1 October 2019

Gathering Music

Lean on Me

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there’s always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won’t let show

Just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you’ll understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Call to Worship

One: O God, make the door of this house wide enough
Many: to receive all who need human love and fellowship, narrow enough to shut out envy, pride, and strife.
One: Make its threshold smooth enough
Many: to be no stumbling-block to children, nor to straying feet, but rugged and strong enough to turn back evil’s power. God, make the door of this house the gateway to your eternal kin-dom.

Hymn of Welcome

They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

All praise to the Maker, from whom all things come;
And all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us one.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Scripture

Ephesians 2:12-22, NRSV

Remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

One: The Word of God for the people of God.
Many: Thanks be to God.

Homily

Rev. Kate Hillis

Sung Response

There’s a Spirit of Love in This Place

There’s a spirit of love in this place,
There’s a spirit of love in this place.
You can’t see it, but it’s there,
Just as precious as the air.
There’s a spirit of love in this place.

There’s the presence of peace in this room,
There’s the presence of peace in this room.
In God’s tenderness is found
Peace that passes human bounds.
There’s the presence of peace in this room.

O alleluia, sing alleluia!
We bless your holy name.
O alleluia, sing alleluia!
There’s a spirit of love in this place.

Table Liturgy

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, our Alpha and our Omega, whose strong and loving arms encompass the universe, for with your eternal Word and Holy Spirit you are forever one God. Through your Word you created all things and called them good, and in you we live and move and have our being. When we fell into sin, you did not desert us. You made covenant with your people Israel and spoke through prophets and teachers. In Jesus Christ your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is Jesus Christ, who called you Abba. As a parent tenderly gathers their children, you embraced a people as your own and filled them with a longing for a peace that would last and for a justice that would never fail. In Jesus’ suffering and death you took upon yourself our sin and death and destroyed their power for ever. You raised from the dead this same Jesus, who now reigns with you in glory, and poured upon us your Holy Spirit, making us the people of your new covenant.

On the night before meeting with death, Jesus took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over Jesus took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to the disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving, as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. Hosanna in the Highest.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts, that in the breaking of this bread and the drinking of this wine we may know the presence of the living Christ and be renewed as the body of Christ for the world, redeemed by Christ’s blood.

As the grain and grapes, once dispersed in the fields, are now united on this table in bread and wine, so may we and all your people be gathered from every time and place into the unity of your eternal household and feast at your table forever. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty and loving God, now and forever.

Amen.

And now with the confidence of the children of God, let us pray the prayer that Christ taught us:

Our God who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Music During Communion

For Everyone Born

For everyone born, a place at the table,
For everyone born, clean water and bread,
A shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
For everyone born, a star overhead,