We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms, building community in a fragmented world.
Prelude - “ Go Carry Thy Burden to Jesus” [by W. J. Kirkpatrick] Sarah Park
Opening Scripture - Psalm 33:1-5
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all God’s work is done in faithfulness.
5 God loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
*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 - Laura Parker
ONE: Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
ALL: The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! ONE: Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
ALL: Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth as it is in heaven.
ONE: With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
ALL: In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us.
ONE: From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
ALL: For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Let us Worship the Lord!
*Opening Hymn - “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” #558
1 Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are;
blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are.
2 We are thine, do thou befriend us, be the guardian of our way;
keep thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray;
blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, hear, O hear us when we pray.
3 Early let us seek thy favor, early let us do thy will;
blessed Lord and only Savior, with thy love our bosoms fill:
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, thou hast loved us, love us still;
blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, thou hast loved us, love us still.
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Laura Parker
Offertory - “ You Raise me Up ” [by Josh Groban] - Esther Park (Cello) & Sarah Park (Piano)
(The following lyrics are provided for silent contemplation)
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence Until You come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders You raise me up to more than I can be.
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 - Laura Parker
Children’s Moment - Rev. Chad Delaney
Special Music - “Heart of Worship” [by Matt Redman] - Esther Park (Cello) & Sarah Park (Piano)
(The following lyrics are provided for silent contemplation)
When the music fades All is stripped away And I simply come Longin' just to bring Something that's of worth That will bless Your heart I'll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the ways things appear You're looking into my heart I'm comin' back to the heart of worship And it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it When it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus King of endless worth No one could express How much You deserve? Though I'm weak and poor All I have is Yours Every single breath I'll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You're looking into my heart, yeah I'm comin' back to the heart of worship And it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it When it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm comin' back to the heart of worship 'Cause it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it 'Cause it's all about You It's all about You, Jesus, yeah All about You I'll bring You more than a song I'll bring You more than a song, more than a song I'll bring You more than a song I'll bring You more than a song (than a song) You're looking into my heart You're looking into my heart You're looking into my heart Into my heart I'll bring You more than a song I'll bring You more than a song, yeah, yeah I'll bring You more than a song I'll bring You more than a song
Pastoral Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
~ “Lord Teach Us to Pray: Responsive Reading,”
by Chuck Fromm and Jeremy Armstrong
So we might declare your glory:
Lord, teach us to pray
Lord, teach us to pray.
So we might awaken to the wonder of your presence
So we might feel gratitude for your gift of life today
So we might discover your kingdom as revealed in our sisters and brothers
So we might love you with our whole hearts, and love our neighbors as ourselves
So we might declare your glory:
Lord, teach us to pray
So diverse hearts might harmonize as many voices become one
So our bodies might praise you in bowed heads and raised hands
So a spirit of criticism is replaced with an offering of sacrifice
So we consider others more important than ourselves
So we might declare your glory:
Lord, teach us to pray
So the truth of your Word resonates in what we say and sing
So we might prepare a way through the wilderness of chaos and pain
So our eyes are alert and our souls awake to your movement in our midst
So our good work is fruitful in the reign of your kingdom
So we might declare your glory:
Lord, teach us to pray
So the lonely and hopeless find comfort in your abundant presence
So those in war and famine find the everlasting peace of your Spirit
So we are not indifferent to the suffering of the world around us
So our songs help to make us look more like you
So we might declare your glory:
Lord, teach us to pray
Here now our prayers of concern and gratitude…Amen
Communion
Meditation - Brian Hurd
Communion Hymn - I Come with Joy #420, v.1,3,5
1 I come with joy, a child of God, forgiven, loved and free, the life of Jesus to recall,
in love laid down for me, in love laid down for me.
3 As Christ breaks bread and bids us share, each proud division ends.
The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends,
and strangers now are friends.
5 Together met, together bound by all that God has done, we'll go with joy, to give the world,
the love that makes us one, the love that makes us one.
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer - Brian Hurd
Words of Institution - Rev. Chad Delaney
Music: “In the Moment Like This ” [by David Graham]
(The following lyrics are provided for silent contemplation)
In moments like these I sing out a song I sing out a love song to Jesus
In moments like these I lift up my hands I lift up my hands to the Lord
Singing I love You, Lord (3x) I love You
Prayer
Gracious God, as we turn to your Word for us, may your Spirit rest upon us. Help us to be steadfast in our hearing, in our speaking, in our believing, and in our living. Amen.
Scripture - Matthew 6:5-15
5 ‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 ‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 ‘Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,but rescue us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Sermon - "On Earth"
Last week we talked about what we would ask for, what we would hope for, what we dream about as God’s people. Often the first step to change and making a difference begins with thinking, dreaming, and praying big! As Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is the most powerful force in the universe.”
As Jesus teaches us to pray, he prays boldly for God’s Kingdom to Come! I hope you took some time this week to imagine what could be. What kind of life do you hope to lead? What kind of family life and friendships do you want to have? What dream would you have for our church and community? A prayer for God’s Kingdom Come means we hope things to be different.
AND…while visioning and dreaming and imagination are powerful, it is only the beginning… something more must become.
We all are enamored and inspired Dr. King’s Dream that his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” and as important as it is to have a dream and see a vision of how things could be different…it is not quite enough. It requires something of us for the dream to be realized. Policy Change. Hearts and Minds to change. Something more to make the dream a reality.
We see this week in the Gospel of Matthew he records a few short additions to the Lord’s prayer that don’t appear in Luke and add some leading guidance to put flesh to the imagination.
Jesus says, in Matthew, “10Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
It is no mistake that Matthew nests the story of Jesus teaching the Lord’s Prayer right smack in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount next to so many of Jesus’ important teachings. Here Jesus teaches the Beatitudes (blessed are the ….), being salt and light in the world, watching your anger, being faithful to your spouse, turning the other cheek, and loving your enemies. He teaches about where your treasure is, there your heart is, he warns of judging others and urges the practice of the Golden Rule. About knowing a tree by the fruit that it bears.
If any of the Disciples had an inclination to pull up a chair and WAIT for God’s Kingdom to Come…Jesus clarifies. For Jesus in each of the Gospels, God’s Kindom is not some ethereal, other-worldly event. The Home of Papa is not something in the distant past or in the distant future. Mama’s House of Love is not something to wait around for…
Jesus did not…
Wait around for the people to be fed…he fed the 5000
He didn’t wait for someone else to care for the sick…he visited them.
He didn’t have a neat idea about embracing the outcast…he welcomed the children and extended hospitality to strangers.
He didn’t just imagine a better world, he died loving one.
Whatever glorious wonders we might imagine in heaven. Whatever paradise we envision…Christ prays for and teaches us to start here and start now. Jesus says the Kingdom of God is among us. Around us, between us, within us. What we hope for and ask for and pray for…all that we dream to be…is possible because God has showed us what it means to live in God’s Kindom.
God had a dream for the world and as John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.”
So friends in Christ….what on earth could look a little bit more like heaven? What would be one step closer? What would change in our relationship with our neighbors? What would change about how we talk to our spouse or our children? What could be different about our places of work?
Trusting in God’s grace and forgiveness, can we strive--as individuals, as families, as a church--to be more of a mirror of heaven? In our engagement with our spouse and children? With our friends and family? With our co-workers? When we are online? With those who think differently than us? With our enemies? To reflect God’s light, love, and goodness on earth as it is heaven.
I leave you today with part of St. Francis of Assisi’s prayerful paraphrase of this part of the Lord’s Prayer…
Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven: so that we may love Thee with our whole heart by always thinking of Thee; with our whole mind by directing our whole intention towards Thee and seeking Thy glory in everything; and with all our strength by spending all our powers and affections of soul and body in the service of Thy Love alone. And may we love our neighbors as ourselves, encouraging them all to love Thee as best we can, rejoicing as the good fortune of others, just as it were our own, and sympathizing with their misfortunes, while giving offense to no one.
*Closing Hymn - Take My Life #609, v.1-2, 5-6
1 Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise, let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of thy love. Take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee, swift and beautiful for thee.
5 Take my will, and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne, it shall be thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure-store. Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee, ever, only, all for thee.
Benediction Rev. Chad Delaney
- Next week we will hear about our Mission Trip to Dayton. We are very excited to share with you.
- Also, we will do our Church Family Canoe Trip
God, send us into your world with your Holy Spirit.
Where there is division, may we bring restoration.
Where there is inequality may we bring justice.
Where there is pain may we lift up the broken hearted.
Where there is anger, may we bring peace.
So your love might spread on earth as it is in heaven.
Postlude - “The Mercy of God is an Ocean Divine” - Sarah Park