Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord. Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” *Prayer of the Day O God, form the hearts of your people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that amid all the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed where joy is found, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hymn Be Thou My Vision These stanzas are selected from a 20th century English poetic version of an Irish monastic prayer dating to the 10th century or before. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me save that thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night; waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word; I ever with thee and thou with me Lord; thou my soul’s shelter, and thou my high tower; raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power. Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise; thou mine inheritance, now and always; thou and thou only, first in my heart; High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won; may I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of mine own heart, whatever befall; still be my vision, O Ruler of all. Prayer of Confession Holy and merciful God, in your presence, we confess our failure to be what you created us to be. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love. By your mercy, help us live in your light and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Response Take, O take me as I am; summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat. Assurance of Pardon The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. Believe the good news of the gospel: our sins are forgiven. Be at peace. Time for Young Believers Prayer of Illumination Scripture Reading John 15:1-8 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit, Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Response The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Morning Message If you drive by our house right now you will likely see two un-ruly, un-pruned, wild-looking bushes. Now that the pretty yellow blooms are gone, you may not even recognize them as forsythia. We planted the bushes at least twenty-five years ago. They thrived. Generous yellow blooms every spring. I would clip some and stand them in my favorite Blenko vase. Those tall straight branches heralded the arrival of spring. Warm, sunny days would soon follow. Negotiations with our kids would resume about when it was time to come inside for the day, for they all loved to play outside. But, after a few seasons when we failed to trim, rake, and clean up the ground beneath and around the forsythia, they are now a mess. The branches are so long they rake at our bedroom window on the second floor. They sound like someone is scratching on the window screen when the wind whips up. One day I noticed a sweet smell coming from the direction of the forsythia and upon inspection, realized that honeysuckle had wound its way into the bushes. And then, much to our dismay, the honeysuckle was joined by poison ivy. Like I said…it’s a mess. It’s safe to say we know just a little about how vines and branches grow due to the neglect we’ve shown ours. To frame it in theological language, we could call this a sin of omission. The vine is one of Jesus’ favorite images for himself and his followers. We interpret the vine of which he speaks as a grape vine, for scripture is full of references to wine, the fruit of the vine. Jesus uses this image to demonstrate the closeness of the relationship he has with his disciples. The lives are inter-dependent, inter-twined. Jesus also uses this image to demonstrate his relationship with God, whom he calls, “Father.” I don’t know much about planting or tending a vineyard, but, from what I have learned, in order to reproduce grapes to type, a vine is grafted onto a strong root-stock so that two plants, in effect, become one. The root-stock grows deep in the ground where it extracts nutrients. Branches sprout from the main root, and in turn, this sprouts leaves and tendrils. All this growth may be a joy to behold, but if the branches are left to themselves, they will grow and grow with abandon. The growth may continue at the expense of any fruit coming on the vine. The plant is so busy sending energy and nutrients to the farthest point on the vine, it by-passes any existing fruit, essentially starving it. So, an important task of the vine-dresser is to prune, prune, prune, the vine, taking it all the way down to the nub if necessary. The energy has to be directed to the emerging fruit and not the foliage. The remaining branches that are not bearing fruit are also removed in order that the grapes closest to the vine will thrive. If we think of this in human terms, we might say that, from time to time, we, too, need to be pruned. Churches may need to be pruned. Now, this may not be pleasant, or scheduled, or expected. But, life hands us changes and challenges. We have to adapt. Preferably, we will engage in a little self-examination to inform those changes. Hopefully, we will identify our strengths and weaknesses. Maybe we will set new priorities or goals. We may examine our resources, financial and human, that are necessary for living out our call. Sometimes, we may even sense that we are being called away from an earlier purpose and into a new one. One of the mixed blessings of this pandemic is that is has forced this and all churches to figure out what is essential for our lives. A week or two into the pandemic, the church where a friend and colleague of mine is senior minister, published a full schedule, 24/7, of meetings, Bible studies, support groups, Sunday School, Circle meetings, outreach plans, community engagements. They had decided early on that the show must go on. No hiccups. And it worked, for awhile. Then fatigue set in. They needed more help, more leadership. They needed more tech-savvy volunteers to keep up. Everyone was stretched to their limit. All in an effort to defy the notion that an international health crisis had the world in its tight grip. Having a full, elaborate schedule gave a sense of security, in my view, a false sense of security, that the church wasn’t affected by the pandemic. Most of us took a less-strenuous and more rational approach. Worship, pastoral care, simplified outreach, stewardship in order to stay afloat. Transitioning from traditional worship to worship presented electronically has been a big challenge. It has been a steep learning curve for me, if not for others. From what we have heard, offering an alternative to in-person worship was a good decision. The important thing, to me, is to do as this scripture text directs: abide in Jesus. One translation for the word “abide” means “to make our home with” Jesus. When we make our home with Jesus, we become intimately related. We know each other’s routines and habits. Conversation becomes more familiar and less formal. At times, there is no need for words. Scripture tells us that God knows our thoughts even before the words are formed on our lips. What has been on your mind already today? Joy? Hope? Concern? Jesus already knows. That is the product of abiding in him. In her blog, Suzanne Guthrie writes that Jesus’s teaching about the vine helps her not to panic in what can be a stressful, demanding culture, but to live into the perspective of our connectedness to one another and to the Holy One. This gospel reading of the vine and the branches “reminds me that I am not only in community with other people and that I am inseparably grafted to the vine-the source of my deep and enduring happiness and love.” Catherine of Sienna, several centuries ago, had this to say about the passage: “keep in mind that each of you has your own vineyard. But everyone is joined to the neighbor’s vineyards without any dividing lines. They are so joined together, in fact, that you cannot do good or evil for yourself without doing the same for your neighbors.” Think about that. How different would the world be if we all shared that understanding of connectedness? There is a Jewish story that says when we are created, we are tied to God with a string. When we sin, the string breaks. But, on the Day of Atonement, the angel Gabriel arrives from heaven to tie a knot in our string, putting it back together. After a lifetime of this, the string will be full of knots at the broken places in our lives. And the string will be shorter than it was when we were created, demonstrating our ever-closer relationship to God. May it be so for all of us. Amen. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father, Almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Ascription of Praise Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting Our Tithes and Offerings Please place your offering in the plates on the Communion table at any time. There is also a container for the Cents and Sensibility Offering. *Blessing Just as God’s Word was sent into the world to heal and redeem, so God sends you into the world this day to be light and love, healing and hope. Go now, and share the good news generously, and may the grace of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you today and always. Amen. *Postlude Announcements Elder of the Month The session will meet May 16 following worship. We want to celebrate your good news! Please send notice of graduations and other milestones to Jessica Kidd at [email protected] or 304-634-7960. Prelude
Welcome and Announcements *Call to Worship O Come let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For the Lord is our God; we are the Lord’s people; the flock that God shepherds. Prayer of the Day God of all power, you called from death our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep. Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost, to heal the injured, and to feed one another. with knowledge and understanding. through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness Text: Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923 Music: William Marion Runyan, 1923 Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not, as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be. Refrain Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me! Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness, to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Refrain Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. Refrain. 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 us, and call us back to your fold, that we may walk in your ways and delight in your will, to the glory of your name. Response Take, O take me as I am, John Bell, 1995 Summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat Assurance of Pardon The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Be at peace. Amen. Time for Young Believers Prayer of Illumination Scripture Reading John 10:11-18 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd, and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. Just as he Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” Response The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Morning Message I look forward to Good Shepherd Sunday each year. It gives me a chance to tell a couple of stories out of my own experience. I share these in hopes that you will see that the Word of God is active and true all these many years since the Canon of Scripture was established in the fourth century. I share it because Psalm 23 is universally familiar and should be one of those scripture texts that we know by heart. And I share these stories because they demonstrate that the Gospel of Jesus Christ works in spite of our assumed differences in faith and practice. The last year of my seminary study was spent at Cabell Huntington Hospital as an intern in Clinical Pastoral Education. Class was held every Tuesday from September through May. Twice a month the interns served a sixteen hour shift. Overnight. The only chaplain in the house. It was a very challenging experience. No two nights were alike. And though I finished the program in 1999, I can’t un-see or un-hear the most traumatic of events. One night a nurse on a med-surg floor called me to come to her unit to provide some respite for her staff. They had an elderly patient with three significant issues: She had a serious staph infection. Do you remember MERSA? That’s what she had. She had advanced dementia. She would not stay in her room, which put the others on her unit in danger of contracting MERSA. And, the third strike was she had no family members to stay with her. They needed help. The nurse asked me to try to get her in bed and stay there for awhile. She hadn’t slept much and she was becoming highly agitated. I agreed to give it a try. I found the patient wandering around the room talking to herself. I looked around to see if there might be something- an object, a photograph, flowers, that would help break the ice. There were no personal belongings that I could find. But there was a bulletin board with a few colorful cards pinned to it. So, I commented on the pretty cards. That caught her attention. I asked her if she wanted to look at them. She did. Then we read the messages and noted who they were from. They were all signed from Mary or John, your friend at such and such church. So we talked a little about church and the kindness of her friends. That took all of ten minutes. She didn’t appear ready for bed yet. So, I said a prayer that I would find what is usually found in a bedside table in a hospital room…the Gideon Bible. And I did. Thank you, Lord. I asked her if she would like to hear some Bible passages and she enthusiastically said she would like that. I asked her what she wanted to hear and she said, “It doesn’t matter, honey. It’s all good.” I helped her into bed and straightened the covers. We were making progress. So, I started with Psalm 23. Very slowly and deliberately. She began to relax. A few verses later, she had pulled the blanket up to her chin. A few more and she seemed to slip down into the bend of the mattress. By the time I finished, her eyes were closed and she was softly snoring. So I kept reading…Psalm 24, 25, 26…until the room held a peaceful stillness. A sense of the holy settled on that room and I was sure that for a few moments this woman, child of God, member of a community of faith, whose days were troubled by mental confusion, had found rest in the house of the Lord, if not forever, at least for the night. What is it about this Psalm? It has a calming, reassuring effect each time it is read and heard. I did a little research on that question this week. Rev. Janet Hunt speaks of the years when she occasionally provided a short Sunday afternoon worship service at a local nursing home. She was sure it had little to no impact. The patients were all gathered in a common room with the kitchen nearby. It was hard to talk over the sound of dishes being washed. She had no microphone so she was almost shouting the whole time. The most noticeable reaction was that the patients usually fell asleep before she finished her message. She says she finally quit competing with the noise and other hurdles and started reading the twenty-third Psalm. Every time. That was all. And, strangely, the noise from the kitchen diminished and she writes, “Eyes would suddenly brighten as God’s people in that place would mouth the words as I spoke them.” Like I did that night at the hospital, she wondered why. These were not people who were raised on farms, their experience with sheep would be nil. So, what was it they tuned into? How were they actually participating when they usually nodded off? She decided it could only have been their upbringing in the faith that made these words so dear to them. Perhaps they had learned the verses at their mother’s knee or on deep walks in the woods with their fathers. Perhaps it was the image of Jesus tenderly carrying a lamb over his shoulder like a parent or grandparent would carry a tired child. Or maybe they recalled the story of shepherds in a field hearing the good news of God’s Son being born in Bethlehem. Or maybe it was the Sunday school story of a shepherd boy becoming king. Whatever it was, it was clear that by their final years, these words and images had become theirs. Even if they had never met a shepherd. Even if they had only encountered sheep from a distance. These words still speak. When a crisis comes, or disaster strikes, I still turn to Psalm 23 for help. It reminds me that God is present with me. Even more than that, he leads me through dark valleys to safety. He fills me with good things. My soul is refreshed and strengthened. Even a confrontation with my adversaries can become a feast with the Lord as the host. And wherever my life takes me, my home is with God. I have travelled a lot with Ed and his choirs. Early one morning, while on such a trip, there was a knock on our hotel room door. I opened it to find one of the parent volunteers who look utterly distraught. We asked him in and told us he had just received a call that his nephew, still a teenager, had attempted suicide. The man cried and cried. He was concerned for the boy and his parents and didn’t know how to tell his own son who was on the trip. We sat for awhile in silence. Then I reached into the drawer of the bedside table. There it was. The Gideon Bible. I turned to Psalm 23 and read, and continued to read until the tears had slowed down and it appeared we could turn to God in prayer. We talked several times over the remainder of the trip. He was getting regular updates from home. Thankfully, a robust plan to address his nephew’s issues had been put in place and everyone was breathing a little easier. A few weeks later I ran into this good man in Kroger, somewhere between the olives and the crackers. He looked ten years younger. His typical upbeat personality had returned. His nephew was doing well and the experience had been instructive for the whole family. A question that had nagged at me since the trip made its way to my lips. This man’s family members attend a free-tradition church out in a rural area of Cabell County. I was pretty sure there was no female leadership. I was equally sure he might be ridiculed for acknowledging me as a pastor. What possessed him to seek my counsel that terrible morning? At that, he stepped back, threw open his arms and exclaimed, “You were all I had!” With a huge dose of humility, I say, Amen. *Affirmation of Faith The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. Ascription of Praise Henry W. Greatorex, 1851 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen, Amen. Joys and Concerns of the Church Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Presenting our Tithes and Offerings Please place your offering in the plates on the Communion table at any time before or after the service. We will not pass them through the congregation until safe to do so. *Benediction The King of Love, my shepherd is, Henry Williams Baker, 1868 his goodness faileth never. Irish Melody I nothing lack, for I am his, and he is mine forever. May it be so for all of you. Amen. *Postlude Announcements Elder of the Month Jon-Tyler Roach Contributions for Cents and Sensibility may be placed on the Communion table alongside all other tithes and offerings. News and articles for the church newsletter are always appreciated. Send your contributions to Jessica Kidd at [email protected] or call at 304-654-2218. Prelude
Welcome and Announcements Call to Worship Psalm 150 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power, praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre. Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord. Hymn Morning Has Broken Text: Eleanor Farjeon, 1931 Music: Gaelic Melody Morning has broken like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! Praise for them springing fresh from the Word! Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass. Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning. Born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation; praise every morning, God’s recreation of the new day! Prayer for the Earth O God, we thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and blessed sun, for the salt sea and the running water, for the everlasting hills, and the never-resting winds, for trees and the common grass underfoot. We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendor of the summer fields, and taste of the autumn fruits, and rejoice in the feel of the snow, and smell the breath of spring. Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty; and save our souls from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thorn bush is aflame with your glory, O God, our creator, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Time With Young Disciples Scripture Reading Revelation 21: 1-5 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or morning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Morning Message “What did Jesus have to say about the environment?” That is the question Presbyterian minister, Leighton Ford, asks the reader in an editorial he wrote for the Charlotte Observer. He goes on to say he owns a variety of Bibles. From King James to the New Revised and so on. But he had never seen or even heard of the Green Bible until a young friend gave him one for Christmas. The cover is not green- it’s more of an earth-tone light brown. What makes it “green” is that every word, phrase, and paragraph that mentions the created world is printed in green. Ford says he can flip through the entire thing and hardly find a page without some words printed in green. But, Ford asks, with all the varied Bibles, editors and publishers, in all the languages the Wycliffe people can translate, why would we need another Bible? He says it’s because the earth and all its wonders are gifts of God to us, for our care and our use. In our consumer society, we may go about our days without recognizing the importance of the natural environment. The editors of the Green Bible want us to ask of ourselves, “What is my role as a Christian in caring for the earth?” Leighton Ford is a prolific writer and sought-after preacher. He has long been involved in Christian organizations that focus on the faith development of young people. It doesn’t hurt that he is the late Billy Graham’s brother-in-law. But Leighton Ford has had a well-known and respected ministry apart from the Billy Graham Association. In 2016, the year in which this article was published, young people from around the world were gathering to pray about global climate change. The Billy Graham Library was host to one of these gatherings. Rachel Lamb, one of the national organizers, believes that creation care is a gospel issue. She says, “We know that God created the world, and it belongs to Him and not us…we are only stewards or trustees of God’s creation, and we aren’t to abuse or neglect it.” Ford says he can confirm Rachel’s statement. Whenever he opens his Bible, he can find hundreds of texts that speak to that very thing: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” “I am establishing my covenant…with every living creature.” “All the trees of the field will clap their hands.” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” Another Presbyterian cared deeply and reverently about the environment and was instrumental in preserving the American wilderness. John Muir, born in 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland, grew up in a strict Presbyterian home. He was well-acquainted with Scripture. He memorized three quarters of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament. He had a fine, agile mind. Memorizing Scripture was not his only gift. His interests and abilities were far-reaching. John Muir listed his professions as naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early activist for the preservation of wilderness in these United States. He was also a husband and the father of two daughters. Muir wrote extensively about his experiences in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada. He co-founded the Sierra Club, which still exists, and through his activism, helped preserve the Yosemite Valley and Sequoia National Park. It is said that “the spiritual quality and enthusiasm toward nature expressed in his writing has inspired readers, including presidents and congress members to take action to help preserve large nature areas.” According to author William Anderson, Muir exemplified “The archetype of our oneness with the earth.” Another author said Muir believed his mission was to save the American soul from total surrender to materialism. Jihn Muir’s life and work was so vast and his influence so broad, we could go in one of several directions to explore his contributions to American life. But, it is his relationship to God that I wanted to lift up for us. It is said, that after he had studied Scripture and the works of great theologians and historians, he became attached to the American landscapes he explored, and he began to see another “Primary source for understanding God: The Book of Nature.” In nature, he could study the plants and animals in in an environment that he believed “Came straight from God, uncorrupted by civilization and domestication.” He came to believe that the best place to discover the true attribute of diety was in Nature. One of his biographers says John Muir styled himself after John the Baptist, whose duty was to immerse in mountain baptism everyone he could. To John Muir, nature was a great teacher, revealing the mind of God. Lest I portray John Muir as some type of 19th century super-hero, it must be said that he was flawed and sinful like the rest of us. Although he renounced the beliefs later in life, Muir was said to have had a scandalous attitude about African Americans, which certainly takes the shine off his character. He is not the first actor in the American story to have shamed us, but it is important to acknowledge truth and do better in our generation. I usually park in front of the church, which I really enjoy, especially in the springtime, because, rain or shine, signs of God’s presence, like business cards with petals, dot the path. A crocus, a few daffodils, dandelions, and violets. I love the violets. For some reason, they make me feel at home. John Muir saw nature as providing a home for even the smallest plant life. He wrote, “The little purple plant, tended by its Maker, closed its petals, crouched low in its crevice of a home, and enjoyed the storm in safety.” May we all enjoy our storms in safety. A Time of Sharing Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer *Blessing May you go out to enjoy all God’s gifts of creation. As they have been treasured and tended by generations before us, let us care for God’s wonders today, and preserve them for our children’s children. Amen. *Postlude Leading worship today: Karen Gold, Mark Baker, Choir members, and Cinda Harkless. Prelude
Announcements *Call to Worship 1 Peter 1:3 By God’s great mercy, we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Hymn Thine Is the Glory Edmund Louis Budry, 1884 George Fredrick Handel, 1748 Thine is the glory, risen conquering Son; endless is the victory, thou over death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded graveclothes where thy body lay. Thine is the glory, risen conquering Son; endless is the victory, thou over death hast won. No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life! Life is naught without thee. Aid us in our strife. Make us more than conquerors through thy deathless love; Bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above. Thine is the glory, risen conquering Son; endless is the victory, thou over death hast won. Prayer Living God, for whom no door is closed, no heart is locked, draw us beyond our doubts, till we see your Christ and touch his wounds where they appear in others. This we ask through Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. Time for Young Disciples Installation of Trustee Steve Gold Scripture Reading John 20:19-31 The Morning Message Let’s set the scene: the disciples had gathered in a familiar meeting place, very likely the upper room where they had observed the Passover meal and the room in which Jesus instituted the Last Supper. The room was locked up tight for fear of the Jewish authorities. Any footfall upon the stair, a knock, or command to open the door, could signal certain death for them. Then suddenly, Jesus is there with them. He gave them the customary eastern greeting, “Peace be to you.” A more accurate translation would be, “May God give you every good thing.” We can imagine both the shock and the profound peace that would wash over the disciples in that moment. Jesus must have anticipated their need to see for themselves that this man was truly their friend, the crucified one, Jesus. He shows them his wounds, his hands and his side. He lets them touch his body. Note, this is the same gesture Jesus will make for Thomas, but we never call these disciples doubters. Just an observation. And then Jesus commissions them for their life’s work, their magnum opus. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Let’s place ourselves in that room: dark and stuffy, with the curtain covering the only window, everyone still as a stone, the snapping electricity of fear running through all of them. Rev. Marci Auld Glass writes that , “Jesus could have gone and sent other people, presumably people with more courage, people who weren’t hiding, or whomever. But, he’s sending his people. His friends. His disciples. The one who denied him three times in eight hours. His disciples. The ones who loved him til the end. Even Thomas, who isn’t there at the moment, but who will get his chance in a bit.” This is great good news for us. We are called and sent, even with our human inadequacies and our brokenness. On the other hand, I’m not sure I want to sign up for the insults and abuse Jesus suffered. But don’t we already know that the gospel doesn’t always take us down easy paths? But, hang on. Here comes the help: After Jesus gives them their instructions, he breathes on them. Now, If someone breathes on me intentionally, I would probably hold my breath and run to the great outdoors. The Greek word for breath is “pneuma.” When someone has pneumonia, he or she has a problem with the organs involved in breathing. In Latin, it comes to us as “Spiritus.” You can see the relatedness of breath and spirit-without breath, we have no life, no spirit. The risen Jesus is imparting his Spirit. And it’s a good thing because the first task Jesus assigns us is this: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, then they are retained.” I confess, it’s much easier to preach on the six verses at the end of this text- the ones about Doubting Thomas-than it is these curious words about forgiveness. I have some great illustrations. But, that’s not where we are today. If you were to come talk to me about a situation that is troubling you, one that has hurt you, maybe something that has fractured a close relationship, I would probably say something like, the only person’s behavior you can control is your own. You can’t control anyone else’s behavior. We can only change ourselves. When we forgive people, we don’t do it in the hope that they will change. Well, maybe sometimes we do. But, realistically, We forgive so that we are no longer holding onto the pain, the anger, the fear that can damage our lives. Hear me clearly: there are some actions that wound in ways we identify as criminal in nature. That leads the conversation in a different direction altogether. The journey to forgiveness in that case will need a lot of work and support. Last week I mentioned Rachel Held Evans. Rachel was raised in an evangelical Christian family. Her father was a pastor and professor at a Christian college in Tennessee. Her whole life and education was bathed in the climate of evangelical Christianity. She was grateful for that foundation, but, as she moved into adulthood, experiencing life outside that sheltered environment, getting married, having children, she began to ask questions of her faith, she began raising questions about and to God. She wrote a blog. She wrote NYT best sellers. She was a much-sought-after preacher. Rachel’s books and blogs are rich and humorous and insightful. She can make you laugh til you cry. She can be blunt. She can make the pages just sing with warmth and beauty. But, as she pushed the margins of her traditional faith, particularly the beliefs about women’s roles in the church, she suffered terrible, hate-filled insults. Her church condemned her work. Friends fell away. She was on that not-so-easy path many of us fear when saying yes to Jesus. A few years ago, during an especially difficult time, Rachel took up a new practice for Lent. She turned her hate mail into Origami. This is what she said about it: “As much as I try to ignore the most vile of these messages, they can still be quite painful, and I think that’s okay. It’s important to grow thick skin, but I also want to keep a tender, open heart…which means unclenching my fists and letting some of these words hurt every now and again.” At the end of her Lenten journey, Rachel wrote: “What I learned, turning my hate mail into origami, is that we’re meant to remake this world together. We’re meant to hurt together, heal together, forgive together, and create together. And, in a sense, even the people who continue to hate me and call me names are a part of this beautiful process. Their words, carelessly spoken, spent the last 40 days in my home- getting creased and folded, worked over…stepped on by a toddler, read by my sister, stained with coffee…blacked out, thrown away, turned into poems, and folded into sailboats and cranes and pigeons that now sit smiling at me from my office window.” Jesus said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” I kinda doubt you and I have ever received the volume of hate mail Rachel Evans did. But, I’d bet we could all name someone or something, that hurt us or made us miserable. I sure have. And, this is saying the quiet part out loud… I hang onto nasty emails and memos and evaluations for a long time, I pull them out and stew over them, maybe shed a few tears and vow …you get the drift. Then the risen Christ shows up, throws open the locked door, throws up the shade, and says, “It’s time to get out there and be a sign of God’s amazing love. You’re familiar with the stories. And I know you have a full tank!” Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Blessing The risen Christ says: Peace be with you. We have seen the Lord! Alleluia! May you be filled with all joy and hope in believing. Amen. *Postlude Announcements Tithes and Offerings, including contributions for One Great Hour of Sharing, may be deposited in the offering plates at the conclusion of worship. The Session meets following worship. Leading worship today Elder of the Month Jon-Tyler Roach Organist and Choir Director Mark Baker Pastor Cinda Harkless Worship resources: Glory to God, Westminster John Knox Press, 2013; The Book of Common Worship, Westminster John Knox Press, 1993; Daily Prayer, Westminster Press, 1987. Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia! Hymn 232 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Text: Stanza 1, Lyra Davidica, 1708; Stanza 4, Charles Wesley,1740 Music: Lyra Davidica, 1708 Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia! Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as God’s love, Alleluia! Praise our God, ye heavenly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Alleluia! Affirmation of Faith O Christ, in your resurrection, The heavens and earth rejoice, Alleluia! By your resurrection you broke open the gates of hell and destroyed sin and death. Keep us victorious over sin. By your resurrection, you raised the dead, and brought us from death to life. Guide us in the way of eternal life. By your resurrection you confounded your guards and executioners, and filled your disciples with joy. Give us joy in your service. By your resurrection you proclaimed good news to the women and apostles, and brought salvation to the whole world. Direct our lives as your new creation. God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead. for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death, you raise us with him and renew the gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. Hymn 232 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today But the pains which he endured, Alleluia! Our salvation have procured, Alleluia! Now above the sky he’s King, Alleluia! Where the angels ever sing, Alleluia! Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as his love, Alleluia! Praise him, all you heavenly host, Alleluia! Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Alleluia! A Time for Young Disciples Scripture Reading John 20:1-18 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went straight to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. The Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have taken him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold onto me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The Message He is risen! He is risen indeed! O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting? This is the day, Easter Sunday, the feast of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, that we’ve been waiting to celebrate since March of last year. When I first learned of the merciless Corona Virus, it was in the church office. Besides serving us, Jessica was teaching a number of Chinese students on-line. They were reporting their experiences with this mysterious illness. Lonely and isolated. Sad. Scared. Soon, Jessica was becoming a counselor, or more accurately, their “con-sol-er.” One of the students hadn’t been out of the house for two months. Unthinkable. Two months? Almost overnight, the unthinkable arrived on our doorstep. And overnight, it seems, we were isolated, sad, and scared. Some of us were sick. Some of us didn’t come out of our homes for two months…or longer. Did you anticipate how our lives would change? I certainly didn’t. As a pastor, I kept anticipating that the governor’s “safer at home” order would lifted. We would pick up in the middle of Lent, which would lead to a glorious Easter with long-necked trumpeting lilies and children racing through the church yard in search of colored eggs. But, as Lent lurched on, the reprieve didn’t come. We stayed in our homes and worshiped on-line. Speaking only for myself, I felt a deep sense of loss. Because we are people of faith, we did what we always do on Easter: we read the scriptures, sang a couple of verses of “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.” Ed and I even had a surprise visit from a socially distant Easter Bunny. We knew what was wrong: we missed our family and our faith community. The resurrection of Christ is the foundation on which we stand, and we stand with the great cloud of witnesses, in heaven and on earth. Don’t tell anybody, but, to me, it felt like we had left Jesus in the tomb. It has taken me a year to make peace with that last statement. It felt like we had left Jesus in the tomb. Apparently, I was not alone. One of today’s young preachers, Sarah Bessey, says she felt a profound sense of grief on Easter last year. That was completely reasonable. She had recently lost a dear friend and now the whole world was in the valley of the shadow of death. A year later, things are turning around, we are adapting, we’re being vaccinated, it’s less of a threat now to go out in public, to come to church. But we have a long way to go. It takes a lot of emotional energy to sing joyous Easter hymns when so much of the world is still in the dark, when death still stings. And even when Covid-19 is no longer a threat, we will always have assaults to our well-being, challenges to our faith. So, today let’s find something to hold onto. Episcopal priest, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “As many years as I have been listening to Easter sermons, I have never heard anyone talk about that part. Resurrection is always announced with Easter lilies, the sound of trumpets, bright streaming light. But it did not happen that way. If it happened in a cave, it happened in complete silence, in absolute darkness, with the smell of damp stone and dug earth in the air. Sitting deep in the heart of Organ Cave, I let this sink in: new life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark.” Bessey says, It is in the dark that new life begins and began and is beginning. Still. But when darkness comes, we don’t always think of the protection of a mother’s dark womb or tulip bulbs growing in the silent earth. In Psalm 137, when God’s people were in Babylonian exile, they lamented, “By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept…How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” How true that is. We know who we are. God is the ground of our being. We know the scriptures, the hymns, the affirmations, all by heart. But, still, how can we sing the songs of the Lord when our mother is dying? Or when our teenager gets a DUI? Or when we have denied Christ by our own actions? How in the world can we sing the songs of the Lord in a Covid ward? We find this guidance in Scripture: When Jesus found his beloved friend, Lazarus, dead, he didn’t sing. He cried. Jesus knew darkness, too. As I was working on this message, an image came to me of a place I haven’t been in over 20 years. My in-laws had a family camp in Pocahontas County. My husband and kids loved it. I wasn’t a fan. Except at night. Pitch black. Deep, velvety darkness, made more beautiful by millions of stars. When a cloud passed over, it was like illuminating heaven itself. Jesus is light in the darkness. Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. And in his resurrection is the promise of ours. We affirm that in every baptism. If we are buried in the baptismal waters like Jesus, we will be raised to new life in a resurrection like his. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “That’s what baptism in the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace- a new life in a new land!” One of the things I love about Sarah Bessey and her good friend, the late Rachel Held Evans, is that they are bold preachers who speak with frank honesty and with a spirit of humility. They say out loud what most of us can’t: that some days we are unwavering believers. But sometimes we have doubts. Bessey writes, “And Jesus is – still, now, always-the resurrection and the life. And on the days when I believe this, it changes everything. On the days when I believe this, I am certain we will also be resurrected and death will not have the final word and all tears will be wiped away and there will be no more night, no more hunger, no more wounding, no more loss, no more good-byes. On the days when I believe this, I believe death is a dawn and never the last word. On the days when I believe this, I know the miracle is that God knows the dark and the sorrow just like we do. On the days when I believe this, I believe that ongoing hope of resurrection changes how we engage in our lives as they stand right now as we love and know and walk with God who brings life out of death, order out of chaos, healing out of sickness, wholeness out of brokenness. On the days when I believe this, I know God isn’t finished with this Story yet. But there are days when I don’t believe it. And on those, I have this: God With Us, Emmanuel. This Easter, it may be all some of us have. We can’t quite get to resurrection and life yet but in that place of exile, we can rest alongside God With Us, which is our country of grace for today.” Our three-year-old grandson was out of school Friday, so he spent the day with his dad. All documented by iphone camera. We have pictures of Tad at breakfast, and the playground, and playing with the dog, and eating a lumberjack-sized hamburger at an outdoor café. Then there was this: “Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man. Do you know the muffin man…who… Do you know the muffin man…who… He couldn’t get to the last line, so he says, “Sing it with me, Daddy!” “You mean, Do you know the muffin man? That one?” “Yes! Yes! Sing that song with me!” And they sang it to the end. Together. Because that’s the way we open the shutters, cast off the pall, hold hands, and make it to the country of grace for today. And may you dwell in the country of grace this and every day. Amen. Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Living God, You have opened our eyes to see the glory of this new day; now open our lips to tell of the empty tomb; open our hearts to believe the Good News; and strengthen us in body and spirit to carry your message of hope into the world, In your mercy, heal the suffering, mend our brokenness, restore our relationships, save us from hostility and harsh judgments, show us our purpose, impart wisdom to those in the halls of governments, and bring peace to your world. We pray for ourselves, giving thanks for your sustaining love that has comforted us in our pain and blessed us with occasions of joy. We lift our prayers as Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Hymn Low In the Grave He Lay (He Arose) Robert Lowry, 1874 Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord. Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o’er his foes; he arose the victor of the dark domain, and he lives forever with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior; vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord! Refrain Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior; he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord! Refrain Blessing Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! *Postlude Announcements You may notice some changes in worship this morning. They have been made to better assure our health and safety. We hope to return to a fuller service soon. We ask that the congregation refrain from singing at this time. Choir members will sing the hymns from a safe distance from those in the pews. In order for those joining us from home to be included in worship, volunteers are needed to record the service each week. Please notify any of our elders or contact our pastor, Cinda Harkless, 304.634.5831, right away if you are available. Tithes and offerings may be placed in the offering plates provided at the end of the service. Next Sunday, April 11, we will receive the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering, one of the special offerings of the PCUSA. Thank you message from the Frost family here Assisting in worship today Elder of the Month Jon-Tyler Roach Organist and Choir Director Mark Baker Assisting with music Choir members Recording Worship Jessica Kidd Pastor Cinda Harkless Call to Worship John13:34
Jesus said: I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another. On This Night… On this night, Christ the Lamb of God gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him. On this night, Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room. On this night, Christ took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, giving us an example that we should do to others as he has done to us. On this night, Christ our God gave us this holy feast, that we who eat this bread and drink this cup may here proclaim his holy sacrifice and be partakers of his resurrection, and at the last day may reign with him in heaven. Hymn What Wondrous Love Is This Text: American folk tune, c. 1811 Music: Walker’s Southern harmony, 1835 What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul, what wondrous love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, to bear the dreadful curse for my soul! When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, when I was sinking down, sinking down. When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul, Christ laid aside his crown for my soul! To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing; to God and to the Lamb, who is the Great I Am, while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing, while millions join the theme, I will sing! Prayer of Confession Eternal God, whose covenant with us is never broken, we confess that we fail to do your will. Though you have bound yourself to us, we will not bind ourselves to you. In Jesus Christ you serve us freely, but we refuse your love and withhold ourselves from others. We do not love you fully or love as you command. In your mercy, forgive and cleanse us. Lead us once again to your Table and unite us to Christ, who is the bread of life and the vine from which we grow in grace. Worshipers may observe a moment of silent prayer. Response Take, O, Take Me as I Am Text and Music: John L. Bell, 1995 Take, O, take me as I am. Summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat. Declaration 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 Holy Spirit, keep you in eternal life. Amen. Scripture Reading John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. The New Commandment When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper The Invitation and Words of Institution This is the Lord’s Table. He invites all who seek to know him, love him, and serve him to gather around it. Jesus invites all who seek a restored relationship to God and others to gather around it. Jesus invites you, the faithful, and you, the uncertain, weary, and hurting to gather around and share the feast which he has prepared. The Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread, and after giving thanks to God, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Afterward he took the cup, saying: This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat the bread and drink the cup, you remember the Lord’s death until he comes again. Great Thanksgiving and the Lord’s Prayer The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. O Lord, our God, we thank you for your works of creation, for making us in your image, freeing us from the bonds of slavery, claiming us as your people and making covenant to be our God. You fed us with manna in the wilderness and led us to the land flowing with milk and honey. When we forgot you, and our faith was weak, you spoke through the prophets, calling us to turn to your ways. Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with the heavenly choirs, and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name: Holy, holy, holy God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Remembering all your mighty acts, we take this bread and this wine from the gifts you have given us, and celebrate with joy the redemption won for us in Jesus Christ. Accept this, our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving as a living and holy offering of ourselves, that our lives may proclaim the One crucified and risen. Great is the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit, unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name, that we may be one in ministry in every place. As this bread is Christ’s body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the world. Gratefully, we lift to you our prayers of intercession, for those with whom we share our lives, for those unknown to us, but fully known to you, for the sick and suffering, the hungry and homeless, the grieving, the lost. We lift our thanks and praise for unexpected blessings, small expressions of care and concern, contributions of all forms to advance your kingdom and bear your love, light, and liberty into the world. That we may be one, we pray as Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Communion of the People Friends, these are the gifts of God for the people of God. The body of Christ, given for you. Amen. Bread is received. The blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen. Wine is received. Prayer after Communion God of grace, your Son, Jesus Christ, left us this holy meal of bread and wine in which we share his body and blood. May we, who have celebrated this sign of love show in our lives the fruits of his redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. Hymn What Wondrous Love Is This And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on. And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on. And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be, and through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on; and through eternity I’ll sing on. Blessing Go in peace. As Christ loves you, love one another. Join us Sunday, April 1, at 11:00AM, when the service will conclude with the celebration of our Risen Lord. A recording of the service will be available later in the day. Kuhn Memorial Presbyterian Church Barboursville, West Virginia Palm/Passion Sunday March 28, 20213/27/2021
This time of worship calls for a spirit of excitement and celebration. Jesus is coming! The people shout, “Hosanna!” which means God save us! The events of Palm Sunday may be demonstrated by placing palm or other lightweight branches, and your coat, jacket, or sweater on the floor where you worship. This is the first century equivalent of the “red carpet” being rolled out for a dignitary. So – worship today is more question and reflection so that we allow ourselves to be a character within the events of Holy Week.
Call to Worship Humble and riding on a donkey, we greet you. Acclaimed by crowds and caroled by children, we cheer you. Moving from the peace of the countryside to the corridors of power, we salute you, Christ, our Lord. You are giving the beasts of burden a new dignity; You are giving majesty a new face; You are giving those who long for redemption a new song to sing. With them, with heart and voice, we shout, “Hosanna!” Hymn Hosanna, Loud Hosanna Hosanna, loud hosanna, the little children sang. Through pillared courts and temple, the joyful anthem rang. To Jesus, who had blessed them, close folded to his breast, the children sang their praises, the simplest and the best. From Olivet they followed, mid an exultant crowd. The victor palm branch waving, and chanting clear and loud. The Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state, nor scorned that little children should on his bidding wait. Prayer of the Day We praise you, O God, for your redemption of the world through Jesus Christ. Today he entered the holy city of Jerusalem in triumph and was proclaimed Messiah and King by those who spread garments and branches along his way. Let these branches be signs of victory, and grant that we, who carry them, may follow him in the way of the cross, that dying and rising with him, we may enter into your kingdom, through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever. Amen. Psalm Reading Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 A Song of Victory 1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever! 2 Let Israel say, ‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’ 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. 29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. The psalm pre-figures the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Looking back in time, we can see how the life of Jesus reflects this text. The psalmist calls everyone, including us, to join the parade. What parades have you attended as a spectator? Have you ever been in a parade? What was being celebrated? What is being celebrated in the psalm? Gospel Reading Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately.’ This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’ Jesus gave the disciples a task to do in preparation for his entry into Jerusalem: He told them to go into town and identify a donkey for him to ride upon. They were to tell the owner that Jesus needed it. Think about your own life, your gifts, abilities, and experiences- your mistakes and successes. Imagine someone coming to your door and saying that you have something Jesus needs for his kingdom. What could that be? How would you respond? I’ll close with the reflections of Holy Week by John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg: Prayers of the Faithful and the Lord’s Prayer Eternal God, we rejoice this morning in the gift of life, which we have received by your grace, and the new life you give in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for the love of our families, the affection of our friends, for strength and ability to serve your purpose today, the community in which we live, for the opportunities to witness to your gospel in word and deed. We rejoice in your healing energy that brings peace and comfort. God of grace, we offer our prayers for the needs of others, committing ourselves to serve them even as we have been served by Jesus Christ. Especially we are concerned for all those for whom we have been praying, those whose names are on our hearts, all those affected by the pandemic, those whose work places them in close proximity to the sick. We pray for the newly bereaved. We pray for those who have lost their jobs, and those who fear the worst. Relieve our anxiety, Lord, fill us with your peace, and sustain us in our daily needs. We pray for those whose lives are never easy: the homeless, the hungry, the poor, the troubled in body, mind, or circumstance. Give us compassion to understand, to care, and to give. We pray for your Church, here and around the world, and the faithful who may be separated today by distance, but gathered in your Spirit. We pray that our plans for returning to worship in our sanctuary will be accomplished. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but, deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen, Hymn “Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing. For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heaven our king. O may we ever praise him, with heart and life and voice. And in his blissful presence eternally rejoice. Announcements On Sunday, April 4, we will receive contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing, this is the ecumenical OGHOS provides assistance in times of tragedy and suffering in the US and around the world. We will observe the most holy night of the Christian Year with the Lord’s Supper this Thursday – online – at 7 pm. Please supply your elements to be prepared. We will meet here in the sanctuary next Sunday, Easter, at 11 am when we will celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Masks and social distancing are expected. The session is preparing to make the church clean and safe for us. The service will also be recorded and available later in the day on our website. Blessing Beloved, God is our beginning and our end, our starting-point and our haven, accompanying us in every day’s journey, using our hands to do the work of creation, and our lives to bring others the new life Jesus, our Redeemer, gives to the world. Amen. Postlude CALL TO WORSHIP Barbara Chalfant and Amy Robinson
One: We serve the Creator, Many: who loves us into life. One: We follow Christ, Many: who loves us unto death. One: We listen for the Spirit, Many: who loves us into transformation. One: We worship God, Many: whose love knows no bounds. HYMN “For the Beauty of the Earth” Mark Miller 1 For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. 2 For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. 3 For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and mind’s delight, for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. 4 For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth, and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. 5 For thyself, best gift divine to the world so freely given; Agent of God’s great design, peace on earth and joy in heaven: Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise. CALL TO CONFESSION Ed Thompson PRAYER OF CONFESSION Nellie Howard Holy God, we have heard your command to love you, to love our neighbor, and to love ourselves, yet we fall into patterns of shallow devotion, false kindness, and self-doubt. We have heard your call to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with you, yet we’re drawn to safety, not justice; apathy, not kindness; pacing, not walking. Hear our prayers, O God. Forgive us for what we have done and for what we have left undone. Hear our prayers, O God, and move us to deeper trust and more faithful action. Amen ASSURANCE OF PARDON Ed Thompson One: Hear the good news: Christ is merciful to all who turn to him in repentance. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Many: Thanks be to God. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Rocky Poole SCRIPTURE Luke 10:25-37 Maureen Wright CHILDREN’S TIME Susan Sharp Campbell SERMON Maureen Wright HYMN “There are Many Ways of Sharing” tune: NETTLETON There are many ways of sharing, But God's Spirit gives each one. There are different ways of caring; It's one Lord whose work is done. God, whose gifts are overflowing, May we hear you when you call; Keep us serving, keep us growing For the common good of all. We've been baptized in the waters! We've been given work to do. When you call your sons and daughters, You give gifts for serving you. God, we join in celebration Of the talents you impart. Bless each baptized one's vocation; Give each one a servant's heart. All are blest by gifts you give us; Some are set apart to lead. Give us Jesus' love within us As we care for those in need. Give us faith to make decisions; Give us joy to share your Word. Give us unity and vision As we serve your church and world. PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE Sarah Specht OFFERING CALL FOR THE OFFERING Nellie Howard OFFERTORY Susan Sharp Campbell PRAYER OF DEDICATION Nellie Howard HYMN “God, with Joy We Look around Us” tune: CWM RHONDDA God, with joy we look around us At your world's diversity. Folk of every kind surround us And you call your church to see: All are made in your own image! All are people whom you love! All are people whom you love! In the times we've hurt each other, Lord, we've hurt the ones you bless. Hating sister, cursing brother, We've denied what you express: All are made in your own image! All are people whom you love! All are people whom you love! God, you sent a Savior to us, Breaking walls that would divide. By your Spirit, now work through us As we witness side by side: All are made in your own image! All are people whom you love! All are people whom you love! CHARGE AND BENEDICTION Maureen Wright Resources: The Call to Worship and Prayer of Confession are from Call to Worship, volume 52. The Call for the Offering and Prayer of Dedication are from Call to Worship, volume 49. The Call to Confession and Assurance of Pardon and Prayer for Illumination are reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion, Year C, vol 2. The hymns, “There Are Many Ways of Sharing” and “God, with Joy We Look around Us,” are by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette and are used by permission of the author. Prelude
Call to Worship St. Columba, 521-597 Kindle in our hearts, dear God, the flame of love that never ceases, that it may burn in us, giving light to others. May we shine forever in your temple, set on fire with your eternal light, even your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. Amen. Hymn The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Psalm 23) Text: Henry Williams Baker, 1868 Music: Irish Melody 1 The King of love my shepherd is, his goodness faileth never. I nothing lack if I am his and he is mine forever. 2 Where streams of living water flow my ransomed soul he leadeth, and where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth. 3 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill with thee, dear Lord, beside me, thy rod and staff my comfort still, thy cross before to guide me. Prayer of the Day Holy One, you know our hearts. You have knitted our inmost being and you know our deepest desires, fears, and worries. Help us to journey during this Lenten season into a new awareness of your presence in our lives. Save us from our own temptations, so that we may more freely follow you. Amen. Ephesians 6:10-20 The Whole Armour of God Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. The Morning Message Lent 4 Friends, I am preparing this message on March 11, 2021, an important date the world over. It was a year ago today that the World Health Organization declared a pandemic of catastrophic proportions, the result of Covid 19, a deadly Coronavirus. Unknown to me on March 11 of last year, I would be one of billions of people around the world who would line up to receive a coveted vaccine that promises to mitigate the effects of the virus should I contract it, maybe even preventing my death. My instructions for receiving the vaccine were to report to the old Sears building at the Huntington Mall at 2:30. I don’t know which vaccine I will receive, and side effects may follow. The worship service for this week had not yet been recorded, so keep your fingers crossed that it’s available by Sunday morning. This is the Sunday closest to St. Patrick’s Day. An old saying declares that “on St. Patrick’s Day, we’re all a little bit Irish.” Maybe your ancestors came to America from Ireland, like many of mine, and you’re more than a little bit Irish. I hope shepherd’s pie and soda bread are on your menu this week, regardless of your heritage. And, maybe you will spend some time thinking about what is often called “the land of Saints and Scholars.” And in those moments, I hope you will give thanks for the arrival of the Christian faith upon Ireland’s shores, because we Presbyterians have our roots deep in the Celtic Christianity of Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales. The story goes, that Patrick was a fifth century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. He was born in England to a wealthy Romano-British Christian family. At the age of 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland. It is believed that he spent six years there as a shepherd, Isolated and lonely. It was during this time that he “found God.” God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him back to England. After returning to his homeland, he studied for the priesthood, a process that took fifteen years. According to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the Pagan Irish to Christianity. The primary belief system was based on observations in nature. Patrick incorporated existing symbols and rituals found in the Pagan faith to Christian symbols and practices. For example, Patrick used bonfires to celebrate Easter because the Irish honored their gods with fire. This practice still shows up in the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, the night before Easter. The sun, representing light in Irish tradition, was superimposed over the Christian cross. These symbols helped converts make the transition from the worship of many gods, to worshiping One God. On our first trip to Ireland, Ed and I visited Croagh Patrick, Patrick’s mountain, a pilgrimage destination for believers the world over. Pilgrims flock to Croagh Patrick every year on Reek Sunday, in July, some climbing the mountain, 2507 feet in elevation, barefoot, as an act of devotion. Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint. Following closely behind Patrick is St. Brigid of Kildare, Ireland’s most prominent female religious figure. Maybe we will lift up her ministry next year. Some features of Celtic Christianity are these: Listening for the heartbeat of God in all of life, not only in Scripture or the Church. The Gospel of John speaks of the light of God present in all creation. George MacDonald, who influenced the faith and work of C. S. Lewis, once wrote: “Then God shone forth from all the lowly earth. And men began to read there maker there.” In Celtic Christianity, all of life is sacramental. A second dimension of this faith is belief in the goodness of God in all people. We can simplify our understanding of this as thinking of Original Sin verses Original Goodness. Celtic Christianity celebrates the goodness of every child at his or her birth. My own faith is shaped by this belief. The third distinctive is that Celtic Christians claim two Scriptures: Creation and the Bible. We study the world as a text of Scripture that reveals God to us, and we study the Word of God in the texts of the Old and New Testaments. It is a feature of the Presbyterian Church to lift up Creation and environmental concerns world-wide in our common life and in our purpose. Stewardship of Creation Sunday, celebrated on or near Earth Day, is celebrated every year in April by the PCUSA. A fourth distinctive of Celtic Christianity is that we believe the Holy Spirit has a wildness to it. It is often represented as a Wild Goose, stirring in us as the winds blow our hair about, causing us to see the world through the eyes of God. In our Presbyterian hymnal we find “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy, like the wideness of the sea.” An adherent to Celtic Christianity, Rev. Dr. H. Stephen Shoemaker, has re-written it, “There’s a Wildness In God’s Mercy, Like the Wildness of the Sea.” In this past year, every corner of our personal and common lives have been disrupted in efforts to contain the death-dealing virus. Like Patrick, we have also been taken captive, confined to homes with restricted movement and contact with the human family. The consequences cannot all be explored in a single message, but I think isolation has been common to all of us, and its effects particularly damaging. Like many of you, we have very young grandchildren. We know full-well that kids grow up too fast, and our little ones live in North Carolina, so we feel their absence intensely. In these many months of Covid, I have held images and videos of our grandsons, captured on my iphone, tightly to my chest. I pray for the day that is safe to travel and we can hold not just their pictures, but, wrap our arms around the real things- two wiggly little boys. You may have similar prayers. This morning, the CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, was interviewed by NBC. He is the son of Holocaust survivors, victims of evil, personified in a man with hateful and deadly intentions. You could hear the tears in his voice as he explained that his parents never spoke about the Holocaust and its devastations. Instead, they celebrated the gifts of God that were present in their lives. And now, their son is a renowned veterinarian, scientist, and business executive. Their son has become an integral figure in bringing hope and life and survival to all of us, God’s beloved children, in all our versions and varieties, colors and languages, all faiths, and even to those who claim no faith. Out of the horror of genocide has come the miracle of life. Yesterday, I caught a news clip of President Biden, leaving a press conference. At the end of the conference, a reporter shouted a question at the President about what would we, the US, do with leftover vaccine, should that happen. And he quickly responded, “We’re going to share it.” It is not a perfect analogy, but it’s a close one. As Patrick was taken captive and forced into slavery, we have been held captive by the Coronavirus. Following the stirring of God’s Holy Spirit, Patrick was led out of slavery to bear the good news of Christ to his native land. That faith has influenced generations, including ours, to seek the goodness of God, present at our birth, in and for everyone. Likewise, it is our fervent desire to make this lifeline, born of a vaccine, available to all the people of the earth. And finally, to be, as C.S. Lewis wrote upon his conversion from atheism to Christianity, of being Surprised by Joy. Joy in the truly remarkable ways the world has come together in a shared grief, for sure, but also in shared opportunities in creativity, science, humanitarianism, and myriad ways of reaching out to others. To share a renewed and refreshed faith. To be found by God, as was Patrick. As we near the end of Lent, may we prepare to celebrate release from our shared sentence and prepare to celebrate Christ bursting from his tomb, and his promise, that so, too, shall we. Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer God of mercy, grace, and love, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ makes every day new. Especially today we thank you for the beauty of creation, the new creation in Christ and all gifts of healing and forgiveness, the sustaining love of family and friends, the fellowship of the faithful in your church. Merciful God, renew this weary world. Where do we even start to innumerate our problems as the pandemic wears on, in the ravages of nature that turn lives to chaos, decisions about when to return to what was our normal routine? Heal the hurts of all your children, stop any rude and judgmental comments from coming from our lips, and bring about your peace for all in Jesus Christ, the living Lord. We continue to pray for those facing the fear of Covid and any other health condition. We give you thanks and praise that you are restoring the health of many. We pray for an end to the suffering of our brothers and sisters here and everywhere. We pray for all who have died, that their “names will always be for a blessing.” We pray for those who govern the nations of the world, the people who live in countries damaged by strife and warfare, for those who work for peace and international harmony, those who devote themselves to the care of your natural world. We pray for all who worship you, dear God, though we may call you by different holy names. We pray for ourselves, that you might find us faithful today and on the day of your promised return. We pray in Jesus’ name and as he taught us, saying, Our Father…Amen.” Hymn The King of Love My Shepherd Is 4 Thou spread’st a table in my sight, thy unction grace bestoweth, and, O, what transport of delight from thy pure chalice floweth! 5 And so through all the length of days thy goodness faileth never, Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house forever. Blessing May the Three that are over you, the Three that are below you, the Three that are above you here, the Three Who are above you yonder, the Three Who are in the earth, the Three Who are in the air, the Three Who are in heaven, the Three Who are in the great, pouring sea- bless you. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three in One and One in Three. Amen. Postlude Prelude
Call to Worship Lent calls us to journey, this and every day, following Jesus wherever he leads us. Lent calls us to journey: to the place God covenants with us, to receive the new life we are given. Hymn There Is a Redeemer Text and Music: Melody Green 1982 1 There is a redeemer, Jesus, God’s own Son, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One. Refrain: Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son, and leaving your Spirit till the work on earth is done. 2 Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names. Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain. Refrain. 3 When I stand in glory, I will see his face. There I’ll serve my King forever in that holy place. Refrain. Prayer of Confession God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. Have mercy upon us, O God, and forgive our sin. Return us to the path of righteousness through Jesus Christ our Savior. Response Take, O Take Me as I Am Text and Music: John Bell, 1995 Take, O take me as I am. Summon out what I shall be. Set your seal upon my heart and live in me. Repeat. Assurance of Forgiveness 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; a new life has begun. Know you are forgiven and be at peace. Amen. Old Testament Reading Psalm 32 The Joy of Forgiveness Of David. A Maskil. 1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’, and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah 6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. 7 You are a hiding-place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah 8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. 10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. Gospel Reading Matthew 4:1-11 The Temptation of Jesus Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’ 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’ 7Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; 9and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. The Message for March 7, 2021 Lent 3 Let’s set the scene: The inhabited part of Judea stood on the central plateau which was the backbone of Southern Palestine. Between it and the Dead Sea there stretched a terrible wilderness, thirty-five by fifteen miles. It was called Jeshimmon, which means “The Devastation.” The hills were like dust heaps; the limestone blistered and peeling; the rocks were bare and jagged; the ground sounded hollow to the hoses’ hooves; it glowed with heat like a vast furnace and it ran out to the cliffs, which were about a thousand feet high, then swooped down to the Dead Sea. It was there that the Spirit led Jesus, where he stayed for forty days and nights and was tempted. Who has encountered such a scene? Maybe you’ve been to the Holy Land and have witnessed this yourself. Or maybe you’ve hiked the Rockies. Maybe you ventured into the desert of the American Southwest that glows with the sun. Or maybe the wilderness you encountered was an illness, a broken relationship, a lawsuit, trouble in school, moving across the country, or deployment in service to our country. Or something else. We have all experienced something of the wilderness. We have been tested and tried and worn. We may have even been tempted by evil. These are ways that we can identify with Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Sometimes our wilderness wandering leads to disaster. Other times, it can lead to new life and that’s what I want to share today. Joe and Mary met in the kitchen of a mutual friend on the night of a New Year’s party. They were cleaning up, bagging trash and washing dishes, because they got bored with the small talk in the living room. They just regular talked and found they had some things in common. They both liked to hike and they both enjoyed gourmet cooking. Joe invited Mary to join him on a hike when the weather warmed up in the spring. Mary said she’d love to but he should know that she has an 8 year old son and doesn’t normally leave him with a babysitter for a whole day. He was welcome to change his mind. Joe surprised himself by saying, “No problem. Bring him along.” Now, this was unusual because Joe had no children and he wasn’t sure he even liked kids. Now, he had just committed to spending a whole day with one. So, on a clear day in March, Joe, Mary and Josh drove to the Red River Gorge. Typically, Joe would hike along the ridges, but he worried about taking a little boy up where there were steep drop-offs. Instead, he took them on Rock Bridge Trail down to a beautiful waterfall. Long enough and a little challenging for an 8 year old. The trail’s turnaround point at the falls was a perfect place for the picnic lunch Joe had packed. The weather cooperated, cool and clear, with some of the trees just beginning to bud. Joe had hoped to see deer along the trail, but, the hikes he normally took were solitary and silent. Today’s hike was different, thanks to his companions and the running conversation. Joe found he really didn’t mind. Josh brought lots of energy and enthusiasm to the day. Josh had been hiking many times with his mom. He shared with Joe the three rules his mom had taught him for being in the woods: Rule one: Stay together no matter what. Rule two: Watch the light. The direction of the light helps you figure out where you are. Rule three is to mark the important parts of the trail. That’s how you know where you’ve been and it will help you find your way home. So, at a couple of places on the trail, when they made a turn, Josh built a cairn of rocks as other hikers had done before them, so they would remember the spot and know which way to turn when going home. Josh loved building cairns and Joe enjoyed helping him find just the right rocks, flat and smooth. And that was the day Joe fell in love with Mary and Josh. Joe couldn’t go to sleep that night. Loving someone was terrifying. He was not very good at it, according to his ex-wife. And it was complicated. Josh was looking for and needed a father. His father hadn’t been in the picture for over five years. Joe had no experience with children and Josh had needs and expectations as all children do. He needed a lot of love and support and guidance. Would Joe measure up? Would he fail at this relationship, too? But, Mary and Josh had fallen in love with Joe, too. And from that first spring day, the threesome spent nearly every Saturday together, doing ordinary things like making grilled cheese sandwiches, cleaning the garage, and playing in the park. This time of wilderness wandering has led to change for all of them. Joe thinks about Josh when making choices about almost everything. Which trails to hike, what television shows to watch, how to spend his money, are all influenced by the boy who now calls him, “Dad.” It isn’t always easy or fun or cozy. Life can be complicated, as we all well know. Joe goes to bed earlier these days, because Josh wakes early. On Saturdays, they let Mary sleep in while they eat Honey Smacks on the sofa. Joe doesn’t work 65 hours a week anymore. He turned down a promotion that would mean moving to a distant city. In these early days of life as a family of three, he wouldn’t even consider moving Mary and Josh from the job, school and friends they loved. Joe’s interests have changed so much. He actually takes time off a couple of times a month to have lunch with Josh at his school. He took a whole day off to go to the pumpkin patch with the third grade class in October. He’s quite popular with all the kids because most of the dads can’t show up during the school day. When Christmas came along, Joe wanted to choose the perfect gift. After all, this whole family celebration thing was a novel experience. So, he rented an RV, not to be used in December, but in the spring. Joe presented Mary and Josh with colorful guide books to state parks so they could all plan a trip together. They were delighted just thinking of the hiking and camping and fishing and campfire-building ahead of them. And then there was Josh’s gift to Joe: three washed rocks. He had collected them out of a local creek and washed them, scrubbing them in detergent and bleach water with a brush. “It was hard work,” Josh explained. Three smooth rocks of decreasing size, scrubbed to a shiny gleam. “I know how you love to hike, and I hoped this would remind you of some of the fun hikes we’ve taken.” Joe was unable to speak. He gave Josh a huge hug and they built a little cairn under the Christmas tree. Mary, Joe and Josh have experienced deep transformation over the past year. It has been full of new understanding and growth. Sometimes they feel like their hearts are being expanded. Memories are piling up like stones, each one fresh and meaningful. And sometimes hard. Sometimes we choose to venture into the unknown. We prepare for it. We anticipate the problem spots and we go prepared. Sometimes we wander aimlessly, running low on food and water, and make it home by the skin of our teeth. Sometimes we lose our way. Remember the rocks. They are not bread to be plundered by the wind, the rain or the wildlife. Picture the stones, one atop the other. One reminds us to stay together. One reminds us to watch for the light. And one reminds us to mark the important turns on the trail. Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer Gracious and loving God, We thank you for walking with us during these days of wilderness-walking and uncertainty. Remind us that though our circumstances change daily due to weather, Covid, and other factors, you remain unchanged, ever-present and ever loving. As Spring comes closer and the sun lengthens our days, awaken our hope in your promise of new life. This day we pray for all those struggling to put their lives back together following recent storms and all the damage they caused. Comfort those who have lost their homes and belongings. Bring solace and peace to those who have suffered the loss of loved ones. We pray for this community and our nation and other nations. May all who lead from positions of power, be inspired by your wisdom, compassion, and courage. We pray for innocent victims of violence and hardship of any kind. We pray for the little girl, and all children in harsh situations, whose sobs interrupted her virtual school classroom because she was suffering from hunger and poverty. Help us identify children and others in these circumstances and make the way clear to relieve them of their distress. We pray for those closest to us who are in any kind of illness or distress, for those who have endured loss, including the loss of loved ones. We pray for our church and its leaders as plans are made to return to the building for worship. May you give us all an extra measure of patience and optimism to cope with our challenges and embrace our opportunities. We pray as Jesus taught us saying, Our Father…Amen. Blessing Go now and live in the spirit of your baptism, even when you are led into wild and hard places. With repentance and trust, give yourselves to God, and with fasting and prayer, strengthen yourselves against the ways of the tempter. And may God enfold you in tender and lasting love. May Christ be beside you in times of struggle. And may the Spirit guide you whenever you stray. Postlude |
PastorCinda Harkless Archives
July 2024
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