Prelude - I Want Jesus to Walk With Me [Gregg Sewell], Jan Green
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, everyone online, and everyone downstairs watching our live telecast. We are grateful for all the many ways you can join us for worship on this Lord’s Day.
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- COMMUNION Announcement
- Disclaimers and Ideas and Patience
- Personal communion
- OFFERING Announcement - So many are giving online
- Let’s prepare our hearts and minds for worship with our Opening Scripture Reading…
- COMMUNION Announcement
Opening Scripture - Psalm 27:1, 4-5
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
*Response - Come and Find the Quiet Center #575
Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,
find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where we are freed:
clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes, that we can see
all the things that really matter, be at peace, and simply be.
*Call to Worship - Steve Hurd
ONE: If God is a hen,
ALL: we are under God’s wing.
ONE: If God is a table,
ALL: we each have a seat.
ONE: If God is a house,
ALL: we are safe from the storm.
ONE: If God is a party,
ALL: we’re invited to dance.
ONE: If God is a melody,
ALL: our names are the lyrics.
ONE: If this is God’s house,
ALL: then all are welcomed. All are loved. All belong. Thanks be to God!
Opening Hymn - “O God our Help in Ages Past” #67 v. 1 & 2
1 O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home!
2 Under the shadow of thy throne still may we dwell secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.
Invitation to Generosity - Steve Hurd
Children’s Moment - Ally Bozeka
Pastoral Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
God of Light and Love,
You are our light and you surround each of us with a warm, familiar quilt. With layers of grace, stitched with each wonderful reason you love us and care for us…even if we can’t see it ourselves.
We confess that in this world we live in we can carry fear around with us. Fear we won’t be accepted. Fear of the harshness of consequences that may come with bad decisions. Fear that no one might know us or notice us. Fear of financial and social insecurity. Fear of violence and war. Fear of unrest. Of food and gas prices. So many ways are hearts can gravitate towards fear. Yet…you continue to beckon us closer to you.
With you, O Lord, whom shall we fear? For you are our strong foundation and the shelter over our heads. When the world is at its worst—
when grief clings to my bones,
when fear eats at my confidence,
when loneliness moves into my house—
We are thankful that you set the table, turns on the lights, and despite it all…invite us to dance.
So even in these tough days, when there is so much--almost too much to bear--help us to trust that we are not alone. That you are there beside us.
God in this hour we lift to you the joys and concerns of our hearts in silent prayer….
Communion
Meditation - Brian Hurd
Communion Hymn - Draw us in the Spirit’s Tether #392,v2
2 As disciples used to gather in the name of Christ to sup,
then with thanks to God the giver break the bread and bless the cup,
Alleluia! Alleluia, so now bind our friendship up.
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer - Brian Hurd
Words of Institution - Rev. Chad Delaney
Scripture - Luke 13:31-35
Prayer of Illumination
Holy God, this life of ours is full to the brim.
Our days are overflowing with emails and to-do lists, schedules and notifications, assignments and deadlines.
We wake up feeling behind, we go to sleep worrying about tomorrow, and we know—there has to be more than this. So we pray:
bend down and show us the way. Leave breadcrumbs in the street.
Point us toward awe and wonder. Guide us to intimacy and trust.
Gift us with laughter that will make us cry and hope that will make us feel alive.
We want a new kind of full to the brim. Show us the way.
We are listening for your cues. Gratefully we pray, amen.
LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ 32He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” 34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’
Sermon - Under God’s Wings
Our dog, Annie, is an escape artist. We have a fenced in backyard--there’s wood fence, wire fence, and chain-link fence…and PICK ONE and Annie will find a way over/through/under it. Resourceful little bugger. Everytime I think I have figured out how to keep her corralled she finds a way out.
Anyways, she usually doesn’t get too far, because she’s really skittish. She actually really likes to be at home and gets nervous around other people and animals. So last week she got out for about an hour and a half. I was walking around looking for her and a friendly neighbor across the street told me she saw our dog and tried to call her over and bring her home. But all Annie did was nervously bark at her and run away. I found her by hearing her bark at someone else that was trying to help. If she only knew that people just want to help her get home.
In the story today, Jesus is expressing frustration with the people of his own time. First…strangely enough it is his theological nemeses in the Gospels--the Pharisees--who actually come to warn him about Herod. Turns out that while Jesus and the Pharisees had some theological differences, as fellow Jews, Rome was no friend of theirs. On this they could agree. Jesus has sharp words for Herod saying that regardless of Herod’s ill-intentions he’s going to keep doing what God has called him to do. As it turns out the powers-that-be were not big fans of his work.
Secondly, he expresses frustration at God’s people. Jesus has set his face to Jerusalem knowing that the history is grim for God’s prophets there. The Prophets often speak the truth that no one wants to hear and many are discarded or even killed. By this point in the story, Jesus may know what awaits him there given the history of prophets and the Romans dislike of him.
Upon reading the passage we might be ready for one of those moments when Jesus would unleash a “Woe to you” or “Thus saith the Lord” to put the people on notice. A moment to flip over tables and express some righteous anger.
Instead it becomes a lament seemingly from the perspective of God.
34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
So the passage begs the question….why not?
Why might we keep escaping, avoiding, running?
- Fear of association
- Fear of unworthiness
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of judgment
- What if God knew about….?
- More comfortable finding our own way.
- Fear of hearing…where the heck have you been? Why do you always do this?
- Fear of perception of others
- Healthy or unhealthy skepticism
Family of God,
Honestly we each have our own reasons for escaping. We can imagine all sorts of things that may stop us from really believing in the Grace of God. That make us skittish, skeptical…wondering what our place is in the grand scheme.
In this season of Lent as we look through the Lens of Abundance…instead of finding all the reasons why God might not take us under the shadow of her wings might we instead focus on grace-----
Unafraid to come into God’s presence.
Unafraid to bear our lives trusting in God’s unconditional acceptance
Unafraid to ask our questions and tell our story…for God’s love is big enough for all of it
To see God as our Mother Hen, a refuge in the storm, ready to receive us and be our home.
God is saying….
“Here I am! Ready to receive you and love you and hold you…..come by here and I will give you shelter. If you only knew what love and grace and fullness of life await. If you only knew!
In this season may we trust that We are worthy. We are known. We are loved. May we embrace it and believe it.
The words of an old hymn called “Holy Wings” serves as a prayer in this time…
Thy holy wings, O Savior, spread gently over me, and let me rest securely
through good and ill in thee. O be my strength and portion, my rock and hiding place, and let my every moment be lived within thy grace. May it be so! Amen.
Closing Hymn - On Eagle’s Wings #77 v. 1 & 2
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
who abide in God’s shadow for life,
say to the Lord, "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"
[Refrain] And I will raise you up on eagles' wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of my hand.
2 The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
and famine will bring you no fear:
Under God’s wings your refuge, God’s faithfulness your shield.
[Refrain]
Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
Psalm 36:7-9 (NRSV)
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! May all people take refuge in the shadow of your wings. May we feast on the abundance of your house,
and drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” Bless us each, now and always, Amen.
Postlude - To Walk in God’s Way [Lani Smith], Jan Green