16 February 2023 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Gathering Music

“Kanisa Litajengua”

1. Kan -i -sa Lit- a jen gua
Nakina nani 2X

refrain
I yo, o, o, o! (Yes!)

2. Kan -i -sa Lit- a jen gua
Na mimi na wewe 2X

refrain
I yo, o, o, o! (Yes!)

3. Kan -i -sa Lit- a jen gua
Na mama Na papa 2X

refrain
I yo, o, o, o! (Yes!)

4. Kan i sa Lit a jen gua
Na wa to to 2X

refrain
I yo, o, o, o! (Yes!)

Call to Worship

Kenia Vanessa Rodriguez

Leader: We gather today to worship the One que nos ha creado,
All: The One who calls us,
Leader: The One who equips us,
All: The One que nos ama without end.
Leader: With joyful hearts, alabemos a Dios!

Opening Song

“Pues Si Vivimos” UMH #356

1. Pues si vivimos, para El vivimos
y si morimos para El morimos.
Sea que vivamos o que muramos,
Estribillio:
Somos del Senor, somos del Senor.
Somos del Senor, somos del Senor.

2. En esta vida, frutos hemos de dar.
Las obras buenas son para ofrendar.
Ya sea que demos o que recibamos,
(Estribillio)

3. En la tristeza y en el dolor,
en la belleza y en el amor,
sea que suframos o que gocemos,
(Estribillio)

4. En este mundo, hemos de encontrar
gente que llora y sin consolar.
Sea que ayudemos o que alimentemos,
(Estribillio)

Opening Prayer

Gonzalo Alers

Scripture Reading

David Gaitán

Genesis 3:1-6

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

Spanish Edition

3 La serpiente era más astuta que todos los animales del campo que Dios el Señor había hecho, así que le preguntó a la mujer:
—¿Es verdad que Dios les dijo que no comieran de ningún árbol del jardín?
2 —Podemos comer del fruto de todos los árboles —respondió la mujer—. 3 Pero, en cuanto al fruto del árbol que está en medio del jardín, Dios nos ha dicho: “No coman de ese árbol, ni lo toquen; de lo contrario, morirán”.
4 Pero la serpiente le dijo a la mujer:
—¡No es cierto, no van a morir! 5 Dios sabe muy bien que, cuando coman de ese árbol, se les abrirán los ojos y llegarán a ser como Dios, conocedores del bien y del mal.
6 La mujer vio que el fruto del árbol era bueno para comer, y que tenía buen aspecto y era deseable para adquirir sabiduría, así que tomó de su fruto y comió. Luego le dio a su esposo, y también él comió.

Seminary Choir

“Peace Be with You” – Mark A. Miller

A salaam alaikum…

Shalom…

Peace be with you…

Sermon

“The Fragility of Becoming Human”

Dr. Elaine Padilla

Musical Response

“En La Lucha” – Mark A. Miller

En la lucha hay vida
En la lucha esperanza!
En la lucha hay vida
Siempre hay, siempre hay esperanza!

Cantamos en la lucha
Cantamos por la justicia
Cantamos por nuestras vidas
Siempre hay, siempre hay
Esperanza!

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Dr. Francisco Pelaez-Diaz

(adapted from enfleshed)

The Holy One be with you
And also with you
Open your hearts to the One who is Love
We open our hearts to you, O God
Let us give thanks to God, our life-breath
To the One who sustains us, we rejoice in your presence!

With gratitude, O God, we remember that it is through you we are made truly alive. There is nothing on this earth that has not been touched by your Sacred hand. In your love for us, you claim us – individually and as a whole – as your beloveds. You will for us life abundant and you invite us into co-working with you towards a world where harmony among all life is restored.

And yet, daily, we turn away from you and one another. Destructive and divisive powers lure us away from connection and relationship. We forget that we need each other. We pretend that our lives are not deeply entangled. When injustice threatens our neighbors, we too easily cower or hide.

Like those who turned on Jesus when things became too difficult, we too are tempted to desert those most vulnerable.

But you do not abandon us to our fear or sin. In the life of Jesus, Love enfleshed, we are shown that the invitation to join in your work of transforming and healing and restoring is always open. You keep calling us back to you.

This relentless invitation of yours that entices with freedom and joy and forgiveness is such a threat to empire that it still attempts to crucify every incarnation of your love today. And so, we are reminded of the example given to us in the person of Jesus.

On the night of his arrest, he gathered around a table with his companions.
He took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said,
“This is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

He did the same with the cup after the supper, saying,
“This cup that is poured out is the new covenant.”

And so in remembrance of the One who never gave up on love, we pray that the Spirit would make us one in our commitment to the liberation of all your creatures and creations. Pour out your Spirit on this bread and this cup, that through these ordinary gifts, we might taste a glimpse of your Kindom. May they be for us a reminder of what we are capable of becoming and what we are capable of accomplishing together.

Amen.