You can watch today’s service here.
If you are watching our live stream this morning, you are invited to find a candle, so that we can all light candles at the same time.
CALL TO WORSHIP (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
One: Every week is a new week,
Another chance to say:
All: “Here I am. Use me.”
One: Every day is a new day,
Another chance to say:
All: “Thank you for yesterday. Thank you for tomorrow.”
One: Every hour is a new hour,
Another chance to say,
All: “Again and again, make me new.”
One: We do not come to this place to stay the same.
All: We come to this place to be changed.
One: So let us worship holy God,
Who created yesterday, will create tomorrow, and even now is creating something new.
All: Thanks be to God. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER (Presbyterian Book of Common Worship)
Almighty God, our redeemer, in our weakness we have failed to be your messengers of forgiveness and hope. Renew us by your Holy Spirit, that we may follow your commands and proclaim your reign of love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
CALL TO CONFESSION (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
In the gospel of John, a group of Greek people approach the disciples and say, “We would like to see Jesus.”
It’s a brief, beautiful moment that the text doesn’t spend a lot of time on, and yet, it always catches my eye. It catches my eye, because the phrase, “I want to see Jesus,” feels like it should be my constant prayer.
Help me see Jesus.
I’d like to see Jesus.
Bring me closer to Jesus.
In the prayer of confession, we take a moment to recognize how much space exists between us and those words, trusting that even when we forget to seek out God, God is seeking us out.
So join me in the prayer of confession today as we take one step closer to the Divine. . .
Moment of silent prayer–people of God, what do you confess this week?
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
Gracious God,
We want to see you.
We want to be known as the people who looked for Jesus;
But not only that, we want to be people who have your covenant written on our hearts.
Why do we feel so far away from that at times?
What went wrong?
Where did we lose our way?
Could you, would you, once again, write on our fragile hearts?
We would be so grateful.
Amen.
WORDS OF FORGIVENESS (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
One: Friends, despite our wonderings,
Despite our distractions,
Despite wrong turns time and time again,
We are known and loved by God.
Like a lighthouse keeper by the sea,
God will never stop waving us home.
So hear and believe the good news of the gospel:
All: Our fragile bones are held by the Great Creator.
Our fragile hearts are loved by the Great Creator.
Our tender spirits are forgiven by the Great Creator.
One: Today is a new day.
All: Again and again, we are forgiven;
Again and again, we are reformed.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
PRAYER FOR UNDERSTANDING (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
Holy God,
Scripture tells us that your word is written on our hearts,
But we struggle to hear it.
Is it possible that we have covered up your words with our own self-narratives?
Is it possible that we have erased your truth to write our own?
Is it possible that we have forgotten your words entirely?
Take us back to the beginning.
Remove the self-talk that distracts.
Clear away the cobwebs of doubt.
Show us how to look inside ourselves for your truth,
And then write on our hearts once more.
We are listening.
We are hopeful.
We are here.
Speak now.
Amen.
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NRSV)
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
HYMN O Jesus, I Have Promised
lyrics by John Ernest Bode, 1866
music by David Evans, 1927
© 1927 Oxford University Press
Used by permission. CCLI License #3456351 and ONE LICENSE # 738214-A
1 O Jesus, I have promised
to serve you to the end;
be now and always near me,
my Master and my friend;
I shall not fear the battle
if you are by my side,
nor wander from the pathway
if you will be my guide.
2 O let me feel you near me!
The world is ever near:
I see the sights that dazzle;
the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, draw still nearer
and shield my soul from sin.
3 O let me hear you speaking
in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
true guardian of my soul.
4 O Jesus, you have promised
to all who follow you
that where you are in glory
your servant shall be too.
And, Jesus, I have promised
to serve you to the end;
now give me grace to follow,
my Master and my friend.
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING
John 12:20-33 (NRSV)
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.
‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Consider:
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Consider Rev. Denise Anderson’s words: “Change, even when welcomed, means death.” Let that statement sink in. How do you feel? What memories or events does it recall for you? What are healthy ways to navigate change?
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On a sheet of paper, quickly make a list of everything that creates or maintains the status quo. This can be the status quo of your church, your local community, our society, etc. Name anything that comes to mind. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, make a list of things that disrupt or dismantle the status quo. Similarly, name anything that comes to mind. Lastly, take inventory of your two sheets. Where is the Spirit at work? Where do you see reformation in action?
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In her book, The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why, author and religion professor Phyllis Tickle asserts that about every 500 years, the Church goes through a “giant rummage sale”—a time of rapid reformation in which many cultural and religious practices get reconsidered and tossed out. That places us in the midst of a contemporary reformation. Imagine it is 500 years from now. What will historians say about this time? What do you imagine religious practice will look like in 50, 100, or 500 years?
You can listen to Pastor Leia’s sermon, “Again and Again, We Are Reformed,” here.
HYMN Bless the Lord
lyrics by Taize Community, © 1984
music by Jacques Berthier, © 1984
© 1984, 1998 Les Presses de Taizé (admin. GIA Publications, Inc.)
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE # 738214-A
Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s holy name
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Roger Gench, Presbyterian Outlook)
Let us pray for the church, our neighbors in need and the whole world, saying: Hear our prayer.
Holy One, we pray that you would empower the church to be your beloved community on earth, to live in mutuality and tear down hierarchies that devalue some in order to benefit others. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
Make us ever mindful of the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the prisoner, the lonely and isolated, that we might be agents of your love and justice to these your children. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
Enable all who live and work in this region to work for the common good and for the flourishing of all your children. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
Support the global community as it struggles with the pandemic — delivering needed aid and vaccines for all who are in need. Give each of us courage to take responsibility for measures that protect us all. We pray to you, O God: Hear our prayer.
We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray saying,…
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN Beautiful Things
words and music by Lisa Gungor and Michael Gungor
© 2009 Worshiptogether.com songs (Admin Capitol CMG Publishing)
Used by Permission. CCLI License #3456351
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change, at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come out from this ground, at all?
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found, in you
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
Oh, you make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
You are making me new
You make me new,
You are making me new
(Making me new)
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
Oh, you make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
You are making me new
You make me new,
You are making me new
INVITATION TO OFFERING (ROGER GENCH, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
God is the fountain of all good and has showered us with good gifts. In let us give all of who we are in return: our hearts, minds, energies and resources.
MORNING OFFERING
If you are able to, please consider mailing your offerings to the church (210 Smith Street) or dropping them off in the mail slot. Alternatively, there is a link at the top of this page that will take you directly to a secure page where you can make a one-time donation. We appreciate your generosity as we seek to continue our mission and ministry throughout the community during this difficult time.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (ROGER GENCH, PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK)
O God, your gifts are manifest all around us and especially in this community of hope, love and peace. May the gifts we return to you this day be a sign of our commitment to do your work in this community and in our world to establish the flourishing of all your children.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (WRITTEN BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
We believe that flowers need the rain.
We believe that humans need community.
We believe that bodies need rest.
We believe that hearts need connection.
We believe that mornings need sunrise.
We believe that seasons need change.
We believe that grief needs space.
We believe that change needs time.
We believe that love needs security.
We believe that pain needs art.
We believe that joy needs company.
We believe that our spirits need God.
Again and again, our spirits need God.
Fortunately for us, we trust that
God is here.
God is at work in our lives.
God is a lighthouse keeper that never gives up.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION (ADAPTED FROM A BENEDICTION BY SARAH ARE FOR A SANCTIFIED ART, LLC)
May your mouth speak of God’s goodness.
May your arms hold those in need.
May your feet walk toward justice.
May your heart trust its worth.
May your soul dance in God’s grace.
And may this be your rhythm—
Again and again and again,
Until God’s promised day.
In the name of the Lover, the Beloved, and Love itself,
Go with courage, go with heart, go in peace.
VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR
If you are using this page to follow along with today’s worship service while it is being live streamed, please join us for virtual coffee hour! Turn on your video camera and join us after the benediction with THIS LINK. You could also join over the telephone by dialing (312) 626-6799 and entering the meeting code 146 874 134, followed by the password 075003. You can find other events throughout the week on our CALENDAR.