Gathering Music
“When Jesus Say Yes” – Harmony David Samuels / Al Sherrod Lambert / Carmen Reece / Tenitra Michelle Williams
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
I’m not worried ’bout a thing
‘Cause I know You are guiding me
Where You lead me, Lord, I will go
I have no fear ’cause I know who’s in control
There’s no limit to what You can do
‘Cause it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to You (no rushing now)
You’re almighty and all powerful
And it all belongs to You
Yes, it all belongs to You
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
When Jesus say yes, nobody can say no
Call to Worship
(adapted from M. Jade Kaiser, enfleshed)
Dee Jackson
Leader: We, of many backgrounds and identities, personalities, and ideas,
gather collectively in shared pursuit of the Sacred.
All: Together, we make up the body of Christ.
Leader: Wherever one of us is in pain,
All: our whole body aches.
Leader: Whenever one of us is cut off,
All: the whole body is wounded.
Leader: Whoever is kept away by policies, practices, or prejudices,
All: Our collective soul suffers the loss of their presence.
Leader: We need one another in order to be whole,
All: God, make us the body of Christ as you envisioned.
Leader: May we become your presence enfleshed, in service to the world and one another.
All: Amen.
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
(adapted from M. Jade Kaiser, enfleshed)
Daesun Jang
Leader: As a gathered community of disciples,
created by the hands of the Holy,
born with Divine purpose,
and bound together by the Spirit
that breathes life into all things,
All: we affirm our commitment to the way of Jesus Christ,
who is The Liberator of the Oppressed,
The Bread of Heaven,
God enfleshed.
Leader: With faith, we aim to live as Christ taught us,
laboring towards liberation,
and seeking a world free of domination and control.
All: We believe in God’s promise to uplift the lowly
and bring the powerful down from their thrones.
Leader: We believe the resurrecting power of Christ
cannot be overcome by evil,
but persists in all collective efforts
to make life flourish in the midst of destruction,
to birth beauty in places of death,
and to tend gently to the aches of this world.
All: We profess the transforming power of love.
We profess that justice is a form of love.
We profess that we are still growing into the mystery of love.
Leader: In the company of the saints who go before us,
we journey together by grace,
seeking always to unlearn all that obstructs authentic relationship,
listening for the guidance of Sacred Wisdom,
And praying earnestly for the day
the Kindom of God is born anew.
All: Until it is so, we live in hope,
for God is with us.
Choir Anthem
“If It Had Not Been For the Lord” – M Miller
Seminary Choir
Scripture Reading
Sam Smith
Luke 12:16-21, NIV
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Sacred Dance
“A Thousand Hallelujahs”
Eyesha Marable and Dancers
Sermon
“Give Until It Heals”
Prof. Mark Miller
Musical Response
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Adapted from Tanya Linn Bennett © 2012 for the Love Your Neighbors Campaign General Conference Sabbath worship service.
Prof. Mark Miller & Dean Edwin Aponte
Servers: Francis Osuji, Jennifer Lundberg, Yaheli Vargas-Ramos, Cassie Montelongo
Leader: Christ invites us all, every one, to gather around the table where we remember and renew our vow to love God, love ourselves, and love our neighbor.
All: But who is my neighbor?
Leader: We have asked this question over and over again. Who is our neighbor? Who deserves our love, our mercy, our attention, our welcome, our justice-making?
All: But who is my neighbor?
Leader: We are all capable of showing mercy, justice and love to all we meet. This is the table where we open ourselves to God’s abundant love, igniting our passion for our neighbors, every one we meet, everywhere we go. Christ invites us all, every one, neighbors in heart and mind to join here together. But, first we empty ourselves out so that we may be filled up.
All: God of justice and peace, faith and compassion, we confess that is hard to show mercy to those who speak and think and act differently than we do. We confess that it is hard to be welcoming to those who are unlike us. We get angry and we push them away. Soften our hearts and crack open our minds that we might be a people who find your way of mercy right, and your love abundant enough for all to share.
Silence
Leader: You are God’s beloved ones. Turn to your neighbors and share signs of mercy and love.
Passing of the Peace
Leader: Jesus brought us the answer that we need. We are to love each other as God loves us, all of us neighbors in the household of God. On that last night, when Jesus, the immigrant, Jesus, the refugee, was taken away, he gathered us up, and reminded us that, through God’s mighty acts, we would be set free.
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 that night, Jesus, the immigrant, Jesus, the refugee, took bread and blessed it and gave it to us and said, “Eat this always, to remember me, and share it with everyone you meet, all neighbors on the road. This bread will save your life.” When we had eaten, Jesus took the cup and blessed it and gave it to us and said, “Drink from this all of you; this is God’s overflowing blessing poured into you always. Drink it and remember me.”
Singing:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest,
hosanna in the highest
Leader: Generous God, pour your Spirit into these everyday elements and make them be for us holy food. Pour your Spirit onto us, everyday people, and let us be holy people for your works of mercy, justice and love. This is the bread that makes us one. This is the cup that makes us whole.
Sharing in the Bread and Cup
Responsive Prayer after Communion
Leader: For all that enfold us
All: For each word of grace and every act of care;
Leader: For those who offer refuge
All: For each shelter given and every welcome space;
Leader: For the healing of our souls
All: For balm and rest
Leader: For soothing and sleep
All: For vigils kept
Leader: And for lights kept burning;
All: Blessed Be. Amen.
Blessing
Prof. Mark Miller
Sending Song
“We’ll Understand it Better By and By” – Charles Albert Tindley
- We are tossed and driven
on the restless sea of time;
somber skies and howling tempests
oft succeed a bright sunshine;
in that land of perfect day,
when the mists have rolled away,
we will understand it better by and by.
Refrain:
By and by, when the morning comes,
when the saints of God are gathered home,
we’ll tell the story how we’ve overcome,
for we’ll understand it better by and by.
- We are often destitute
of the things that life demands,
want of food and want of shelter,
thirsty hills and barren lands;
we are trusting in the Lord,
and according to God’s word,
we will understand it better by and by. [Refrain] - Trials dark on every hand,
and we cannot understand
all the ways that God would lead us
to that blessed promised land;
but God guides us with God’s eye,
and we’ll follow till we die
for we’ll understand it better by and by. [Refrain] - Temptations, hidden snares
often take us unawares,
and our hearts are made to bleed
for a thoughtless word or deed;
and we wonder why the test
when we try to do our best,
but we’ll understand it better by and by. [Refrain]
Drew Theo Chapel 