Gathering Music
“Welcome”
Words: Laurie Zelman, Music: Mark A. Miller
Let’s walk together for a while and ask where we begin
To build a world where love can grow and hope can enter in.
To be the hands of healing and to plant the seeds of peace,
Singing welcome
Welcome to this place.
You’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share,
‘Cause all of us are welcome here; all are welcome in this place.
Let’s talk together of a time when we will share a feast,
Where pride and power kneel to serve the lonely and the least,
And joy will set the table as we join our hands to pray,
Singing welcome,
Welcome to this place.
You’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share,
‘Cause all of us are welcome here; all are welcome in this place.
Let’s dream together of the day when earth and heaven are one,
A city built of love and light, the new Jerusalem,
Where our mourning turns to dancing, every creature lifts its voice!
Crying welcome!
Welcome to this place.
You’re invited to come and know God’s grace.
All are welcome, the love of God to share,
‘Cause all of us are welcome here; all are welcome in this place.
“Mambo Sawa”
Mambo Sawa Sawa
Mambo Sawa Sawa
Yesu Akiwa Enzini
Mambo sawa sawa
Mambo sawa sawa
Mambo sawa sawa
Things already better
Things already better
When the Lord is on our side
Things already better
Things already better
Things already better!
Gathering Words
Daesun Jang
Based on Psalm 122:1-2, 9
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.
Opening Song
“God of Grace and God of Glory”
Words: Harry Emerson Fosdick, Music: John Hughes
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
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
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
less we miss thy kingdom’s goal
less we miss thy kingdom’s goal
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
Rev. Dan Bottorff, T ‘69
(From enfleshed)
Leader: God of new life, even when we find ourselves in situations once unimaginable, you give us reason to hope. In the midst of destruction, you enliven our capacities for building community and connection. In the midst of evil’s reign, the gifts of your Spirit remain with us. By your grace, make us creators of justice and planters of peace in whatever land we find ourselves.
All: Amen.
Scripture Reading – Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Dr. A. Paulette Birchett, DMin T ‘13
29:1 These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God.
Anthem
“Child of God”
Words & Music: Mark A. Miller
Seminary Choir
Sermon
“An Unrealistic Expectation”
Rev. Dr. Gary Simpson
Musical Response
Holy Communion
Rev. Donna Owusu-Ansah, T ‘10
Communion servers: Rev. David Gaitán Rivera, T ‘23, Dobyo Amos
Liturgy adapted from Rev. Thom M. Shuman, Lectionary Liturgies
Leader: May the God of joy be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: People of God, open your hearts to the One who does wonders for you.
All: We offer our hearts to God, who plants gardens of peace within us.
Leader: Children of God, sing praises to the One who leads us to this place.
All: We join all creation in singing our thanks God, our Creator.
Leader: On that first glad morning, Architect of glory,
you built the house of creation
for us to dwell in with peace as our neighbor;
you planted gardens in the valleys and meadows
that we might be fed by your goodness.
But we chose to live in death’s dim exile.
You sent the prophets to us,
carrying words of promise and hope,
but we refused to return to you.
Seeking the welfare of all creation,
and longing to restore us to wholeness,
you sent Jesus, child of your heart, to us.
With all the earth that worships you,
with all brought to spacious places,
we sing your glory forever:
(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: Holy are you, God of peace and hope,
and blessed is Jesus Christ, our Healer, Your Word sent from glory.
Your Freedom for all your people,
he set free the gospel which
shatters the chains of our oppression.
Your Hope from the foundation of creation,
he went through the regions
of sin and death that we might
enter the wonders of your kin-dom,
singing praises to you as we travel your Way.
As we celebrate our redemption,
as we remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead,
we sing that mystery we call faith:
(singing) Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!
Leader: On this glad day, Loving God,
pour out your Spirit on the gifts of the Table,
and on those who gather at your feast.
As we are strengthened by the Bread of life,
send us forth to plant gardens,
sharing the harvest with those who hunger.
As we are nourished by the Cup of hope,
give us the tools to build homes
for those who live in poverty’s grip.
As we are filled with the Spirit of service,
may we have the courage
to use our hearts and voices
to break the chains of those
who live in oppression’s exile.
And when that glad morning of resurrection comes,
when we gather with the exiles of every time and place,
our sisters and brothers who were ever faithful,
we will rejoice in you forever,
God in Community, Holy in One.
(singing) Amen, Amen, Amen.
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna in the highest!
Sharing in the Bread and Cup
Songs during Communion
“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)
“There’s a Wideness In God’s Mercy”
Words: Frederick W. Faber, Music: Mark A. Miller
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea
There’s a kindness in this justice
Which is more than liberty
“Draw the Circle Wide”
Words: Gordon Light, Music: Mark Miller
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.
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.
Blessing
Rev. Dr. Gary Simpson
Sending Song
“We’ll Understand it Better By and By”
Words & Music: 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 we’re guided by 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 