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 Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Look to the mountains! Look to the hills! Love comes to us with joy! The world is filled with beauty. Flowers appear on the earth, birdsong brightens the day. Crops yield their produce in abundance, The air is filled with sweetness. The summer of God’s love is with us. Let the oil of gladness anoint your souls. Arise and sing for joy! *Hymn 14 For the Beauty of the Earth Prayer of Confession God of justice and righteousness, your call beckons us: to live faithful lives, to turn from wickedness, to walk in your ways. Yet it is easy to turn aside: to speak a thoughtless word, to ignore those in need, to strike out in anger, to forget your ways. Forgive us. Implant your word in our hearts, and cleanse us from all evil. By the power of your love, save us, that we might fully love and serve you. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me as I Am Assurance of Forgiveness God’s word has the power to save us. God has anointed us with gladness, forgiven and freed us, to live holy and joyful lives. Alleluia! Amen. First Reading Psalm 133 Time With Our Young Disciples Second Reading Matthew 15:21-28 Morning Message Who has been inside a coal mine? Ed’s grandfather was a miner and his dad operated a coal train. When he was growing up, Ed used to take his dad’s dinner to him as he passed by the street where they lived. Sometimes he would ride up Kelly’s Creek with him. It is a fond memory. I have no experience with mining, which Ed saw as an incomplete education, so, one day he took me to the exhibition coal mine in Beckley. We rode in a car a short distance into the mine. It was dark, cold, and damp. The guide was very knowledgeable, pointing out the various aspects of the mine, the routine of a typical day, the dangers that lurked. He showed and demonstrated some of the equipment miners carried into the mine and showed us their lunch bucket and how it was packed. He stopped frequently to answer questions. When he was talking about lunch, a woman raised her hand and asked, in all seriousness, “Where did they wash their hands?” The question just hung there for a long moment before the guide said they didn’t wash their hands. And we moved on. In our text, Jesus is engaged in a conversation about ritual cleansing. We have to remember that the gospel of Matthew is the most intensely focused on the Jewish community, their customs and practices, what is required and what is forbidden. Jesus observes some but not all the protocol and that makes him suspect to the authorities and there is increasing conflict with them. This is a major theme of Matthew’s gospel. It is a theme that will build right up to the ride into Jerusalem and the end of his life on earth. As this story unfolds, Jesus has just had an encounter over ritual cleanliness. He insists that it is not what goes into the mouth that is of concern. It is what comes out of the mouth that is important. He soon gets an opportunity to put that to the test. They have moved to Tyre and Sidon, places that had become adversarial with Israel. A Canaanite woman comes seeking help for her daughter. This is a very curious thing indeed. This is the only use of the word “Canaanite” in the entire New Testament. So, why does it appear? Upon entering the Promised Land, the Israelites were told to exterminate the Canaanites to prevent them from being influenced by them and drifting into idolatry. In other words, the prohibition against associating with Canaanites is meant to preserve the faith, nationality, culture, and the race. We have to remember that what distinguishes Jews from other faiths is that they are monotheistic, one God is worshipped. Other faiths may worship gods, plural. But, in Matthew’s gospel, we find that those Canaanites who agree to follow the Lord can be integrated into his people, as were Jesus’ foremothers: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. This is one of fourteen healing stories in the gospel of Matthew. This story closely resembles an earlier one where a Centurian is seeking healing for his servant. In both instances, the petitioner is not asking for themselves, but they are advocating for someone under their care. The woman addresses Jesus as “Lord.” This is the name the disciples call Jesus. The Jewish authorities call him “rabbi” and “teacher.” So, she is showing herself in league with Jesus’ closest friends. She understands that Jesus has been sent to the children of Israel. But, she, a Gentile, persists. The disciples just want Jesus to get rid of her. Maybe they are tired or maybe they are trying to prevent another dust-up with the authorities. Jesus’ first obligation is to the house of Israel, and that is where his attention is directed. But, we soon see, as Jesus sees, that to remain laser-focused on Israel, to the exclusion of the wider world, is too limiting. The woman and Jesus have a conversation about the unusual nature of her request. He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Je argues that it was not right to give to the dogs what is meant for the children of Israel. That seems really harsh to us. Jews did not have dogs for pets. They were considered mean and unclean and no Jew would have them in their house. But, the Greeks, and this woman is of Greek origins, are quite fond of dogs. So, she brings a new meaning to the word “dog.” In her culture, dogs would be allowed to enter a home and, indeed, sit under the table where they could feast on the scraps left by those who dined. She wins Jesus over. Her daughter is healed, thanks to Jesus and her mother’s faith. So, where can we find ourselves in this story? In a number of places, but this is what came to me as I was preparing this message: It seems we are more and more polarized these days. And I wonder if it will ever end. I noticed on Friday that there were two editorials in the paper by local citizens about candidates for elections. Each writer was advocating for the election of a particular candidate. Nothing wrong with that. But, the supporting testimonies were heavily based on the candidates’ religious affiliation. In the writers’ opinions, the candidate of the other party should be disqualified based on the defective nature of their faith. Friends, I know how this kind of thing can reel us in. And before we know it, our blood pressure goes up, we say too much, and we solve nothing. We are no more evolved than the Pharisees who called Jesus an infidel over ritual hand-washing. It took years for me to completely understand what was so insulting about that question about minors washing their hands before eating. It was probably unintentional, but, whether it was just curiosity or not, the effect it had was to point out the difference between “us” and “them.” It called to mind differences in class and occupation and location and culture. Some of us wouldn’t dream of letting a dog into our house. Some of us invite them in and some of us even welcome them to the table and we feed them. And the dogs are just hungry. They don’t care if we have washed our hands. *Hymn 693 Though I May Speak *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 Sharing Our Joys and Concerns Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication God of light and beauty, every gift is from you. Even our ability to give is a blessing of your love. We offer what we have and what we are that you may use our gifts to give birth to a world of peace and understanding, where none are in need, and all are drawn into your embrace. Amen. *Hymn 692 Spirit, Open My Heart *Blessing In everything, let us offer our thanks to God. In our darkness and questioning, in our relief and rejoicing, in the assurance that God holds us in love, that we may cheerfully serve others, replacing fear with the hope born of Eternal Love. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Let us worship God. Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord. Let us exalt the name of the Lord together. Come, let us sing to the Lord, Let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. *Hymn 761 Called as Partners in Christ’s Service Call to Confession Prayer of Confession Mighty and merciful God, you have called us to be your people and claimed us for the service of Jesus Christ. We confess that we have not fully lived up to our calling, being timid in our witness and forgetful of your powerful presence and the strength of your Holy Spirit among us. O God, forgive us. As you have chosen and claimed us in our baptism, strengthen us anew to choose Christ’s way in the world. Give us your Spirit, that each one in ministry may be provided with all the gifts of grace needed to fulfill our common calling, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen. *Hymn 698 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, you are forgiven. May the God of mercy, who forgives all your sins, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, keep you in eternal life. First Reading Isaiah 61:1-3l Moments With Our Young Disciples Commissioning of Jon True to Service as Trustee Second Reading 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 27 Morning Message There are different gifts, but it is the same Spirit who gives them. There are different kinds of service, but it is the same Lord. There are different types of working, but, in all of them, and in everyone, it is the same God at work. Today is a special day when we celebrate God’s call to Nancy, Hala, and Robin to serve the Lord and his church as elders-ordained, set aside, for particular tasks. We know what some of those tasks will be. They will help the church to continue in worship, study, fellowship, and service. They will do some things the ways they have always been done, but, if we have learned anything in the past three years, we have learned that life is dynamic, unpredictable. I have come to believe that it is in those unplanned moments that we learn and grow and draw closer to the people God created us to be. I’ve experienced some unplanned moments recently. Ed and I went to Winston-Salem two weeks ago to see our daughter and her family. It is a “his, hers, and ours” type of family. After an evening at their pool, we headed home for a late dinner. The oldest of the kids is fourteen. He picked up his fork and says to us, “I don’t really know what to call you. What would you prefer?” Neither of us was anticipating the question, nor the hugs that followed, nor the warmth that flooded our faces, and the lump in the throat. Unplanned, but, a blessing indeed. We have gained another grandson, which makes three. Thank you, Lord. And we hope that all our unplanned, unexpected events will present themselves in such a good way. There are some things that do stay the same, are planned, for this new configuration of the session and all the sessions in the past and in the future. God called each elder into service. Service on the session is not just taking a turn on the board of directors. When we stand before the congregation, deacons, elders, and ministers all answer the same ordination questions. Ordination is for life, for the whole church. When an elder is not serving on the session, they are still eligible to perform many functions of ministry, such as serving as clerk, attending meetings of presbytery, serving a presbytery or higher office. We will make decisions in a particular way. We are Presbyterian, not episcopal or congregational. Episcopal types of churches authorize their bishops to make decisions for the congregation. Congregational churches make decisions by action of the entire membership. We do a little of that, as in calling a pastor or electing officers. Most decisions are made by the session, a group of people elected by the congregation for this work. A lot of trust is placed in the session. To that end, the session works together seeking the mind of Christ in all they do. Each member of the session will be eligible to attend meetings of presbytery as a commissioner. They can participate by voice and vote and can help shape the life of the presbytery. The Presbytery of West Virginia meets four times a year around the presbytery and by Zoom for those who can’t attend in person. Presbyters, or elders, are commissioners, not delegates. This is something of which we must remind ourselves from time to time, especially in times of disagreement. Whether we are serving on the session or a higher governing body, we seek to find the will of Christ, not the will of those who elected us. While their opinions may certainly influence us, they do not bind us. When we gather together we pray for God’s guidance, listen to discussion and debate, and then vote as we are led by the Spirit. Speaking of voting, that is an action that is addressed in a book called, “Parliamentary Procedures in the Presbyterian Church (USA).” The author, Marianne Wolfe expresses our purpose and practices in this way: The rights and the unity of the body shall be preserved; the will of the majority will prevail; the rights of the minority shall be protected. We bear in mind that Christ alone is head of the church and is to be honored by all of our actions. We are a constitutional church, informed by the Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. We believe that our life together is best when lived with a disciplined concern for order. The contents of each part of the Constitution are more than a collection of rules. They are evidence of how we understand God’s will for our faith and lives. While the session takes care of matters of business, they must do so with a spirit of compassion. In some churches, deacons are assigned the responsibility for ministries of compassion and care. In churches which have a unicameral, or single body of leaders, such as Kuhn, the session takes on those responsibilities, too. Try as they might, every session encounters moments of disagreement. We don’t all drive the same make of car, so it is reasonable that we should differ on matters that come to our attention. Way back in 1788, when the church in the United States was young, Presbyterians recognized that “there are truths and forms with respect to which men (people) of good character and principles may differ.” When that occurs, we need to exercise “mutual forebearance”. Disagreement is not a bad thing when it is expressed in ways that do not disturb the peace, unity, and purity of the church. We are a connectional church. Each congregation is part of a web of relationships in our Presbyterian family. In part, this means that each congregation and each session is accountable to the larger church through the presbytery. We submit reports annually that are a witness to our activities and health of our congregation. Likewise, the presbytery and synod report to the next higher governing bodies. We are all in this together. As has been the case for many churches and denominations, the pandemic changed the way we live and move and have our being. We have learned to adapt. Our call now is to move forward, embracing the opportunities and challenges set before us. This is the story of our faith, as testified in scripture: From Moses to maps, God’s people have loved and worshipped God, cared for God’s people, and demonstrated tremendous courage all in a spirit of justice, kindness, and humility. God has gifted each of our elders to meet the needs of the congregation and this community. God has gifted each and every one of you. As I began this message, I mentioned that I’ve witnessed a couple of unplanned events, moments that were gifts to those who experienced them. The first was the special conversation we had with the fourteen year old who is our newest and oldest grandchild. This happened to someone else. It was in a moment of crisis, which had the potential to be a real disaster. My cousin has been seriously ill for several months. She has been in ICU and is now recovering in another facility. A few days ago she lost her vision in one eye. The staff acted immediately to get her emergency attention. She had to be transported. One of the staff who was attending to her told her that she was going to be ok. Even if her vision never returned, she would be ok. He was a Christian and had the same condition years before and God helped him cope and adjust to his new reality. This man kept reassuring her and she was able to gain strength and courage from him. She had no fear, which is truly remarkable. And scripture tells us “perfect love casts out fear.” To which I always add, “We’re not perfect, but Jesus is.” I predict that we will have lots of opportunities to exercise that love in the year ahead. There are different gifts, but it is the same God who gives them. May it be so for all of us. *Affirmation of Faith Apostles’ Creed p.35 *Hymn 581 Gloria Patri Ordination and Installation of Nancy Jackson to the Office of Ruling Elder Installation of Robin McComas and Hala Mosrie to the Office of Ruling Elder Renewal of Baptismal Vows Propounding the Constitutional Questions Prayer and the Laying On of Hands (All those previously ordained are invited to participate.) Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 606 Doxology *Prayer of Dedication God of goodness and grace, we thank you for the blessings of this day, for calling your servants into leadership and entrusting them to love and care for your people. Give them vision to see as you see this world, serving Christ in humility and compassion. It is in his name and for his kingdom that we offer our gifts. Amen. *Hymn 69 Here I Am, Lord *Blessing Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, and help the suffering; honor all people, Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship We come to hear the stories of God’s people in ages past. We come to hear the stories that are also about God’s people here and now. O God, give us ears to hear and eyes to see, and hearts to receive God’s will for our lives. *Hymn 191 Tell Me the Stories of Jesus Prayer of Confession Psalm 51:1-12 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin. For we know our transgressions, and our sin is ever before us. Against you, you alone, have we sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, we were born guilty, sinners when our mothers conceived us. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach us wisdom in our inmost hearts. Purge us with hyssop, and we shall be clean; wash us, and we will be whiter than snow. Let us hear with joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities. Hymn Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness God will create in us a clean heart and put a new and right spirit within us. God will never cast us away from God’s presence, and will not take the Holy Spirit from us. God will restore to us the joy of our salvation, and sustain in us a willing spirit. Alleluia! Amen. First Scripture Reading Mark 9: 36-37; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 9:47-48 Time With Our Young Disciples Second Scripture Reading Matthew 19:13-14; Matthew 21:15-16; John 1:12-13; 1 John 3:1 Morning Message not available *Hymn 289 Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine *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 *Doxology *Prayer of Dedication O God, we share these gifts in the spirit of those who shared their loaves and fishes on that day long ago. We ask that you take and use these gifts to feed all your creation-to produce seed and grain, wisdom and strength, compassion and peace. May our efforts help to restore wholeness in all the places where malnourishment exists- in body, mind, spirit, and circumstance. Amen. *Hymn 34 How Great Thou Art *Blessing Go out from here and live lives worthy of the one calling we all share. In humility, gentleness, and patience, speak what is true and loving and so grow into the unity that is ours in Christ. And may God the creator, reshape your hearts; may Christ Jesus, the bread of life, sustain you always; and may the Holy Spirit unite us all in the bond of peace. Laughingbird Liturgical Resources *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship God of grace, you have given us minds to know you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in Sprit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 611 Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee 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, O Lord, for we are sorry for all we have done to displease you. Forgive our sins, and help us live in your light, and walk in your ways, for the love of Jesus Christ our Savior. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Hear the good news! The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might be dead to sin and alive to all that is good. I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Be at peace. First Scripture Reading Psalm of Solomon (selected verses) Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Psalm of Solomon (selected verses) Morning Message Ed and I went to a worship service Wednesday evening. Together. That is a rare event and we don’t take it for granted. I count it as joy. A crowd was gathering, greeting one another. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation. We were there to hear a young seminarian, a hometown girl, and cheer her on as she begins a life of ministry. In the chapel there were lots of handshakes and hugs going on, lots of smiles and goodwill. I noticed that a long-time friend seemed especially happy. In fact she was beaming. People were hugging her especially tightly. She was a living example of her name: Joye. Soon she turned and hugged me like we had been separated at birth. “What’s going on, Joye? You seem exceedingly happy.” “I had an accident…and I survived!” Then I heard the rest of the story, at least the parts she remembered, for she did have a head injury. Indeed, she had reason to rejoice in her survival. The service was good, lighthearted in some ways and profound in others. There is a story that accompanies this event. Complicated. Controversial. But Wednesday night, it echoed with a note of joy. We’ll come back to that. In our text, Jesus is still telling stories in the form of parables. In the one we read today, there is a search for something most valuable. And there is genuine joy in its discovery, as the gospel reads, “Like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew wrote to a mixed Judeo-Greek Christian community. He identified a “new” way of Christ emerging from the inheritance of Israel. This new faith was based on both a book and a person, as Christ’s disciples were asked to trust equally in the Scriptures and in the living presence of Christ. Each of the characters in Jesus’ story has a history, family, a community, a trade or occupation. But we aren’t privy to those details. All we know is that they devote themselves to a search for something most valuable, and when it is finally found, their lives are immersed in deep joy. I recently discovered the work of Margaret Feinberg. She is a spiritual director and contemporary author and I would call her a theologian. I’m reading her book, Fight Back With Joy. She writes about the start of a new year, when some of her closest friends took up the discipline of choosing a word on which to meditate, and in so doing, learn something of God. One friend chose “peace,” and another chose “hope.” “I dreamed about which word embodied the work I wanted God to do in my life. I had spent years listening for the sacred echoes. I’d set out to scout for the divine, searching to better understand God through lesser known biblical texts. I had worked to shake myself from spiritual slumber and encounter the wonder of God all around. During these God journeys, a word kept bubbling inside me and fluttering about everywhere I turned. Only three letters and one tiny syllable: ‘joy.’” C.S. Lewis described joy as serious business. Her wrote a book about it, Surprised by Joy. Margaret says she thought she could take joy lightly, capturing it like fireflies in a mason jar. But, she discovered, you need more than that. You need chutz-pah, backbone, intentionality-and sometimes you need a crisis. Margaret’s crisis came in the form of breast cancer. She says, “During the last year and a half, I felt my way through the darkness of despair and stared death in the face. Somewhere along the way God unveiled a spectrum of joy that I had never experienced-from the joy expressed as lighthearted laughter in an impossible situation, to the joy from hearing the deep voice of God during times of great pain. Through it all, I learned something startling: More than whimsy, joy is a weapon we use to fight life’s battles.” Margaret’s story reveals the discovery of her disease, something she found that did not bring her joy, but terror. She describes the first days of treatment. She takes us on an adventure she had planned before the diagnosis-a spiritual retreat in Maine, a hiking trip in Acadia National Park, and several days in an old Victorian house on the coast where twenty people had gathered to experience the wonders of God. On the third day of the retreat they were set to climb to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. I’ve been to Acadia. I’ve been to the top of Cadillac Mountain. In a truck, not on my feet. And it was scary enough. The hike started off well, with plenty of water, energy bars, and sunscreen. But soon the hike went awry. They misinterpreted the trail markers, the heat rose, the sun scorched, the fierce wind became unbearable. Six mountains stood between them and Cadillac. They were quickly running out of supplies. Margaret says she only had three sips of water left in her canteen. She asked another hiker, a stranger, for a drink of water. He offered her the whole bottle. It was soon apparent that it was too much, especially for Margaret, who had her first round of chemo. When they all returned to the old Victorian house, with their scrapes and bruises and sunburns, something inexplicable and magical happened, Although they had felt abandoned, “God had been working, his fierce love revealed for us in our conversations.” They spoke of being refreshed from overloaded work schedules. They spoke of the encouragement they gave and received from fellow hikers. One woman was fixated on accomplishing something important and hiking this mountain was part of that goal. But, along the way she sensed God whisper, “You have nothing to prove.” “Through the harrowing experience, a curtain was drawn back as we listened to each other share how God had used the trek to challenge us, teach us, speak to us, and free us. A hike gone awry became the place where God met us. Joy stoked a flickering flame that warmed the room. The biggest myth about joy is that it only flourishes in good times, or that it is only the byproduct of positive experiences. But the botched hike had led them to a bigger truth: Life’s thorniest paths can lead to great joy. Back to the Wednesday night worship service. I referred to it last week, but when I returned home I realized I hadn’t fully explained the reason why it was controversial and the session of the church where the young minister-to-be was raised was concerned that it would not go over well. It’s both simple and complicated. We have much yet to learn. You see, when this soon-to-be minister was growing up, he was a boy. Now, in her twenties, she is a woman. Yes. Difficult to take in, but not so difficult as it is for her and her family. Even so, more than 75 people turned out in support, and that evening personified love and trust, hope and courage, and above all, it exuded joy. I’ve spent the rest of the week noting the appearance of joy, the reports of good news, the opportunities to encourage and pray for others, the unexpected moments of delight. I speak of my grandchildren so often I know you’re sick of it. But you’re polite and let me go on about how I miss them seeing them in person. Yesterday I received a video of five year old Tad breaking his first board in karate. His joy made my day. I know some, but certainly, not all of your struggles, frustrations, needs, hopes. I do know that the sun comes up each day on all of us. And in its rising are the day’s new gifts of God’s mercy. And in them, I pray you are surprised by joy. *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 Loving God, having received your grace in the redemption of Christ Jesus, we live strengthened in the faith, with lives overflowing with gratitude. From the depths of our hearts, we offer to you the very best we have-time, talent, and treasure. May our offerings be a sign of our true devotion and thanksgiving. Amen. *Hymn 623 I’ve Got Peace Like a River *Blessing May the God of peace make you holy in every way, and keep your whole being- body, mind and spirit, free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship O God, We gather together in your presence with expectation, hungry for an encounter with you, eager to hear your Word. Open our eyes and ears to the presence of your Holy Spirit. May the seeds of your Word, scattered among us this morning, fall on fertile soil. May they take root in our hearts and lives, and produce an abundant harvest of good words and deeds. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our teacher and our Lord. Amen. Christine Longhurst, re:Worship *Hymn 667 When Morning Gilds the Skies, verses 1 and 2 Prayer of Confession Loving Lord, you watch over us all our days. Help us to feel your presence today. We confess that we have allowed a host of concerns and frustrations to compete with your word and will for us. Remind us that you are not the author of confusion, but of peace. Guide our thoughts, strengthen our bodies, inspire holy intentions within us, that we might be faithful to you and gospel-bearers to our neighbors and families, strangers and friends. Response Take, O Take Me as I Am Words of Assurance Hear the good news- while we worry and fret, God is at work in our lives and in our world, that we might have a taste of God’s blessed kingdom, the realm of justice, freedom, mercy, and peace. Believe in the good news of the gospel: in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen. First Reading Psalm 23 Moments With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 The Morning Message Years ago, there was a local theatre group called Community Players. They produced a few plays each year, usually at the Abbot Theatre, which was on 14th Street West, what we now call “Central City.” Community Players was supported by patrons who appreciated the art of live productions and the seasonal offerings were much enjoyed. One of our neighbors was always urging me to audition for children’s roles. She took me to some of the productions to stimulate my interest. It worked. When I was in fifth grade, CP advertized that their fall production would be The Bad Seed, an adaptation of a novel written by William March. I remember our neighbor coming to the house with the flyer she had just received and said I was going to audition for the role of Rhoda, the young girl in the story. She would take me. Well, fine. I’d never been in a play before, but, ok, I’ll go to the auditions. To my great surprise, at the end of auditions, the director stood to announce the cast. He did so by walking up to each person cast and handed them a script. He walked up to me and placed a script in my hand. What followed was about two months of work that eventually became a play and a love for live performances of all kinds. I loved it, especially rehearsals. The Bad Seed. To make a long and twisted story short, Rhoda, a girl in grade school, looks like perfection personified. Winsome, clever, pretty- with long, blonde braids, starched pinafore, shiny shoes with taps on the heels. Remember that detail. Rhoda was a fine student. Sharp and talented. On the last day of school, awards were given to outstanding students. Rhoda was expecting the coveted penmanship medal. When the winner was announced, that medal was awarded to Claude Daigle, a boy in her class. This angered Rhoda fiercely. She hated to lose. She acted out, taunting the classmate and leading him to a dock at the edge of an open body of water. We do not see what happens next, but, by the end of school picnic, little Claude was dead. While the other children played and adults chatted, he had drowned. Strange thing, though, he had marks on his hands and on his forehead that seemed strangely like the shape of the taps on Rhoda’s shoes. By now you’ve figured out the rest of the story. Rhoda stole the medal and hid it in her room. Eventually, Rhoda’s mother, Christine, discovers the medal and other items Rhoda has stolen over time. The awful truth of her daughter’s deadly deed becomes apparent. She quickly comes to the realization her beautiful, intelligent, well-behaved daughter, has a hidden darkness in her personality, in what we would call her soul or spirit. She could not feel empathy. She had no conscience, could only feel for herself, the center of her own world. Her interactions with others were largely motivated by what that person could do for her. She was manipulative and cruel. As Christine was coming to terms with this ugly truth, she began to wonder about what caused Rhoda’s abnormal behavior. She automatically thought of her own childhood. She was adopted. Christine’s parents welcomed her into their family, loving and nurturing her. She turned out happy and well adjusted. But given the problem with her daughter, she sought out more information from her father about her birth parents. What she discovered was she was the biological child of a serial killer. Christine began to wonder if the tendency toward anti-social behavior could be inherited. Had she passed the gene to her daughter? Some psychologists adhered to that theory. Fearing what her daughter was capable of doing in the future, Christine attempts a murder-suicide. It was, in her mind, the most benevolent thing she could do. She would put an end to the bad seed. Christine succeeded in taking her own life. Rhoda survived, charming and deceiving her way into the affection of her father and grandfather. In our text, Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a farmer who sows wheat in his field. At night, an interloper sneaks onto the property and sows weeds, bad seeds if you will, among the wheat. Now, for a little Greek lesson. The word for “weed” in Greek is “zizania.” It is a very particular type of weed that looks just like wheat as it grows. You could hardly tell the difference. It looks like wheat, it appears like wheat, but it is not wheat. It can fool you. The field grows up and the servants notice there are weeds growing among the wheat. They ask the farmer is he wants them to pull the weeds. “No, no no,” says the farmer. By doing so, you may pull up some wheat with the weeds. Leave it until the harvesters come. They will sort it out. They’re experts at it. They will bundle up the weeds and burn them.” This text could lead us in several directions. And as I read and studied this parable, the only way I ever heard this one interpreted was like a morality play. There are good people and bad people. They live alongside one another until such time as the final judgment. Then they will be separated and God will save the good seed, the faithful, the pious, the tithers, those who came to church every time the doors were opened. They are the wheat in our story. But, woe be unto the bad seed, the non-conformists, the doubters and infidels. They would be destined to burn in hell for all eternity. The weeds. And when the day of judgment comes, the wheat would cluck their tongues at the weeds and say with sick satisfaction, “I told you so.” Oh, my goodness. I just don’t think it’s that cut and dried. Literally. First, the farmer was not very troubled at the presence of weeds in his field. “Let them be. It’s someone else’s job to sort them out. We really can’t tell them apart, can we?” I let this thought rumble around in my head for a few days. We can’t really tell them apart. Is it possible to distinguish the wheat from the weeds? They grow in the same soil, draw nourishment from the same soil, water, and sunlight. In this month’s Christian Century magazine, I read an article I’ve been anticipating: the action taken by the Southern Baptist Convention to dis-fellowship-sever the relationship- between the national body of southern Baptist churches and those churches in particular that had female pastors or significant leaders. They were attempting to purify the denomination. Clearly, those who adhered to the ruling were labeled “wheat.” Those who did not comply and continued to have women in pastoral leadership, were deemed the “weeds.” Makes my head spin, too. But, that is the way that denomination chooses to govern itself and we have no standing there. Thankfully, the PCUSA adheres to a different understanding of who is qualified for service in the church. In A Brief Statement of Faith we affirm that the Holy Spirit calls both women and men to all ministries of the church. If a Presbyterian congregation tried to establish a “male only” pattern of calling pastors, elders, or deacons, there would surely be a mutiny. So, now who would be labeled “Wheat” and who are the “weeds?” We would reverse the labels. You can hardly tell the difference, right? They both meet weekly, usually on Sundays. They both pray, sing hymns, hear the Word read and proclaimed, receive an offering and leave with a blessing. They reach out to help and support others, hold VBS, dole out graham crackers and juice, and rest from their labors. Like Rhoda, the bad seed, we can hardly tell the adherents of one church from adherents of the other.. They look alike, have the same routines, send their kids to the same schools. I’m interested to see what fallout will come from this move by the SBC, the largest Protestant denomination in the world. At a church not far from here, a session grappled with an issue that has really caused a rift in the congregation. A child of the church, preparing for ordained ministry, has been asked to preach or lead a service of some kind. That is expected of candidates for ministry in our denomination. But, after deliberation, the session declined to approve the request to preach. Battle lines formed immediately. Any more information would reveal identities and that is beside the point. Those who supported the candidate’s request to preach obviously claim the wheat status. They see the session as weeds. Those who were not in favor of granting the request believe to do so would be hurtful to the congregation. They believed they were being faithful wheat. The whole thing is hurtful and damages the body. This does not honor God. And we can’t accuse either group of failure to love. One of my grandmothers loved me dearly and I loved her. But she didn’t support my call to ministry. “The Bible says a pastor is the husband of one wife. You can’t be the husband of any wife. I think you would make a good teacher.” Her proclamation had less to do with love and more to do with a faith that was based on fear of a punitive God. She was trying to keep me on God’s good side and making sure I had my fire insurance. The point is none of us is capable of judging who’s in and who’s out, who’s a faithful believer by following the rules and who is faithful by following the Spirit into the unknown. That is a job for God alone. Scripture tells us that God gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but, have everlasting life. For Christ did not come into the world to condemn the world, but, that the world through him might be saved. This I believe. In the end, love wins. Grace wins. It is God’s greatest desire. I pray it is so for all of us. Amen. *Hymn A Farmer In a Field Carolyn Winfrey Gillette *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Offertory *Hymn 607 Doxology *Hymn 667 When Morning Gilds the Skies, verses 3 and 4 *Blessing May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship God of grace, you have given us minds to know you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may celebrate your glory and worship you in Spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 645 Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above, Verses 1 1nd 2 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, O Lord, for we are sorry for all we have done to displease you. Forgive our sins, and help us live in your light, and walk in your ways, for the love of Jesus Christ our Savior. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness Hear the good news! The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might be dead to sin and alive to all that is good. I declare to you in the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Be at peace. First Scripture Reading Psalm 85 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Luke 11:1-13 Morning Message For a young family member, fresh out of law school, the stress of the courtroom, the imposing figure of the judge on the bench, the attorneys on the other side of the courtroom, the fate of her clients- was overwhelming. It was more pressure-filled than she had ever expected. She believed with her whole heart that she was doing a good and noble thing in representing the immigrant population in a major city. But, she quickly realized that people have different ideas about what good, noble, and neighborly mean. The bottom line is how well each attorney presents his or her case, playing by the rules. It did not often break her way. A few years into her career as a defense attorney, our girl changed direction and now does commercial real estate, which is supposed to be less stressful. It seems to suit her better. What is going on the opening scene of today’s scripture? A learned man, spit-polished and noble, with a spine seemingly made of steel and no compassion in his voice, has brought the courtroom to Jesus. The man, an expert in Mosaic law, stands up to test Jesus. Like the Pharisees, who were his colleagues, he wants to know if Jesus will use the Torah properly to answer the following question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life? Cite the chapter and verse please.” But this is Jesus. And this is the gospel of Luke. Anyone expecting or demanding a direct answer is bound to be disappointed. Jesus employs a different method of engaging this man. The Socratic method: answering a question with another question. “What is written in the law? He might also have asked, “What do you think is the answer?” How many times growing up did I ask my parents’ permission to do one thing or another, something I knew would challenge their idea of safety or expense or what was an appropriate activity for a teenager. Often, I could count on getting one of those looks that said, “You know the answer to that.” The lawyer responds with the prescribed answer: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus congratulates him on the answer, but, reels him in a little closer and we know, because we’ve heard the story so many times, that Jesus wants more. He wants all of us, as the scriptures say. “Do this and you will live.” And the man takes the bait. After all, he has a reputation to maintain. Maybe he will trip Jesus with this question: “Who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus begins to tell stories, and his stories are always packed full of meaning and this one doesn’t disappoint. Jesus puts his new lawyer friend in the story so he can’t miss the point. When our grandson was visiting for a few days, we entertained him for hours showing him all the videos of himself-from birth on-that were saved on our phones. A day or so later, he climbed up on our bed and said, “Fifi, let’s watch videos of me.” I’m not sure the man in our story would really want to watch videos of himself. But this is how Jesus tells the story: Two experts in the law walk by a man lying by the side of the road, beaten within an inch of his life. They know the commandments: to love God and neighbor. They memorized those verses as kids. But, even though they know them by heart, they don’t stop to help the man in need. No, they pass by on the other side. Their schedules were packed. They had no time to stop and render aid. Or maybe, they didn’t consider this man a neighbor at all. But then a third traveler comes by, and seeing the injured man, shows hospitality and kindness and mercy- all in generous measure. The Samaritan. The least likely character they expect. You know this- Jews and Samaritans had been at enmity for generations. Jews believed Samaritans were infidels. And yet, in Jesus’ story, who does the right thing? The Samaritan. The unlikely one. The one who is the theological enemy of the Jewish lawyer. But listen to this twist of a response: He doesn’t say the Samaritan. He says, “The one who showed him mercy.” It is the motive of the Samaritan’s ministrations that hit their mark with the lawyer. And we know, this is a matter of the heart. How many of our hearts were broken last July 4th when we heard the news of the sniper attack in Highland Park, Illinois during the annual Independence Day Parade? I couldn’t bear to watch the news coverage but I couldn’t walk away from it either. Where are the helpers, as Mr. Rogers would ask? Who is taking care of the people who abandoned those lawn chairs and purses and hats and baby strollers? Dear God, why? Why must innocent people die in such a savage, senseless way? And we pray for an end to this madness. Again. And then the stories started coming in about the victims. And then there were stories about the first responders…and the fellow by-standers, the neighbors, the merchants, the regular folk like you and me. A well-loved Highland Park tradition, one that was sheer frivolity with bands and fire engines and floats and candy tosses. It could very well be Barboursville. What could go wrong? Everything. The next morning, I saw a couple being interviewed who had been at the parade. They were not injured. During the attack, a young man came running up to them, thrusting his baby into their arms. Will you watch him? My wife was hit and I need to check on her. They exchanged phone numbers and the little boy stayed in the home and the arms of perfect strangers for hours. What trust. What neighborliness. What mercy. And then there was the couple that shielded their two-year-old son with their own bodies, literally laying down their lives for their child. There was no time for debate or consultation or background checking or anything else but the will to survive and trust. An uncommon amount of immediate action was taken that day that saved the lives of many. There were other similar violent scenes all around the country last summer when we learned that Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, had been shot. In the morning we learned he had died. Who will be neighbor to the Japanese? Abe was the first Japanese official to visit Pearl Harbor. What happens to those steps into diplomacy that are so hard won? Much closer to home, I heard and saw a story on our local news that really inspired me. Wsaz TV awards a “Ho,etown Hero” award each week to a person in the viewing area who has done some outstanding service. This week’s Hometown Hero was a man in Nitro, Greg Savilla. For years, Mr. Savilla has devoted himself to planting and tending summer flowers around the building and grounds of Holy Trinity Catholic Church. It is beautiful. The parish priest says it’s a real ministry, it draws people out, people who pass by during fall, winter, and spring, but, who literally stop to admire the flowers and express gratitude to the gardender. What makes this story even more remarkable is that Greg Savilla was born with spina bifada, a disorder that creates great physical challenges. Mr. Savilla has overcome a lot to succeed at this major gardening project. His work has drawn the neighborhood together. His work, what we could really call his ministry, doesn’t stop there. Knowing how difficult life with spina bifada can be, he has organized an annual spina bifada camping experience for children, expanding his and his church’s understanding of just who is their neighbor. Who is your neighbor? Who is in need of God’s mercy and how can you deliver a generous portion of it? The lawyer asks an essential question. Maybe the most consequential question: What must we do to inherit eternal life? Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Do this and we will live. May it be so for all of us. Amen. * 175 Seek Ye First *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 Loving God, having received your grace in the redemption of Christ Jesus, we live strengthened in the faith, with lives overflowing with gratitude. From the depths of our hearts, we offer to you the very best we have-time, talent, and treasure. May our offerings be a sign of our true devotion and thanksgiving. Amen. *Hymn 645 Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above, Verses 3 and 4 *Blessing May the God of peace make you holy in every way, and keep your whole being- body, mind and spirit, free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness! Come into God’s presence with singing! For the Lord is a gracious God, whose mercy is everlasting, and whose faithfulness endures to all generations. *Hymn 634 To God Be the Glory Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, In your presence we confess our short-comings and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned, in wandering from your ways, in squandering your gifts, in forgetting your love. Have mercy on us, Lord, forgive our sins and help us live in your light and walk in your ways. Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Assurance of Forgiveness The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you all, in the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Be at peace. First Scripture Reading Psalm 145: 8-14 Time With Our Young Disciples Gospel Reading Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 Morning Message Anne Lamott is a gifted writer and I would call her a genious at practical theology. She is not a minister or religion professor in the traditional sense. Yet, the way Anne writes is like venturing into the mighty redwood forest of life…looking up the length of an ancient tree to its distant leafy canopy, inviting us to catch a glimpse of God. While she has written many books and regularly contributes to periodicals and magazines, makes personal appearances, and is frequently on tour inspiring new writers…she has not always enjoyed success. Far from it. Here’s what she says in a recent blog post: “Thirty-seven years ago, July 7, 1986, I got clean and sober. It is the great miracle of my existence, from which everything I love about life has sprung. I had published three books, had a great persona and reputation, and everyone knew and loved me-my soul felt like Swiss cheese, full of holes, toxic and nuts, until I had that first cool refreshing beer of the day, just to get the flies going in one direction. …I was dirt poor and could not go off somewhere and clean up. And I had run out of any more good ideas, which is what grace looks like sometimes. But God is such a show-off, and I fell in with some kind people who were sober, who wondered if I might be sick and tired of being sick and tired, and if so, if I needed a ride. I was broke for the first five years but I had a luscious little boy, and these people I’m telling you about. I was happier than I had ever been. They’re the exact same people who will be there for you with rides and cookies and wisdom and loyalty and love that will blow your mind Some of them are here today, and if you reach out to them, they will respond. You never have to hurt like you’re hurting now, and you will never again be alone.” Anne was living in the San Francisco Bay area. Walking through town one Sunday morning, pregnant and scared and hungry, she heard the singing of an African American gospel choir coming from an ordinary-looking storefront church. She recognized a few words of their song: Jesus. God. Love. The sounds were so compelling, that she opened the door and slipped in incognito. Or so she thought. You can’t be anonymous in the community of faith. But she tried. She slipped in and out of the church a few times in the weeks that followed. After she attended several times, comfortable with what happened in worship and the faces more familiar, she cracked the door a little on her life. She was immediately embraced. Her yet-to-be-born child was embraced. One woman saved all the dimes she got from week to week and gave those to Anne. She says those dimes saved her from starvation some weeks. It served as food for her body as surely as worship in a storefront church, hearing and feeling the energy of the gospel choir, being inspired, challenged, forgiven, and loved by the pastor and everyone else. Once she was worn out and weary, afraid of the future, afraid of childbirth, nearly penniless, and the church opened its arms wide and took Anne in, and she found rest. It transformed her life. Being so grateful for their help, she has stayed faithful to this church, which, I’m happy to report, is Presbyterian USA, under the leadership of a dynamic pastor. With drinking and drugging behind her, she knows she will always hear a message that echoes with a note of grace. California is a long way to go to find inspiration, but, I may have to figure out a way to tap into that energy, that sense of hope and optimism. The last several weeks have been challenging, if not, downright hard. I have become a little weary. The AC at our house was on its last leg and company was coming. Two of our family members were hospitalized. Ed had eye surgery and I am facing another eye procedure. And, with all of you, we are experiencing a period of loss and grief. Like a hot humid summer with no rain, I could use those showers of blessings they used to sing about at my grandmother’s church. Soon after I spoke those concerns aloud on Friday morning, a prayer that kind of sounded like, “Help!” my phone started ringing and pinging. Offers of help, offers to do whatever it takes to care of things here and at home began pouring in. I was able to see things a little more clearly and figure out the way forward. Showers of blessing had arrived at 167 Iroquois Trail. And that’s the way it is when we are weighed down with concerns, questions, doubts, needs, burdens- and remember to turn to God and to recognize God working through others. Help may not come in the way or in the shape of what we expect, but be assured, God’s storehouse is never empty and never closed. May you find it so for yourselves. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed p. 35 *Hymn 580 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 Blessed are you, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have these gifts to share. Accept and use our offerings and our lives for your glory and for the service of your kingdom. Amen. *Hymn 694 Great God of Every Blessing *Blessing Go out remembering all God has done for you. Break down the walls of hostility and proclaim peace. Have compassion for all, including yourself. And may God be with you wherever you go. May Christ Jesus heal you and refresh you. And may the Holy Spirit encircle you and give you strength. Amen. *Postlude Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship A Litany for Independence Day As we remember the birth of our nation, and the gifts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, let us offer our thanks and prayers to God, giver of all good things. For the women, men, and children who braved the long journey by sea to come to this new world. For the tribes and nations who inhabited this land for generation upon generation. For patriots who dreamed of, and labored for, a free nation. For the men and women who laid the foundations of our democracy, and who pledged liberty and justice for all. For those who built this country brick by brick, road by road, and town by town. For the brave soldiers who have left hearth and home to serve our country, for all who paid for our freedom with their very lives. For the innovators and artists, poets and teachers, farmers and factory workers, for all who labor and provide for the common good. For those who protect our community in emergencies and for all who work to restore order. For the exquisite beauty of this land, with its peaks and valleys, coasts and deserts, fields and meadows. For our own community, for those who came before us in this place, and for our neighbors near and far. Lord, we pray for these United States, that we might always be a nation which defends and promotes liberty and freedom, truth and justice. That we might always be a nation where all are free to worship and pray. That we might be a beacon of freedom to all those who live under the shadow of terror and hopelessness. That those who are elected to govern and lead would look to you for wisdom and guidance, and carefully guard the public trust. That we would be a people who repent from our sins, and who always return to you and to your ways. Gracious God, Father of all the nations, bless and defend us and our land, prosper the work of our hands, and increase in us your courage, grace and compassion. Hear our prayer, O Lord, our rock and our salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 454 God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand Prayer of Confession Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips fear to tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past we cannot change, open to us a future in which can be changed, and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the Sovereign Lord. Amen. *Hymn 698 Take, O Take Me As I Am Declaration of Forgiveness Hear the good news! Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life is gone and a new life has begun. Friends, believe the good news of the gospel: in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen. Time With Our Young Disciples Scripture Reading Isaiah 58:1-12 Morning Message *Hymn 453 Battle Hymn of the Republic, Verses 1 and 2 *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 Almighty and merciful God, from whom comes all that is good, we praise you for your mercies, for your goodness that has created us, your grace that sustains us, the discipline that corrects us, your patience that has borne with us, and your love that has redeemed us. Receive our gifts, offered in humility and gratitude, that the world may know, love and serve you. We give in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. *Hymn 453 Battle Hymn of the Republic, Verses 3 and 4 *Blessing Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. *Postlude |
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
March 2024
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