Gathering Music

“Hope Will Not Fail” – Mark Miller/David Bjorlin

Hope will not fail, no, hope will not fail.
Though anguish and apathy seem to prevail,
No, hope will not fail; hope, hope will prevail.

Peace will not fail, no, peace will not fail.
Though vengeance and violence seem to prevail,
no, peace will not fail; peace, peace will prevail.

Believe in the coming, the coming of peace!
Though vengeance and violence seem to prevail,
No, peace will not fail; peace, peace will prevail.

Joy will not fail, no, joy will not fail.
Though mourning and misery seem to prevail,
No, joy will not fail; joy, joy will prevail.

Believe in the blessing, the blessing of joy!
Though mourning and misery seem to prevail,
No, joy will not fail; joy, joy will prevail.

Love will not fail, no, love will not fail.
Though hatred and hopelessness seem to prevail,
No, love will not fail; love, love will prevail.

Believe in the power, the power of love!
Though hatred and hopelessness seem to prevail,
No, love will not fail; love, love will prevail.

Call to Worship

Dee Jackson

(From Rev. Molly Bolton, enfleshed)

Leader: Siblings in Christ, let us gather in our full humanity.
People: We remember and honor each other’s humanity.
Leader: We remember and honor our own humanity.
People: Yearning for love and connection,
Leader: Vulnerable, resilient, creative, and carrying pain,
People: Dreaming of rest and ease and belonging,
Leader: Under systems of cruelty and unlivable paces,
People: We reach for humanity, within and around us.
Leader: Fully Human, Fully Divine – God incarnate, come and lead us.

Opening Song

“God of Grace and God of Glory” #577 – Harry Emerson Fosdick

1 God of grace and God of glory,
on the people pour thy power;
crown thine ancient church’s story,
bring her 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.

Opening Prayer

YeongRok Choi

(From Rev. Molly Bolton, enfleshed)
Leader: Spirit of Christ, you took on flesh like ours. You know the hunger pains felt across the globe. You know the fear of being targeted by state violence. You know the comforts and risks of building community. When we struggle with how to manage our own humanity and that of our neighbors, may we turn to your knowing presence. And may all who incarnate love in its fullest humanity – complex and messy as it is – guide our living, and guide our faith.
All: Amen.

Scripture Reading – Luke 14:1-14

Rin McLaughlin

1On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 2Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. 3And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?” 4But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. 5Then he said to them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?” 6And they could not reply to this.
7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

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

Anthem

“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” – Frederick W. Faber, Mark Miller

Seminary Choir

Sermon “Who’s in?” Dean Edwin Aponte

Musical Response

Sacrament of Holy Communion Dean Edwin Aponte
Servers: Nyasha Jeche, Adrian Mendoza

Liturgy: Adapted from enfleshed

Leader: The Holy One be with you
All: And also with you
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to God.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the One who guides our life together.
All: It is our joy to offer gratitude and praise.

Leader: God, you never promised us that way would be clear. You have, however, created us in your image – the image of One who is Wisdom, who is Love, who is Courage. You breathed your life into us with the assurance that we have, within and around us, everything we need to be your faithful people. Though we sometimes act in disregard for your call on our collective life, still you show up with and for us, relentlessly. And so we join with all the saints who have gone before in gratitude for your abiding presence, singing:

All (singing): Holy, holy, holy One, God of justice and love
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 Love
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest!

Leader: Sacred is your presence, and blessed is Christ with us.
Through the life of Jesus we saw an example of what it means to navigate an uncertain path, practice creative ministry, and face with courage and compassion all the barriers that work against your Spirit on the move.

Jesus lived and breathed a ministry rooted in your Love for all people.He prioritized the lives of those who are suffering and showed us what it looks like to be with and for one another, even under great distress. Though evil attempted to silence his proclamation of an all inclusive Kindom of God, not even death could keep Love from growing.

On the night in which he was arrested, he gathered among friends for a meal.
He took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread and shared it with his disciples saying,

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Drink from this, all of you; this is the cup of the new covenant. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of Christ with us, and in the assurance of your Love persistent, we offer our lives, our ministries, and our church in the service of your healing work as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

All (singing): Christ has died; Christ has risen; Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest!

Leader: Pour out your Spirit on this community and these gifts. Make them a taste of your Kindom through Christ with us, that we might leave the Table both nourished by your Love and still hungry for justice for all your people.

All (singing): Amen, Amen, Amen.
Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest, Hosanna in the highest!

(not on screen, so adapt as you choose):
Leader: This is the body of Christ, given for us. This is the cup of Christ, poured out for us.

(Invite stewards forward/give directions for receiving.)

Communion Music

“I Want Jesus to Walk With Me” – Negro Spiritual

1 I want Jesus to walk with me. (walk with me)
I want Jesus to walk with me. (walk with me)
All along my pilgrim journey,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. (walk with me)

2 In my trials, Lord, walk with me. (walk with me
In my trials, Lord, walk with me. (walk with me)
When my heart is almost breaking,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. (walk with me)

3 When I’m troubled, Lord, walk with me. (walk with me)
When I’m troubled, Lord, walk with me. (walk with me)
When my head is bowed in sorrow,
Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. (walk with me)

“Ayudanos, O Dios” – Mark Miller

Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.
Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.

Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.
Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.

Oh, help us, save us,
Grant us peace, O God!
Ayúdanos, help us,
grant us peace, O God!
Ayúdanos, oh Dios,
Concédenos tu paz.

Blessing

Dean Edwin Aponte

Sending Song

“We Will Understand It Better By and By” – Charles Albert Tindley

1. 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.

2. 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]