God is my Fortress
Welcome to the Mantua Center Christian Church! We are so glad you joined us this morning for worship. We are a part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and value unity, inclusion, and justice in our ministries. No matter who you are or where you are, you are welcome here and we hope you feel God’s Spirit with you in this time. We hope today’s service will help you reflect on the source of your being and where your strength comes from. How do we stay connected and in relationship with God in times of struggle? It is different for everyone, but we pray that you can find the way that works for you. Thank you for being here and welcome to worship!
Introit “Come, thou fount of every blessing” Sarah Park
Welcome to Mantua Center Christian Church -- a community seeking to have open minds, open hearts, and open arms.
Whether online or in the house this morning, we want to welcome you….
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
Scripture - Matthew 7:24-27 - Rev. Nancy Humes
24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
*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 - Rev. Nancy Humes
One: Come, let us praise the God who is our refuge.
All: Our fortress and our sanctuary.
One: Let us trust in God’s unchanging love,
All: A very present help in a time of struggle
One: As we lift our voices and hearts in worship,
All: We celebrate the Lord, our Rock and our Salvation
*Opening Hymn - I Need Thee Every Hour #578
1 I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
no tender voice like thine can peace afford.
[Refrain:]
I need thee, oh, I need thee; every hour I need thee;
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.
2 I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;
temptations lose their power when thou art nigh. [Refrain]
3 I need thee every hour in joy or pain;
come quickly, and abide or life is vain. [Refrain]
4 I need thee every hour, teach me thy will,
and thy rich promises in me fulfill. [Refrain]
Invitation to Generosity
Invitation - Rev. Nancy Humes
Offertory - “Take the name of Jesus with you” [by W.H.Doane]
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 - Rev. Nancy Humes
Children’s Moment
- Recharging batteries
- If you are feeling weak… what do you do? What might you need?
Special Music
O Rest in the Lord [by Felix Mendelssohn] - Jan Green, organ
Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer
Prayers for: Len Malotte, Eileen Kinter, Liz Meeker with surgeries coming up. What others do we need to lift in prayer this morning?
Lord, listen to your children praying…. Lord, send your spirit in this place
Lord, listen to your children praying, Send us love, send us pow’r, send us grace.
God our Rock and Foundation…We praise you for your mercy and grace that accompany us in our lives. You are the source of our hope, salvation, and refuge. We come to you today in this time of prayer, pouring out our hearts, sharing the deepness within us, and to be assured of your abiding presence.
Lord, there are times when we are led astray down roads we don’t really want to go. We sometimes heed the voices of those urging us to trust in wealth, to seek convenience and comfort above all else, to believe hate will accomplish something of value. Rekindle our trust in You and guide us to use these moments of prayer and reflection to grow closer to you, to remember your gifts of grace, and to align our lives with your will and not our own.
We pray for our world today.
Those wondering about the storms off-shore and their impact
Families thinking about where money is going to come from for eating and heating
Our divisive politics where leaders have their own agenda, keep our hearts focused on goodness for all people and to find our commonalities.
For those suffering the flooding in Libya where thousands have died and gone missing. Be with those on the ground and our gifts to the Week of Compassion which will no doubt go there.
We lift up the LGBTQ youth in our community and world who brace themselves every day for abuse from their families, their school mates, their churches. Give them strength and help them to know they are not alone.
Be with our first responders, police, fire, every day as they encounter things we can’t even imagine. Come near them and give them strength.
O God, our Rock and our Redeemer, you are our stronghold against the forces within human life that confront us each day; and which try to shake our faith and resolve; so we look to you in confidence and trust. We pour out our hearts to you O God, trusting you are our Rock, our Redeemer and our Refuge.
We give our trials, our triumphs, are wants, our cares, our hopes to you and ask now that you would hear us pray the prayer Jesus taught us to pray saying….
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Holy Communion
Meditation - Brian Hurd
Hymn - Bread of the World, in Mercy Broken #387
1 Bread of the world in mercy broken, wine of the soul in mercy shed,
by whom the words of life were spoken, and in whose death our sins are dead:
2 Look on the heart by sorrow broken, look on the tears by sinners shed;
and be thy feast to us the token that by thy grace our souls are fed.
Prayer - Katie Baird
Words of Institution - Katie Baird
Music - “Are you washed in the blood?” [By E.A.Hoffman]Sarah Park
Scripture - Psalm 62:1-8
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence: from God comes my salvation. 2 God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 3 How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse 5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from God. 6 God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Sermon - "Source of Being" - Rev. Chad Delaney
In the midst of life's unexpected twists and turns, there are stories that resonate deeply, teaching us enduring lessons about resilience, faith, and understanding the source of our being.
Early in my ministry, I encountered a woman whose identity had been shattered in a heartbreaking way. She had been a magnificent singer, gracing choirs throughout her lifetime, and often took the center stage as the primary soloist. Her voice had filled great venues and blessed church sanctuaries. But her life took an unexpected turn. As she aged, her voice began to change, faltering when she sang, and this transformation crushed her. It led to a breakdown and a deep depression. She confided in me that she believed her worth and value lay solely in her voice, and now it was slipping away. It made me reflect: How do we stay grounded in the face of such adversity? For it will come to each of us in a different way.
Psalm 62 has a profound reminder for us in this. Psalm 62:6 is a verse I’ve kept by my side since my youth. In trying to make God and faith the center of my life as I grew in faith, I realized that numerous competing interests vied for that top spot. The world offered temptations to feed my ego and find identity in things, ideas of success, my job, and my talents. Meanwhile, I confronted challenges and questions that tested my faith. In a world marked by constant change, I wanted permanence. "God alone is my rock and my salvation; God is my fortress I will never be shaken" became my mantra, a reminder, and a prayer. It reminded me of where the essence of my being truly was found.
As time passed, I lost touch with the woman whose identity was tied to her voice. I hope and pray that she discovered a new beginning, finding her identity and grounding in something enduring and whole. Yet, her struggle is one we can all relate to in our own ways. We navigate this world, confronting its changes and hardships, facing extraordinary challenges that threaten our very core, and our desire is not merely to survive but to thrive despite it all.
This summer, I found wisdom for this in two particular trees.
The first is the Grizzly Giant, an awesome presence in Yosemite National Park's Mariposa Grove. At around 2995 years old, it stands as a testament to endurance. Giant Sequoias like the Grizzly Giant are nature's fortresses, equipped with a two-foot-thick, tannin-rich bark that renders them nearly impregnable. Flame-resistant, repellent to bugs and fungi. Yet, there is a part of their success that I didn’t realize was hidden in all the fallen branches around them. Massive branches, as thick as 6 feet and as long as 100 feet fall beneath. I thought this was a sign of decay, but it turns out
Giant Sequoias have no problem losing the excess baggage, for it doesn't serve their longevity and vitality to cling to branches that have grown too thick. They willingly shed these branches, preserving strength and not building a sail to be blown down in the wind. This act of self-sacrifice ensures their vitality, turning the shedding of branches into a symbol of life rather than death.
So we might wonder: What branches of our own lives need pruning? What do we need to let go of, freeing up precious time, resources, and energy in our mission to draw closer to God? Spread too thin or weighed down by extra baggage…are we really drinking deeply from the source of our being?
The second tree was found among the Redwoods of the Avenue of the Giants. Many of the trees have the marks of nature's challenges etched on them. Burls, where they had battled disease and infestation. Blackened scars from fires that had scorched their sides.
Among these trees, the Chimney Tree stood out. From the outside, it looks like a shorter Redwood, still vibrant and full of life. Lush, green crown and an impressive trunk measuring over 50 feet in circumference. However, stepping inside, we were surprised—a 12-foot diameter room shaped like a circle, all enclosed by the charred remains of the tree's interior. Most of the heartwood had been incinerated all the way up leaving a chimney skylight. It was hard to believe this was the same tree we had seen from the outside. How could it still thrive?
No matter how much heartwood is taken from it or branches fall away, this tree never lost connection to its roots. Yes, the tree has changed dramatically over time, its height reduced, and its form transformed by its history. Nevertheless, it endures and flourishes because it maintains its connection to its roots.
What practices do we do that connect us to the source of our being? To the well that never runs dry. What works for you? Is it prayer or meditation. Reading scripture. Coming to worship. Taking a walk. Reading. Spending time with family. What is it for you?
In a world where we won't live for thousands of years like these ancient trees, we will face our own set of storms, lightning strikes, droughts, diseases, and infestations. There will be elements in our lives and in the world that seek to weigh us down, sapping our time, energy, and resources, diverting us from our sacred mission to commune with God and love our neighbor. There will be times when our identities and self-worth are challenged by fires that burn, change, transform, and even renew.
In these moments, we must remember the source of our being.
6 God alone is our rock and our salvation, our fortress; we shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests our deliverance and our honor; our mighty rock, our refuge is in God. 8 Trust in God at all times, O people; pour out your heart before the Lord; God is a refuge for us.
For as we are nurtured and nourished by the Lord, we can serve one another with enthusiasm and grace. We can become channels of God's love, giving generously to our neighbors and going the extra mile for those we love. There will be evidence in our walk and in our talk of who we are and whose we are -- Disciples of Christ, followers of the way, building our house on the Rock that is Christ and seeking to live as he calls us to.
As we leave this place, may we carry these lessons with us, knowing that the foundation of our being, the source of life, our Rock and Fortress are ever-present, guiding us through the storms and challenges of life. May we never be shaken from pouring our hearts out to God, being firmly rooted in our faith and thriving in our mission. May it be so.
*Closing Hymn - My Life Flows On #619
1 My life flows on in endless song; above earth’s lamentation,
I hear the clear, though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
[Refrain:]
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I'm clinging.
Since love is Lord of heav'n and earth, how can I keep from singing?
2 Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul. How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
3 What though my joys and comforts die? I know my Savior liveth.
What though the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth. [Refrain]
4 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singing? [Refrain]
Benediction - Rev. Chad Delaney
Thank you for joining us online and in the house.
Please join us for our Sunday gatherings led by Jon Secaur, Carol Buzbee, and Nancy Humes. It's a great way to get to know folks and grow deeper in your faith.
May the Rock of our Salvation be our foundation, unshaken by the storms of doubt or fear.
May the refuge of our Fortress be our sanctuary, a place of solace in times of trouble.
May the connection we have with God remain unbroken, a lifeline that sustains us through every trial and triumph.
As we go forth into the world, may we walk in confidence keeping our hearts open, our minds attuned, and our spirits aligned with God’s Love.
So that we may we be a beacon of light, sharing God’s mercy and grace with all whom we encounter.
Postlude - “There is sunshine in my soul today” Sarah Park