The Celebration of the Gospel
September 23, 2018 — 18th Sunday after Pentecost
“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me,
and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
— Mark 9.37
______ We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE Blessed Assurance Phoebe Knapp, arr: Mark Hayes
[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.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Abba God, loving father, we are your trusting children.
All: Hold us in your love.
Amma God, loving mother, you give us life.
Raise us up with courage.
Living Spirit, Holy One, you breathe into us your beauty and wisdom.
Send us into this world with your love.
We seek you. We fall into your arms. We worship.
* SONG Gather Us In Black hymnal # 2236
__________We Attend to the Word__________
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Lord, I Want to Be a Christian Jewel Taylor Thompson
PRAYER
Loving, steadfast God, the world is large and brutal. We feel like children, small and vulnerable. Hold us in your steady arms like a strong mother. Guide us like a wise father. Speak to us and raise us up as your loving, wise children. We pray in the presence and power of our brother Jesus. Amen.
(10:30) OLD TESTAMENT Hosea 11.1-9
[God speaks to us as a mother whose child has turned away from her. In her anger she wants to let Israel run away back to Egypt. But she will not, because she loves us. Her love is not self-serving, but for our sake.]
When Israel was a child, I loved them,
and out of Egypt I called my child.
The more I called them, the more they went from me;
they kept sacrificing to other gods,
and offering incense to idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them up in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love.
I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks.
I bent down to them and fed them.
Oh, I want to send them back to the land of Egypt,
and make Assyria their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
Violence rages in their cities,
it consumes their oracle-priests,
and devours because of their schemes.
My people are bent on turning away from me.
To a god they call the Most High they cry,
but he does not raise them up at all.
But how can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my fierce anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and no mortal,
the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
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NEW TESTAMENT James 3.13-4.3,7-8
[James describes two attitudes, one born of selfish desire and one from God which is “willing to yield.” It is the conflicting desires within us that cause the conflicts between us.]
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. This is not wisdom; it does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of divine harmony is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on yourself.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you.
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GOSPEL Mark 9.30-37
[Jesus responds to the disciples’ desire to be the “greatest” by saying that the first must be last; the greatest must be a servant. He embraces a child—vulnerable, powerless, and without status—and invites us to be welcoming to such as they.]
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Human One is to be betrayed into human hands, and killed, and three days after being killed, be raised again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
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SERMON Welcome the child
SILENT REFLECTION
SONG We Welcome the Child Steve G-H
We welcome the child among us.
We welcome the tender ones.
In our embrace we meet your grace,
your gentle love divine
Welcome to those who are fragile, a safe healing place to belong,
a shelter from harm, a comforting arm, a refuge where you may grow strong.
Welcome the child within us, the small, timid voice in the night,
her wonder and fear at the world so near, the child of your love and delight
God, you are a child among us, no power or might or control.
By your gentle part you soften my heart and make me a more loving soul.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
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
When Morning Gilds The Skies Joseph Barnby, arr: Teresa Wilhelmi
* OFFERING SONG Lead Me, Lord Blue hymnal #473
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you our lives, symbolized in these gifts. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. By your Spirit in us may we be deeply welcoming of all, especially the most vulnerable, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Make me a Servant Black hymnal #2176
* 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 Postlude On “WEBB” arr: Jason D. Payne
[Following worship please join us for fellowship and refreshments.]