Christ. I have never been persecuted for my faith. Our community is full of Christian churches. There are Jewish and Muslim houses of worship as well. As the people of God, they all do Godly work. They provide places of welcome and inclusion, free from threats. I do know someone who was persecuted for her faith, my friend, Mary. Originally from Malawi, she had come to the US for her education. She earned three degrees and became a sought-after college professor. But it was her faith that motivated her and she lived it out in joy. Church membership in Malawi came with a price. Mary and her family were Presbyterians. Her brother and father were elders, which meant that they performed all the tasks a pastor would perform here. They were responsible for the spiritual needs of a whole community. An ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament itinerated among several communities. They might see him a couple of times a year. Malawi is a poor country. Mary and her family belonged to a movement of citizens who were trying to improve the lives of the people through self-development, to get people off the streets and into respectable occupations, and to have agency in that society, to have a voice. Mary helped women start cottage industries and retail shops. Others in the family entered politics so that they might turn around a government that had oppressed the people for far too long. While she was in Huntington, Mary’s was elected Vice President of the country. Their reward was to be repeatedly attacked. Their home was burned down. Her husband died a suspicious death. She came to the states, along with some of her children and her niece. They worked hard and they came to know the peace and safety we enjoy as American citizens. And yet, they always carried a sense of duty for the people of their homeland, whose faith comes with a price. We do not face that kind of oppression. No abusive regime stands between us and our faith. We do have challenges to our faith. COVID has changed our lives, our communities, and our churches. I did a hospital visit Thursday and the sign was up once more at the entrance: all visitors must wear a mask. So, I donned a mask and carried on. I do a lot of work in the presbytery. What I hear around the presbytery is that all of our churches have lost members at a rapid rate. Naturally, that means funds take a dive, too. The presbytery has had to take steps to address these realities. The staff may be downsized. The office property has been sold. We have far fewer in-person committee meetings, thanks to the Zoom era. We will have to be intentional in our efforts to be a connectional church. That’s change and it can be hard. But it’s a far cry from oppression and suffering. The Church may change, but she will not die. The church is the body of Christ and he is very much alive. And he has a message for such a time as this. Jesus turns the conversation to the subject of salt. In the English language there are a number of expressions, idioms, referring to salt. “He is not worth his salt.” “Taken with a grain of salt.” “ Salt of the earth.” Salt is an important element. The human body needs salt. The word “salary” derives from the Latin word “salarium,” and literally means “salt money.” Salarium was the money paid to Roman soldiers. Some historians have concluded that the soldiers may have actually been paid in salt. In days gone by, newborn babies were washed with salt. Salt has an element of healing. It has been used as a disinfectant. And, of course, salt adds flavor to food and can be used in preserving it. Jesus tells his friends that everyone will be salted with fire. What did he mean? Fire is a method of purification. Precious metals come from the ground admixed with iron and other minerals. Subjecting them to fire purifies the gold or silver, separating them from the other metals. So, too, a Christian’s life will be tested and challenged but in this way, we, too, are purified. We grow in grace. The churchy word for this process is sanctification. With age and experience we draw ever closer to God in Christ. Jan Richardson is a pastor, artist, and author. She offers these words about our text today: And, so, in this season, may we give ourselves to the fire that shows us what is elemental. and sacramental. that reveals what remains after all that does not have substance or savor falls away. May we turn our eyes our ears our hands to the beauty for which we are formed and bear with grace the patterns that blossom upon us who live salted and singed. May the fire of purification reveal the Holy One in your heart. Amen. *Hymn 838 Standing On the Promises, verses 1 and 2 *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed * Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings including contributions for ECCHO and Centsability Prayer of Dedication Lord God, as we offer our hearts and our treasure, may they be used to pass on the promises of your kingdom- of hope, of peace, and of life, to all in need of your presence in their, and our, lives. Amen. *Hymn 838 Standing On the Promises, verses 3 and 4 *Blessing Go now in the power of the Spirit, that you may proclaim Christ’s redeeming love to the world, and continue forever in the risen life. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship To your name, O Lord, help us to bow the knee and all its worshiping, bow the head in all its thinking, bow the will and all its choosing, bow the heart and all its loving. Amen. *Hymn 619 Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, verses 1 and 2 Prayer God of love, you have willed that the last be first and you have made a little child the measure of your kingdom. We may be reluctant to embrace humility and service, for to do so may imply work and will require a spirit of cooperation and compromise. Forgive us for our complacency, hesitation, or indifference and give us the wisdom which is from above, so we may understand, that, in your sight, the one who serves is the greatest of all. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, whose service gives us life and hope. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness God’s Word is truth: That Jesus Christ came into the world to redeem and re-form our lives. The old life is gone and a new life has begun. Your sins are forgiven. Be at peace with God, one another, and yourselves. Amen. First Reading Exodus 16:2-15 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 20:1-16 Morning Message According to the source of all wisdom, Google, we find these statistics: The median salary for garbage collectors in 2021, according to US News and World Reports, is around $38, 000. According to Ziprecruiter,the average salary for a cardiologist in West Virginia in 2023 is $272, 468. The average pay for a child care worker varies greatly between $5.00 per hour to $13,000 per hour. The median salary for an NFL player is around $860,000 per year. These figures probably don’t surprise any of us. So, to bring things a little closer to home, chew on this one: The average pay for a teacher in New York is $86, 000 a year. The average salary for a teacher in West Virginia is $45, 000 a year, but varies by county. What constitutes fair and unfair when it comes to setting a salary? Pay discrepancy is a hot topic in many corners. Does a teacher in West Virginia work any less, prepare any less, face fewer challenges than a teacher in New York? I know we have to allow for cost of living, but, at first glance, this doesn’t seem right or maybe we could say it’s not “fair.” What constitutes fair and unfair in our text today? Anyone who has worked an hourly wage at some time in their life can appreciate the inequity in this story. Should someone who has only worked one hour receive the same compensation as the one who has put in a full day’s work? I don’t even have to think about this. The answer is no. It’s just not right. Rev. Dr. Greg De Loach says that just a block away from where he once served as pastor, was a meeting place for day laborers to gather. Mostly men, young and old, who would do nearly any kind of work- yard work, painting, carpentry, hauling away trash-in order to earn enough to put food on their table that day. They were not lazy or loitering, they were willing to stand in a place of humility, and present themselves for work. They only wanted what all of us want- a way to provide for themselves and their loved ones. The circumstances we can debate, but the need and the desire are universal. I’ve mentioned before what my friend, Joan, calls “Jesus math.” Joan was the Executive Director of West Virginia Advocacy and Workcamps. The main mission of WVMAW is to improve housing conditions for the most needy residents of West Virginia. When I say “most needy,” I mean those people who live without electricity or adequate water and sewer service, those who live in trailers with rotting floors. They address needs with help from many sources. Building costs increase every year and weather-related disasters come way too often. This creates a strain on the organization’s resources, but, somehow, they manage to reach their goals and sometimes exceed all expectations. Somehow, the funds and volunteers appear. Jesus math. Well, here’s another example of it. Jesus math and our math are calculated differently. Many biblical scholars believe this parable describes justice in God’s economy. What was the concern? There was considerable controversy between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Jewish Christians, like Saul, who became Paul at his conversion, wrote about this in his letters to the early churches. He tried to settle the debate when he said “there is no longer Jew or Gentile,” and so forth. Gentile Christians were often considered “Johnny-come-lately” believers. They were considered “lesser thans,” with little agency in the emerging church. Paul believed this was wrong-headed. In the parable, when the workers begin to grumble, the owner asks, “Are you envious because I’m generous?” In Greek, this is translated as “Is your eye evil because I am good?” Many of us have an eye for evil. That is, we see evil where God sees good. Jesus said so. But, in our defense, is it evil to believe that someone working one hour should be paid less than one who worked all day long? Jesus calls us out on this. The landowner in the story says, “Oh, but it’s my vineyard, my money. We agreed to a wage and I’m not paying you one cent less. I keep my word. Your beef is that I see a way to do good here. I am seeing good.” How can we see good when there is so much evil in the world? You name it: there are so many cruel injustices in life: racism and sexism, crime, religious persecution, ethnic cleansing. There are disasters that bring destruction and death. We can be reminded of evil 24 hours a day. And we care deeply about overcoming injustice. The General Assembly designates one Sunday in September as Christian and Citizen Sunday, which is why I’m focused in that direction today. We are called on to take our citizenship seriously. The Church calls on all people of faith to work toward a world of peace and equality. We haven’t lost all, but we did lose a champion in that mission with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg a few years ago. She understood fully the obstacles of injustice: she was a woman, a Jew, and a working mother. And my heroine. Ruth believed in the goodness of God and the potential for doing good and creating a more just nation. When we say God is good, we have to be willing to admit that God’s goodness, God’s presence and power, is always held in tension with the cold hard facts: evil exists. Ruth encountered more than her share of that reality. But, let’s return to an application of Jesus math. What good is God pointing us toward in this story? The faithful, hard-working laborers believe they are more valuable than the late-coming workers. They deserve a larger expression of the landowner’s favor. In spiritual terms, Jesus says: the newest convert has as much voice as the one who has been in the church since they were on the Cradle Roll. The newest members have agency same as the old-timers. One of the things I’ve learned and love about Kuhn is that several people came to Kuhn when St. Andrews closed. And, you have embraced one another, included one another, value one another. The faith and lives of the full congregation are richer because we are together. I might even go so far as to say that what was a painful, traumatic event, the closing of a church, turned out to be a blessing. God used it for good. Rev. Suzanne Guthrie offers these remarks related to this passage: A man named Peter died and his wife asked Suzanne to officiate his funeral service. The only problem was that Peter had no use for religion. He was vocal and profane about his lack of need for God or any of God’s associates. Well, Peter became very sick. He was a drug addict, skilled at manipulation, mad at the world, and terminally ill with AIDS. But, Suzanne says, Peter got to see heaven. One day, in Peter’s sight, the space above the television, beyond the wall and the ceiling, opened into a billowing heaven. He saw dead relatives. He saw angels. Peter described in detail to his family what he was seeing. In the next death crisis, Peter allowed the priest he’d previously thrown out of his room, to hear his confession. And Peter died in peace, having seen heaven in the eleventh hour. Some of us, who have worked in the vineyard of God all our lives, have never seen heaven. Not once. Mother Teresa is remembered as saying she never had a personal theophany-a vision-of God. But, what wonders God did through her. Others have seen God through her ministry. Who did God love more? Mother Teresa of Calcutta, or Peter, the addict? God loved them both more than we can even imagine. Because in Jesus math, you just can’t put a price on grace. *Hymn 619 Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, verses 3 and 4 *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication We give with gratitude for all our God has given us. In the upside down world of the Gospel, we measure our wealth not by what we have but by what we can give away. Lord, God, receive our offerings today to bless your church, your creation, and your children, wherever there is need. Amen. *Hymn 443 There Is a Redeemer *Blessing And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be upon you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Psalm 46:1-3, 7 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we shall not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be hurled into the sea, though the waters rage and foam, though the mountains tremble at the tumult. Lord God of hosts, be with us still. *Hymn 318 In Christ There Is No East or West, verses 1 and 2 Prayer of Confession God of strength, your Son, Jesus, told us that in this world we will endure tribulation. If we should suffer for righteousness sake, save us from self-righteousness. Give us grace to pray for our enemies, and to forgive, even as you have forgiven us. Through Jesus Christ, who was crucified, but is risen. Amen. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” In the name of our gracious Savior, our sins are forgiven. Be at peace and pray for the peace of the world. First Reading Genesis 50: 15-21 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 18:21-35 Morning Message I’m no math wiz. I was so good at Algebra that I took it twice. But, even with my limitations, I can figure out that seventy times seven is a lot. “Jesus math” says that when a brother or sister sins against us, we are to forgive the offense. Not once. Not twice, but seventy-seven times. Whoa. Like I said, that’s a lot of times. In our text today, Jesus is asked how many times we should forgive and he launches into this parable about the ungrateful servant. Now, I confess to you that I had a hard time getting past the words “slave” and “servant.” We have an enlightened understanding of how powerful those terms can be. Racial tension has risen in recent years. We find ourselves in a turbulent time, marked by school-involved violence, unending political conflict, economic concerns. In our own state, the two flagship universities are struggling to address and respond to the tremendous changes in the state and nation. The extreme weather conditions we are witnessing has wrought suffering, for some, over and over. So much of our food comes from geographic areas that have been hard hit by either flood or drought or wildfire. Record heat has hit northern California. Have you ever been to San Fransisco? I think you can experience all four seasons in one day there, but they all end with sweaters or jackets, no matter the time of year. Until recently. Sometimes it seems the whole world is filled with dis-equilibrium and angst and uncertainty. The point Jesus made was that God has witnessed our lives- the good, the bad, and the ugly. But life is not consumed by suffering and hardship. God has lavished mercy upon us, so that we might experience true liberty-freedom from sin. But, he warns us, if we seek forgiveness, then turn around and exact revenge on the next person who wrongs us, we have evidently not turned from sin, and renounced its power over us, or turned toward God at all. Have you ever thought about what the word “lavish” means? It comes from the verb, to lave, to wash. When I think of God lavishing love and grace on us, I imagine standing beneath a great waterfall with fresh, cool, sparkling water coursing over my head, my shoulders, flowing over me all the way down to my toes, sinking into the rich, fertile earth. Picture yourself standing under that waterfall. After a run or after mowing the lawn. You’re hot and sweaty. Thirsty. You stand under the cascading water. How does that make you feel? Clean? Light? Joyful? Refreshed? Free of all baggage? Baggage we can call “sin.” Good. That’s how we should feel. Thanks be to God. And then disaster occurs. Or we are reminded of something catastrophic. The anniversary of 9/11 rolls around as it does today. And all those heavy emotions return, most notably grief and anger. What do we do with that? Those feelings are real. They are legitimate. Let us acknowledge, there are consequences to sin. And the consequences from that fateful day have changed all our lives. Remember the color-coded threat levels? The first time I heard that announced in an airport, while awaiting a flight, I was so filled with fear I was sick. Soon after these changes took place, we took a trip to California. Those announcements were made repeatedly, increasing my anxiety, and I’m sure other travelers’ too.. Passing thru security is always a hassle. And then when we did finally board, the passenger to my right was a dark-skinned man with a backpack. There we sat. Shoulder-to-shoulder from San Francisco to Columbus, Ohio. I could feel my heart rate increase. I had some shortness of breath. My body was reacting to a perceived or imagined threat. I’ve come to believe fear and anger are fraternal twins. Different… but they are born from the same womb. Sometimes, you can get them confused. Do you think my seat assignment was an accident? I don’t. There have been many times since that I’ve looked back on that long night in the air, when my fears and anger confronted me. I tried to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. So, I prayed. I prayed that the man next to me wasn’t a terrorist planning to highjack the plane. I begged for God’s protection, for a sense of God’s presence and power and peace. God did comfort me in those hours. We landed without incident and went our separate ways. All was well. But, was it? If we applied this parable to the situation, might Jesus have said to me, “You prayed for my protection, my presence, my love. And, you have those things always. What were your prayers for your brother sitting next to you? Is he not worthy of my love and mercy, too?” When Jesus spoke to the crowd about forgiveness, he wasn’t necessarily talking about those little things that may get under our skin but won’t ruin our lives. Like, when the garbage collectors don’t show up on their scheduled day, or when your Happy Meal comes without the toy, or the newspaper arrives all soggy. We can let those things go. But, what about those things we can’t let go? We are all subject to things about which we may have little or no agency. But, we can decide how we will respond. How have we responded to the changes that Covid has brought our way? Remember back in 2020, we looked for the color-coded maps that tracked the number of cases? Remember the daily announcements of Covid-related hospitalizations and deaths? Even now, are you hoping to receive the latest booster shot that addresses the latest Omicron variant soon? I am. Primarily because my brother and his wife are very seek right now with Covid. My brother texted me a few days ago saying, he had been run over by a truck, hit by a car, and thrown twice by the same horse. And he would rather suffer any of them again over Covid. We’ve faced national crises before. We’ve pulled together. Remember when the members of congress stood on the Capitol steps on September 11, 2001 and sang “God Bless America?” Friends, I don’t want to witness another catastrophic event but it sure would be reassuring to see a display of our national leaders rallying around the country lifting up our common bond, our shared hopes and dreams. Each year, when that fateful day rolls around, we pause and remember. We light candles, sing patriotic songs, set up art installations like The Healing Fields at Spring Hill Cemetery. We remember lives lost and heroic acts. Speaking for myself, while I still grieve, the sharp anger and paralyzing fear have diminished over the years. And that is important because the country has to move forward, addressing opportunities and challenges as they come. And they will. Lots of us like to travel. I can’t wait to take our grandchildren to some of our favorite places. But, I don’t want to panic every time I board a plane or go to a large crowded event. Our granddaughter goes to preschool at the Jewish Temple in Winston-Salem. You know the tragedies that have occurred in Jewish communities of faith in recent years, so you can imagine the concerns we have for her and her school. So, it’s important to face my fears and prejudices, to make the effort to forgive those who have attacked innocent people. I confess, I find it impossible some days to find forgiveness. God is still working on me. Maybe you’re ahead of me and God is helping you cultivate a spirit of forgiveness. Maybe I should follow your example. Our nation and our neighborhoods are becoming more and more diverse. You may be tired of hearing it, but, so much of the violence we witness seems to be sparked by hatred. If we want peace, then it’s absolutely essential that we learn to respect and appreciate the differences in race, culture, religion, orientation and other human conditions. One of my favorite quotes made by Queen Elizabeth is this: “Peace is the hardest form of leadership.” The Washington National Cathedral is a beacon of peace for many. Since the pandemic began, the cathedral leadership has recorded and broadcast the brief services of Morning Prayer. I commend them. They were a source of solace and peace for me while the pandemic raged on. At the end of one service, there were photos of the beautiful stained glass windows that adorn that awesome place. One of the windows featured that morning was the Space Window, which is really named the Science and Technology Window. I’ve stood beneath it a few times and it is breathtaking. Created by Rodney Winslow, the technique used to design and make that window is much different from the other gothic-styled windows in the cathedral. Winslow worked on it for twelve years, tearing up one design plan after another until he was satisfied. NASA and a number of astronauts consulted on the project. The colors used in the window are especially intense. It is said that every astronaut reports that the colors they see from space are indescribable, otherworldly, like nothing they have ever seen. Crayola doesn’t make a shade or hue that captures the beauty seen from high above the earth. At the center of the window, the focal point, is a white circle. It is very thin and translucent. It is a piece of the moon, over three billion years old, picked up by Neil Armstrong on the Apollo 11 flight in 1969, at the first moon landing. It represents humankind’s greatest achievement to date. Artists like their works to speak for themselves, allowing the viewer to interact with the piece and drawing his or her own meanings from it. When I see that window, I think of all the men and women whose lives have been dedicated to the space program, and to the discipline and discovery of science, their sense of courage and adventure, how they inspired the next generation of exploration. It is set in this massive cathedral, the “house of prayer for all people,” and, to me, serves as a sign that God is eternally calling us into God’s creative plan as it unfolds from age to age. And that is what I want to leave you with today. We are in difficult times. But we are not alone. God has not orphaned us and never will. We have survived but we are cautious. I still carry masks and wear them. As the Brits would say, we “keep calm and carry on.” We are the people who, with God’s help, applied our intelligence, imagination, ingenuity, and grit to land a man on the moon and NASA says we will do it again. A woman may land the next spacecraft. And with God’s help, we will land 2023. * Hymn 378 We Wait the Peaceful Kingdom *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p, 35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting our Tithes and Offerings including offerings for Sunflower Seeds Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication Blessed are you, O God, maker and giver of all gifts. Use us and what we bave gathered to bless the world with your love and grace, through the One who gave his life for us. Amen. *Hymn 318 In Christ There Is No East or West, verses 3 and 4 *Blessing Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Joshua 24:15 Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. *Hymn 321 The Church’s One Foundation Gathering Prayer O, Lord, our God, wellspring of all that is, you are the sea on which we float, the wind that fills our sails, the storm that buffets, the calm that brings us peace. Open our ears to hear your word, our eyes to see your beauty, our hearts to be warmed by your love. Free us from the bonds of sin and selfishness, and make us over to be bearers of your joy and peace. Amen. Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am First Reading Exodus 1:8-2:10 Time With Our Young Disciples Second Reading Matthew 16:13-20 Morning Message Its that time of year again…driving alonf fifth or sixth Avenues in downtown Huntington and you see college stidunets and their parents or whoever they could recruit to help them, dragging boxes, trunks, laundry baskets, guitars, and more into the dorms and apartments that line the streets. It’s a hard job. Some of you have experience in it. I’d love to move closer to our family in North Carolina, but, all I have to do is take one look in the garage…and I am over that notion. Rev. Janet Hunt is a Lutheran pastor in the Midwest. She writes that she was moving into a new home. Her mother had come to help pack, move, unpack and settle into her new place. They had been at it all day and were growing very tired. After several hours work, Janet’s mother headed to the bathroom. Janet sat down in a favorite comfortable chair and promptly fell asleep. She says she doesn’t know how long she was out, but when she awoke to the sound of knocking and her mother calling her name. She jumped up, and headed upstairs to the bathroom where her mother was trapped behind a locked door. She had been trying for several minutes, but the knob would not turn. Janet tried it from her side and still it wouldn’t budge. So, Janet found some tools and proceeded to take the doorknob off. But since it was still attached on the other side, that , too, failed. Janet briefly thought about calling for help, but, she didn’t know her neighbors yet. She thought about calling the fire department, but, that seemed a little extreme. So, she resorted to drastic measures: she traded her screwdriver for a hammer and proceeded to pound away at the lock. After a few minutes of this pursuit, her mother tried the handle again and it gave way and the door swung open. Free at last. You been there. You’ve been locked in or out or a key was misplaced. One of my family members was starting their car one day and the key broke off in the ignition. When Ed and I bought our first house, we went to the closing and when all the papaers had been signed, the realtor handed us the keys while suppressing a laugh…the house we bought had four doors. Front, back, side and garage. We were handed four keys…one regular-looking door key…and three skeleton keys. No kidding. Maybe we haven’t been trapped behind a locked door or had to resort to anything as drastic and destructive as what Janet did, but I think it’s safe to say we have all come up against something we couldn’t easily get through or around and we do whatever we can with the resources we have. In our text, Jesus speaks not only to Peter, but, we believe, to us in our time, not of doors necessarily, but of keys-keys which we understand hold a promise to open up, to reveal, that which is locked. These keys can make way for us to enter a place, or to understand mysteries that have up to now been unavailable to us. Keys to freedom and hope for these are the keys to the Kingdom of God. And Jesus tied these keys to something he has come to teach us…these keys are tied to forgiveness, grace. We receive God grace, thanks be to God. But, grace does not, or should not stop with us. In gratitude for grace given, we can do none other than extend it ourselves. Forgiveness or the lack of it carries eternal consequences. You know this. WE all bear scars. We are all acquainted with sin, in its many forms. Maybe we are mistreated, or someone we love has been hurt. Maybe justice, as we understand it, was not served following some wrong done. Maybe life has treated us unfairly and you want to blame someone. Sometimes the wound is so great, so confounding and complex, we have to blame someone and God is the most obvious culprit. One of the most compelling accounts of forgiveness I am aware of is that of the community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvannia. You remember the story: This is an Amish community. A local man, who bore a grudge against God, entered the one room schoolhouse one morning, where he assaulted and killed many of the students. Can we even imagine the depth of that pain? Innocent children lost their lives for no reason. The children of peaceful people of faith. How would they go on? Well, they went on by gathering together, expressing their grief, remembering their precious children. And then they did something truly remarkable: church elders visited in the home of the man who had committed this atrocious act, meeting with his widow, for he had taken his own life after taking the lives of the children. They expressed their concern for his family, his wife and little children. They made the decision to forgive, to extend the grace of God, to the one who had taken so much from them. Their faith demanded it. There was a movie made of this incident. At the end, viewers see the community gathered at the graves of the Amish children. And then we see the lonely image of the shooter’s widow, babe in arms, sobbing at her husband’s grave. And then the camera is trained on a remarkable sight: men, women, and children in that signature black and blue garb of the Amish, coming to bear witness to this young mother’s grief and pain. Grief and pain are emotions with which we are all familiar. A year or so ago, there was a terrible incident near our home. Law enforment officer were attempting to serve a warrant on a resident and the whole thing went wrong. The one who had presumably committed a crime was shot and killed. There was a great deal of reporting that all came off with a “he got what he deserved” flavor. I happened to run into someone who lives right across the street from where the incident occurred. She was horrible shaken. With a trembling voice, she said something like “Everyone is focused on the crimes he committed. We’ll never really know the truth of that because of the way it ended. But we do know this: last night, a mother lost her son.” That level of empathy can lead to real transformation. Bearing witness to one another’s grief and pain. Ans so can sharing in one another’s blessings. A good example of that was yesterday’s dinner at the Senior Center. I think I was there about two hours. I know some of you were there much longer than that. Coming home, I was reflecting on our time together and I was thinking about what was unlocked in order to make that happen once a month. I realized I had not heard or witnessed anything in that brief time but good will, fellowship, community. It was a spiritual experience. I was looking for something to compare it to. Communion in noodles and sauce? Well, maybe, I do believe there is something sacred in every meal. Even if we set a place for one, we are always in the presence of the unseen guest. I think it was more like a foot washing. Grace lavished upon one another. And grace is underrated. * Hymn Long Ago When Pharoah’s Daughter Carolyn Winfrey Gillette *Affirmation of Faith A Brief Statement of Faith, PCUSA, 1991 We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to love God and neighbor, binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church. The same Spirit, who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world, the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication Almighty God, from whom all blessings flow, may you find us ever-thankful for the abundance of your gifts. Accept these offerings as signs of our thanks and praise. May they serve to strengthen our commitment to know, love, and serve you this and every day. Amen. *Hymn 462 I Love to Tell the Story *Blessing And now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and always. Amen. *Postlude |
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
March 2024
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