Opening Words

Dr. P. Kimberleigh Jordan

Centering Music

Scriptures

Ephesians 6:5-8, NRSV

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.

1 Peter 2:18-20, NRSV

Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.

Period of Silent Meditation

Hymn

We’ve Come This Far by Faith

We’ve come this far by faith
Leaning on the LORD
Trusting in God’s Holy Word
God never failed me yet
Oh’ can’t turn around
We’ve come this far by faith

Don’t be discouraged
when trouble comes into your life
God will bear your burdens
And remove all our misery and strife
And that’s why

We’ve come this far by faith
Leaning on the LORD
Trusting in God’s Holy Word
God never failed me yet
Oh’ can’t turn around
We’ve come this far by faith

Just the other day
I heard someone say
They didn’t believe in God’s word
But I can truly say the lord will make a way
because God, God’s never failed me yet.

We’ve come this far by faith
Leaning on the LORD
Trusting in God’s Holy Word
God never failed me yet
Oh’ can’t turn around
We’ve come this far by faith

Readings

Olaudah Equiano

“Did Nature make them inferior to their sons, and should they too have been made slaves? Every rational mind answers, No. Let such reflections as these melt the pride of their superiority into sympathy for the wants and miseries of their sable [family], and compel them to acknowledge, that understanding is not confined to feature or colour. If, when they look round the world, they feel exultation, let it be tempered with benevolence to others, and gratitude to God, “who hath made of one blood all nations of [humans] to dwell on all the face of the earth and whose wisdom is not our wisdom, neither are our ways [God’s] ways.”

Sung Response

We’ve Come This Far by Faith

Readings

Sister Kelly

“Well, I walked along, and by and by I got down into a little flat place right near a pond, and it appeared to me like something said, “You never shall die a sinner.” Well, I just trembled and shook like a leaf. I know what was the matter with me, then. Well, I heard that voice three times, and every time it said, “You never shall die a sinner.” It seemed like it was inside of me, somehow or other.

Why, I went three days and nights without eating and drinking; didn’t want anything, I was just uplifted and free from sin. Somehow or other that morning, I was just as light as a feather. I got up and I had to go to the foot of the bed to get my clothes, and I stooped down to get ‘em, and it seemed like something just stopped me, just struck me still,

…then, great God! I got down upon my knees and prayed to the Lord with a prayer that tumbled from my lips, that the Lord had given me to pray—oh child, I tell you it’s a wonderful feeling when you feel the spirit of the Lord God Almighty in the tips of your fingers, and the bottom of your heart. I didn’t know then what was the matter with me. I know now when I feel that spirit arising in my body . .

Sung Response

We’ve Come This Far by Faith

Table Liturgy

The Communion Prayer is a Contemporary English, Inclusive Language excerpt of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Communion Liturgy. This is adapted from the AME Discipline and is the Communion Prayer that Richard Allen, founder of the AME Church would have used.

The Solicitation

ALL: We that do truly and earnestly repent of our sins,
and are in love and charity with our neighbor,
and intend to lead a new life,
following the commandments of God,
and walking forth in God’s holy ways,
Let us draw near with faith and take this holy sacrament to our comfort.

LEADER: In the silence, make our humble confession to Almighty God. Let us bow our heads in confession.

Silent Confession

The Lord’s Prayer

The Prayer of Consecration

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Hymn of Sending

What a Fellowship, What a Joy Divine

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain
Leaning, leaning,
safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain

Benediction