8 February 2024 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Gathering Music

“Louez le Seigneur” – trad. Cameroon

Gathering Words

Chantel Makarawa

(based on Jeremiah 1, adapted from Kwasi I. Kena, Africana Liturgy Resources/Discipleship Ministries)

Before the dawn of morning broke through my bleakest night,
You knew me.
Before I wandered off to do my thing,
You knew me.
Before I tripped and fell from grace,
You knew me.
Before you formed me in my mother’s womb,
You knew me.

Before my birth
You set me apart
And said, “Never be afraid”
“For I am with you.”

Then you touched me
And put your words into my mouth
Until I thundered
To the very nations.

Before I ever realized that you were God, You knew all about me.

Opening Song

“God of Grace and God of Glory” – Harry Emerson Fosdick

1. God of grace and God of glory,
on the people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church’s story,
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour,
for the facing of this hour.
2. Lo! the hosts of evil round us
scorn thy Christ, assail his ways!
Fears and doubts too long have bound us;
free our hearts to work and praise.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days,
for the living of these days.
3. Cure thy children’s warring madness,
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.
4. Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore;
let the search for thy salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore,
serving thee whom we adore.

Affirmation of Faith

Adrian Deepak

(adapted from Mauri Inclusive Creed)

We believe in God:
Source of all life,
Source of all love,
Creation within our past and our future,
Mother, Father, Divine Parent of all that’s to be.

We believe in God:
Christ of our history,
link with eternity,
one with our humanness,
revealing our hopefulness,
traveler before us, the sign of the way.

We believe in God:
Spirit of newness,
Spirit of power,
wisdom and wonder,
mystery and miracle,
God moves in freedom,
transforming the earth.

We believe in the Church:
born of our struggles,
open to changes,
cantered in loving
and moving and growing,
heart of the community turned to the world. Amen.

Scripture Reading – Jeremiah 1:4-13 & 18-19

Susan Chang Saridakis

4 Now the word of God came to me saying,
5 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’
6Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ 7But God said to me,
‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”;
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
says the Lord.’
9Then God put out God’s hand and touched my mouth; and God said to me,
‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.’

11 The word of God came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’ 12Then God said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.’ 13The word of God came to me a second time, saying, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.’

18And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. 19They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.

Anthem

“Peace Be With You” – Mark Miller

Seminary Choir

Sermon

“Conversations with Jeremiah”

Dr. Kenneth Ngwa

Musical Response

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Dr. Kenneth Ngwa

Communion Servers: Isaac Minkah, Sam Smith

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

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image
and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.
You spoke to us through your prophets, who looked for that day
when justice shall roll down like waters
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,
when nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.

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

(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.

Holy are you, and blessed is your child, Jesus Christ.
On the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us,
he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread,
gave it to his 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 his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you;
this is my cup 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.

(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.

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