This is the Day that the Lord has Made! Let us Rejoice!
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church
- We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms, building community in a fragmented world.
- We want to welcome everyone who is in the house today and everyone online. We are grateful for all the many ways you can join us for worship on this Lord’s Day.
- In worship today…we will continue our work with the Fruits of the Spirit. The Fruits of the Spirit are “Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control…” Today is GOODNESS as we think together about what it takes to feel God’s Goodness and express it in the world.
Today is another unique new beginning in the life of our church. This church has been around for over 190 years and has not seen what we’ve seen. We have worshipped on YouTube, Derthick’s Farm, At the Windows, On the Lawn...it has been in an adventure. As we gather in the house we recognize that this is a special day, but also another day of learning to live and love and be community in the Name of Jesus Christ. As we gather together I want to offer a prayer of blessing that I adapted from a beautiful prayer by the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell from her wonderful book Prayers from Chautauqua.
God of our yesterdays, today, and all our tomorrows, like those who came before us we dare to ask you, bless this very special people we call the Mantua Center Christian Church. With humility we acknowledge that we hold in our hands something precious--a spirit-filled center that creates a place in our hearts that lasts for generations. On this day of new beginnings we pray for the energy, the courage, and the passion needed to build for generations yet to be born a church that will continue to inspire and transform those who journey here. We pray for all who gather here in physical and virtual space...and for those who are no longer with us. We pray for memories that live beyond life as we remember them. May this church, which all those who have gone before us entrusted to our keeping grow and prosper in our time and by our hands.
God of Surprises, thank you for the surprise of Mantua Center. Only you could have planned a place so full of love and wonder and kindness. One which inspires the young and middle-aged and the advanced in years alike. One which energizes us with acts of servanthood and generosity and faithfulness. One which moves us to live and love in the likeness of Jesus Christ in all kinds of different ways no matter where we find ourselves. We are grateful for all who have tended this gracious gift and pray for the wisdom and insight to surprise generations yet to come with this spiritual home that has blessed our lives.
Finally, O God of Goodness, we await the future you envision for your church. We pray that with the choices we make, the decisions we and those who lead us set forward, we will reflect your love as we reach toward your future of unity and justice and peace for all your people in the world. And for your steadfast love for each of us, even as we disappoint and delight, we receive your gift of grace and always trust in you; Bless us each one as your church now and always. Amen.
*Opening Scripture: Psalm 23 - Chad
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil; for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.
Let’s sing together Weave
*Response - Weave
*Call to Worship - Chad
ONE: Maker of the fields, forests, and streams…
ALL: Your generous goodness comes to us new everyday.
ONE: By the movement of your Spirit over our waters, at our tables, and
among our gatherings...
ALL: Help us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks
for your gifts,
ONE: Inspire us to extend our table to the stranger, and care for the land
and water we share on this good earth,
ALL: through Jesus Christ, the fruitful vine, our living water,
and our bread of life. Amen.
~ written by Ben Steward
*Offering of Praise
As we gather together we are mindful of the many gifts given for the support of ministry here at the Mantua Center Christian Church. I want to offer my own personal gratitude for the gifts of time, talent, and treasure that have sustained us through this season of life that none of us saw coming. Our gifts are an expression of gratitude to God for all God has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives, in our church, and in our community. Whether you’ve made an offering online or in-person, we ask God to bless all the gifts that have been given.
Let us pray...God, we thank you for the gifts cheerfully given today. Continue to guide us by your light, love, and Holy Spirit so that we might serve one another and your world in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
Please remain standing as we sing together, “Blessed Assurance.”
*Opening Hymn Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
[Refrain:]
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
Children’s Moment Ally Bozeka
Pastoral Prayer Chad Delaney
Good Shepherd, we come before you in prayer, ready for your holy spirit to give us rest, reassurance, and inspiration. As we walk with you, Lord, we lift to you all our joys and concerns, our struggles and temptations, our hopes and dreams. We are seeking to hear YOUR voice over all others in our lives. Help us to see what you see, hear what you hear, so that we might live and love like you.
On this day, we ask that your rod and staff would comfort us as we trust in you through change, difference, and uncertainty. More than anything though, we long for your Spirit to help us continue to grow and flourish as your people. No matter what place or mode we find ourselves in to embrace and follow the call you have placed on our lives as individuals and as a church. Give us joy and faithfulness for the journey.
Hear our prayers, Lord, for all those whose lives have touched us--who serve and love and give in your name. Hear our prayers—for those who are in pain, those who are ill, those who grieve. Hear our prayers for those who are anxious, stressed, and strung out. Through your great GOODNESS and the power of your Holy Spirit lead all of us beside the still waters...guide us, bless us, uplift us, and hold us...so we might offer ourselves in service to your world.
In this time of silence...we lift our prayers of petition and gratitude to you…
Communion
Meditation (live) - Drema Herron
Communion Hymn Just as I am
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bid'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer (live) - Drema Herron
Words of Institution (live) - Chad Delaney
Distribution
Scripture Reading Romans 12:9-21
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. 11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ 20No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Sermon Goodness from Inside Out Chad Delaney
God is so Good. God is so Good. God is so Good, God’s so good to me.
God is Good...all the Time. And ALL the Time, God is Good.
The 6th Fruit of the Spirit is GOODNESS. Where the Spirit is, there will be Goodness around you and within you. It could be seen as a bit of an odd selection for us in the English language. The word “good” can be such a throwaway word.
Fill the end of a story with “ya know and all that good stuff.”
“How was your day, honey” Good.
Or it can even be used as an evaluative word for our animals or even children. “Be Good Boy” “That’s a GOOD girl.” Good just doesn’t carry a punch.
Yet in our passage today and in the Fruits of the Spirit passage, we find the same word for Good and Goodness that means so much more.
The Greek word for “Goodness” is another feminine word (actually all the Fruits of the Spirit are feminine words)...the word for Good and Goodness is “agathosune” (ag-ath-o-soo'-nay). Now this word isn’t used to characterize an average decency that will be adequate for now. It isn’t a judgmental word either...be “good” or else! Instead, the word agathosune is used to indicate an intrinsic goodness. The GOODNESS of God already intertwined into who we are. It manifests as deep kindness and spiritual hospitality. A gift of the Holy Spirit we may only need to embrace and let shine forth.
The Apostle Paul uses this same “good” as bookends for this powerful passage in Romans painting a picture of what Goodness in the world might look like. He tells us to “hold fast to what is GOOD” and finally to “overcome evil with good.” In between he gives examples of what that looks like. Being ardent in spirit, serving God, persevering in prayer, contributing to the saints, living peaceably with each other, weeping with those who weep, loving our enemies. We have the capacity for this goodness! They are within us! Fruits of the Holy Spirit! Can we let them shine forth?
See the GOODNESS in the story of a woman whose brother was a P-47 fighter pilot in World War 2. He was shot down over Germany in 1945 and it wasn’t until 4 years later that his grave was finally found as fortunately someone had buried him with his ID tags. She took her brother and had him buried in American Military Cemetery in Liege, Belgium with his other comrades in arms. It was the right place for him, but made it so she was unable to visit him frequently. On the 50th anniversary of his death she went to visit and a woman approached her. This woman held her face in her hands, and thanked her for her brother’s service. She then said that she and a group of other local women come once a month to remember and pray at random graves of the fallen. She offered to adopt her brother and come and pray for him on her behalf.
Hear the GOODNESS in the story of a young girl, only 6 years old who’s family couldn’t afford to buy yarn, so she would crochet the string used to wrap postal packages delivered to her home. 87 years later she was still crocheting afghans and wheelchair lap blankets for hospice patients. She said, “When you’re in those wheelchairs your legs can get really cold. I know, I’ve been in the hospital a few times myself, so this is something I can do to help.”
I felt GOODNESS last week while on vacation. We were heading back to the house from the beach and went by a group of kids at a lemonade stand. We waived and honked but kept right on going. We were hot, tired, sandy, and ready to be home. But there was a pause in the car and somebody said, “Should we go back around?” So we did. We went back around the block and pulled up to a group of very excited kids. Their smiles beamed, they were thrilled to serve, their eyes about popped out of their heads when they got the extra tip from my dad. The lemonade was pretty good...but the experience was just pure Goodness for all of us.
In big and small ways, where have you seen, heard, felt, experienced that Goodness?
God’s GREAT Goodness is inside all of us, a gift from the Holy Spirit just waiting to be released. In a world that seems awfully dim sometimes, opportunities will arise to spread a little goodness--will we be ready? There will be so many reasons that might tempt us to move on...What difference will it make? Does my contribution really matter? Will anyone even notice? We may even want to outsource goodness to other people. Some people are just “good” and so we’ll let the good people take care of all the do-gooding in the world.” But hey...as always, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are ordinary people seeking to follow Jesus Christ, yet extraordinary when God’s Goodness emerges through us as we live and love like Jesus. That holy goodness inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit can intertwine itself into what our communities and relationships will look like, sound like, and feel like.
Come what may in our lives, our church, our world....May we indeed “hold fast to what is good”. May we “overcome evil with good”. May we embrace and live the Gift of God’s Goodness---express it, share it, and feel it within us and this community...now and always.
God is so Good. God is so Good. God is so Good, God’s so good to me.
God is Good...all the Time. And ALL the Time, God is Good.
Let’s be that Goodness we want to see in the world. May it be so...
Amen.
Closing Hymn Wonderful Words of Life
Sing them over again to me,
wonderful words of life;
let me more of their beauty see,
wonderful words of life.
Words of life and beauty,
teach me faith and duty:
[Refrain:]
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
*Benediction Chad Delaney
- Blessing to be with all in the house, on the lawn, and online
- Gratitude
- Chi-Rho Camp - Sarah and I (heading out right after worship)
- No formal Sunday School gathering today, but folks are welcome to fellowship out on the lawn
- Have a wonderful and Happy 4th of July!
Go now and follow the Good Shepherd--our Lord Jesus Christ!
Rejoice in hope, hold fast to what is good,
persevere in prayer, overcome evil with good.
As far as is possible for you, live peaceably with all.
And may God’s GREAT Goodness shine forth through you!
May Christ transform you and inspire you;
And may the Holy Spirit be with you now and Always! Amen!
Amen.
Departing Music Higher Ground by Lani Smith (tune by Charles H. Gabriel)
Jan Green