Gathering Music

“Just a Closer Walk with Thee” – anonymous

1 I am weak, but thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
as I walk, let me walk close to thee.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with thee,
grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
daily walking close to thee:
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
2 Through this world of toil and snares,
if I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but thee. [Refrain]
3 When my feeble life is o’er,
time for me will be no more;
guide me gently, safely o’er
to thy shore, dear Lord, to thy shore. [Refrain]

Call to Worship

Esther Somp

(adapted from Joanna Harader, Spacious Faith)

Leader: We come to worship from different places.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: We come to worship for different reasons.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: We experience the presence of the Spirit in different ways.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: We hear Jesus’ words with different ears.
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: “Deny yourselves.”
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: “Take up your cross.”
All: O God, do not be far from us.
Leader: “Follow me.”
All: O God, we thank you for drawing near to us in this place, in our lives. Amen.

Opening Song

“Come and Find the Quiet Center” – Shirley Erena Murray

Come and find the quiet centre
In the crowded life we lead
Find the room for hope to enter
Find the frame where we are freed
Clear the chaos and the clutter
Clear our eyes that we can see
All the things that really matter
Be at peace and simply be

Silence is a friend who claims us
Cools the heat and slows the pace
God it is who speaks and names us
Knows our being touches base
Making space within our thinking
Lifting shades to show the sun
Raising courage when we’re shrinking
Finding scope for faith begun

In the Spirit let us travel
Open to each other’s pain
Let our lives and fears unravel
Celebrate the space we gain
There’s a place for deepest dreaming
There’s a time for heart to care
In the Spirit’s lively scheming
There is always room to spare

Opening Prayer

Carrie-Lee Farnham

(adapted from enfleshed)

Leader: What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Living Christ, guide us in divesting from the ways of the world rooted in violence and indifference. Accompany us in soulful living—deeply invested in each other’s thriving and courageously practicing hope—that we might be the embodiment of your Compassionate Kin-dom.
All: Amen.

Scripture Reading – Mark 8:31-37

Roeline Ramirez

Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?”

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

Sermon

“In Denial”

Beth Quick

Musical Response

“The Summons” – John Bell

Will you come and follow me
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
Will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown
In you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind
If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
In you and you in me?

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide
If I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
And never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
To reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound
In you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true
When you but call our names.
Let us turn and follow you
And never be the same.
In your company we’ll go
Where your love and footsteps show.
Thus we’ll move and live and grow
In you and you in us.

Blessing

Beth Quick

Sending Song

“Draw the Circle Wide” – Mark A. Miller/Gordon Light

Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.
No one stands alone,
we’ll stand side by side.
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide

Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still.
Let this be our song: no one stands alone. Standing side by side,
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide

In your sadness and in your grief
From all the pain
It seems there’s no relief
We will hold you
Until the storm subsides
We’ll draw the circle,
draw the circle wide!

Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still.
Let this be our song: no one stands alone. Standing side by side,
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide