6 November 2025 – Chapel – Drew Theo Chapel

Gathering Music

Gather Us In
Words/Music: Marty Haugen – OneLicense #A-729109

Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of this day.
Gather us in the lost and forsaken,
gather us in the broken reclaim
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.

We are the young, our lives are a myst’ry,
we are the old who yearn for your face,
we have been sung throughout all of hist’ry,
called to be light to the whole human race.
Gather us in the rich and the haughty,
gather us in the proud and the strong;
give us a heart so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.

Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, light years away,
but here in this place the new light is shining,
now is the Kingdom, now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever,
gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in all peoples together,
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.

Call to Worship

Carrie-Lee Farnham

Leader: We gather around the idea of a table,
a place of nourishment, of story, of connection.

All: Here, everyone has a place.

Leader: Food is more than sustenance;
it is a language of care,
a reminder that healing often begins with something shared.

All: May the warmth of community feed what is hungry in us.

Leader: As we eat together, we learn to slow down,
to listen, to notice what and who sustains us.

All: May gratitude rise in us like bread,
expanding our compassion and joy.

Leader: We are fed by the earth, by one another,
and by the love that moves quietly between us.

All: Here, we are nourished. Here, we are whole.

Leader: As we begin this time of reflection and renewal,
may we open ourselves to the nourishment of presence,
and to the healing that comes when we truly share life together.

All: Together, we are made whole.

Music

We Need a Revolution
Inspired by Dorothy Day, Music: Mark Miller – OneLicense #A-729109

Opening Reflection

Cassie Montelongo

Scripture Reading

Hawk Ricketts

Exodus 16:14-20
14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer per person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.” 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it became wormy and rotten. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed, but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

Isaiah 55:1-3a
1 Hear, everyone who thirsts; come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your earnings for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.

Anthem

“Teach Me to Fly”
Words: Lindy Thompson, Music: Mark Miller

Seminary Choir

Sharing Circles

Ashley Nyachoto

Turn to a neighbor or form a small group, and discuss the following questions and prompts:
-What is a food-related tradition or ritual in your family or community that you find meaningful?
-Share a food or meal related memory. What feelings does this story bring up for you?
-How do you feel literally and metaphorically “fed” in community?
-Share a story of a time you felt deeply cared for

Prayer

Kirsten E. M. Trambley

Adapted from Rev. Micah Bucey

May you be tender with yourself, acknowledging that we are all currently experiencing countless individual and collective traumas, both the very obvious and the completely unseen, may you receive ample patience, both from yourself and from others, and may we together learn how to honestly name and heal harm, how to authentically restore and repair, and how to truly slow down in order to stay steady, especially when we unfairly wish we could just move ourselves right along. Amen.

Offering

Bethany Davey

As ecofeminist Ivone Gebara reminds us, It is not only our spirits that need the Bread of Life, but our very bodies. The foods we eat sustain our lives, nourish our bodies, enliven our being. Our lives are interwoven with and reliant upon the sustenance of food; to be denied access to this absolute necessity is a profound violence.

SNAP benefits ended on the first of this month. This political violence has devastating, lived impact for individuals and communities across the United States, within and beyond our Drew Theo community.

Today, we have invited those who are able to offer an item to our food pantry collection, in bodied refusal of the political violence enacted through the termination of SNAP benefits, and in bodied solidarity with our community. This offering serves as a reminder: we will feed one another. We will be fed.

At the close of the chapel service, we invite those who need a food item to take a food item. As we offer and accept these foods, we embody our interdependence, our circles of mutuality, our kin-ship.

May our offerings and our acceptance be an abundant embrace that holds us all.

Feast of Love

Josh Phillips

Table fellowship is a custom celebrated throughout the world, across cultures and is found in many faith traditions. A shared meal between two or more people can mean many things, but at its heart we recognize our common humanity and that we are sustained by both food and community. We are not here alone, we have each other. At the table we share our joys and concerns. We sit and break bread; listening, consoling, seeing one another. It is not merely a meal in fellowship, but a feast shared with love.

Today in honor of all gathered, we will share in a Feast of Love. Our shared meal this morning is either a sweetened bread roll or a gluten free graham cracker. For our beverage we will serve coffee, tea, and water. For those of you joining us online, you may gather any food or drink that you may have close by and share in this meal with us. Once all have been served we will join together in prayer and then enjoy our Feast of Love and fellowship together with our immediate neighbors seated around us. Let us prepare our hearts and minds for our feast.

Prayer

Holy one who visits us in many forms and ways, we give thanks today for the gift of meal and community. Bless these dear ones with the grace to listen generously and patiently. May all our hearts be warmed by the sharing of this simple meal and time together. We pray for all voices to be heard, bonds to be made, and for gratitude to be given to you and for each other. With humility help us remember those who are not at our table today. It is our prayer that you bring blessings and comfort to them as well. Give us Holy One the courage and wisdom to seek justice for those facing food insecurity and may you enlighten us in the ways we can participate in your vision of a flourishing world. For these blessings we ask with gratitude in your Holy Name, Amen.

Blessing

Benin Shekawongo

As we leave this place, may we be reminded of the many ways we are fed,
By the hands that grow and prepare our food,
By the creatures we share tables with,
By the laughter and connection that season every meal.
May what nourishes our bodies also heal our hearts.
May every bite remind us of our interwovenness,
With the earth who offers,
The workers who harvest and labor,
With one another who hunger for belonging.
Go now, filled and renewed,
And become nourishment for others,
In kindness, justice, care.
And may the mean we’ve shared,
In body and in spirit,
Sustain us for the healing work ahead.
Go in wholeness, and in peace.