Gathering Music
“When There’s Trust in the Room”
Words: John Thornburg, Music: Mark Miller
When there’s trust in the room
we can breathe;
when we don’t undercut or deceive;
when there’s grace in the air
and respect everywhere,
when there’s trust in the room
we can breathe.
When there’s trust in the room,
we can dream;
when our motives are just what they seem; when our thoughts freely flow,
and we’re challenged to grow,
when there’s trust in the room,
we can dream.
Call to Worship
(adapted from enfleshed)
Albarka Wakili
Leader: In the midst of a world aching in pain
All: We gather together to remember the Good News.
Leader: The Spirit of the Living God still moves among us today!
All: When truth breaks through the lies of evil,
Leader: When the oppressed rise up,
All: When the complicit awaken,
Leader: When the hungry, thirsty, and weary are tended with care,
All: When we recognize each other as beloved,
Leader: God takes on flesh among us, in ways great and small.
All: Thanks be to God, who brings us Life.
Opening Song
“We’ve Come This Far by Faith” – Words & Music, Albert A. Goodson
We have come this far by faith,
Leaning on the Lord,
Trusting in the holy Word,
God’s never failed us –yet.
Singin’ oh, oh, oh, can’t turn a-round,
We’ve come this far by faith.
Opening Prayer
(adapted from enfleshed)
Daesun Jang
Leader: Holy One, Liberator of the captive and Lover of the outcast, may your Spirit move among us. Keep us fixated on Sacred Possibilities of a world rich in justice and overflowing with love. Do not let us get distracted from the causes of our neighbor or swept away by the spirit of despair. For in you, we trust we are more powerful than we can even begin to imagine. Thanks be to you who makes it so, O God.
All: Amen.
Scripture Reading
Luke 4:14-30
Camille Bianca Sumera Manangan
14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18“The Spirit of God is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19to proclaim the year of God’s favor.” 20And Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23Jesus said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Song
“Spirit, Open My Heart” – Words: Ruth Duck Music, WILD MOUNTAIN THYME Appalachian folk tune
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living. As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving, Spirit, open my heart.
- God, replace my stony heart with a heart that’s kind and tender. All my coldness and fear to your grace I now surrender.
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living. As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving, Spirit, open my heart. - Write your love upon my heart as my law, my goal, my story. In each thought, world and deed, may my living bring you glory.
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living. As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving, Spirit, open my heart. - May I weep with those who weep, share the joy of kin together. In the welcome of Christ, may we welcome one another.
Spirit, open my heart to the joy and pain of living. As you love may I love, in receiving and in giving, Spirit, open my heart.
Sermon
“Something Extra”
Dean Edwin Aponte
Musical Response
“Creation is Singing” – Words: Ruth Duck, Music: Mark Miller
Creation is singing: the voice of the wave
calls out with your thunder,
your power to save.
The mountains and hillsides,
the snow and the flame,
are praising your glory, exalting your name.
Your people are telling the wonders you do:
the healing, the justice,
the lives you make new.
And, greatest of all is your covenant love;
you pour down your mercy
like rain from above.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Awaken your image in creatures of clay.
Engrave on our being
your will and your way.
Shine light on our living and free us to show
your wonder, your glory,
the gifts you bestow.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Dean Edwin Aponte
Servers: Elliot Weidenaar, Nyasha Jeche
(adapted from Rev. Thom M. Shuman, Lectionary Liturgies)
Leader: May the Spirit of the Lord be upon you!
People: And also upon you!
Leader: Offer your hearts to the One who proclaims God’s grace.
People: Our hearts are open to God, who brings us good news.
Leader: Join in declaring the glory of God to all the world.
People: Day to day, our lips proclaim the wonders of our God.
Leader: 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 delivered us from captivity,
made covenant to be our sovereign God,
and spoke to us through the prophets.
So, with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we sing our songs of thanksgiving to you:
(All singing) Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of wonder and grace.
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: Holiness is who you are, God of wonder,
and salvation is the gift in Christ Jesus.
He came,
in the moments of our deepest despair,
so that each day might be made holy
in your grace and wonder.
He came,
so that we would no longer be spare parts,
but knit together as the Body, which is his.
He came,
going into the cold temple of death
on the day of crucifixion,
so he might fulfill the promises
of new life and hope for all your children.
We gather as one, though we are many,
opening our hearts to the resurrection which is ours,
and proclaiming that mystery we call faith:
(All singing) Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!
Leader: As we gather together before your Table,
pour out your Spirit upon these gifts
of the bread and the cup,
and all who have come to be fed.
Your grace makes us into one people,
our hearts open to serve all in need,
our lives offered so that others might be healed.
Just as the cup is filled to overflowing
with the sweet taste of hope,
so our gifts are emptied so that all might be blessed,
our joy shared with the despairing of our world.
And when you gather us together at the Feast to come,
when we sit down at the Table with all our siblings,
we will dwell in wonder and grace with you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.
(All singing) Amen. Amen. Amen.
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!
Music for Communion “Lord’s Prayer”
Words, trad. Arr. Laurie Zelman Music, Mark Miller
“Bless the Lord, My Soul”
Words, Psalm 103 arr. J. Berthier Music, Jacques Berthier
“Ayudanos, O Dios”
Words & Music, Mark Miller
Blessing
Dean Edwin Aponte
Sending Song
“Child of God” – Words & Music: Mark Miller
No matter what people say,
Say or think about me,
I am a child, I am a child of God.
No matter what people say,
Say or think about you,
You are a child, you are a child of God,
No matter what the world says,
Says or thinks about me,
I am a child, I am a child of God.
No matter what the Church says,
Decisions, pronouncements on you,
You are a child, you are a child of God.
And there is nothing and no one
who can separate, they can’t separate
you from the truth that you’re someone.
You are family.
You are meant to be a child, a child of God.
You are a child, a child of God.
Drew Theo Chapel 