A Service in Celebration of the Retirement of Dean Tanya Linn Bennett

Gathering Music

“When There’s Trust In the Room” – Thornburg/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.

“Come Out” – Linn Bennett/Miller

“Stillness” – Thompson/Miller

Meet me in the stillness, Lord, Be the air I breathe.

Meet me in the stillness, Lord, Free me to receive.

Welcome and Greeting

Dean Edwin Aponte

Call to Worship

Lerato Pitso

Adapted from Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett, Abingdon Preaching Annual 2020

Leader: God is here.
All: God is with us.
Leader: With fingers oozing with, squishing in the
deep rich clay of the Dead Sea
the fine glassy sand of the Sea of Galilee
the silky silt of the River Jordan
All: God shapes us, breathes into us, and sets us on the planet formed from chaos.
Leader: With faithfulness beyond measure and patience beyond deserving, God sets us on our way,
and watches, and waits.
All: When our love fails and our feet wander, God remains,
Leader: ever and always, our Maker and our Re-make. Ever and always,
All: God is with us.

Opening Song

Welcome – Zelman/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.

Opening Prayer

Dr. Elaine Nogueira-Godsey

Adapted from a Commencement Invocation written by Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett

O God, we come together here with all we are, and all that we’ve been made to be, pieced together by a spirit of great imagination and love, each of us a piece of the puzzle of the universe. Come, Great Spirit, be with us here.

Swing wide the portals to the expanses of our vision. Remind us that we are loved well by you and by those around us. Inspire us to look in and out at where we’ve been and where we might go. Let us know that we do not ever travel alone, but always with you, and in the hearts of those who come before, who stand with us now, and with those we have yet to know.

God of glory, we praise you for this moment, as we give thanks for the ministry and service of the Rev. Dr. Tanya Linn Bennett. For her wisdom, for her creativity, for her leadership, for her compassion, for her desire for justice, for her joy in serving as a vital part of the Drew Theological School community, we give you thanks. Surround her with your love and ours.

All: Amen.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 126, The Message translation

Rev. Dr. J. Terry Todd

126 1-3 It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion’s exiles.
We laughed, we sang,
we couldn’t believe our good fortune.
We were the talk of the nations—
“God was wonderful to them!”
God was wonderful to us;
we are one happy people.

4-6 And now, God, do it again—
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives
So those who planted their crops in despair
will shout “Yes!” at the harvest,
So those who went off with heavy hearts
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.

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

Anthem

“Harvest of Love” Zelman/Miller

Seminary Choir

In our sorrow, we journey head down.
In our sorrow, we journey head down.
In the dust of defeat, with our hearts at our feet,
We are planting our seeds in the ground.
We are planting our seeds in the ground.

May we offer our lives as the ground.
May we offer our lives as the ground.
Now our fears we forsake,
Let the seeds stir and wake.
May they grow in the peace
that we’ve found.
May they grow in the peace
that we’ve found.

It’s a mystery – who knows
How the harvest grows?
With our hands and our tears in the soil,
From the ground feel it rise,
Filled with joy and surprise.
‘Til the laughter like water flows!
‘Til the laughter like water flows!

So give thanks and rejoice at the sound!
So give thanks and rejoice at the sound!
For the song rises still,
And our arms God will fill.
Oh the harvest of love will astound
Yes the harvest of love will astound!

It’s a mystery – who knows
How the harvest grows?
With our hands and our tears in the soil,
From the ground feel it rise,
Filled with joy and surprise.
‘Til the laughter like water flows!
‘Til the laughter like water flows!

Sermon

Rev. Dr. Gary Simpson

Musical Response

“It Is Love” Bennett/Miller

Tributes

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi (video), Sooah Na T’17, YK Jun T’18, & Professor Mark Miller

Blessing

Professor Mark Miller

Written for Dean Tanya Linn Bennet by Professor Emeritus of Worship Preaching and the Arts Heather Murray Elkins

Dearly Beloved,
it’s time to retire,
not from the labor of love,
but from the fear that freezes.
The Sun has risen;
the Spirit’s fire will melt the ice
and open hearts, and minds, and doors.
Don’t linger on the threshold.
Move into the mystery.
You have been called by the Caller.
Those who go before you know the Way.
Let your soul be swift to answer;
follow the sound of their jubilant feet.

Let all God’s children say: Amen!

Sending Song

“All My Days” – Zelman/Miller

You know my words before they’re said
You know my need and I am fed
You give me life. You know my ways,
my strength, my path, for all my days
my strength, my path, for all my days

If I should fly beyond the dawn,
the darkness will not overcome
If I lie down in deepest night,
still you are there, my Lord, my light,
still you are there, my Lord, my light

Our every thought, each word we say,
the whole of time, the present day,
are held within your mighty hand,
too wonderful to comprehend,
too wonderful to comprehend.

O mend my heart and free my voice.
From sin released, I will rejoice.
O search me, Lord, my spirit cries,
and let my song of praise arise,
and let my song of praise arise.