We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms, building community in a fragmented world.
Prelude - My Savior First of All [Lyndell Leatherman], Jan Green
Opening Scripture - Isaiah 43:16-21
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild animals will honour me, the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.
*Response - Come and Find the Quiet Center #575
Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,
find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where we are freed:
clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes, that we can see
all the things that really matter, be at peace, and simply be.
*Call to Worship - Christina Brant
ONE: May we find courage here—
ALL: courage to follow our call, courage to live out our faith.
ONE: May we find hope here—
ALL: hope for a better world, hope that refuses to let us go.
ONE: May we find truth here—
ALL: truth that lives in sacred community, truth that lives in ancient stories.
ONE: May we find all that we seek.
ALL: And in our seeking, may we know God. Amen.
Opening Hymn - I Love to Tell the Story #480, v.1&3
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true;
it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.
[Refrain:]
I love to tell the story, 'twill be my theme in glory,
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.
[Refrain]
Invitation to Generosity - Christina Brant
Music: A Balm in Gilead [Ross Anderson]
The Doxology #46
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer
Children’s Moment - Ally Bozeka
Pastoral Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
Most generous God:
with thankful hearts we rejoice in your goodness towards us and in the many blessings that we receive each day. In love you provide for your people’s needs and you accompany us along the way.
We give you our thanks for the physical gifts that sustain us and for the added blessings which make life more joyful and full. We rejoice that you freely pour out the perfume of your love, even though we may not feel worthy to receive it. Fill us with gratitude and the will to share.
We are thankful for those who have been bountiful towards us, giving of their time, their skills and their love. As a token of our gladness, may we also bless others, being generous with all that you have given.
God of Grace and Generosity, Hear us when we pray
Wipe the tears of those who are weeping…we lift them to you….
Hold the pain of those who are hurting….we lift them to you…
Be a lamp unto the feet of those walking in darkness…we lift them to you
In the silence hear our prayers….
Holy one...anoint us with your loving presence. Thank you for loving us beyond measure, for your love poured out to us everyday. Walk with us as we journey to the cross…In Jesus Name, Amen.
Communion
Meditation - Beth Schabel
Communion Hymn - In Remembrance of Me #403
In remembrance of me, eat this bread. In remembrance of me, drink this wine.
In remembrance of me, pray for the time when God’s own will is done.
In remembrance of me, heal the sick. In remembrance of me, feed the poor.
In remembrance of me, open the door and let your brother in, let him in.
Take, eat, and be comforted; drink and remember too.
That this is my body and precious blood shed for you, shed for you.
In remembrance of me search for truth. In remembrance of me, always love.
In remembrance of me, don’t look above, But in your heart look for God.
Do this in remembrance of Me
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer - Beth Schabel
Words of Institution - Rev. Chad Delaney
Music: : Sweet Hour of Prayer [Dale Wood]
Special Music - Beth Schabel
Prayer of Illumination
Holy God, sometimes my waking is a prayer. Sometimes the song I have stuck in my head, rumbling around on repeat, is a prayer. Sometimes the way I talk to the children and the way I hug the dog is a prayer. Sometimes the way I take my phone out to get a picture of the sunset or of the people
I love—that is a prayer. Other times, prayer is moments like this—
heads bowed, eyes closed, hearts quiet for just a moment.
And in all of it, I trust you to hear me. Help me to hear you in return.
Gratefully we pray, amen.
Scripture - John 12:1-8
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
Sermon - Brazen Acts of Beauty - Rev. Chad Delaney
Beauty indeed lies in the eyes of the beholder. Many people can look at the same thing and depending on their perspective can think of them very differently.
Rev. Abazia recounts a story about church with her kids:
When my son was younger, he decided the worship prelude was the perfect time to start rolling on the ground in the narthex of the sanctuary. Worshipers dressed in their Sunday best awkwardly stepped over him or winced as his speeding body hit their heels.
“Isn’t it wonderful that your son feels so comfortable here that he can move his body around to get ready for worship?!” Nothing about that moment felt wonderful. To be honest, I was mortified that he was greeting church members as an embodied obstacle course before worship. But this person’s ability to see beauty where I could not, to proclaim abundant love for who my son is and who the congregation was to be for him, was a gift ripped open for us.
Anyone who has brought little ones to worship can relate!
Another story I would recount in my time here at Mantua Center is out on the historical green here in front of the church is a World War 2 gun that was used in-service. It was placed there to preserve history and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. When we first arrived we noticed that after church in the summer time the children would go out to play on the green and would often climb on the big green gun. It became clear to me that people viewed this in two radically different ways--the children climbing on it was grossly disrespectful to its history and importance (as someone even pulled off 82 to inform us) or that it was a beautiful symbol that the sacrifice those fallen made enabled these children to run and play and enjoy the life in this great country -- a weapon of war turned into playground.
Beauty certainly lies in the eyes of the beholder!
In the story, there is an action that takes place for which at least Judas takes issue. Mary takes a pound of costly perfume--meant to be used at burial--breaks it open and lavishly pours it over Jesus’ feet. Judas--with questionable motives--says it could have been used for the poor. He sees it as a wasteful act. Meanwhile, Jesus comes to her defense.
I’ll admit that being on the more practical side of things--even recognizing that Judas may have had ill-intentions--I can definitely see that point of view. Could she have used water or maybe not used the whole bottle? We need to be careful about these things.
And YET….there is beauty in her actions. You may not know that the word for Messiah means “Anointed One” and every King in the tradition was anointed on his head by a prophet or priest as an official action naming them the anointed one of God. Here in the Gospel of John, we see the anointing of Jesus as the Messiah taking place in a grieving home, onto his feet with a burial perfume, by a woman who has been his disciple and stood by him through everything. It is a powerful moment in the life of Jesus and symbolic of a different kind of power.
Mary’s actions are filled with meaning, each one taking guts to do, an act of vulnerability and courage. She puts herself out there.
Is it a brazen act of waste….or a brazen act of beauty?
Rev. Debie Thomas says:
Just as Jesus later breaks bread with his disciples, Mary breaks open the jar in her hands, allowing its contents to pour freely over Jesus’s feet. Just as Jesus later washes his disciples’ feet to demonstrate what radical love looks like, Mary expresses her love with a humble physical act. Jesus, rather than shunning her intimate gesture, receives Mary’s gift into his own body with gratitude, tenderness, pleasure, and blessing. The holy sacraments here are skin, salt, sweat, and tears. The instruments of worship are perfumed feet and unbound hair. This is not an abstract piety of the mind; this is physical extravagance.
This act is not only a sign of the fate of Jesus, of his death looming ahead of him in Jerusalem. But an act of abundant, extravagant grace. A gift of love that would bless Mary as her gift is received gratefully as a blessing. And…undoubtedly this act of love strengthens Jesus for the difficult journey imminently ahead. Soon Jesus would wash the feet of his disciples, be betrayed, hand himself over to be arrested in the garden, carry his own cross, be crucified, buried, and rise again! Now anointed for the journey, he presses on
Church Family,
This moment in the life of Jesus remains of the sacredness of each moment and the precious opportunity we have with the person in front of us. In moments where we wonder about our sense of respect, responsibility, convention, waste, and extravagance…might we pause to at least wonder at the gift that is offered in that moment. Perhaps there is a gift there we had not imagined.
And furthermore…what brazen act of beauty and love can you act upon this week? Maybe you have been pondering something…something God has put on your heart. You might wonder if it would be effective or worth it or make the point you are trying to make? But what if you just went for it? Could be big or small. Could be with money or a simple act of service. Could be anonymous or out loud. May we embrace the moment…and whatever it will be, it will be a blessing of love to strengthen someone along their journey. May it be so…Amen.
*Closing Hymn - Pass it On #477, v. 1-3
It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
that’s how it is with God’s love, Once you’ve experienced it:
You spread God’s love to everyone, you want to pass it on.
What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding,
the birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming; that’s how it is with God’s love,
once you’ve experienced it: you want to sing, it’s fresh like spring,
you want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend, this happiness that I’ve found -
on God you can depend it matters not where you’re bound;
I’ll shout it from the mountain top, I want my world to know:
the Lord of love has come to me, I want to pass it on.
Recognition of Ally Bozeka, Children’s Minister
Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
- JOIN US for Ally Bozeka Celebration
As you leave this place,
may you be awestruck by the beauty of this world.
May you laugh, and may it be contagious.
May you overflow with love for those around you.
May you be effusive with hope and quick to point out joy.
And in all of your living, and breathing, and being,
may you find yourself full to the brim with God’s Holy Spirit,
and may it change your life.
In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself—
go in peace, full to the brim. Amen.
Postlude - “Stand up for Jesus” [Franklin Ritter], Jan Green