This is the Day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Welcome to Mantua Center Christian Church’s online worship service. We are so glad you have joined us and hope that you feel blessed and inspired by the service today. Today we will hear in the scripture an impassioned plea for unity. What is God calling you to do today to maintain unity in the Spirit? Thank you for being with us and welcome to worship!
Prelude “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” Sarah Park
[by J.B.Dykes]
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church
Good Morning!
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church
We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms
Thank you for joining us here in the house and online. Welcome to everyone!
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Loaves & Fishes
- Building Movement
- Josh's Graduation Party - Moebius 8/10 12-4
- Next Week Mission Sunday
- 4th for 4cs
Scripture Reading Psalm 33 Rev. Chad Delaney
1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
*Welcoming Song “Here We Gather” #294
Here we gather as God’s people with our friends from far and near;
Let our voices sound with praises knowing Christ has called us here.
Now we seek and greet each other, now in joy approach our friends.
Here we mingle, bound together as to all our love extends.
*Call to Worship Kathy Meier ONE: Out of a world of cut-throat competition, of winners-and-losers,
and too many left behind...we come together.
ALL: The world’s ways are not our ways. The world’s path is
not our path.
ONE: Out of a world of hatred, violence, individualism, and life-taking power…
we gather as God’s beloved community
ALL: God’s ways are inclusive, expansive, and life-giving for
all peoples.
ONE: Let’s come and worship the One whose love knows no limits!
Swim and splash in the cleansing waters of divine community!
ALL: Praise be to the Everlasting One! Let us worship the Lord!
written by Tim Graves
*Opening Hymn Come, Christians, Join to Sing #90, vs. 1-2
1 Come, Christians, join to sing: Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ we bring: Alleluia! Amen!
Let all with heart and voice, before his throne rejoice;
praise we with gracious choice: Alleluia! Amen!
2 Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia! Amen!
Let praises fill the sky: Alleluia! Amen!
Christ is our Guide and Friend on whom we can depend;
his love shall never end: Alleluia! Amen!
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation Kathy Meier
Offertory
Music: “Jesus is all the World to Me” Sarah Park
[by W. L. Thompson]
*Response Accept, O God, The Gifts We Bring #379, 2 lines
Accept, O God, the gifts we bring of spirit and of clay,
transform them into blessings on those we serve today.
Offering Prayer Kathy Meier
Children’s Moment Rev. Chad Delaney
4th for the 4cs
Gracious God, we thank you for the children in our church, community, and world. Each child is a unique and precious gift, filled with special talents. Bless them as they discover their gifts and use them to bring joy and love to others. Help them to work together in unity, celebrating each other's strengths and supporting one another. May they grow in kindness, compassion, and wisdom, always knowing they are loved and valued. Bless their families and give them patience, understanding, and love. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Special Music “Be Thou My Vision” Linds and Charlotte Hooker
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Rev. Chad Delaney
Prayer for Unity by the World Council of Churches
In Christ, the world is reconciled to God who entrusts to us the message of reconciliation. As the ambassadors of Christ’s reconciling work, we make our petitions to God:
When we pray together from our diverse traditions, Holy One who makes us one, make our unity visible and bring healing to the world.
When we read the Bible together in our diversity of language and context, Revealing One who makes us one, make our unity visible and bring healing to the world.
When we establish relations of friendships among Jews, Christians and Muslims, when we tear down the wall of indifference and hatred, Merciful One who makes us one, make our unity visible and bring healing to the world.
When we work for justice and solidarity, when we move from fear to confidence, Strengthening One who makes us one, make our unity visible and bring healing to the world.
Wherever there is suffering through war and violence, injustice and inequality, disease and prejudice, poverty and hopelessness, drawing us near to the cross of Christ and to each other, Wounded One who makes us one, make our unity visible and bring healing to the world.
God of Grace and Mercy, together here in this place we are the Mantua Center Christian Church. We are partners with Disciples, Lutherans, Methodists, Catholics, and many others to share your Gospel in this time and place. Unite us together in common witness of your love. Bind us together in this place, too, so that we might share in common vision and purpose to offer radical welcome and love to all who enter.
We each bring our own joys and concerns to this hour of worship…in silent prayer we give them to you now…
Thank you, God, for hearing our prayers. Now Unite us together in the prayer Jesus taught us saying….
Communion
Meditation Sally Hoffman
Communion Hymn “One Bread, One Body” #393, v. 1-3
[Refrain]
One bread, one body, one Lord of all,
one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
1 Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or man no more. [Refrain]
2 Many the gifts, many the works, one in the Lord of all. [Refrain]
Prayer Cathy Hakala Ausperk
Words of Institution Cathy Hakala Ausperk
Music: “I’ve Wandered Far Away from God” Sarah Park
[by W. J. Kirkpatrick]
Scripture Ephesians 4:1-5
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Sermon Every Effort Rev. Chad Delaney
Today I just wanted to give a little shout out to the Apostle Paul. The book of Ephesians is a disputed letter as far as authorship, but it is considered historical that Paul wrote letters to churches from prison. So imagine being in a 1st century Roman prison….but still writing a letter of wisdom and encouragement and exhortation to the church?
I mean…think about a time maybe this week where you weren't your best self. Maybe cut off on the highway. Yardwork needs done. Garden needs weeded. You watch the news for a few minutes. You’re tired and hangry. NOW sit down and write a letter of hope and love to the church.
These letters Paul writes, are--themselves--acts of resilience and perseverance.
The Gospel very often does not come from seats of convenience and comfort, but from places of trial and difficulty and disruption.
It's kind of like what Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water"
In this letter to the Ephesians you can tell they are in a bit of hot water. Paul is writing them with desperation. He’s begging them to live up to the call to which they’ve been called. Begging them to have some humility and gentleness. Begging them to bear with one another in love to maintain the unity of the spirit.
What is their problem?
A big source of controversy in that time was between the Jewish and Gentile believers. All the first Christians were Jews who now believed that Jesus was the Messiah. There was a strong belief that this Gospel message was not just for Jews, but for all people in the world. Paul believed that in Christ ALL distinctions were vanquished. He even said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”---which was quite radical for his time and I would argue even for our time.
This is wonderful news, but the question of practice remained. What traditions stayed? What could be left behind?
Multiple distinctions emerged challenging the unity of the church’s witness.
- Jews or Gentiles?
- Circumcised versus uncircumcised?
- Follow the food laws or not?
- Morning people vs. Night owls
- Pepsi vs. Coke
But here’s the thing…you and I both know these distinctions aren’t always arbitrary and silly. Yes, the church--then and now--likes to argue and divide over silly stuff (paint colors, music styles, dress code), BUT some of these distinctions are born out of lifelong loyalties and commitments that are very hard to let go of. Jews and Gentiles were holding on and uplifting long-held beliefs, traditions, and even scriptural commitments. These weren’t just people being bull-headed and stiff-necked.
How easy is it for us to let go of life-long commitments that we believe are moral and true and right….for the sake of unity? What are we willing to give up for the sake of unity? Could we soften and humanize? Could we see the good amidst the bad? Of course, there are times we can’t or even shouldn’t. People promoting racism and slavery were calling for unity and people to relax their stance…when it would have been immoral to do so. Sometimes calls for unity can be used as cloaks over power and oppression. Yet, still, many times unity is a good in itself when it impacts the common good.
Paul is BEGGING them to find a way to see through all the mess, all their theological and ideological differences, and to embrace their common identity in Christ despite their differences.
He impresses upon them his understanding of what that unity consists of. And “how ‘bout that”....there are seven of them. Count them….seven.
- Despite how it might appear as you look at the church
- There is ONE body…not two or 10. One in Christ.
- There is ONE Spirit…and you shall know it by its fruits -- Love, Joy, Peace….
- One Hope
- One Lord
- One Faith
- One Baptism
- One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in all
Perhaps that last ONE is the hardest of all. Can we see in those we have extraordinary differences in…even ones we perceive to be our enemies….that God is working through all and IN all.
Even when it is hard to see, the scripture begs us to “make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” In this season of our lives, of our country….what effort are we making to maintain the bond of peace? What notions are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of unity?
Questions for the church in such a time as this. Questions for believers in such a time as this.
The German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer offers a brutal assessment of how humans operate. He likens human beings to a bunch of porcupines huddling together on a cold winter’s night. He wrote,
“The colder it gets outside, the more we huddle together for warmth; but the closer we get to one another, the more we hurt one another with our sharp quills. And in the lonely night of earth’s winter eventually we begin to drift apart and wander out on our own and freeze to death in our loneliness.”
The church in the world feels like it is in a cold and prickly time. Eleanor might call it a “hot water” time---How strong are we? When there is stress and difficulty. Whether its the busy-ness of our lives. Financial stress. Stress at home or church. The feeling we all have about the coming election. These moments could be a time to lash out, blame, hurt one another. It could be time when folks could bunker down, find their camps, and go our own separate ways. It could be a time to crown indifference and avoidance as the most noble of paths.
But there is a more faithful alternative. What would a small effort toward unity look like for you? For the church? What big or small commitment could you make in your words, your actions, your social media posts, your news in-take?
The Apostle Paul was in prison, in hardship, yet still was an instrument of God’s grace and peace. To live in a way that leads with forgiveness, mercy, and compassion. Where humility, gentleness, and patience are more important than being right most of the time. Where we are honest and seek justice AND maintain the human dignity of those we disagree with. Where we lead with forgiveness and Live out that beautiful part of St. Francis’ prayer…
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love
Together to remember that the Christ who lived, died, and rose again is above all and through all and in all.
A harder path…yes…and one we are called to.
Years from now will we be able to look back at this time and say about ourselves…that we “made every effort we could to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?”
May it be so! Amen.
*Closing Hymn Sister, Let Me Be Your Servant #490, vs. 1-3
1 Sister, let me be your servant.
brother, let me walk with you;
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.
2 We are pilgrims on a journey.
fellow trav'lers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
3 I will weep when you are weeping.
When you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we've seen this journey thro'.
Benediction Rev. Chad Delaney
- In Christ we are offered hope and grace, In Christ we are called to share the Gospel of Love
- Thank you for being with us.
- We have been blessed with wonderful MUSIC from Linds/Charlotte
- We have heard a call for Unity. This week let’s make an effort
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.”
God, who is through all and in all,
Open our hearts to love
To see that all people are made in your image,
To care for creation and affirm life in all its wondrous diversity.
To strive for the full, visible unity of your church!
To become neighbors to all,
Transform us in the offering of ourselves
so that we may be your partners in transformation in the world.
God, in your grace, guide us and lead us into the bond of peace.
In the name of the Creator, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Postlude “Tho’ your Heart may be Heavy” Sarah Park
[by C. H. Gabriel]