World Communion Sunday
Good morning and welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church! Welcome to our online community and we hope you will be blessed in the service this morning. Today is World Communion Sunday and we will be celebrating the Eucharist with our family in Christ all over the world. If you are so inclined, be sure to get some bread and juice (whatever will work) so that you too can take communion with us and with people all over the globe. We are so glad you are here and we hope you will find rest, challenge, and peace in the service today. Welcome to worship!
Prelude - “Come Into My Heart, Blessed Jesus” [by H. D. Clarke] - Sarah Park
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church
We are a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms. Greet with your neighbors…
Thank you for joining us here in the house and online. Welcome to everyone!
- ANNOUNCEMENTS
- This is World Communion Sunday
- THANK YOU to Nancy Humes for the beautiful banners
- All Saints Day call for pictures
- Choir meeting Sunday, Oct 20
Scripture Reading - Acts 2:42-47
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
42 Ils persévéraient dans l'enseignement des apôtres, dans la communion fraternelle, dans la fraction du pain, et dans les prières.
43 La crainte s'emparait de chacun, et il se faisait beaucoup de prodiges et de miracles par les apôtres.
44 Tous ceux qui croyaient étaient dans le même lieu, et ils avaient tout en commun.
45 Ils vendaient leurs propriétés et leurs biens, et ils en partageaient le produit entre tous, selon les besoins de chacun.
46 Ils étaient chaque jour tous ensemble assidus au temple, ils rompaient le pain dans les maisons, et prenaient leur nourriture avec joie et simplicité de coeur,
47 louant Dieu, et trouvant grâce auprès de tout le peuple. Et le Seigneur ajoutait chaque jour à l'Église ceux qui étaient sauvés.
- Sarah (Korean)
- Frederic (French)
- Christina (Spanish)
*Welcoming Song - “Come and Find the Quiet Center” #575, v. 1
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 - Nancy Humes
ONE: We gather today as the people of God, as a community of Christ’s followers.
ALL: We gather to share God’s Word, to discern the ways of faithful service.
ONE: Where in the world shall we serve our God?
ALL: At home and school and business place – in this community and throughout every land.
ONE: How in the world shall we serve our God?
ALL: By working toward justice where there is oppression, by offering comfort where there is pain, by sharing love where there is hatred.
ONE: Why in the world shall we serve our God?
ALL: Because the Spirit beckons us, because Jesus calls us to enact our faith, because the world needs us! Let us worship the Lord!
~ written by Ana and Tod Gobledale, Global Ministries Associates
*Opening Hymn - In Christ There is No East or West #687, vs. 1-3
1 In Christ there is no east or west,
in him no south or north,
but one community of love
throughout the whole wide earth.
2 In Christ shall true hearts ev'rywhere
their high communion find;
his service is the golden cord,
close binding humankind.
3 Join hands, disciples of the faith,
whate'er your race may be;
all children of the living God
are surely kin to me.
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Nancy Humes
“Let us Tongues and Talents Employ" #422, vs. 1, 3 (Music for Nancy’s Invitation #422)
1 Let us talents and tongues employ,
reaching out with a shout of joy;
bread is broken, the wine is poured,
Christ is spoken and seen and heard.
[Refrain:]
Jesus lives again,
earth can breathe again,
pass the Word around:
loaves abound!
3 Jesus calls us in, sends us out
bearing fruit in a world of doubt,
gives us love to tell, bread to share.
God (Immanuel) everywhere! [Refrain]
Offertory
Music: “Come As You Are” [by David Crowder] - The Linds
*Response #47 - “Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flow”
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 - Nancy Humes
Children’s Moment - Rev. Chad Delaney
- Global Prayers
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer - Rev. Chad Delaney
Gracious and Loving God,
We gather at Your Table with people all over the world we are united in our diversity, yet bound together by the love of Christ. As we break bread and share the cup, we lift our prayers for the nations of the world. We pray for peace and healing in war-torn regions and for unity among Christians across the globe.
We lift up the people of Ukraine and Russia, asking for peace and reconciliation where there has been conflict. For the people of Israel and Palestine, we ask for Your healing touch to bring lasting peace. For Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, we pray for an end to violence and suffering, that Your justice would roll down like a mighty river and ever-flowing stream.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in South Korea and China and Taiwan. We pray for Your church in the Philippines, Japan, and Australia, praying that they may be bold witnesses to the great story of your love.
We remember the churches in South America—in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Chile—where Christians face challenges of poverty and oppression. Strengthen their faith as they proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We lift up the people of Haiti, Cuba, and Puerto Rico, that they may find strength in You amidst natural disasters and hardships.
In Europe, we pray for the churches in Germany, France, and Italy, as they seek to be voices of love and peace in a secular world. For those in the United States and Canada, we pray for wisdom and courage to pursue justice, equity, and unity in Christ.
Lord, we ask that Your Holy Spirit move among all Christians—whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, or the islands of the seas—so that we may live as one body, with one mission: to share Your love with the world. May this Table remind us that we are all part of Your global family, and that Your grace is sufficient for every nation, every culture, and every need.
Here in our community we face our own challenges and struggles. We pray for our neighbors and friends and lift up our own joys and concerns to you now in silent prayer…
Now unite us together in your Spirit as we pray the prayer…
Scripture - 1 Corinthians 10:12-17
12So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Sermon - “Beyond Your Strength” - Rev. Chad Delaney
Today, as we celebrate World Communion Sunday, we’re reminded of the beautiful diversity of the Body of Christ, and how we all share in this sacred meal—whether we’re gathered in small country churches, city cathedrals, or hidden mountain villages.
I want to tell you about a small mountain village called Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, “Righteous Among the Nations.” You see, the people of this village are known for something truly extraordinary. Flashback to the 1500s—France was in religious turmoil. The Protestant Reformation had sparked a bit of a revolution, and things got… messy. The Huguenots, the Protestant community in France, found themselves fleeing persecution. They were the “rebels” in a way, holding fast to their beliefs even when the world turned against them. Some settled in this quiet mountain village, Le Chambon. And over the centuries, these people learned the value of shelter, the power of compassion, and the strength of community.
Fast forward to World War II, and history repeats itself in the most astonishing way. Jews fleeing Nazi persecution found themselves knocking on the doors of this same village—people who themselves had once been refugees. The villagers didn’t hesitate. Led by Pastor André Trocmé and his wife Magda, they sheltered and protected around 5,000 Jewish refugees, many of them children. They provided food, safety, and, most importantly, hope. They didn’t just survive; they thrived, remembering the deep truth of their identity in Christ—love your neighbor, no matter who they are.
So these people weren’t superheroes. They were ordinary people and they could have been tempted to go a different way. To be more afraid and protective of themselves. They knew in their hearts what it meant to be loved by God and to love others fiercely in return. And it wasn’t just the Huguenots who helped. There were Quakers, Catholic clergy, and many other groups involved. It was a community effort—together, they created a place of refuge in a desperate and dark time.
For the Christian there is always a temptation to forget who we really are and what we are called to do.
Our scripture today comes from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. Yes, he had to write multiple letters because these folks were really struggling. They had their issues much as the whole Body of Christ does today. In this letter, Paul addresses a lot of temptations the people were facing.
- They were tempted to follow particular leaders within the church and divide into factions.
- They were tempted to go against their morals and the teaching of Jesus
- They were tempted to use their spiritual gifts as leverage to gain power and criticize others.
- They were tempted to follow the idols of their culture and time, bowing to the powers that be.
- They were tempted to keep the Lord’s supper to themselves and not share it with those in need.
Some of these temptations will sound familiar EVEN for us today.
We can be tempted to divide in camps and forget we belong to each other. We can be tempted to ignore the plight of the suffering and vulnerable around us. There is always a temptation to miss a chance to share a little light in the midst of darkness. There is always a temptation to think we can handle all of life’s challenges on our own.
And there is something we can forget.
Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, talks about what it means to be in Christian community. Paul knew these struggles well, and in 1 Corinthians 10:13, he offers a reminder: “God will not let you be tested beyond your strength.” And for a long time I thought this passage just wasn’t true. I’ve seen lots of people being tested beyond their strength! Lots who have been broken by their circumstances. Who have been utterly discouraged because of life, because of temptation, because of all sorts of things.
But here’s the twist—the “your” isn’t singular in the Greek. It’s plural. It should say “God will not let you be tested beyond Y’ALL’s strength.”
Let that sink in. Paul isn’t telling each individual person, “You’ve got this on your own.” He’s saying, “Together, as the Body of Christ, we’ve got this.” It’s not about individual strength; it’s about the strength of the community God has given us. You may come across something that is too hard for you to handle on your own, but here hidden in translation is the reminder that WE will not be tested beyond the strength of what our entire community can handle, our church, our brothers and sisters in Christ together. God created us to be there for each other.
Le Chambon didn’t face the Nazis alone. They relied on each other, and together, they withstood the storm. Just like the people Paul was writing to, they had temptations too—temptations to give in, to protect themselves, to look the other way. But they didn’t. They remembered who they were, and they stood together.
On this World Communion Sunday, we’re reminded of the same truth. We are part of something bigger. We belong to each other. Around the world, Christians are gathering at tables just like this one—some in safety, some in danger. And together, we lift the bread and the cup as one Body, for we all partake of the one bread. We are reminded that, with God and with one another, there is nothing we cannot face.
So as we come to the Table today, let’s remember the strength of community—the strength that can change the world, just as it did in that little mountain village. Let’s be the kind of community that shares its bread, that loves its neighbor, and that stands together in the face of every challenge. For we are the Body of Christ, and in that, there is joy, hope, and endless strength.
And the Table Will Be Wide by Jan Richardson
A Blessing for World Communion Sunday
And the table will be wide.
And the welcome will be wide.
And the arms will open wide to gather us in.
And our hearts will open wide to receive.
And we will come as children who trust there is enough.
And we will come unhindered and free.
And our aching will be met with bread.
And our sorrow will be met with wine.
And we will open our hands to the feast without shame.
And we will turn toward each other without fear.
And we will give up our appetite for despair.
And we will taste and know of delight.
And we will become bread for a hungering world.
And we will become drink for those who thirst.
And the blessed will become the blessing.
And everywhere will be the feast.
Communion
Meditation - Sally Hoffman
Communion Hymn - All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly #419, vs.1, 3
1 All who hunger gather gladly; Holy manna is our bread.
Come from wilderness and wand’ring. Here in truth we will be fed.
You that yearn for days of fullness, all around us is our food.
Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good.
3 All who hunger, sing together; Jesus Christ is living bread.
Come from loneliness and longing. Here, in peace, we have been led.
Blest are those who from this table live their days in gratitude.
Taste and see the grace eternal. Taste and see that God is good.
Prayer - Cathy Hakala-Ausperk
Words of Institution - Cathy Hakala-Ausperk
Music: - “Alas! And Did My Saviour Bleed?” [by R. E. Hudson] - Sarah Park
*Closing Hymn - “Let there be Peace on Earth” #677
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me;
let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God our creator, children all are we.
Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now.
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow:
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
*Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
- United in Christ, we are called to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.
- Blessed with music with the Linds
- Thank you to our scripture readers
- Sunday Chats
- Wednesday studies
- The Sanctuary will be open for prayer between 6-7pm…
Catholic theologian Dorothy Day once wrote:
“People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There is too much work to do.”
As part of the Universal, One Body of Christ let’s live and love and work together in the name and likeness of Jesus. May it be so.
Let us sing…
*Benediction Response - “Go in Peace” #445
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you this day.
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you always.
Celebrate and share the joy! Celebrate New life!
Go in peace and the peace of God be with you always.
Postlude - “Come to the Saviour, Make No Delay” [by G. F. Root] - Sarah Park