Prelude - “Jesus, We Enthrone You” [by Paul Kyle ] - Sarah Park
Welcome to Mantua Center Christian Church
-- a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms.
- We also want to offer a special welcome to Rev. Allen Harris who is here to bring the message this morning.
- Rev. Allen V. Harris was called to be the Regional Pastor and President of the Christian Church in Ohio, in April of 2021 after serving as the Regional Minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Capital Area from June 2015 to October 2020. As a Pastor, he has served as Senior Pastor of Franklin Circle Christian Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and Associate Pastor/Transitional Senior Pastor of the Park Avenue Christian Church of New York City.
- A special focus for Allen is leading congregations and individuals through Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation, Open & Affirming, and Accessible Congregational processes. He delights in and seeks to grow in transformational leadership for non-profit organizations as well as congregations and communities of faith, using social media for mission and advocacy, and in mentoring new clergy. We will be seeing more of him as we work through the Open & Affirming process.
- Allen was born and raised in Roswell, New Mexico to Sara Vernon Harris, a lifelong nurse, and Lt. Col. Wesley Dalton Harris, a career soldier in the U.S. Army. He received his B.S. in Religious Education at Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma and his M.Div., from Brite Divinity School, in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was ordained into ministry in 1991.
- Please join us in making him welcome this morning.
INVITATION FOR MISSION UPDATES:
Ministry Leaders and congregants are welcome to come forward to the mic, to give a mission update or share ways for people to get involved in missions and ministries.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- The 4C’s are in need of spare plastic bags or large paper bags for their mission. If you have any of these items to spare, please bring them to church and give them to Roger Hurd.
Scripture - Psalm 31:1-5 Kathleen Lewarchick
1 In you, O Lord, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
*Response - Weave #495
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 - Kathleen Lewarchick
One: We are here to worship a remarkable God
All: The love of God welcomes us,
The grace of Christ awaits us,
The joy of the Spirit enfolds us.
One: Come as the joyful, come as the eager, come as the thankful, come as the recipients of amazing grace.
All: The love of God overflows our hearts,
The grace of Christ liberates our spirits,
The joy of the Spirit sings in our minds.
One: Let us worship our God together.
*Opening Hymn - “Gather Us In” #284, v.1-3
1 Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day
Gather us in, the lost and forsaken
Gather us in, the blind and the lame
Call to us now and we shall awaken
We shall arise at the sound of our name
2 We are the young, our lives are a mystery
We are the old who yearn for your face
We have been sung throughout all of history
Called to be light to the whole human race
Gather us in, the rich and the haughty
Gather us in, the proud and the strong
Give us a heart so meek and so lowly
Give us the courage to enter the song
3 Here we receive new life in the waters
Here we will take the bread of new birth
Here you shall call your sons and your daughters
Call us anew to be salt for the earth
Give us to drink the wine of compassion
Give us to eat the bread that is you
Nourish us well and teach us to fashion
Lives that are holy and hearts that are true
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Kathleen Lewarchick
Offertory
Music: “Joys are Flowing Like a River” [Arr. by J. M. Kirk]
*Response - “Give Thanks” #528
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ his Son.
Give Thanks!
Offering Prayer - Kathleen Lewarchick
Children’s Moment - Pam Baynes
Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer - Rev. Allen Harris
Holy Communion
Meditation - Rev. Nancy Humes
Hymn - “Here at Thy Table, Lord” #384, v. 1-3
1 Here at thy table, Lord, this sacred hour,
O let us feel thee near, in loving power;
calling our thoughts away from self and sin.
As to thy banquet hall we enter in.
2 Sit at the feast, dear Lord, break thou the bread;
fill thou the cup that brings life to the dead;
that we may find in thee pardon and peace;
and from all bondage win a full release.
3 Come then, O holy Christ,feed us, we pray;
touch with thy pierced hand each common day;
making this earthly life full of Thy grace,
till in the home of heaven we find our place.
Prayer - Steve Hurd
Words of Institution - Steve Hurd
Music -“Pass me not, O Gentle Savior” [By W. H. Doane] Sarah Park
Special Music - “ Sarabande” - Charlotte Hooker
Movement Partita in A minor [by J. S. Bach]
Scripture - Exodus 5:4-11 & Mark 2:23-28 - Rev. Allen Harris
Exodus 5:4-11
4But the king of Egypt said to them, ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get to your labours!’ 5Pharaoh continued, ‘Now they are more numerous than the people of the land and yet you want them to stop working!’ 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, as well as their supervisors, 7‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8But you shall require of them the same quantity of bricks as they have made previously; do not diminish it, for they are lazy; that is why they cry, “Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.” 9Let heavier work be laid on them; then they will labour at it and pay no attention to deceptive words.’ 10So the taskmasters and the supervisors of the people went out and said to the people, ‘Thus says Pharaoh, “I will not give you straw. 11Go and get straw yourselves, wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.” ’ 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.
Mark 2:23-28
23One Sabbath he was going through the grain fields, and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he as his companions were hungry and in need of food, 26how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions?” 27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, 28so the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Sermon - “Upending Empire By Taking a Nap” - Rev. Allen Harris
*Closing Hymn - “Go My Children” #431, v. 1-3
1 Go, my children, with my blessing, never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; you are my own.
In my love's baptismal river I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing—you are my own.
2 Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, what I can cure.
Here you heard my dear Son's story;
here you touched him, saw his glory.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, at peace and pure.
3 Go, my children, fed and nourished, closer to me;
Grow in love and love by serving, joyful and free.
Here my Spirit's power filled you;
here his tender comfort stilled you.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, joyful and free.
Benediction - Rev. Allen Harris
Postlude - “Walking in Sunlight all of my Journey” [by G. H. Cook] - Sarah Park
[by G. H. Cook]