May 3, 2020
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song TFWS #2055 You Are My Hiding Place https://youtu.be/RzqpkMJxyss Call to Worship We come together as people of faith, trusting in God’s steadfast love. We come and take refuge in the eternal presence of God. It is sometimes not easy to have faith; there are things that frighten us. Yet as we enter this time of worship, we feel the strength of our faith. We are the church as we gather in Christ’s name. We are the body of Christ, seeking to live faithfully in these trying times. Hymn UMH #128 He Leadeth Me https://youtu.be/As2LhyhjWCQ Opening Prayer Loving God, we long to make sense of all that we don’t understand. We want to believe that there is more to life than our troubles and anxieties. Meet us here with truth that is evident and trustworthy. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Luke 10:38-42 Matthew 6:25-34 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." [Jesus said,] "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (New International Version) Sermon God’s Word for Us When We Are Anxious GOD’S WORD WHEN YOU ARE ANXIOUS Luke 10:38-42 Matthew 6:25-34 A cartoon showed a young chick running around and yelling, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” A frog said to the chicken, “I can’t believe you chickens! You’re always worried about some disaster happening to you. If your father could see you now, he’d be turning over in his gravy!” There are a lot of people I know who practice the Chicken Little stress manage-ment technique. The more stress they are under, the more they worry. And the more they worry, the more stress they feel. There are lots of words to describe this condition: Type A personality; the need to control; obsessive/compulsive disorder; even a real go-getter. And during this stressful time, our ineffective and even harmful ways of dealing with stress may come to the surface even more than usual. But when anxious people handle stress in these ways, it can and often does affect their health in negative ways. Two of the most common diseases in this country are stomach ulcers and heart attacks, both of which are stress-related. As the saying goes, the ulcers are caused not so much by what you eat, but by what’s eating you. Worry can affect our judgment, our ability to make decisions, and our ability to deal with life. In other words, being anxious about whether you can cope with life just makes you less able to cope with it. Someone once commented, “Worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.” Is there a better way of coping when you are anxious than by worrying? Or perhaps even manage to face life without being anxious? Let’s look at the story of Mary and Martha, one that most of us have heard before. And we’ll also look at a portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which gives the same message. Jesus was apparently a frequent guest at the home of his friends in Bethany, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. On this particular occasion, Mary chose to remain in the room where Jesus was teaching his disciples, while her sister Martha was working away in the kitchen preparing a meal for the hungry travelers. Jesus commended Mary and corrected Martha, and he was very clear about what the real issue was. First, Jesus spoke to Martha. She was distracted by her worry and her anxiety about many things, things that didn’t even matter much anyway. Worry does distract us. It keeps our minds occupied with the “if onlys” and the “what ifs” and the “whys,” and leaves us with no attention or energy or enthusiasm to give to the really important things in life. We worry about the past, but we can’t change it. The past is past. No amount of thinking about it can make it different from what it was. By the same token, we worry about the future. This kind of worrying is also useless, because things rarely work out the way we are afraid they will. Worry can make mountains out of molehills. Peb Jackson remarked, “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” Worry encourages us to “borrow trouble,” or as someone has put it, “Worry is interest paid on troubles before it falls due.” Jesus was making the same point when he spoke about worry in the Sermon on the Mount. He said that we should not worry about the things that don’t really matter anyway: food, drink, clothing. (Maybe even not toilet paper.) Life is much more than those things. Worry doesn’t add anything to life, not even one hour; in fact, worry can rob us of years of our lives. As the saying goes, you can worry yourself into an early grave. Jesus didn’t say that we shouldn’t be prudent; we do need to be responsible in taking care of ourselves and our families. But when we are too concerned with what we eat or what we wear, we miss what matters most in life, things like relationships with God and with each other. During this time of pandemic, we have been made more aware than ever before of what matters in life. It isn’t sports, or Hollywood celebrities, or eating out, or going to movies, or even getting our hair done. It doesn’t matter what type of car we drive or what brand of shoes we have on our feet, or even what brand of food we find on the shelves. What matters is our family, our loved ones, our faith, our relationship with God, our health and safety. We should not worry about these things, either, but rely on the grace and power of God and on the strength of our faith to get us through this time of crisis. Jesus warned Martha, and us: Don’t be distracted by worry. Second, Jesus spoke to Mary. He said that Mary focused on the one thing that does matter: the Kingdom of God. It is no accident that the more we focus on God, the less room we have in our hearts and minds for worry and anxiety. When we are doing God’s work in the world, we will be too busy to get mired down in worry. Leo Aikman wrote, “Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.” That kind of echoes a saying of Victor Hugo: “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake!” The key to a worry-free life is a God-filled life. Fear and God cannot occupy the same place at the same time. The writer of 1 John told us that perfect love casts out fear. God is perfect love. It is basically a matter of trust in God. Do we believe that God is ultimately in control? Then why are we so afraid of letting go of our own need to be in control? Why are we scared of trusting ourselves into the hands of a trustworthy God? It is time we put our money where our mouth is. It’s time to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. I can’t promise you that life will be perfect when you trust in God. Life isn’t perfect for anyone. But I can promise you that God is perfect in his love and faithfulness and grace. There is nothing that can happen to you that God will not help you to handle. That may sound incredibly naïve or like so much wishful thinking. It may appear unrealistic. How can I tell you that is possible to live without worry and anxiety in a world where people get sick and die, where little children are shot dead in their school-yards, where babies are diagnosed with terminal cancer, where terrorists strike without warning? I would have to be crazy, wouldn’t I, to suggest that God’s peace can dwell in the hearts of those who are watching their aging parents drift away a little more each day, or of those who are struggling financially because of lost jobs, or of those whose families are torn apart by conflict, or of those who are lonely or confused or abused? But I’m not crazy, at least not about this. It is possible to give up worry. I am a case in point. I used to by my family’s token worry wart. No one else had to worry; I worried enough for all of us. I lived the Chicken Little method of stress management. I worried about the past, I worried about the future. I worried when I couldn’t think of anything to worry about. I worried about my grades. I worried about my roommate’s grades. My stomach took the brunt of it, and I always took my college exams in the desk closest to the door in case I had to make a run for the restroom. I worried about child abuse and world hunger and the national debt. I was an expert at worrying. So what happened? What changed me? How did I give up all that worry and anxiety? My mother was diagnosed with cancer. Now, that may sound really nuts. After all, for a worrier, this situation called for an expert like me. And, at first, my level of stress and anxiety went up about a thousand percent. But then, learning from my mother’s example, I started to live just one day at a time, not thinking about tomorrow or next week or next month. I just thought about today. And I knew that, with God’s help, I could get through this one day. That is the way we should all live, anyway. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. The only one who controls tomorrow knows what he is doing, and he will get me through it, one way or another. I just need to focus on today. As Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” I had a cousin who lived on Lady’s Island, just off the coast of Beaufort, SC. I sometimes heard her talking about her neighbor across the street. She suffered from agoraphobia, and was afraid to leave her house. She hadn’t always been that way. And I don’t know how it happened to her, if it was caused by some traumatic event, or what brought it on. But she stayed in her home all the time. She didn’t go to the grocery store, or the farmer’s market, or church services. She didn’t watch her children participate in sports or perform in piano recitals. This woman lost her friends, one by one, as they went on with their active lives and she remained secluded. I don’t know whatever became of her. But I do know that she missed her life. Her fear had such a death-grip on her that she wasn’t really able to live at all. Her fear paralyzed her. It cheated her out of the joy and beauty of life. In some ways, she was already dead. Jesus wants more than that for us. Jesus wants us to live in him, to give up our worry and fear and anxiety. We need to trust that God will provide for us. John 10:10 records the words of Jesus, “I have come that they may have abundant life, life to the full.” There is no better summary than the words of the old gospel song, “Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know he holds my hand.” Take hold of God’s hand and be confident about the future. Let the peace of Christ enter your heart and remove the fear and anxiety and worry. Live the full life that God intends for you. Even in these abnormal and difficult times, we can have peace, we can live without anxiety. We can trust God, who has proven over and over again to be trustworthy. Hymn UMH #377 It is Well With My Soul https://youtu.be/O-7EuOeaKOc Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth by email at [email protected]. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Giver of life, who conceived creation’s dawning and planted the seeds of your eternal dominion, your works are wonderful and you are worthy of our praise. You are compassionate and lovingly embrace your creatures. You conceived their well-being and bore the Christ for them. You labored with their sinfulness and sent forth the Spirit. You did not forsake them when death’s darkness enshrouded the earth. We live today, thanks to your love. Hope of the world, we rely on your mercy. Continue to grant us hospice where we can live secure from harm. Help us to find in Christ the anchor of our faith, the haven of calm waters amid unsettling times. Root us and ground us in his teachings, so that when the winds blow, we remain steadfast; when stormy seas threaten, we do not desert you; when we are tossed to and fro, we may remain upright in the conviction that Christ died to free us from ultimate destruction. Custodian of the future, we depend on your grace. Blend our thoughts with your thoughts. Leaven this lump of creation we call our existence, so that our days on earth reflect your splendor. Renew us with your Holy Spirit and align all that we do with your will for us. When we are depressed, be with us to uplift us; when our feet are light, dance with us; when we shout with joy, hear our praise. How precious to us are your thoughts, O God. (James G. Kirk, adapted) We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Through our offerings, loving God, we proclaim Christ to the world. We dedicate all we are giving to preaching, teaching, and outreach that move people toward Christian maturity. We offer ourselves as advocates for the poor and needy, as seekers for justice, as stewards of hope. Amen. Hymn UMH #130 God Will Take Care of You https://youtu.be/u4Ez8m2ozf4 Benediction Go forth to serve, as you are able. We want to grow in faith, continuing in the hope of the gospel we received. Seek refreshment and nurture in quiet times, when you can listen to the thoughts of God. In us the word of God comes alive anew, and the wisdom of God inspires and teaches. Amen.
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April 26, 2020
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song UMH #98 To God Be the Glory https://youtu.be/tYChKguLg24 Call to Worship Peace be with you, in the name of Jesus Christ, who has conquered death and shown us how to live. We need the gift of peace for these difficult days; and we need it for our troubled world. God is always available at our right hand. Our hearts are glad and our souls rejoice; we shall not be moved. In hope and confidence we come to praise God. We are glad to be in the presence of Christ, whose way we seek to follow. Hymn TFWS #2206 Without Seeing You https://youtu.be/McVcRSYDixU Opening Prayer Stand among us once again, Risen Christ, and bless us with your greeting, “Peace be with you!” Stand among us once again, Exalted Brother, and breathe upon us your promised Spirit. Stand among us once again, You Who Have Escaped Death, and give us new birth into your living hope. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture 1 Peter 1:3-9 Sermon Don’t Give Up DON’T GIVE UP 1 Peter 1:3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (New International Version) One of my favorite comic strips is “Peanuts.” I remember in one strip, Linus and Lucy are watching TV. Lucy says to Linus, “Go get me a glass of water.” Linus looks up and says, “Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me.” So Lucy promises, “On your 75th birthday I’ll bake you a cake.” Linus gets up and heads for the kitchen, saying, “Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to.” Hope is important, it is crucial. Hope keeps us going; it gives us life and courage and energy. Lyle E. Schaller, a church growth expert, said that if we want churches to grow then we have to offer people hope. He wrote, “Perhaps the most common characteristic of churches that are attracting increasing numbers of people today is not where the minister is on the theological spectrum or the denominational affiliation, but on what people hear and feel during the worship experience. This is a note of hope … The one them that is common to churches that are attracting more people is the theme of hope.” People certainly ought to find hope in the Christian faith and in the Christian church! That hope is what gets us through the difficult times in life. It is what makes us keep on keeping on. Hope is what gives life meaning and purpose. And it is a hope of what is to come that is the most basic Christian hope. C. S. Lewis defined hope as “a continual looking forward to the eternal world.” This note of hope is dominant in the first chapter of 1 Peter. And it is a note of hope that is spoken to a church in dire circumstances. Peter wrote this letter from Rome around the year 64, at the beginning of the persecution of Christians under Roman emperor Nero. Eventually Peter became a victim of that persecution himself. Tradition says that Peter was put to death in 67, crucified upside down. Peter saw what was coming and he wrote to warn Christians that there would be trials and suffering ahead of them. And he wrote to remind them of their reasons for hope. Peter gave these early Christians four reasons that they could have hope. First, Christians have hope because we have experienced a new birth. Christians find our salvation through the mercy of God, and it is in the experience of being born again. We become dead to sin and alive to God, with a fresh beginning. We experience a new kind of life when we decide to follow Jesus, and that new life may mean radical change. We are born again, not for this life on earth, but for the wonderful expectation of a life to come. That expectation is based on the conviction that God will keep his promise to raise us to life, even as Jesus was raised from the dead. Second, Christians have hope because we have an inheritance. This inheritance can never perish, never spoil, never fade. That is because it is an inheritance kept for us in heaven. And nothing can ever take that inheritance away from us. It has been prepared, it is being reserved; it is absolutely certain and we can count on it. Adam Hamilton is found of reminding his congregation of a conversation he had with a parishioner who asked him if he really believed in the resurrection and life after death in heaven. Adam answered, “I don’t just believe it; I’m counting on it.” No matter what harm may come to us in this life, that inheritance waits for us and is being kept safe for us by God. Third, Christians have hope because we are being protected by the power of God through faith. The Greek word “protect” or “shield” is a military word. It means that God stands sentinel over us always. Even when we cannot see God, God is there keeping watch over us. We are being protected by God until the coming of our final salvation. And knowing what is ahead of us gives us joy now. It is a deep and spiritual joy that will remain unchanged by whatever happens to us in this life. In comparison to the joy that is to come, the trials on earth last for only a little while. Finally, Christians have hope because our trials make us stronger in faith. God does watch over us, but God does not prevent troubles and sorrows from happening to us. Instead, God enables us to face them and to get through them, with God’s help. These trials test us and they test our faith. But we face them not only in our own strength, but in the strength of God. That is how we can overcome them. Christians can face anything, can stand anything that comes along, because we have something to look forward to. At the end of it all, there is life with God. The trials and troubles here and now are not the end; beyond all that, there is the glory, and in the hope of glory we can endure anything. We know that when we get through these trying times, we will receive the object of our hope and our faith – our salvation. Hope is powerful, faith is powerful, in helping us cope with the challenges in life. Hope enables those who suffer to endure, and even to overcome physical and emotional suffering. Beverly Zink-Sawyer reminds us that we can see the healing and sustaining power of hope in the African-American spirituals. She writes, “Enslaved people who were suffering severe physical, mental, and emotional abuse transcended their misery by means of hope in a God who, they believed, had not abandoned them. Their visions of a sweet chariot that would swing low to carry them home, a balm in Gilead that would make the wounded whole, and a Savior who knew the trouble they had seen gave them strength to endure the unendurable … The words and melodies of the spirituals echo through the years and across racial boundaries, demonstrating an expression of profound faith in the midst of profound suffering.” John Maxwell tells about a small town in Maine that was on the site of a proposed new hydroelectric plant. A dam was to be built across the river and the town would end up under water. When the project was announced, people were given months to arrange their affairs and relocate. During those months, a curious thing happened to the town. No buildings or roads or sidewalks were repaired. Day by day, the town got shabbier and shabbier. Long before the water came, the town looked abandoned even though the people had not yet moved away. One citizen said, “When there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.” As Christians, we have faith in the future, we have hope; and that hope gives us power. We are going through trials and troubles right now in the midst of a pandemic. Our lives have been turned upside down in just a few weeks. We are learning the true meaning of “essential” activities and products. We have hunkered down (in Southern speak) and stayed home. We have been separated from friends and loved ones by social distancing, and communicate by phone or text or social media. We have heard unbearable stories of loss and suffering and making do. But we have also heard stories of hope and courage and self-sacrifice. We have seen heroes among us: nurses working long hours with few resources; delivery drivers making sure that we get food and other supplies; first responders making trip after trip after trip to pick up the sick and get them to the hospital; children creating pictures on the sidewalk with chalk to thank the mail carriers; restaurants providing free food to medical personnel; celebrities performing free online concerts; churches finding new ways to communicate and stay in touch. We have hope. We have faith. Things will get better, in this life and in the next. Our hope is not limited to this world; it is a hope that is based in the next. And so we carry on. I would like to close with a paraphrase of 1 Peter 1, written by Leslie Brandt: Another way to test whether or not our faith is genuine is to see whether we can be thankful in the midst of trying circumstances. Some of us suffer much in the course of our lives. All of us are continually exposed to temptations and tribulations that are more than we can endure. What we must understand is that God is able to use even these things, the apparently unfortunate happenings that hound us, to accomplish his purposes in and through us. We need only consult our memory banks to confirm how even the tragedies that shafted us in the past have made significant contributions to our lives and made us more lovingly sensitive to the sorrows and pains that befall others. The key to strength and courage, the ability to endure, and the grace to find beauty and joy even within the crucible experiences of our lives is faith. And faith is demonstrated and expressed when we dare to be thankful, to shout God’s praises, even in the middle of our problems and pressures. It is probably that we will be forcefully separated from many people and things that are precious to us, and this separation will involve sorrow and pain. The blessings and gifts that are eternally valid, however, will never be taken from us. The gift of God’s Son, the eternal hope renewed in his resurrection, the presence of his Spirit, the salvation which is already ours – these gifts are ours forever and ought to fill our lives with perpetual praise. It is important, then, whatever happens to us in our world, that our hope be focused firmly upon God and that our lives be involved in his eternal objectives. He is truly our Father, and we are at all times to be his obedient children and servants. He paid the price of our redemption and adoption. We belong to him; we are his possessions. May our faith, tested constantly by the hot fires of adversity, be enlarged and increased. May our love be made more honest and generous. And may it be our determination to please God and serve our fellow persons regardless of the cost or consequences to our lives. I say, “Amen!” Hymn UMH #364 Because He Lives https://youtu.be/La9Zy917JcQ Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth by email at [email protected]. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God, who has ordained the seasons of the year and also the seasons of our lives, we praise you for the steadfastness of your love and mercy, which support us in every season and time of life. Help us now to open ourselves to the gift of your presence, which will transform our very existence. Where there is fear, give courage; where there is anxiety, give peace; where there is loneliness, give companionship. Let the mind of your Son Jesus Christ become our mind as well, drawing us into fellowship and commitment and service. In a world that grows daily more difficult and complicated, lead us into simplicity of heart and soul. Where the paths that we must walk become steep and narrow, or overgrown with briers and weeds, hold our hands lest we stumble. Reveal yourself especially to those who suffer grief or illness, that they may be encouraged by a deeper knowledge of you. Help us to hear your word for each of us as we wait before you in reverence and love. (John Killinger) We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication God of great mercy, accept our offerings, given out of what is more precious than gold – our faith in you, giver of hope and life. And through these gifts, reveal the risen Christ in acts of mercy, love, and joy. Amen. Hymn W&S #3105 In Christ Alone https://youtu.be/3ch6eXkQWU8 Benediction In great mercy, God has given us a new birth into a living hope, for it is the risen Christ who stands in our midst and says, “Peace be with you!” We go forth now to walk the path of new life and living hope. And may the peace of the risen Christ be with us all. Amen. April 19, 2020
Holy Humor Sunday Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! What is Holy Humor Sunday? It has a long history in many congregations around the world. Churches in 15th century Bavaria used to celebrate the Sunday after Easter as Risus Paschalis (God’s Joke, or the Easter Laugh). Priests would deliberately include amusing stories and jokes in their sermons in an attempt to get their congregations to laugh. After the service, people would gather together to play practical jokes on one another and tell funny stories. It was their way of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus – the supreme joke God played on Satan by raising Jesus from the dead. The observance of Risus Paschalis was officially outlawed by Pope Clement X in the 17th century. Perhaps people were having too much fun! In 1988 the Fellowship of Merry Christians began encouraging churches to resurrect some of these Christian traditions – to celebrate the grace and mercy of God through the gifts of laughter and joy. G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. He who has the faith has the fun.” Gathering Gathering Song TFWS #2270 He Has Made Me Glad https://youtu.be/oBDEOn_ZGTc Call to Worship Sing a new song! A joyful melody of springtime glory and rebirth. Sing praise to our Still-Laughing Easter God, who has rolled away the bindings of yesterday. Immerse your anxiety and despair in the fountain of new birth. Sing a new song! Hymn UMH #89 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee https://youtu.be/mfBGQplsyT8 Opening Prayer You smiled and the sun burst through the shadows of chaos; you chuckled and the platypus splashed in creation’s fountain; you laughed and all that is good and beautiful was given shape by you, Imaginative God. Snickering at the feeble attempts of the evil one, you showed us how to resist temptation; giggling at sin’s desperate desire to hold on to us, you released us by your love; howling with laughter at death’s foolish belief that the tomb could hold you, you burst forth into the kingdom as the stars pealed with joy, Laughing Jesus. As you fill us with new life, may we delight in sharing it with others; as you tell us the good news which can never be taken from us, may we rejoice in offering it to the broken, the sad, the lonely; as you tickle us with grace, may we give it away with laughter on our lips and joy in our hearts, Spirit of Easter. God in Community, Holy in One, our hearts overflow with wonder. Amen. (Written by Thom M. Shuman) Hearing the Word Scripture Genesis 17:15-21; 18:9-14; 21:1-7 Sermon God Has Made Laughter For Me GOD HAS MADE LAUGHTER FOR ME Genesis 17:15-21; 18:9-14; 21:1-7 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her; I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live in thy sight!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold I will bless him and make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.” [The three men] said to [Abraham], “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” The Lord said, “I will surely return to you int eh spring, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would suckle children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” I love to play board games. I have been told that I am more than a little on the competitive side, and I guess that’s true. I do love to win. One of my favorite games is Trivial Pursuit. One day I was at my best friend’s house, winning at Trivial Pursuit, and I was confident that I would indeed emerge victorious. I had collected all my pie wedges and finally landed in the center of the board for my chance to win the game. Lori chose as my category, “Sports and Leisure.” The question on the card was, “How many players are there on each side in water polo?” Now, I had absolutely no idea how many players there were on each side in water polo, but I at least wanted to sound like I was making an educated guess. In an effort to buy more time, I asked for clarification: “Including the horses?” Well, Lori burst out laughing. She laughed so hard, she cried. I sat there getting angrier and angrier, because I had no clue what she was laughing about. Finally, she managed to say, “Swim, baby, swim!” And I realized what I had done. Horses. In water polo. Oh, well, We never did finish that game. And I still don’t know how many players there are on each side in water polo. Since that day, I have tried to learn to take life – and myself – a little less seriously. I have discovered that the ability to laugh at myself can be a good approach to things besides board games. It is definitely better than having people laugh at me. Laughter and a good sense of humor can be some of the best coping tools we have for facing life’s challenges, troubles, and trials. Humor can help us take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. When you can laugh at a problem, you gain a measure of control over it. Sometimes Christians act like faith and humor are at opposite ends of some invisible spectrum. They come into church looking like they sucked lemons all week just to get the right look on their faces. It’s like an automatic reflex – walk into church, check your smile at the door. But that doesn’t seem right to me. Christians, of all people, have something to smile about. After all, we believe in the good news: Christ is risen! Christianity is joyous and fun and playful. God has a sense of humor. He must. The same God who created DNA and gravity, who thought up nuclear physics and photosynthesis, also made porcupines and giraffes, ostriches and otters, freckles and dimples, caterpillars and dandelions. Think about it! God even made one creature, called the leviathan, just to frolic in the ocean. The Bible is filled with humor and laughter and funny stories. Remember Balaam’s donkey seeing angels? Or how about Noah building a boat in the middle of a desert? Then there is the story of Rahab the prostitute saving Hebrew spies in Jericho. Jesus used humor often – jokes, irony, satire, parables. He talked about camels going through the eye of a needle, good Samaritans helping Jews in trouble, the blind leading the blind, and prodigals welcomed home with parties. Humor helped Jesus get past people’s defenses so that they could hear the message he was trying to get across. One of my favorite stores in the Bible is the story of Abraham and Sarah, and their unexpected bundle of joy. Abraham was over 100 years old and Sarah was over 90. There they were, enjoying retirement, hoping that Geritol and Grecian Formula would improve their lives, when one day God sent them a message with impossible news: Abraham and Sarah were about to become parents! Can you imagine? Abraham laughed so hard that he fell on his face, and Sarah hid behind the tent flap just cackling. And you know what? God didn’t zap them dead on the spot for laughing. He joined in the fun. He told them that they were going to have a baby boy, and that they should name him “Isaac.” Do you know what “Isaac” means in Hebrew? “Laughter.” Isaac means laughter. What better name could there have been for this child? God played quite a joke on these two. And when Sarah finally held her baby in her arms, she said to herself, “God has made laughter for me.” What a great verse. “God has made laughter for me.” God made laughter for Abraham and Sarah, and God made laughter for you and me. It’s good theology. If God can laugh and Jesus can tell funny stories, then it’s okay with me. And laughter is also good psychology. It is one of the best coping strategies there is. Humor can give us power over difficult situations. When we laugh, we get out from under things that weigh us down. We can minimize the things that seem to be enormous burdens. Humor can help us see things differently, and that just might be enough to get us through. As comedian Michael Pritchard said, “Laughter is like changing a baby’s diaper. It doesn’t change things permanently, but it makes everything okay for a while.” Humor can also contribute to good health. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like medicine.” A part of the healing process in ancient Greek culture involved visiting the home of a comedian. One Native American tribe had clown-doctors who performed for the sick. And the French philosopher Voltaire wrote, “The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” No wonder my mom always bought me comic books when I was sick! Studies have shown that laughing hard stimulates nearly all the major organs of the body, and uses the very same muscles as when we cry hard. We can get the same physical release from laughing as we do from crying. And given a choice, I’d rather laugh. So how do we appropriate humor in our lives and use it as a coping tool? First, learn to react with humor to lighten up tense situations. When you have a choice of getting angry or using humor, humor is often the best choice. One woman had to submit her budget to her boss, and he rejected it four times in one week, saying that it was still too large. Finally, the woman went to the copy room, placed her budget on the glass, and shrunk it to the size of a postage stamp. She then resubmitted it with a note attached: “Reduced budget.” A second technique is to learn to laugh at yourself, to take yourself a little less seriously. Abraham Lincoln was a master at this. During his debates with Stephen Douglas, Douglas accused Lincoln of being two-faced. Lincoln quickly responded, “If I had two faces, I certainly wouldn’t wear this one!” Another whiz at this kind of humor was Ronald Reagan. He faced constant criticism about his age, especially while running for re-election. During one press conference, he showed his good humor when he said, “Andrew Jackson was seventy-five years old and still vigorous when he left the White House. I know, because he told me.” The story is told of Mary Martin that she was walking down the street in Paris with a friend, wearing a new designer outfit, when a bird flew over and made a deposit on her shoulder. Without missing a beat, Martin turned to her friend and said, “For some people, they sing.” Third, a great strategy is to look for the humor all around you every day. I remember seeing a plumber’s truck that had a motto painted on the side: “A flush beats a full house.” There was a sign at a gas station that read, “Courteous and efficient self-service.” And I love to look for bloopers in the newspaper, and especially in church bulletins and newsletters. I have been collecting those bloopers for years. One said, “This afternoon there will be a meeting in the north and south ends of the church. Babies will be baptized at both ends.” Another read, “This being Easter Sunday, Mrs. Jones will come forward and lay an egg on the altar.” I love the one that said, “Weight loss group meeting on Thursday. Please use the double doors on the side.” Or how about, “Bean supper on Saturday night. Music to follow.” They go on and on. Funny, absurd, ridiculous things are all around us. Just look for them and let yourself enjoy a chuckle. I know that things are tough in our nation and world right now. The pandemic is serious business. But still people are trying to find humor in their situations. There have been families who recorded songs from Broadway plays with new, quarantine-based lyrics. Some t-shirts are being made such as the Teddy the Dog t-shirt that has the dog holding a martini glass with the slogan, “Quarantini.” In the midst of all the serious, stressful days, it would do us well to look for the humor where we can find it. I believe that God gives us the gift of laughter, of joy, of humor. Jesus enjoyed humor and pointed out the funny things in life. Maybe that’s why he spent so much time with children; you can’t be around children for very long without discovering that laughter is good for your soul. Life will not always be fun. Everyone will go through hard times. But we can still have joy in our hearts that enables us to survive and even thrive during those hard times, with our faith and our spirits intact. The presence of Christ is with us, within us, bringing that joy. As the hymn says, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” Amen. Hymn I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy https://youtu.be/LAGijKrDk-8 A Communion of Saints Affirmation of Humor We believe with the Bible that “there is a time to weep and a time to laugh.” We believe with Chrysostom that “laughter has been implanted in our souls.” We believe with Aquinas that there is a time for “playful deeds and jokes.” We believe with Luther that “you have as much laughter as you have faith.” We believe with Calvin that “we are nowhere forbidden to laugh.” We believe with Francis De Sales that “humor is a foundation for reconciliation.” We believe with Wesley that “a sour religion is the devil’s religion.” We believe with Kierkegaard that “humor is intrinsic to Christianity.” We believe with Dostoevsky that “if a person laughs well they are a good person.” We believe with Chesterton that “a good joke is the closest thing we have to divine revelation.” We believe with Bonhoeffer that “ultimate seriousness is not without a dose of humor.” We believe with Fulton Sheen that “the only time laughter is wicked is when it is turned against he who gave it.” We believe with Flannery O’Connor that “Christianity is a strangely cheery religion.” We believe with Elton Trueblood, “Never trust a theologian without a sense of humor.” We believe with Charles Schultz that “humor is proof that everything is going to be alright with God nevertheless.” (Compiled by Rev. Chris Anderson) Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth by email at [email protected]. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Dour-faced in the presence of stunning sunsets; stricken with chronic severity while surrounded by gurgling babies; frozen-souled when touched by the warmth of grace; if we are made in your image, it’s no wonder people think of you as a grouchy old geezer, God of Joy. So, breathe on us …fill our souls with: laughter which chases away the long faces; chuckles which wipe frowns off our brows; great guffaws which shatter hardened hearts. Fill us, Breath of sidesplitting shrieks, so we can celebrate the last laugh on death. (Written by Thom M. Shuman) We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication God of grace and God of glory, pour your power on your people this day, that our lives may reflect the gift we have received through the resurrection of your Son. With deepest gratitude for your many gifts, we offer you our tithes and offerings today. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Hymn TFWS #2140 Since Jesus Came Into My Heart https://youtu.be/A98gIom-CAE Benediction May the God of surprises bring smiles and joy to the everyday and ordinary. May the God of love be seen in all we do and say. Go forth rejoicing, for the good work has just begun! Amen. “The Risen Christ by the Sea” Jack Jewell April 9, 2020
Maundy Thursday Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Call to Worship In the dark of the evening, we come to remember and give thanks. In the solemnness of this hour, guided by prayer, we come to worship, to be fed by God’s Spirit, and to be filled with Christ’s love. Hymn W&S #3148 There’s a Spirit of Love in This Place https://youtu.be/MDrkbo8rIbg Opening Prayer Loving God, as we come into your presence, surround us with your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your nourishing grace that always fulfills. Open our hearts and minds to hear your word and to receive the nourishment you offer. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Mark 14:22-24 Sermon “When We Miss Holy Communion” Hymn TFWS #2226 Bind Us Together https://youtu.be/wRwfTS_Ne0o Praying Together Pastoral Prayer O God, as Jesus had his Seder meal with the disciples, remind us that tonight is part of that great story that allows us to pass over from death to life. As the Hebrew children departed from Egypt, may we too depart from a meaningless existence. Teach us once again that we are one another’s greatest gifts. As Jesus urged the disciples to love one another, may we also heed that word tonight as we remember Maundy Thursday. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Hymn UMH #557 Blest Be the Tie That Binds https://youtu.be/P6lzTJfWdmk Benediction Christ’s love has washed us clean. Christ has chosen us as his own. Christ’s love has fed us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation on this Maundy Thursday night. Christ’s love has brought us the gift of God’s kingdom. Christ has sealed us with his love. Amen. Gathering Song UMH #277 Tell Me the Stories of Jesus
https://youtu.be/SpVApBryHGA Call to Worship This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. God's steadfast love endures forever. Bind the festival procession with branches. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Hymn UMH #278 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna https://youbu.be/EaHeQy7-33s Opening Prayer Blessed One, we are humbled by your example. You entered Jerusalem in lowly estate, riding on a donkey. You emptied yourself and came as a servant to all, forsaking the power to command. Son of David, come to us now and be our King, so that we too may sing our Hosannas! Amen. Scripture Matthew 21:1-11 (New Revised Standard Version) When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blesses is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." Sermon "A Donkey Named Christopher" I saw a great movie a few years ago called, "War Horse." It was about a young man and his horse, who was taken to be used by the British Army during World War I. The horse was a beautiful animal, and there were incredible scenes that demonstrated his intelligence. But there were also horrific scenes portraying the battlefield and the brutal way in which the horses were treated as they pulled heavy artillery pieces. The three other women who went with me to watch the movie kept covering their eyes during these scenes, and they were hard to watch. But it helped knowing that no horses were actually mistreated or harmed during the making of the movie. But it wasn't always like that. Back in the early days of Hollywood, animals were seen as cheap and disposable props on the movie sets. As movies were being made, horses were shocked, tripped, and forced to run into trenches. Wires were strung around their ankles and then yanked by riders to make the horses fall on cue. During the making of the original "Ben-Hur" in 1924, six horses were killed. And in the making of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in 1935, twenty-five horses were killed or euthanized. But all that changed when an organization known as the American Humane Association was formed and opened an office in Hollywood to enforce standards for the protection of animals. During the 1950s, the American Humane Association began an annual PATSY Award ceremony, awarding the Performance Animal Top Star of the Year. It is kind of like the Academy Award for animal actors. Francis the Mule was the first PATSY Award winner in 1951. Other winners include Roy Rogers' horse, Trigger, and Arnold the Pig from the TV show, "Green Acres." In 1973, an Animal Actors' Hall of Fame was established, and Lassie was the first inductee. If the PATSY Award had been around in the first century, then surely the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday would have been a winner. That donkey definitely played his part well. Jerusalem was filled with people that day, pilgrims who had come from all over the world to celebrate Passover. Crowds milled around in the streets, overflowing out of the inns into the surrounding villages, and pressing toward the Temple to see the center of their faith, the place where they believed God dwelled. Jesus was preparing to face whatever was waiting for him in Jerusalem. He knew that he was going to be put to death by the religious authorities, with whom he had been in conflict for most of his three-year ministry. But he did not enter the city quietly, under cover of darkness. Instead, he came in with the unmistakable air of a messiah, a savior, a king, riding on the back of a borrowed donkey. It was a Hollywood spectacular. The crowds surrounded him and followed him into the city, waving palm branches in the air, and placing their cloaks on the ground before him. They shouted, "Hosanna!" at the top of their lungs, and "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" And the donkey must have pranced along with a spring in his step, responding to the excitement of the crowd. If we were to look for a role model on that day, we would not have had much luck among the human population. Who would we choose as our example? Well, we might consider the disciples of Jesus. After all, they had been following him for three years, learning from his teaching, being sent out on mission trips of their own and performing miracles. But they had also been unable to really grasp who Jesus was and what he was sent to do. On the way to Jerusalem, they had been arguing about who would be the greatest when Jesus established his kingdom on earth. They didn't like hearing Jesus talk about his suffering and death. And in just a matter of days, one of them would betray him, one of them would deny him, and all of them would desert him. There are some people today who are a lot like the disciples. They have followed Jesus for years, attending church, putting their offering in the plate, attending Bible study, maybe singing in the choir, serving on committees, visiting the shut-ins. But when following Jesus calls for serious commitment or real sacrifice, they seem to vanish. Clarence Jordan founded the Koinonia Farm near Americus, Georgia in the early 1950s. It was intended to be an interracial community, long before anyone knew what civil rights was about. Jordan himself was a pacifist as well as an integrationist, and was not very popular in Georgia, even though he came from a prominent family there. The Koinonia Farm was very controversial and was always in some kind of trouble. One day Clarence went to his brother, Robert, who was later to be elected state senator and then serve as a justice on the Georgia Supreme Court. Clarence needed legal representation for the Koinonia Farm, because they were having trouble getting LP gas delivered for heating during the winter, even though it was against the law not to deliver the gas. Clarence thought that Robert might possibly be able to solve the problem with just a phone call. But Robert said to him, "Clarence, you know I can't do that. I've got political aspirations. If I represented you, I might lose my job, my house, everything I've got." Clarence responded, "We might lose everything, too." Robert answered, "It's different for you." Clarence said, "Why is it different? I remember that you and I joined the church on the same Sunday as boys. I believe that when we came forward the preacher asked you the same question as he asked me: 'Do you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?' I said, 'Yes.' What did you say?" Robert replied, "I follow Jesus up to a point, Clarence." "Could that point be the cross?" asked Clarence. "That's right. I follow him to the cross, but not on the cross. I'm not going to get myself crucified." Clarence said, "Then I don't think you're really a disciple. You're an admirer of Jesus, but not a disciple. I think you ought to go back to your church and tell them you're just an admirer, not a disciple." Robert responded, "Well, if everyone who felt like I do did that, we wouldn't have a church, would we?" Clarence said, "The question is, Do you have a church?" No, I don't think the disciples of Jesus are our choice of role models on Palm Sunday. What about the people in the crowd? Maybe we would do better to look to them for our inspiration. They were shouting, "Hosanna!" when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. It looked like they were willing to follow him anywhere. But no, maybe not. I seem to remember that the same people who shouted, "Hosanna!" on Sunday were shouting, "Crucify him!" on Friday. They may have been curious about Jesus, but they were not committed to him. They may have known something of the truth about Jesus, but they were not prepared to do the truth. They were like college students who make an A in their ethics class, but still flunk living an ethical life themselves. Of course, Jesus still can attract a crowd. His picture is on the cover of Time magazine every year at Christmas and Easter. People still flock to those large churches who put on elaborate Passion plays or Easter cantatas. But those people may not be committed to following Jesus on a daily basis. They are more interested in watching a good show that has been carefully choreographed and projected on a big screen. No, I don't think the crowds are our choice of role model on Palm Sunday either. So how about the religious leaders? After all, they should have been the embodiment of virtue and morality. But we would have been sorely disappointed. The religious hierarchy in the time of Jesus was corrupt, mean-spirited and jealous. When Lazarus was raised from the dead, it was inconvenient to what they wanted people to believe about Jesus, and they preferred him back in the ground. They offered and received bribes. They bribed Judas to betray Jesus to them. They solicited false testimony against Jesus. They held a bogus trial after they arrested him on trumped-up charges. They condemned him to death. And then they hung the Son of God on a Roman cross to die. Today, most of the pastors, priests, rabbis, and other religious leaders in our country are caring, committed, dedicated people. But the very small minority give us all a bad name. They are the ones in the media making judgmental comments about people who are different from them and blaming them for the problems in our country. They are the ones who abuse children. They are the ones who have affairs with members of their congregations. And they are the ones on TV asking for donations, much of which will support their own lavish lifestyles. One day, though, they will be held accountable for their actions. No, the religious leaders are not going to serve as appropriate role models, either. So who is left? Just one little donkey. And that donkey's name must have been Christopher. That's because the name Christopher comes from the Greek words Christos (Christ) and pherein (to bear or carry). The donkey carried Jesus. And Christianity is all about carrying Jesus somewhere he needs to go. We are supposed to carry Jesus into the world. Just like the donkey, we are to be humble. Just like the donkey, we are to follow Jesus' direction, doing where he wants to go. Just like the donkey, we have to carry Jesus into enemy territory sometimes, being obedient to the one who holds the reins. Corrie ten Boom was asked once if it was difficult for her to remain humble when she was such an inspiration to so many people. She replied, "When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments on the road, and singing praises, do you think that for one minute it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him? If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in His glory, I give him all the praise and all the honor." I want to be a Christopher. I want to be like that donkey and carry Jesus into the world. And all it takes is a willingness to be humble enough to let Jesus take the reins and lead me where he wants me to go. Hymn UMH #572 Pass It On https://youtu.be/IUzcDJmzC8c Concerns and Celebrations Call Pastor Elisabeth at 978-758-4514 or email her at [email protected] with prayer concerns. Please note if you do not want that concern shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God, we come on this day of palm branches and crowds of well-wishers to worship you. If we have come here in confusion, give us clarity and direction. If we have come in anger, give us peace and the resolution of our feelings. If we have come with doubts, lead us to faith. If we have come in apathy, ignite our passion. If we have come in loneliness, show us how to have fellowship. If we have come in weakness, fill us with your power. Grant strength and peace to all your children who suffer from illness or loss today, and be merciful to those who are going through difficult times. Let your Spirit be upon our church, that even in these unusual and unfamiliar circumstances, we may fulfill our mission of love and redemption in the world. Help us to walk with Christ through this Holy Week, remembering his suffering, savoring his love, and preparing our hearts for the day of resurrection. Then we shall sing and dance and praise your name! (John Killinger, adapted) We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, who taught his disciples to pray: The Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Offering You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! Praise God, all creatures here below! Praise God above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen. Hymn UMH #581 Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service https://youtu.be/I5rdr8xC991 Benediction Passing from joy into sorrow and on to elation, we come to Christ this holy week. Today is only a part of the story. Jesus' triumph leads to his death, and his death to his resurrection. May the journey of this week lead you into the fullness of Christ's love. Amen. In 2 Chronicles 20, some men come to King Jehoshaphat to tell him that large army is marching against Jerusalem. The king and the people came together to seek help from God, and the king offered a prayer. In it, he said, "We have no power to face the vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." God spoke through a prophet this answer: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. You will not have to fight this battle. Stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." The people all bowed down and worshiped God. And the next day, when they went out to face the vast army, they found that they had all killed each other. Then they went back to the temple and praised God. It feels like we are in a battle against an enemy we cannot see, this COVID-19 virus. The doctors and scientists are doing all that they can to find a cure or a vaccine or at least an effective treatment. But still thousands are dying. We need to remind ourselves that this battle is not ours alone; it is also God's. God provides - through the work of scientists and doctors and researchers, through the thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, and through the prayers of faithful people around the world. We should not be discouraged or afraid, because we are not in this alone. God is with us. I listened to a great recording of an old standard this week. It was "You'll Never Walk Alone," recorded by Winsley Phipps. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/5_pHwLJo6yc Remember the words: When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high And don't be afraid of the dark At the end of the storm, there's a golden sky And the sweet silver song of the lark Walk on through the wind Walk on through the rain Though your dreams be tossed and blown Walk on, walk on wit hope in your hearts And you'll never walk alone, you'll never walk alone Don't be afraid or discouraged; you'll never walk alone. God is with you. Take care, Pastor Elisabeth |
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