The Celebration of the Gospel
September 30, 2018 — 19th Sunday after Pentecost
______We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Variations on “ST ANNE” Wm. Croft, arr: Stephen Aber
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
A THOUGHT
Simply punishing the broken–walking away from them or hiding them from sight–only ensures that they remain broken and we do, too. There is no wholeness outside of our reciprocal humanity. – Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God of Life,
All: you are as near to us as our breath.
Touch our eyes,
that we may see you in one another.
Open our ears,
that we may hear your voice in the cries of the oppressed.
Enter our hearts
that we may be filled with your love toward all people.
Come, O God of life and breath and wholeness.
Be with us now. Show us the way to new life and grant us the courage to be people of your Way
* SONG Blest be the Tie that Binds Blue hymnal # 557
___________We Attend to the Word_________
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG What a Friend We Have in Jesus — arr. Joseph M. Martin
PRAYER
God of grace and unconditional love, awaken us we pray. Help us to notice where power and oppression take hold. Help us to speak words that empower the oppressed, and hold one another accountable to your love. Help us, individually and collectively, to act in pursuit of a justice that heals and brings wholeness to community. Today Lord, we bring our whole selves to you, and we pray that you will fill us with the energy and endurance required for the difficult journey ahead. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Psalm 69.1-5, 13-15
[In Psalm 69.1-5, 13-15 I cry out to God:; I know my wrongdoings, but I feel I’m suffering beyond my deserving, in need of your protection, God, since it feels everyone is against me.]
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal, must I now restore?
O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help rescue me from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
Do not let the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the Pit close its mouth over me.
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NEW TESTAMENT Hebrews 10.24-25
[One’s faith is not just “between me and God;” we work it out in community, and we support one another in living out our faith.]
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering,
for the One who has promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
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GOSPEL Luke 13.10-17
[A religious authority criticizes Jesus for working on the Sabbath, healing a woman. But Jesus treats the matter not in terms of laws about working on the Sabbath, but in the context of the more universal mandate for liberation.]
Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” But Jesus answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie your ox or your donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
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SERMON
Incarceration and the Responsibility of Community — Guest preacher, Kim Yeasir
SONG Help Us Accept Each Other Blue hymnal # 560
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, too often we find that it is easier to maintain broken-harmful-systems than it is to transform them. Your beloved people are continually being hurt by these systems, and yet when pursuing change, we have become paralyzed by fear and discomfort rather than heartened by faith and love. Forgive us when we have been hesitant to witness an uncomfortable and painful truth. Awaken us to the truths of oppression and injustice that we have been blind to, and help us learn how to make our intent to empower match the impact of our actions. Help us to become whole as the Body of Christ. Lord, hear our silent prayers…
SILENT PRAYER … THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
(10:30)* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from the United Church of Canada. Blue hymnal # 883
* RESPONSE Alleluia
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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, forever. Amen.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
_____We Are Sent in Ministry to the World____
OFFERING OUR GIFTS Prayer for Humanity — Linda Lamb (Bells of St. Matthew’s)
* OFFERING SONG Doxology Blue hymnal #94
* PRAYER
Abundant God. Let your love, mercy, and grace be reflected in the use and the fruit of these gifts. Bless these tithes and offerings that they might be used fully for your purpose in the ministry of this place and beyond. It is in your name we give and we pray. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG The Summons Black hymnal #2130
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE