Church Family,
This week we will start a series on the Book of Job. If you remember the story, Job went through an awful lot of suffering and we get to watch how he responds. The story of Job explores why good people suffer, why there is suffering at all, and what God’s place is in it. We will not be able to cover every theme of Job over the next few weeks, but we will seek God’s wisdom through this ancient text. Let’s LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN for a word from God.
Today we will have music from Adam and some special music from Jon Secaur! We will also have a scripture reading from Julien Russo and the communion meditation and prayer from Ryann Kuchenbecker. You will be blessed hearing from these wonderful folks.
Sunday, June 14th, 2020
Mantua Center Christian Church
MCCC Home Worship
You will need:
A candle and match
Bible
Paper
Bread and Juice (if desiring communion)
Order of Worship
WELCOME PANEL on the Video
- Welcome to Worship
- Today you can gather
- A candle and match
- Bible
- Bread and Juice (if desiring communion)
GREETING & CALL to WORSHIP - CHAD
The Peace of the Risen Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit be with you. Welcome to worship this week with the Mantua Center Christian Church. Together...we are seeking to have Open Minds, Open Hearts, and Open Arms to live and love like Jesus.
We are starting today a short series on the Book of Job. Job’s story is found in the Hebrew Scriptures and has influenced people’s understanding of suffering, grief, and how we wrestle with God’s place in all of it. Job encountered a great deal of suffering and provides an example of how to be faithful through it. Just maybe not in the way we’ve always thought...
Family in Christ, gathering near and far, together but separate let’s set aside this time to grow and nurture our faith. To discover what it means to be faithful to the call of Jesus Christ in our lives. Let’s remember who we are and whose we are.
Let’s light a candle reminding us God with us here and will always remain.
Let’s worship the Lord...
OPENING SCRIPTURE - Romans 5:1-5 - Julien Russo
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
MOMENT with ALLY
HYMN - Be Still My Soul
PASTORAL PRAYER - Chad
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
God, you are the God who hears our cries. Hear us now as we cry out in repentance, in fear, in joy, and in sorrow.
We lift to you in these days those who grieve for lost loved ones, for lost community, for a lost sense of “normal.” Out of the depths, we cry to you.
We pray for those this day whose world has been turned upside down. Who are trapped in a reality they didn’t choose. Who are wondering when what they are facing will end. Out of the depths, we cry to you, O Lord.
Whether we are grieving the pandemic or rampant racism in our country. Whether grieving lost jobs or lost opportunities...Out of the depths, we cry to you.
God of Hope and Redemption, we wait for you. We wait for your dynamic and moving presence to breathe life in our lives and hurts. We wait for you to give hope and consolation to the weariness in our bones and in our souls. We wait for your love, which has great power to redeem, great power to enliven and embolden us to live in the ways you have called us. Out of the depths, we cry to you.
As we cry out, Lord, we pray too that you might move our feet. That we might reach out in care and compassion. Seek justice for those who are hurting. Do our part to be salt and light, your shining lights in a world of pain and sorrow. Meet us in the depths and call us forth to your redeeming presence.
In this hour, each of us have pain and grief, joys and gratitude we carry with us. We give them to you now in silent prayer…..
And now unite us as a family in the prayer Jesus taught us saying...
SCRIPTURE
Job 1:13-22
SERMON - Chad Delaney
SPECIAL MUSIC -- Shelter Me by Fr. Michael Joncas sung by Jon Secaur
COMMUNION
Meditation and Prayer
Words of Institution - Sarah Smith
BENEDICTION - Sarah Smith
Thank you so much for your time worshipping with us this morning. In this hectic era that we find ourselves living in, it is a blessing to get to indulge in this moment of community with you. Speaking of community engagement, keep an eye on your emails over this next few weeks to see how you can connect both online and in super small in person groups if you so choose. We thank you for your patience as we discern the best ways to go about this. If you are not on our email list and would like to see how you can connect and support Mantua Center, I invite you to check out our website which I will put in the description below. Don’t forget to leave a comment or like on this video if we did something that really moved you! We love to hear from you. If you want to hear more from us, feel free to subscribe to this channel as we will be putting out services every Sunday from now into the future.
To close us out, hear these words from Enfleshed: Liturgy that Matters, April 19, 2020 -
“Beloveds, God sends us as witnesses.
The presence of Christ rises again wherever healing is sought.
This is a hope that does not minimize pain, but honors it.
This hope does not erase the past, but knows it transforms our collective future.
This hope does not cower under that which wounds, but builds community to rise before it.
In the company of the Spirit, let us go and live what we believe.”
BENEDICTION SONG