Today is our Re-Centering Day as a congregation. We will be thinking about and discerning ways we can put to action all the brainstorming we did in November. This is only a small part of God’s call on our lives. We are people of faith -- what does that mean for how we live it out everyday? How does our faith inform our actions? How can we talk the talk and (more importantly) walk the walk? We are so blessed to have you join us today and hope that God will bless you tremendously in this time of worship!
WELCOME to Mantua Center Christian Church!
We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms.
Prelude - “Oh, the Best Friend to Have” [by P. P. Bilhorn] - Sarah Park
Scripture - Isaiah 58:6-8
6 Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
*Response - Weave
Weave, weave, weave us together, Weave us together, in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together, weave us together, together in love.
*Call to Worship - Leighton Baynes
ONE: Jesus calls us to be the light of the world –
ALL: To loose the bonds of injustice, to let the oppressed go free, and give food to the hungry
ONE: God invites us to be a light to the nations –
ALL: To carry God’s love to the ends of the earth
ONE: The Holy Spirit dwells in us, giving us strength to do God’s work.
ALL: To live and serve one another in Jesus’ Name! Let us worship the Lord!
*Opening Hymn - Into My Heart #304
Into my heart, into my heart,
come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
come in today, come in to stay,
come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
(Repeat 2x)
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Leighton Baynes
Offertory
Music: “O Lord my God, When I in Awesome Wonder” [Arr. by E. A. Edgren]
The Doxology #46
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below;
praise God above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offering Prayer - Leighton Baynes
Children’s Moment - Rev. Chad Delaney
- What are some things that always come together? I have a quiz…
- Salt and ___________
- Shoes and _________
- Batman and _______
- Ketchup and __________
- Mario and __________
- Spaghetti and ___________
- Hammer and ___________
- Thunder and __________
- Cops and _____________
- Oil and __________
- Needle and ____________
- Pins and __________
- Bacon and _____________ (more bacon)
- Faith & Works
- WEEK of COMPASSION - DISTRIBUTE BOXES & CALENDARS - March 19th
Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
Prayer from the Week of Compassion:
Creator of the stars of night who counts the hairs of our heads and the sands on the shore, who counts each of us blessed and precious in your sight. The numbers climb, and our sorrow alongside. Every number is a name. Every soul lost is a beloved to be seen no more, a voice, a face, a spirit now only in memory. Everyone yet missing is a mixture of overwhelming despair and only the faintest hope. Every number is a name. Every worker rushing to rescue and recover who will forever bear the weight of what they cannot forget. Every offering received, shared and desperate hope, is one unashamed to plead for grace. Every number is a name. The toll rises in the news, and echoes in our hearts. for everyone lost, for everyone found, for every gift of compassion, for every moment of mercy. For every number and every name, Lord hear our prayer.
O God, we thank you this day for people of faith all over the world who seek to live out their faith in powerful ways. Lord, we know that we cannot earn your love, but we can respond to your love and demonstrate your love and share your love.
We thank you for the people who give us an amazing example of faith. Those who find joy in the midst of trials and difficulties: for the hospital patient who gives hope and inspiration to the visitor, for the homeless person who teaches the social worker the meaning of faith, for the family that prays together in the face of death. for the young person who says “no” to a friend who wants to shoplift, for the office worker who refuses to join in negative conversation, for the company executive who puts people before profits.
We thank you for those who are quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger: for couples who listen to each other in love, for people who count to ten before speaking their minds and then speak gently, for people who remain calm and loving when others’ tempers flare.
We thank you for people who are doers of the word and not hearers only. O God, may we be counted among them. Help us to hear your word and to find joy in doing what you call us to do.
Together we lift the names of those on our hearts to you in prayer…Now hear us as we pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray….
Communion
Meditation - Rev. Nancy Humes
Hymn - All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly #419 v.1-2
1 All who hunger gather gladly; Holy manna is our bread.
Come from wilderness and wand’ring. Here in truth we will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness, all around us is our food.
Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good.
2. All who hunger, never strangers, seeker, be a welcome guest.
Come from restlessness and roaming. Here, in joy, we keep the feast.
We that once were lost and scattered in communion’s love have stood.
Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good.
Prayer - Rev. Nancy Humes
Words of Institution - Rev. Chad Delaney
Special Music:
“Table of Love” [Words and Music by Andra Moran and Josh Elson] - Carli Calapa
Scripture - James 2:14-26
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? 17So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. 23Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. 24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
Sermon - Faith and Action - Rev. Chad Delaney
The Protestant Reformer of the 16th Century Martin Luther actually expressed concern about the book of James even being in the Bible. Luther saw a bit of a conflict between James and the Apostle Paul or at least it muddied the waters. James says, “a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Where Apostle Paul says, “8For by grace you have been saved through faith…9not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” Are they at odds? What is the dynamic between them? Church folks have been dialoguing about this for a long time.
Reading James, we can see he is definitely a works-guy, but he doesn’t poo-poo faith. He celebrates the faith of Abraham (for his obedience to God) and Rahab (for her hospitality to strangers) in particular. James just makes clear that faith without the works is bankrupt, it's pointless, it is DEAD.
There’s gotta be more to the story here because when listening to the passage…you can feel his frustration. He cites an example that obviously gets under his skin -- “15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?”
This reminded me of the idea of “Thoughts and Prayers” in our culture today. Of course, this refrain--for many of us here--is a genuine offering of care and compassion. To let someone know -- in a time of struggle --that we are lifting them in prayer can make a big difference. I have very often seen how deeply comforted people are knowing people are praying for them.
AND…yet…“Thoughts and Prayers” has become a cultural meme for indifference and unresponsiveness…especially in the wake of gun violence. The ire of people rises when tangible action COULD be taken, but instead is substituted for a hollow cliche.
Katie Baird shared a wonderful story at our Wednesday gathering. Variations of it are most known to circulate among alcoholics anonymous meetings:
A man fell in a hole and couldn't get out. A doctor walks by and sees him. She says to him, “Remember to eat a good diet and to exercise regularly.” And she moved on.
An American politician came by, peered in. Then pulled out his phone, snaps a selfie, and tweets, “Thoughts and Prayers for all who have been affected by this tragedy.” And moves on.
A recovering alcoholic happened to be passing by. Right away, the recovering alcoholic jumped in the hole with him. The man said, "What are you doing? Now we're both stuck here." But the recovering alcoholic said, "It's okay, I've been here before, I know how to get out."
I imagine that James would have loved this story. Sympathetic words and phrases don’t always quite cut it. We profess belief in a God who creates, moves, and acts dynamically in the world. In Jesus--the word made FLESH--who blessed and healed and served. James sees in his own community a grave inconsistency in the professed belief and lived action. People are talking the talk but not walking the walk.
Powerfully, James even suggests that a simple belief in God isn’t that impressive. Even the demons believe and shudder. There is a deeper dynamic of action that accompanies faith. “22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works…”
For James, the debate of faith OR works is a silly one. It is not an “either/or” but a “both/and”. They are inextricably intertwined.
So what does that mean for us? Now we may be tempted in these moments to point our finger at someone else. Perhaps you have a person in mind whose beliefs don’t match their actions. However, might we look in the mirror for a moment?
In our lives today, where do our beliefs and our actions not quite match? Where is there passive sentimentality and good intentions expressed…but no actions to back it up? Could we find something this week and make a change?
Is there someone to get into a hole with that really needs some extra care?
Is there a cause you are passionate about, but haven’t quite taken steps to do something about it?
Is there someone to show hospitality or kindness to?
A way we can live out our faith and values and beliefs actively?
Today, we will talk about Re-Centering and putting to action our values and beliefs and hopes for our congregation…it is the perfect opportunity to see how we can put our faith to action. We have had action steps already suggested and we may come up with new ones…we will need to walk the walk.
Family of God…may we have a living and dynamic faith. May our faith be infused with and accompanied by faithful actions of kindness, mercy, and justice. May our prayerful spirituality be backed by concrete works to again and again and again re-present the teachings and love of Christ. That living out our faith, through us God’s message of hope and joy and love would be made flesh.
*Closing Hymn - “We are One in the Spirit” #494, v. 1-3
1 We are One in The Spirit, We are One in The Lord. 2x
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.
[Chorus]
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our Love,
Yes they'll know we are Christians by our love.
2 We will walk with each other, We will walk hand in hand. 2x
And together we'll spread the News that God is in our land.
[Chorus]
3 We will work with each other, We will work side by side. 2x
And we'll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.
[Chorus]
Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
RISE UP ANEW - Week of Compassion Special Offering
A Benediction from the great Howard Thurman --
As we go into the world…
Open unto us, light for our darkness
Open unto us, courage for our fear
Open unto us, hope for our despair
Open unto us, peace for our turmoil
Open unto us, joy for our sorrow
Open unto us, strength for our weakness
Open unto us, wisdom for our confusion
Open unto us, forgiveness for our sins
Open unto us, tenderness for our toughness
Open unto us, love for our hates
Open unto us, Thy Self for ourselves
Lord, Lord, open unto us!
May you be blessed in the name of the Creator, The Christ, and the Holy Spirit to live your faith with mercy, love, and grace. Amen.
Postlude - “Encamped Along the Hills of Light” [by I. D. Sankey] - Sarah Park