Gathering Music

“Somos Uno” (FWS 2229)

Call to Worship

Henry Norkplim Anyomi

(written by DMin Student Heather Williams)

One: We gather to hear words of hope to awaken our senses once more to the sounds of prophetic words through the ages:
Many: The very words that ground the ancestors since the beginning of time and flowed through the generations with courage and challenge.
One: We look to the reflection of divine grace and beauty in all created beings as we move through the currents of change and chaos, may the Spirit be our guide.
Many: Come, Spirit, come among your created beings, again and again. Awaken our lives to rise with courage and to join the inspired sound of prophetic words, on this day and all days. Amen.

Song

“We’ve Come This Far By Faith” by Albert Goodson

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 11

Kenia Vanessa, Taylavor, Jun Gyu

Reader 1: 11Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
Reader 2: 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, with God giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and ‘he was not found, because God had taken him.’ For it was attested before he was taken away that ‘he had pleased God.’ 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that God exists and rewards those who seek God. 7By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.
Reader 3: 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

Reader 1: 13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, God has prepared a city for them.

Reader 2: 17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18of whom he had been told, ‘It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named after you.’ 19He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ‘bowing in worship over the top of his staff.’ 22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

Reader 3: 32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

Reader 1: 39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.
The word of God for the people of God.

All: Thanks be to God.

Choir Anthem

“When the Fig Tree Fails to Blossom” – Gambrell/Miller

Sermon

“I Hope So”

Dean Robert Seesengood

Musical Response

“God Walks the Dark Hills”

Verse: 1
God walks the dark hills, the ways the highways,
he walks on the billows, of life’s troubled sea,
he walks in the cold dark night, the shadows of midnight,
God walks the dark hills, just to guide you and me.

Chorus:
God walks the dark hills, to guide my footsteps,
he walks everywhere, by night and by day,
he walks in silence, on down the highway,
God walks the dark hills, to show me the way.

Verse: 2
God walks in the storm, the rain or the sunshine,
or he walks on the billows, or through glimmering light,
helps me walk up the mountains so high,
cross rivers through valleys,
God walks the dark hills, cause he loves you and me.

Sacrament of Holy Communion

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

Leader: It is a good and joyful thing to give thanks and praise to you who created us, who loves us, and who welcomes us home again. Therefore, we join with all things created, in heaven and earth, in recognizing your glory! We magnify you as we sing:

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

Leader: On the night in which Jesus gave himself up, he sat at dinner with those he called friends. Among them was one who would betray him, and one who would deny he ever met Jesus. And yet, Jesus offered to all who were there this meal of reconciliation.
Jesus took the bread of the field, gave thanks to God, blessed it, broke it, and shared it with all who were there, saying, ‘Take, eat. This is my body, broken for you.’
After the meal was finished, Jesus took a cup of the fruit of the vine, gave thanks to God, blessed it, and shared it with those friends, saying ‘Take, drink. This is the cup of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many. Whenever you do this, remember 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.

(Singing) Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his love. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever.

(Singing) Amen. Amen. Amen.
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest.

Prayer after Communion

All: Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Blessing

Dean Seesengood

Sending Song

“Every Time I Feel the Spirit”

Refrain:
Every time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Yes, every time I feel the spirit
moving in my heart, I will pray.
1 Upon the mountain, my Lord spoke,
out his mouth came fire and smoke.
All around me looks so shine,
ask my Lord if all was mine. (Refrain)
2 Jordan river runs right cold,
chills the body, not the soul.
Ain’t but one train on this track,
runs to heaven and right back. (Refrain)