July 17, 2022
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Give us hearts to live into your risky miracles. (Walter Brueggemann) Gathering Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Book Study Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Sunday, 8:30 AM Worship – Stephanie Bray St. John will lead the service. Gathering Hymn Sweet Hour of Prayer Radiance Acapella https://youtu.be/Ph43J3pnBDo Opening Prayer Gracious God, it is a privilege to be here in your presence. And it is a wondrous thing to realize that you hear our every prayer, whether it is a loud cry of praise or a quiet whisper of grief or a desperate plea for help. We bring to you our hearts and our minds and our souls, just as they are, knowing that they are acceptable to you. Meet us where we are, touch us where we are broken, celebrate with us where we are joyful, and strengthen us for the week ahead. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Sermon Don’t Forget to Pray Guest Preacher: Michael Brown Hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand Wintley Phipps https://youtu.be/xWMcqZRujks Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Prayers of Intercession Invisible but ever-present God, we bring to you today the concerns that are in our minds and our hearts. We put aside distractions and take time to stop and focus on those concerns now. We bring forward all those we love, O God, who are sick or near to death. May they feel the comfort and certainty of your presence. And not just those whom we know, Holy One, but also for the strangers who bring your presence to our doorstep. May we recognize your presence in them and offer them welcome. For those in positions of power – those who govern, those who hire and fire people, those who are allowed to say yes or no – may they wield that power responsibly, honoring you and seeking your wisdom. We bring forward this community and the wider communities of which we are a part. May we listen both to you and to our neighbors, so that we may know how to offer hospitality and grace to those around us. For our partners in mission, may we together serve Christ, as the head of the church, and follow in the way of Jesus. For the wider world, may your grace and peace remove all fear and want, and may we find ways to embody that grace and peace. We are grateful for this chance to offer our prayers. We know that listening to you will fill us and guide us. May we be and do in accordance with your wishes. (David Gambrell) We pray all of this in Jesus’ name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: 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 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. Song Every Time I Feel the Spirit Iowa Wesleyan College Choirs Mt. Pleasant Chorale https://youtu.be/M6AcJWPhSnI Benediction Go forth into the world in peace; have courage; hold onto what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak, and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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July 10, 2022
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Give us hearts to live into your risky miracles. (Walter Brueggemann) Gathering Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Book Study Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Saturday, 9:00 – 1:00 Sunapee UMW Summer Sale at Lake Sunapee UMC Sunday, July 17 – Sunday, July 24 Pastor away at training event Gathering Hymn To God Be the Glory Fountainview Academy https://youtu.be/5WmQmL77WkE Opening Prayer Merciful and loving God, open our minds, peek inside our hearts, and lead us along highways of grace as we follow the example of Jesus Christ, whose mercy knows no end. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Luke 10:25-37 (NIV) On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’: and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and go likewise.” Sermon Saved By the Enemy The man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho alone that day never had a chance. He was either very careless or very reckless to have been traveling that road alone. It was known as “The Bloody Way,” because of all the violent incidents that occurred there. The dirt road wound its way through a barren wilderness, dropping about 3,600 feet in twenty miles, with lots of sharp turns and narrow passages. It was the perfect place for bandits to hide behind the rocks and attack anyone foolhardy enough to be caught on the road alone. And this man never had a chance. A group of robbers jumped him, beat him up to the point of unconsciousness, took his clothes and his money, and left him for dead in the ditch. It was a brutal attack. The man had virtually no chance of surviving. But then along came a priest. Surely help had arrived! A hero to save the day! The law made it clear that it was his duty to stop and help someone in need. But instead, when the priest saw this man lying there, naked and beaten up, bleeding and unconscious, he hurried by on the other side of the road. He didn’t even get close enough to see if the man was still alive. Whatever this was, he wasn’t going to get involved in it! And then, a little later in the day, a Levite made his way along this same stretch of highway. Levites were assistants to the priests in the Temple. He was a little more curious than the priest; he actually walked over and took a good look at the man lying in the ditch. He must have realized that the man was still alive, but he also chose to walk away without offering any help. Maybe he was afraid the bandits would come back and attack him, too. I don’t know. But he hurried off, just like the priest had done. By this time, the people listening to Jesus tell the story must have been trying to guess who the hero was going to be. It would seem like the next most logical person to come along the road would be an average Jew, since the priest and the Levite had both failed to do anything to help the man. But they couldn’t have been more wrong in their assumption. Because the next man to come along was a Samaritan! Samaritans and Jews had been enemies for about 450 years. They hated each other! Jews considered Samaritans to be the lowest of the low, even lower than slaves. In Jewish synagogue services, Samaritans were publicly cursed. But here was a Samaritan stopping to give help to a Jew. He felt compassion for his enemy. And he stopped to help him. He took care of the man’s wounds, gave him a ride to the next inn, and made arrangements for his future care, to be paid for out of his own pocket. Jesus asked, “Who was a neighbor to the man in the ditch?” The only answer was, “The Samaritan.” And how it must have pained the expert in the law to admit that. To admit that a hated enemy was the one who was a neighbor, someone who showed compassion and kindness to his enemy. He wouldn't even say it was a Samaritan. He just referred to him as "the one who offered help." When you hear the story of the good Samaritan, which character do you identify with? Do you imagine yourself to be the priest or the Levite, who passed by on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved, afraid to take the risk, unwilling to be inconvenienced? Or maybe you picture yourself as the Samaritan, very willing to get involved and to help anyone in need, even your enemy, even at personal cost to you, because you see everyone as a neighbor. Well, it’s kind of easy to imagine yourself as the Samaritan, isn’t it? It makes you feel good. You can kind of pat yourself on the back. And you get to feel superior to the priest and the Levite, and especially to the man in the ditch. Here is your enemy, the man who belongs to the people you have hated all your life, and you gave him help, he depended on you for his survival. You have something now to hold over his head. You can feel proud about it, maybe even gloat a little. It would only be human nature. But I want you to imagine for just a moment that you’re the man in the ditch. You have been viciously attacked and left for dead. You can’t help yourself; you can barely even move. You can’t even call for help apparently. You have heard two travelers come close, and you have gotten up your hopes that help was on the way, but both times the men only slowed down enough to look at you, and then walked on by, not even offering you a cup of cold water. And then a third traveler came by. He slowed down and he stopped. He came over and saw that you were in bad shape. He took some provisions out of his pack and treated your wounds. Then he put you up on his own donkey and took you to an inn, to a nice soft bed. He made sure that your needs were taken care of and even paid the bill in advance. You should be grateful, right? But the man who helped you is a Samaritan! You have hated Samaritans all your life! You don’t talk to Samaritans. You don’t do business with Samaritans. You avoid all contact with Samaritans. You certainly don’t want a Samaritan touching you, helping you. Maybe you get angry about it. Maybe you’re offended. You might even rather be dead than accept help from a Samaritan. Who would you rather die than accept help from? A Muslim? A member of Al-queda? A person of another race? A person of another political party? A drug addict? A rich person? A poor person? An undocumented immigrant? A skinhead? A member of the Proud Boys? When Clarence Jordan wrote his Cotton Patch Version of Luke in the 1960s, the Samaritan was a black man and the man in the ditch was a white man. Who would the Samaritan be for you? J. Ellsworth Kalas is a United Methodist pastor. One day, when he was serving a church in Cleveland, Ohio, he was in a hurry to get to a lunch appointment with a church member. He had forgotten that he needed gas in his car until he started across town, and he was hoping that he had enough to make it to the restaurant. But his car ran out of gas, just when he was in one of the worst parts of town. He got of his car and noticed two men across the street standing in front of one of the girlie shows that were in the area. The men hurried over to where he was standing to see if they could be of any help. Kalas explained that he had run out of gas. One of the men offered to siphon some gas out of his car into Kalas’ tank, enough to get him to the next gas station. He went to get a container and a hose, and then started to siphon the gas. Kalas struck up a conversation with the other man. The man told Kalas that the two of them worked for the guy who ran the girlie shows. “He buys a building and we fix it up for him and then we run it,” he said. “He gets a few pretty girls, you know, who put on about three shows a night. They take off all their clothes and dance around naked, while we shine colored lights on them. It’s a pretty good business. Lots of men come in.” When the gas was poured into Kalas’ tank, he tried to pay the two men for their help. “Not on your life,” they said. “We were just going for a late breakfast and had time on our hands.” So Kalas offered to buy them breakfast. But by this time, they were al-ready walking away. “We wouldn’t think of it,” one said. “This is just the sort of thing one fellow ought to do for another.” As Kalas drove away, he thought about how much the two men had done for him and how cheerful they had been about doing it. And he thought about the kind of work they did for a living. And he thought to himself, “How come the person who stopped to help me wasn’t someone with a bumper sticker that reads, ‘Honk if you love Jesus’? Or maybe one of my friends who was driving downtown for a meeting of the United Way? Why did my good Samaritan have to be two fellows who run a girlie show?” The story that Jesus told about the Samaritan who stopped to help the Jewish man in the ditch teaches us that we are all neighbors to each other. Maybe it would make us feel better to be the one who offers help to our enemy than to be the one who receives help from our enemy. But the truth is, both are neighbors to each other. And we need to allow the walls that stand between us to fall down. What if we really considered every other human being our neighbor? What would happen if we acted neighborly towards every person we meet? What would happen if we allowed others to be neighborly to us? Sometimes we just have to accept the fact that we might be saved by the enemy. And be grateful. Hymn Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Fred Rogers https://youtu.be/AQS3JGqx46U Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Prayers of Intercession God of mercy, God of grace, it is to you that we lift up our souls. It is in you we trust. It is to you we turn. We turn to you because it is hard for us to wrap our minds around mercy. We understand revenge; we are quick to judge. But mercy too often eludes us, so we need your help, God. We hold in our mind’s eye someone who has asked us to show them mercy. It may be someone we know well: a loved one, a friend at school, a coworker, a neighbor. It may be someone we have only seen or heard about: an undocumented immigrant, a former felon seeking a job, a returning veteran with PTSD, a gay kid who is scared to come out of the closet. We hold them in the light of your mercy, O God, as we hold them in our hearts. (A moment of silence.) Let your river of mercy flow through us to heal broken hearts, including our own. May we be guided by your humility and seasoned by your grace. May we let the light of your mercy lead us into greater compassion. May your kingdom truly come. (David Gambrell) We pray all of this in Jesus’ name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: 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 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. Song What Now? Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/AfBC8A035ho Benediction There is a wideness in God’s mercy like the wideness of the sea. Let us swim in that sea and play in its waves! The love of God is broader than the measures of the mind. May we trust today in God’s unfathomable kindness. Amen. July 3, 2022
Independence Sunday Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Give us hearts to live into your risky miracles. (Walter Brueggemann) Gathering Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Book Study Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Sunday, 8:30 AM Visioning Board 10:00 AM All Church Worship and Picnic Following Gathering Hymn God Bless America Sandi Patty https://youtu.be/XD-aXtcUEOs Opening Prayer O God, like fireworks against a night sky, may your love for us explode within us, that our lives would burst forth with the flame of your Holy Spirit, and shower the earth with celebrations of the freedom we find in Jesus Christ. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Galatians 5:1-15 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. Sermon “God Bless America” and Call Us Back to Our Best Selves When I was a kid, we celebrated the Fourth of July with a big cookout. We had foot-long hot dogs with chili and slaw, baked beans, French fries, and homemade ice cream. We burned sparklers and set off bottle rockets, which were legal because we lived outside the city limits. And we watched the Boston Pops Fourth of July Concert on PBS, which always built up to the 1812 Overture and the firing of the big canons. Some-times we would go and watch fireworks being set off at the mall or ballpark. It was a great day that I always looked forward to. I was proud to be an American, and I believed that the United States was the best country in the world. I thought we were a people that had succeeded in the great experiment of democracy and that we were respect-ed and admired by other countries around the world for our generosity and willingness to lend a helping hand. When I moved to New England, I found out that many small towns hold big parades on the Fourth of July, with fife and drum corps, tractors and fire trucks, high school bands, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, old cars, Shriners in their mini cars and trucks, military veterans, and politicians making their way down the parade route. A real slice of Americana that I enjoy immensely. And still capping the day off with the concert broadcast from Boston or Washington and fireworks displays. But somewhere along the way, I realized that the America I used to celebrate doesn’t seem to exist anymore. At least not in what I see on the evening news. And certainly not in Washington, D.C. Politics has turned nasty, with elected officials refusing to work with anyone on the “Other Side,” so that nothing gets done. And the divisions between people are many and deep. I think, for me, the beginning of my sense of losing the America I thought I knew came on August 11-12, 2017 as I watched the news coverage of the Unite the Right Rally that took place in Charlottesville, VA. I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing: white men walking around boldly carrying assault rifles, Nazi symbols, Klan symbols, anti-Semitic signs, Confederate battle flags, and signs of the alt-right, just feet away from police officers who let them pass by without detaining them in any way. There were many counter-protesters who also gathered, and as the two sides clashed about thirty people were injured. On the second day, a man drove his car into the crowd, killing 1 women and injuring another 35 people. I guess I had known that there were still many people in our country who were racists, but I never realized how many of them there were, or that they were so well-organized. And I absolutely could not believe that people who hold to such ideas would dare come out in public and let it be known that they were in support of this kind of thing. I mean, it was like every racist from anywhere around Charlottesville, or even from farther away, showed up to support this rally, and there were hundreds of them. And they’re not just in the South. I see people in New Hampshire flying the Confederate battle flag on their houses or sticking it in the back window of their pickup trucks. It’s rather frightening, actually, to think about. The second thing that really caused me – and still causes me – grief, was the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 by police officer Derek Chauvin. Floyd was handcuffed and face down on the ground, but Chauvin pinned him by kneeling on his neck for 9 and a half minutes. Floyd was heard saying, “I can’t breathe” a number of times. Those would be his last words. His death led to protests around the United States and around the world, the likes of which had not been seen since the Civil Rights Movement, and maybe not even then. People were united in their calls against the excessive use of force by police officers and the lack of police accountability. Again, I was made to see, up close and in all of its ugliness, the reality of the race problem in our country. Yes, we’ve come a long way, we’re not where we used to be; but we’re not where we ought to be, either. Third, we faced – and are still facing – the COVID crisis. Since the first case was diagnosed in the US in January of 2020, there have been 87,152,356 cases reported as of June 29, and 1,012,166 deaths. Think about how big those numbers are for a minute. Over 1 million dead Americans in less than 2 years. And the crisis, instead of drawing us together, pulled us further apart. While we lived through lock-down and reopening, and masks or no masks, and vaccines or no vaccines, and being almost afraid to be together for fear that we might become a super-spreader event, and the selfishness that went on as some people resorted to hoarding of toilet paper and other hard to find items, I became more and more disappointed with the people in our country. I saw grocery store clerks being raked over the coals by irate shoppers who were angry that they were unable to find the items they needed on the shelves. I heard people complain about having to wear masks when I knew that older people and others at-risk depended on people being careful to not spread COVID because of their weakened immune systems. I knew of some people who complained over activities being canceled, but couldn’t seem to grasp that it was not out of some political influence that the decisions were made; it was due to the scientific and medical advice being given about gathering in crowds. People were more upset that they couldn’t hold birthday parties for their children than they were that thousands of people were dying alone in hospitals with not a single family member allowed to be with them at the end. The final straw, though, was the assault on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2020. It was no less than an armed insurrection. It was the attempt to stop the certification of the election of Joe Biden as the next President. It was an attempted coup. As I watched in horror as the events unfolded that day, the thing that really bothered me the most was how many Christian symbols and banners were on prominent display. Many people wore shirts or hats with Christian symbols or messages on them. There was even a wooden cross. And a group of people calling themselves the “Jericho march” blew shofars and prayed that God would bring down the walls of government. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “That preacher has quit preaching and gone to meddling. She shouldn’t be talking about politics.” Well, let me be clear about one thing: Jesus talked about politics all the time. Every time he mentioned the Kingdom of God, he was being political. Because he was talking about the coming reign of God on this earth. In her essay, The Kingdom Heresy, Diana Butler Bass writes, “When you proclaim prison abolition, the end of slavery, debt cancellation, and people dwelling in peace, you’re talking politics … Jesus preached politics all the time, everywhere.” John Dominic Crossan stated that “the Kingdom of God is inextricably and simultaneously 100 percent political and 100 percent religious. ‘Kingdom’ is a political term, ‘God’ is a religious term.” And so, if Jesus spent his career addressing political issues, then I feel that it is a pastor’s job to do that on occasion also. And it certainly falls within the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament. So what am I to do? How do I fall in love with my country again, a country I hardly recognize, a country I’m not even sure I like anymore? I find part of the answer in reminding myself that for every white supremacist out there, there are thousands of people working for racial justice and equality; that for every Derek Chauvin, there are thousands of good police officers doing a great job; that for every person behaving badly with COVID fatigue, there are thousands more who have shown greater compassion and consideration and care for others; and that for every insurrectionist or would-be insurrectionist, there are thousands more Americans who would defend our democratic processes and our country to the death. And I find part of the answer in the reading from Galatians. Paul was writing to churches that were deeply divided over an issue. Paul advised the Galatians that, no matter what, they must love each other. He reminded them, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Unless they learned to love each other, they would devour each other with their fighting and their divisiveness. Love was the answer. Diana Butler Bass asked herself, “What to do? Paint on a happy face? Control my emotions? Love those Supreme Court justices or the January 6 insurrectionists? Do I summon every power of will? I love them. I love them. I really love them … I really do. I may as well call my therapist now.” But it is possible to love them, in the sense of wanting the best for them, of showing them mercy and compassion and understanding. It is not an easy thing to do; it is perhaps the hardest thing you and I will ever do: to love our enemies, some of whom are also our friends and neighbors and family members. But it is the most necessary thing we will ever do. The answer to loving my country again is to somehow learn to love the people again. I hope I am up to the task. Because when I can love – only when I can love – I am learning to be my best self. And I hope that I am calling others to be their best selves again, too. Hymn America the Beautiful Hillsdale College Choir https://youtu.be/EmP9LvHgcaA Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer God of all nations, we thank you for the life and history of our country, for its vast beauty, its wilderness, and wealth of forest, mine, and sea. We praise you for its people, the peoples whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years, and those who have just arrived. We thank you for the variety of our traditions and our cultures, the riches of our spiritual and religious heritage, the strength of our democratic institutions. We pray for our nation, for our citizens, residents and governments that working together we may face the future with confident hope and faith in your purpose for our world. (J. Allan McIntosh) We pray all of this in Jesus’ name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: 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 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. Song America The Soldier’s Chorus The United States Army Field Band https://youtu.be/DqiOBbRzEgI Benediction May the God who dances in creation, who embraces us with human love, who shakes our lives like thunder, bless us and drive us out with power to fill the world with justice. Amen. (Janet Morley) June 12, 2022
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Give us hearts to live into your risky miracles. (Walter Brueggemann) Gathering Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Book Study - Dream Like Jesus, by Rebekah Simon-Peter. This six-week study will help us deepen our faith, create a vision for our church, dream Jesus-like dreams, and bring the impossible to life! Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Sunday, 8:30 AM Worship Monday, 6/20 5:30 PM Visioning Board Gathering Hymn We Are Called St. Paul Young Adult Choir and Ensemble https://youtu.be/TsQ_kANdM6U Opening Prayer Holy Spirit, we are gathered here, waiting: waiting for you to send your invigorating, disturbing wind to move us forward into the future; waiting for you to light a fire within us and fill us with passion for the vision that you plant within our souls. Come, Holy Spirit, come! Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Sermon Dream Like Jesus 3 Working as a Community to Embrace the Dream You may not realize this, but all churches are not alike. They may all share certain features: for example, they all have a pulpit or lectern, an altar, an organ or piano, candles, pews or chairs facing the front. But they also are very different: they are not all the same shape; some are rectangular, but others are circular or oval. Some use paraments, and others don’t. In some churches, the pulpit is in the center, and in others it is to the side. Some churches have stained glass windows, and others have clear glass panes. Some churches are wooden and others are brick. But it is not only in appearance that churches are different. They are different in how they worship: some are more traditional in their music and liturgy, while others use praise bands and no fixed order of service. Some churches have images projected on a screen and others have no screen, but use paper bulletins. In some churches, the pas-tor preaches from behind the pulpit, and in others the pastor comes down close to the congregation. Churches are different in how they make decisions, how they handle money, how they welcome visitors, how they grieve and how they celebrate, how they pray and how they take care of Christian education, how they treat their leaders and how they deal with conflict. And these differences have to do with what is called congregational culture. I learned early on about the fact that churches are not alike. My first appointment out of seminary was a two-point charge outside my hometown of Spartanburg, SC. The Tabernacle Church was a good ways out in the country. It had 50 members and about 25 who were active. Their worship was formal on paper in the bulletin, but it wasn’t un-usual to make changes to the hymns after we got to church. My pianist didn’t read mu-sic and had learned to play the piano in a roadhouse, so we never sang anything slow! There was good attendance at Sunday School for adults, but very few children or young people. Church Council meetings rarely stuck to the agenda, but somehow we got the things done that needed to be done, usually without a vote but by consensus. While money wasn’t exactly pouring in, we always had enough to pay our bills. They were worshiping in their new building when I arrived. It was just 5 years old. They were very proud of their new building. The members had donated time, materials, and labor, as well as money, toward the new building, and only had to borrow $47,000 (this was in 1981). They paid off their loan in 7 years. The members at Tabernacle were very welcoming. They were friendly and outgoing, and made me feel like family from the beginning. Many of them had farms or at least large gardens, and I quickly learned to leave my car doors unlocked, because I would find tomatoes, corn, beans, watermelon, or whatever else was ready to harvest in my backseat. The members were appreciative of my leadership and my sermons, my teaching and my suggestions for activities. The Golightly Church was about 10 miles outside Spartanburg and most of the members worked in the city as teachers, office workers, healthcare professionals, etc. Their worship was more formal and music was provided by a trained organist as well as a trained pianist. There were few people who participate in the adult Bible study. We did have more children who came to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. The Church Council meetings followed the agenda and Roberts Rules of Order, and always ended with voting on what needed to be decided. Money was tight, and sometimes decisions had to be made about what to pay or what activities could actually be funded. Also, it took more than one meeting to make decisions about anything significant. The members were a little more standoffish towards me, and sometimes it seemed as it I couldn’t do anything right. I had conflict with the organist the entire time I served there. I seemed to butt heads with the chair of the Church Council at almost every meeting. Very few people complimented me on the worship services or my sermons. I heard a lot about the previous pastor and how HE had done things. I had a conversation with my District Superintendent one morning and told him I felt like I must be somehow two different people to get such different reactions from these two churches. But he told me that it was the churches that were the issue, not me. The Tabernacle Church had, for a long time, been a church where new pastors were appointed, and they loved them all and encouraged them in their ministry. No matter who the conference appointed there, the church loved them and welcomed them and affirmed them. On the other hand, the Golightly Church ate pastors for lunch, just chewed them up and spit them out. They were the reason that most pastors lasted just a few years in that appointment. (I was there for two years before being moved.) What it all boiled down to, I can now see, is that these two churches had different cultures, and I treated them exactly the same. Had I understood then what I understand now, I would have used different leadership approaches in each church and probably had a much better experience in the Golightly Church. What are these church cultures? Rebekah Simon-Peter describes them in Chapter 7 of her book, Dream Like Jesus. She has some great names for each type. First, there is the Get ‘er Done Culture. She refers to this congregation as St. Urban of the City. At St. Urban everyone stays very busy and there seems to be a sense of urgency about things, but not everyone is going in the same direction. The church is more focused on results than on relationships, and there is more individualism. The do-it-yourselfers outnumber the collaborators, and often individuals take matters into their own hands. With strong clergy and lay leaders, this congregation will have a sense of purpose and moving forward. The worship is bold and dynamic, and the church is not afraid to take bold stances on controversial issues. The people are willing to try different worship styles, and while personal spiritual growth is not emphasized, people experience God as directive, one who challenges and dares them on behalf of a higher purpose. Discipleship for this type of congregation is demanding, action-oriented, calling for courage, a sense of adventure, and independence. The church is the setting for independent thinkers who take bold action. For members of St. Urban, faith is demonstrated through bold action. Second, there is the Get ‘er Done With Fun Culture, or as Rebekah calls it, Happy Church. Happy Church is people-oriented, fun, energetic, high-spirited, and action-oriented. The atmosphere is high energy, friendly, optimistic, upbeat, and positive. At Happy Church, relationships matter, and new people are made to feel welcome and are integrated easily into the life of the church. There is a sense of warm connection between the members; hugs and smiles are offered freely and you get a sense of belonging. But you may not be sure of what the Happy Church stands for. God is experienced as positive, innovative, surprising, and unpredictable. Discipleship involves positive optimism, an upbeat attitude, and trust, and is built around feelings as much as actions. The church is an exciting and inclusive force for good. For Happy Church members, faith is demonstrated through saying “yes.” Third, there is the Get ‘er Done by Consensus Culture, or what Rebekah calls the First Church of the Stable. At Stable Church people take care of each other and relationships are tended to over time. The mood is more low-key, and harmony and stability are valued, as well as tradition and continuity. There is a desire for consensus, rather than independence. When there is any sign of conflict or uncertainty, things grind to a halt. Stable Church values tradition over innovation, and prefers their style of worship to remain consistent and predictable. Members experience God as comforting, supportive, loyal, patient and stabilizing. Discipleship depends on the qualities of teamwork, cooperation, stability and loyalty. The church is a relaxed group of friendly people. And for Stable Church members, faith is demonstrated through reliability. And fourth, there is the Get ‘er Done Right Culture, or St. Abacus Church. Members of this church place a high value on rational thinking and logical processes. People may not be outwardly expressive, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t feel things deeply. Relationships are less important than facts and figures in making decisions. The mood is definitely low-key. Members want to do the right thing, but it takes them a long time to decide what that is. They carefully weigh all the pros and cons, pay close attention to the budget, and it is sometimes hard for them to move forward. The members of St. Abacus experience God as reliable and deliberate with exacting, high standards. Discipleship for them requires a calculated risk as well as spiritual and emotional maturity. The church is a thoughtful organization that carefully analyzes and does the correct thing. And for members of St. Abacus, faith is understanding. Now, just off the top of your head, what kind of church culture do you think we have at our church? Understanding our church culture is crucial as we get involved in our visioning process. We will need to communicate our vision in such a way that our entire congregation will buy into it and support it. And we need to realize that no congregation is entirely one culture; we probably have a combination culture. In order for our entire membership to take ownership of our vision, we will have to communicate it in such a way that they can become excited about it and commit to it. That takes a lot of what we call emotional intelligence. But I believe that we can work together to understand our church’s culture and work together to embrace our dream so that we can transform our community. Hymn O Young and Fearless Prophet First Unitarian Church, Oakland https://youtu.be/lGyOWuCB2IE Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Mighty God, Lord Jesus Christ, powerful Holy Spirit, we pray to you on this Trinity Sunday as those who seek to understand your identity, even as we seek to understand our own. We know that you are Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. But how does that work? It is a mystery! All we know is that when we pray, you come to us as we need you: Comforter, Parent, Guide, Listener, Renewer, Inspiration, Energizer, Rock, Prince of Peace, Great Physician. This morning we come asking for you to continue to help us create a vision for our church and our community, a vision that is big and bold and challenging, a vision that will transform lives. And then give us the courage to live into that vision. We will not be able to do it on our own; we will need your help, your power, your resources. We will need other people besides those within our own congregation. We trust you to provide what we need to carry out what you call us to do. Lead us forward in faith, with excitement and enthusiasm, as we follow Jesus Christ, who turned his world upside down. We pray all of this in his name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: 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 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. Prayer of Dedication God of grace and God of glory, we bring to you our gifts: gifts of our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. Bless all that we offer and use it to build your kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Song Wildest Dream Ryan Stevenson https://youtu.be/5SLlXvYZ_g8 Benediction Know that we are the ones to dream dreams and see visions. Believe that we can work together to make those dreams come true. Understand that our dreams will transform the community around us and make it look more like the Kingdom of God. We are the ones. Now is the time. This is the place. Amen. June 5, 2022
Pentecost Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Give us hearts to live into your risky miracles. (Walter Brueggemann) Gathering Announcements Tuesday, 10:00 AM Book Study – Dream Like Jesus, by Rebekah Simon-Peter. This six-week study will help us deepen our faith, create a vision for our church, dream Jesus-like dreams, and bring the impossible to life! 7:00 PM Zoom Book Study – (see above) Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Book Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Sunday, 8:30 AM Worship Gathering Hymn Sweet, Sweet Spirit St. John’s, Hackney, North London https://youtu.be/-9EGwkimNeQ Opening Prayer God of breath and fire, God of past and future, God of all that is and all that ever shall be, when Jesus knew that he was going to the cross, he promised his disciples that they would not be left alone. Jesus assured them that the Holy Spirit would remain with them, teaching them how to live, and reminding them of all he had said. Weeks later, when the day of Pentecost arrived, you poured out your Spirit, giving your disciples the power to speak in many languages, and making tongues of flame dance above their heads. Today we ask that you pour out your Spirit on us, giving us the wisdom and the courage to live as Jesus’ followers. Amen. (Deborah Sokolove) Hearing the Word Scripture Acts 2:1-21 (NIV) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us heard then in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you supposed. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and sings on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Sermon Dream Like Jesus 2 When the Spirit Comes, We Will Dream This is the day of Pentecost, the day we celebrate the birthday of the Church. It’s quite an exciting story, from a special-effects point of view. Just imagine what Steven Spielberg could do with this! The disciples of Jesus had gathered in Jerusalem all together in one place, probably in the large upper room where they had been meeting since Jesus ascended into heaven. They spent most of their time engaged in one activity; Acts 1:15 says that they “all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women …” And it was while they were gathered together praying that they heard the sound of a strong wind blowing through the house, a wind that had come from heaven. And then they saw flames of fire that shot out and came to rest on each one of them. And then all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. And we are told that this was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel, who recorded God’s promise: “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit.” There are several things about this story that I think are important as we are be-ginning the process of dreaming big dreams and casting visions for our church. First, we should be diligent in praying together about what we are doing. We need to be asking God for his input and guidance and inspiration. This is something that is bigger than us, and we are going to need God’s help. Second, when we pray for the Holy Spirit to come, we need to expect some excitement! The Spirit isn’t all quiet and subtle and gen-tle and easygoing. The Spirit is dynamic and noisy and impossible to miss and will dis-turb the peace. Third, when the Spirit comes, we will see visions and we will dream dreams. We will no longer be content with the way things are; we will want to strive for the way things could become. It is so crucial to the process of dreaming and visioning that we have faith, lots and lots of faith. Faith in God to plant the dream within us and help us carry it out. Faith in Jesus to walk with us through the process and co-create miracles with us. Re-member that in the New Testament wherever people had great faith, Jesus performed great miracles; but wherever people lacked faith, Jesus did not do very much. We need to have faith in ourselves, that we will be able to carry out the vision because God will equip us to do what God calls us to do or provide other people who have the gifts and resources to do it. And we need to have faith in each other to each do what we can to make the dream become a reality. In her book, Dream Like Jesus, Rebekah Simon-Peter talks about five elements that will be present in a Jesus-like dream. We will need lots of faith and the power of the Holy Spirit in order to embrace and live into these elements. Let’s talk a little bit about each of them. First, a Jesus-like dream expands your assumptions about what is possible. It stretches your mind and your imagination. It pushes you to think bigger. As Rebekah states, “It doesn’t say I can’t. It says with God, we can.” I think that this is extremely important to remember, because we need to realize that the world around us is looking for the church to do more, to be more. And we are limiting ourselves by our too-small assumptions about what we can do and be. Rebekah writes, “Even if they don’t know it, the world wants more of churches: more spirituality, more community, more engagement, more love, more miracles, more demonstrations of the Kingdom.” And we can give them more only if we allow ourselves to see bigger possibilities and greater opportunities than we are seeing right now. Second, a Jesus-like dream is bigger than you are. It is not something that you can do by yourself. It will take a whole community of dreamers to make it come true. And not only that, it will require the power and guidance of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. This makes sense, because if the dream isn’t bigger than you are, then you won’t need God’s involvement in it and you won’t know that you could have done so much more if you had relied on God’s resources and not merely on your own. Rebekah writes, “If it doesn’t require God’s touch, it won’t be worthy of the church. Your dream has to be worth it.” In Chapter 6, you read about my friend and colleague Steve Trout. When he first stated his vision to Rebekah while he was doing his Creating a Culture of Renewal program, she pushed him by asking, “Is that big enough?” more than once. He kept working at it and going deeper and getting bigger, until his vision became: “This church could end hunger in our community.” And, working with other churches in his town, that’s exactly what happened. There are no longer any children in his community in New Mexico who go to bed hungry. Third, a Jesus-like dream will scare you. That’s because it seems like it is too big for you to accomplish. But if there’s nothing that scares you about your dream, then it isn’t big enough to require God’s help to accomplish. Perhaps instead of thinking in terms of a dream that scares us, we should think about creating a dream that calls for a spirit of adventure. We are going to go where we have not gone before; think about the adventures of the Starship Enterprise, it’s ongoing mission, to boldly go where no one has gone before. Don’t you think the people on that spaceship would be afraid some-times? Don’t you think that the pioneers who set out across our country in covered wagons were afraid? But if they hadn’t overcome those fears, they would never have seen their dreams being accomplished. And I am sure that they drew on God’s help in their journeys. Fourth, a Jesus-like dream is about the transformation of the community, not the survival of the church. The dream is bigger than the congregation. The church is not the focus of the vision, it is the agent of the vision; the focus of the vision is the community. The church is meant to serve the needs of the community. We are here to live out the example set by Jesus: to feed the hungry, to tend to the sick, to visit those in need, to speak out for social justice, to address systemic injustice, to take care of strangers, to love those who feel unloved and the reach out to the outcast and make them feel welcomed and valued. Our dream must include at least some of those elements. By bringing our dream to fruition, we will be changing people’s lives. Fifth, a Jesus-like dream inspires and unifies people. It will bring people together, and rally them around a common cause. People get excited about making a difference in the lives of people and in transforming the community for the better. When they see the church at work doing good outside the walls of the building, living out what they say they believe, then they want to be a part of what is happening. As we start the process of creating our dream and casting our vision, we need to recognize that it is a journey that will not be completed in one meeting. We need time to think about it, to allow new thoughts and new ideas to come into our minds and into our conversations. We need to look at things from new perspectives. We need time to pray, to read the Bible, to connect with other spiritual resources. And then we will begin to see the vision that God is calling us to. This vision will be bigger than we can imagine right now, and we will definitely need God’s help in providing finances, people, and oth-er resources to bring it to completion. Frederick Buechner wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” So begin to ask yourself, What brings me deep gladness? What brings our congregation deep gladness? What are some of our community’s deep hungers? What resources do we have that can be shared? And Rebekah Simon-Peter says that the intersection of those three things may begin to point us to our vision. I’d like to close with a prayer written by the 16th-century sea explorer Sir Francis Drake: Disturb us Lord when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore … Disturb us Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wilder seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes, and to push back the future in strength, courage, hope, and love. Song Holy Spirit, Come Patrick Mayberry https://youtu.be/KoTNHiFq0p0 Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Lord, hear our prayer. Send us your Holy Spirit to breathe new life into this wounded world and mend the damage we have done. Send us your Holy Spirit to break down the walls that divide us and unite the peoples of the earth. Send us your Holy Spirit to gather together the beloved community and proclaim love in every language. Send us your Holy Spirit to lift the lowly, strengthen the weak, and give power to the oppressed. Send us your Holy Spirit to heal the sick, soothe the suffering, and comfort those who mourn. Give us the voice of prophecy to speak up for what is right. Give us dreams and visions of good news for all people. Give us glimpses of the new creation you are bringing into the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose holy name we pray, (David Gambrell) as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: 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 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. Prayer of Dedication Sender of dreams, Spirit of truth, Giver of visions, accept these gifts and offerings, as evidence of the holy fire burning in our hearts. Amen. Song Holy Spirit, Living Breath of God Keith & Kristyn Getty https://youtu.be/kDYjn-YdnD4 Benediction Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. See visions and dream dreams. With hearts afire, go out to love and serve the world. Amen. May 22, 2022
Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Bible Study Here is your link: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Hymn #715 Rejoice, the Lord is King The Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/q3pGwlF6vQg Opening Prayer Almighty God, in a time of great need you raised up your servants John and Charles Wesley, and by your Spirit inspired them to kindle a flame of sacred love which leaped and ran, an inextinguishable blaze. Grant that all those whose hearts have been warmed at these altar fires, being continually refreshed by your grace, may be so devoted to the increase of scriptural holiness throughout the land that in this our time of great need, your will may fully and effectively be done on earth as it is in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Fred D. Gealy) Celebrating the Life and Hymns of Charles Wesley Charles Wesley was born on December 18, 1707, the eighteenth of Samuel and Susanna Wesley’s nineteen children. Only ten of them survived to maturity. Charles was born pre-maturely, and seemed to be dead, because he didn’t cry or open his eyes. His mother wrapped him tightly in wool until his actual due date, when he finally did open his eyes and cry. Samuel Wesley was an Anglican priest, and served as rector of the church in Epworth, England. Although he was very conscientious, he was had firm views on how people should serve God and live their lives. As a result, he was often treated with hostility by some of his parishioners. Samuel had very poor judgment regarding financial matters, and spent time in prison for his unpaid debts. Susanna Wesley was probably the greatest influence on young Charles. She herself was quite well-educated, and knew Greek, Latin, and French. She taught her children for six hours each day. At the age of eight, Charles was sent off to the Westminster School in London. There the only language allowed in public was Latin. After that, Charles entered Oxford University, where he studied for nine years, receiving his Master’s degree. It was at Oxford that Charles met George Whitefield, who would figure prominently in his life a few years later. While at Oxford, Charles became very alarmed at the spread of Deism at the University, so he assembled a small group of students who were determined to take their religion seriously. Charles’ brother, John, joined the group two years later and helped to organize a plan of study and rule of life that stressed prayer, Bible study, self-examination, and frequent attendance at Holy Communion. The students also cared for the sick, the poor, and those in prison. They called themselves the Holy Club, though their fellow students had other names for them, including “Bible Moths” (because they flitted around the Bible so much) and Methodists (because of their methodical lifestyle). It was “Methodists” that stuck. In 1735, following his ordination into the Anglican priesthood, Charles and his brother John sailed to the colony of Georgia. John spent his time there in the city of Savannah. Charles remained at Fort Frederica on St. Simon’s Island. He served as secretary to General James Oglethorpe, chaplain to the garrison and colony, and missionary to the Indians. Charles had a horrible experience. He was shot at, slandered, and shunned. He brought some of this treatment on himself by being so demanding and autocratic. For example, he insisted on baptizing infants by immersing them three times, rather than by sprinkling. One mother became so angry, that she actually fired a gun at him. But Charles did manage to establish a congregation on the island, which is known as Christ Church (Episcopal) today. Back in England, Charles and John began attending meetings of the Moravians, led by a man named Peter Boehler. Boehler encouraged Charles to take a closer look at the condition of his soul, which Charles took seriously. During May of 1738, after having praying and studying scripture, Charles experienced what might be considered a conversion experience. He wrote, “I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoice in hope of loving Christ.” Charles sent word to his mother about this experience, to which she replied, “I rejoice that you have attained to a strong and lively hope in God’s mercy through Christ. Not that I can think that you were totally without saving faith before, but it is one thing to have faith, and another thing to be sensible we have it.” After this conversion experience, Charles’ life changed greatly. He found a new vitality in his preaching, adopting a style that was dynamic and emotional. And he became involved in a ministry at the infamous Newgate Prison, where he allowed himself to be locked up with condemned men on the night before their execution, so that he could offer them comfort and witness to them in their final hours. Charles wrote his famous hymn “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” in 1739, as he approached the anniversary of his conversion experience. The original hymn contained eighteen stanzas and was called “For the Anniversary Day of One’s Conversion.” Our first stanza was originally stanza seven, and was based on the words of Peter Boehler to Charles, “Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise [God] with them all.” Hymn #57 O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing Metzger Music https://youtu.be/XFwBJAe0SZM In 1739, Charles and John were persuaded to join the work of George Whitefield. He was an evangelist who was committed to taking the gospel message to the people, wherever they were, instead of trying to get them to come into a church to hear it. He was preaching outside church buildings, out in the fields and market places and near the mines. Great crowds of people came out to hear them preach. Charles recorded in his journal that he preached to gatherings as large as ten thousand people on two occasions and twenty thousand on another. In 1739, Charles composed on of his best-loved hymns, a Christmas carol, “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” It originally contained ten stanzas, and offers a study on the names of Jesus and the mystery of his incarnation. King, Lord, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Sun of Righteousness, all reflect a facet of Jesus’ character and position. The tune which we sing is an adaptation of a theme from the second movement of “Festgesang” by Felix Mendelssohn, written in 1840 for men’s voices and brass. Hymn #240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing King’s College Choir https://youtu.be/9Bwn0k0k8xI Charles was a powerful preacher. A man named Joseph Williams heard him preach in Bristol, and wrote, “I found him standing on a table-board, in an erect posture … surrounded by, I guess, more than a thousand people, some of them fashionable persons, but most of the lower rank of mankind. He prayed with uncommon fervency … He then preached about half an hour in such a manner as I have scarce heard any man preach … I think I never heard any man labor so earnestly to convince his hearers they were all by nature in a sinful, lost, undone, damnable state; that notwithstanding, there was a possibility of their salvation, through faith in Christ … All this he backed up with many texts of scripture, which he explained and illustrated, and then by a variety of the most forcible motives, arguments, and expostulation, did he invite, allure, quicken, and labor, if it were possible, to compel all, and every of his hearers, to believe in Christ for salvation.” You can hear the powerful concern that Charles Wesley had for the lost in his hymn, “Come Sinners to the Gospel Feast.” Hymn #616 Come, Sinners, to the Gospel Feast Washington Choral Arts Society https://youtu.be/1POGX3Edycc In late 1739, John and Charles were able to buy the Foundry, a ruin of a building in London, which they used as a base for their work. They also purchased a site in Bristol. Charles continued to travel the country for twenty years in the itinerant preaching ministry. By the 1740s, Charles was regularly preaching to thousands of people in the open air. Early on, these crowds were not always friendly. Opposition was developing, some of which was strongly encouraged by Anglican priests who disapproved of his fiery, evangelistic preaching. Sometimes people threw rocks or stones or other objects at the preachers. John and Charles were even beaten by gangs that had been incited by hostile priests. In July of 1743, Charles wrote, “I had just named my text at St. Ives … when an army of rebels broke in upon us … they began in a most outrageous manner, threatening to murder the people if they did not go out in that moment. They broke the sconces, dashed the windows in pieces, tore away the shutters … and all but the stone walls. I stood silently looking on; but mine eyes were upon the Lord. They swore bitterly I should not preach there again; which I disproved, by immediately telling them Christ died for them all. Several times they lifted up their hands and clubs to strike me; but a stronger arm restrained them. They beat and dragged the women about, particularly one of great age, and trampled on them without mercy. The longer they stayed, and the more they raged, the more power I found from heaven.” Charles composed his hymn “And Are We Yet Alive” in 1749, and you can hear his very real concern that perhaps some of the traveling preachers would not be alive when the next gathering took place. This hymn has become a favorite for the clergy session at many Annual Conference meetings. Hymn #553 And Are We Yet Alive Virtual Choir https://youtu.be/zXzZty67A-Y Throughout his adult life, Charles wrote poetry, mostly hymns for that were used in Methodist meetings. Even when he was riding on horseback as an itinerant evangelist, Charles was composing verse, and he carried a card in his pocket to write down his ideas for hymns. His friend Henry Moore wrote, “Not infrequently he had come to our house in City Road, and, having left the pony in the garden in front, he would enter, crying out, ‘Pen and ink! Pen and ink!’ There being supplied he wrote the hymn he had been composing.” Charles wrote his hymn “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” in 1743. So few of his earlier hymns dealt with the idea of God as love, that this hymn was a welcomed change for Wesleyan hymn singing. It reflects a major emphasis of the preaching of both Charles and John Wesley. The tune was composed for these words in 1870 by John Zundel, who was Henry Ward Beecher’s organist at the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Brooklyn, New York. Hymn #384 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling First-Plymouth Church, Lincoln, NE https://youtu.be/GenHMi5B7L4 In 1747, on a trip to Wales, Charles met a young lady named Sally Gwynne, whom he fell in love with. She was about twenty years younger than Charles, and was the daughter of a wealthy magistrate who had converted to Methodism. Charles wanted to marry her, but he had no way of supporting a family. He decided to publish his hymns and sacred poems, hoping that the royalties would provide him a regular source of income. This seemed to satisfy his future father-in-law. Charles and Sally married on April 8, 1749. He wrote, “Not a cloud was to be seen from morning till night. I rose at four, spent three hours and a half in prayer or singing, with my brother … At eight I led my Sally to the church … It was a most solemn season of love!” Charles and Sally moved into a house in Bristol in September of 1749. After 1754, Charles made no more trips to the distant parts of the country, but mainly just traveled between Bristol and London. Throughout their marriage, the couple remained devoted and in love with each other. They had eight children, only three of whom survived. In 1771, Charles and Sally moved into a home in London, where they remained for the rest of their lives. By the end of his life, Charles had published the words of six thousand hymns and written two thousand more. Along with Isaac Watts, he was a major pioneer in hymn writing. Until the 18th century revivals, congregational singing was largely confined to stilted metrical versions of scripture. Charles anticipated the outburst of lyrical poetry in the early 19th century, interpreting Biblical themes in the language of the heart. The Methodists became known, and were sometimes mocked, for their singing of Charles’ hymns. One contemporary observer wrote, “The song of the Methodists is the most beautiful I ever heard … They sing in a proper way, with devotion, serene mind and charm.” The best-loved hymn of Charles Wesley during his lifetime was “Jesus Lover of My Soul.” In the 19th century, Henry Ward Beecher declared, “I would rather have written that hymn … than to have the fame of all the kings that ever sat on the earth.” Hymn #479 Jesus, Lover of My Soul Fernando Ortega https://youtu.be/NsXcCdWjsmg Charles Wesley dictated his final hymn to his wife from his deathbed when he was too weak to hold a pen. The verses included these words: “In age and feebleness extreme, who shall a helpless worm redeem? Jesus, my only hope Thou art, strength of my failing flesh and heart, Oh, could I catch a smile from Thee and drop into eternity!” Charles Wesley died on March 29, 1788 at the age of 80. He was buried in the churchyard of Marylebone Parish Church at his own request. A plaque on his home in Bristol reads, “His hymns are the possession of the Christian Church.” It is appropriate that we end this tribute to Charles Wesley with his great Easter hymn, first published in 1739 as “Hymn for Easter Day.” It is perhaps his most exuberant anthem. It originally had eleven stanzas; the Alleluias were added later. The tune first appeared in 1708, set to “Jesus Christ is Risen Today,” which was a translation of a 14th-century Easter carol. Hymn #302 Christ the Lord is Risen Today Hymns Triumphant Performers https://youtu.be/9khJXoL9QGk Pastoral Prayer Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us; let your face shine upon us. Hear our prayer. We pray for your good creation. Bring healing to the earth and provide a safe home for all creatures. We pray for the nations of the world. Give justice and equity to all, and let your way of peace prevail. We pray for all followers of Jesus. Help us to listen to your voice and live into the promise of our baptism. We pray for all who are suffering. Deliver them from their distress, and strengthen them by your Spirit. Continue to bless us, O God, as we seek to do your will and glorify your holy name; (David Gambrell) We pray 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. Offertory You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 *Prayer of Dedication Giver of all gifts, we return to you a portion of all that you have given us. Bless these gifts and use them to your service through your church. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen. Hymn #709 Come, Let Us Join Our Friends Above David Knight, Anna Baker, Angela Wittleton https://youtu.be/zOfZdNo_Ag0 *Benediction Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold on to what is good; return no one evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak, and help the suffering; honor all people; love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May 8, 2022
Mother’s Day Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering *Call to Worship We have gathered in the presence of God in whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its life and its name. We come, in the prayer that the peace of Christ might dwell in our family relationships. We come, in the prayer that the peace of God might permeate the life of the human family. May the love of Christ fill our hearts, our lives, and our world, to the glory of God. (Ruth C. Duck) Gathering Song A Mother’s Love Gena Hill https://youtu.be/3V4PM1oL7Xs Opening Prayer God our Creator, we give thanks for those who have been mothers for us. Help us inherit from them that which will make us more fully your people. Where they have offered us blessings of love, may we incorporate those gifts into our lives. Where they have hurt us or fallen short of our expectations, may we learn from them, that we might not repeat their mistakes. May the honor we convey toward our mothers reflect the honor that we feel toward you. Amen. (From Worship in Daily Life, Discipleship Resources) Hearing the Word Scripture John 2:1-11 (NIV) On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. Sermon Mother Knows Best If you are of a certain age, you will remember watching a show on TV starring Robert Young called “Father Knows Best.” Young played the part of Jim Anderson, an insurance agent. The cast included Jane Wyatt, playing his wife Margaret; Elinor Dono-hue, playing oldest daughter Betty; Billy Gray, as son Bud; and Lauren Chapin as the youngest child, Kathy. Every week, in just a half hour (really less than that, when you figure in commercial breaks), Jim managed to take care of whatever crisis had arisen in the household, especially those involving one of his three children. With his careful thought and wise advice, he steered them through their problems to positive resolutions. But I always kind of thought that the mother, Margaret, deserved more credit. Her character was often the voice of reason when Jim got flustered or impatient or angry. She managed to stay calm and patient, no matter what was going on around her. And she took care of Jim’s difficulties in working out his children’s problems. Maybe the show should have been called, “Mother Knows Best!” The same label might be attached to the story of the first sign – or miracle – that Jesus performed in the gospel of John. Gary Hansen, a theology professor, calls this “a very important story, set in the midst of ordinariness.” It seems that Jesus had been invited to attend a wedding in the town of Cana, in Galilee, along with his disciples, six of them at that time. Lin Johnson, writing in God’s Word for the Biblically Inept, says, “Jesus wasn’t a stuffy religious leader who didn’t know how to have a good time. Instead, people wanted him at their parties, and he accepted their invitations.” In those days, wedding celebrations typically lasted seven days and there would be many guests in attendance. While the guests helped with some expenses, the host was responsible for providing lodging for the guests and supplying enough wine for the entire week. Running out of wine would be a huge social embarrassment. Normally, the best wine would be served early in the week; later in the week, it was assumed that the taste buds of the guests would have become “dulled from drinking,” as Lin Johnson puts it. At some point during the week-long celebration, Mary came to Jesus and told him that they had no more wine. Warren Wiersbe writes, “[Mary] must have been very close to either the bride or the bridegroom to have such a personal concern for the success of the festivities, or even to know that the supply of wine was depleted. Perhaps Mary was assisting in the preparation and serving of the meal.” It could even be that Mary was related to someone in the wedding party. But in any case, when the wine ran out, she went to Jesus to request his help. She had some idea of the kind of power that he had and she was hoping that he would somehow save the situation. Raquel Lettsome, an elder in the AME Church in New York, writes, “When the wine ran out, Mary went to find Jesus. Mary is in the right place, knows the right person, and thinks it is the right time … She does now know how Jesus will supply the need, what he will require in order to do it, or when he will act. However, the critical issue for Mary is not what, when, where, or how. Her calmness is the result of knowing who … At the very least, she knows her son … She seems confident that he will act on her petition.” At first, Jesus seemed hesitant, or even irritated, by Mary’s request. He wanted to know why she wanted to get him involved and said that his time had not yet come. He wasn’t there to perform miracles on demand, after all! And yet, when it came down to it, Jesus acted to fix the problem. He took care of her request. Hansen writes, “Jesus honors his mother … by doing what she asks of him. He does this despite his disagreement about the relevance of the lack of wine, and despite the inconvenience to his own sense of timing. He simply does what God’s own commandment says to do (Exod. 20:12; Deut. 5:16).” Jesus told the servants to fill 6 stone water jars to the brim with water. Each jar held between twenty and thirty gallons. Then he told them to take some of the water to the master of the banquet. When they did, the water had been turned into wine. Not only that, but the master declared it to be the best wine he had been served. Jesus had just given an overwhelmingly generous gift to the wedding feast; about 120 gallons of wine, or somewhere in the neighborhood of 605 bottles of the best wine. Hansen rather humorously states, “Because Jesus is present, God is present. Because God is present, let the good times roll.” This is recorded as the first sign or miracle of Jesus in John’s gospel. And yet, only Mary, the servants, and the six disciples knew about it. But John says that it revealed Jesus’ glory and the disciples put their faith in him. Hansen says, “Jesus reveals his glory as he honors ordinary people, quietly, wondrously tending to them. Jesus honors the bridegroom whom he saves from social disgrace. If the wine were allowed to fail, people would notice. He would hear about it at every holiday dinner for the rest of his life. Jesus honors the otherwise easily ignored servants whom he makes the only real witnesses to the miracle.” And Jesus reveals his glory by revealing his divinity; only the divine can work miracles. Hansen states, “The power of the divine Word is clearly shown in the miracle; if ordinary people could turn water into wine, no one would ever get anything done.” While all of these things are true, I see something more. I see something wise about Mary in this story. Mary knew her son. She knew him well enough to know that if he could do something to prevent another person from being humiliated, he would do it. She knew him well enough to suspect that he had the power to do something. And maybe she knew him well enough to believe that the time had come, even if Jesus wasn’t sure that it had. She recognized his authority and she had absolute faith in his ability to take care of the problem. Raquel Lettsome writes, “… at the heart of this story is a mother who believes Jesus will do something.” I don’t know about you, but I had a mother who believed I could do things, sometimes more than I could believe that about myself. She was an encourager, a prodder, and sometimes even a little bit of a nagger. She reminded me of who I really was: an intelligent, capable, well-educated, deeply spiritual woman committed to serving God and others, with gifts and talents that had been given to me to equip me to do what God had called me to do. Sometimes she pushed me to do things that I wasn’t sure I could do. One time I casually mentioned that Circuit Rider magazine, a magazine for Methodist clergy that is no longer published, was sponsoring a sermon contest. She told me that I should enter; I told her that I was sure there were a lot more talented preachers than me out there who would enter, and I had no chance to win. But she just wouldn’t let up, so I finally sent in a sermon. I came in third place in the whole country, and they published my sermon. Okay, so she was right – that time. Maybe Mary was trying to encourage Jesus in the same way. Okay, it’s time to get busy doing what you were sent here to do. You may not feel like it’s time, but maybe you’re just stalling for some reason. Here’s your chance to demonstrate to others who you really are. And Jesus listened to his mother’s request to do something. He turned ordinary water into wine. He saved the day for the wedding host. And he won the faith of the men who had already chosen to follow him. Sometimes Mother really does know best. Song A Mother’s Love Jim Brickman and Mark Masri https://youtu.be/XJ_I5N6QUK8 Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer God of promise, your sheep long to hear your voice. We fear the night, and the wolf, and the path that leads away from life. We need your guidance and protection. We need your light. Speak to us today, that we might follow you. Speak to those who mourn loss and change. Speak words of assurance so that they might hear your voice and follow you to hope. Speak to those who argue and fight. Speak words of reconciliation so that they might hear your voice and follow you to peace. Speak to those who fear people unlike them. Speak words of compassion so that they might hear your voice and follow you to love. Speak to those who hunger and thirst. Speak words of abundance so that they might hear your voice and follow you to contentment. Speak up and speak out. Speak in ways that we can hear and understand. Speak until we listen. Speak until we know your voice and follow you. (David Gambrell) We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, as we pray together the prayer that he taught his disciples: 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 Heavenly Lord, each day we witness untold miracles that are a testament of your love. Some spectacular miracles reverently remind us of Jesus’ healing miracles. Other, everyday miracles are quiet and soft like a gentle mother’s whisper filled with beauty and wonder. We prayerfully ask that these gifts be used to reach those who need to experience the miracle of your love. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen. (David Bell) Song A Mother’s Prayer Celine Dion https://youtu.be/nYGnB28fdDo Benediction Go and obey Christ rather than any human authority. Go and serve the One who made us to be a kingdom of peace. Go out and declare what God has done for us! Amen. May 1, 2022
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering *Call to Worship God has been our strength and protection. God has answered us and has become our salvation. Praise God with drum and dance! Praise God with strings and pipe! Let us praise God, for God is good! God’s faithful love endures forever! Gathering Song Standing on the Promises Fountainview Academy https://youtu.be/5DgpDt4f7vI Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Bible Study Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Opening Prayer Alpha and Omega, you who call us to repentance, you who love us and save us from our sins – give us the faith of our ancestors who endured trials for the sake of your kingdom. Breathe your Spirit on us so that we can live out our calling to share your good news with the whole world. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Acts 2:27-32 (NIV) Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Sermon Letters From Jail Do you remember April of 1963? I don’t, because I was only two years old. But perhaps some of you do. In April of 1963, people watched the debut of the TV soap opera “General Hospital.” In April of 1963 the first album by the Beatles was released. And in April of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., issued his letter from the Birmingham jail, where he was being held after having been arrested for his participation in a nonviolent protest being conducted by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Birmingham was notorious for its segregation and racial hatred. In January of 1963, Governor George Wallace had declared, “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” In response to all that had been going on, activists launched Project C (for confrontation). After King was arrested in April, activists began recruiting young people to march. By the end of the first day of recruiting, seven hundred of the volunteers were under arrest. On May 3, about a thousand young people showed up in a peaceful protest, and the Commissioner of Public Safety turned high pressure hoses and police dogs on them. After five days, there were 2,500 people in jail, two thousand of them young people. King wrote his letter from the Birmingham jail in the middle of all this unrest. He had to write it on the margins of a newspaper, because that was the only paper he had access to. It was carried by his lawyer back to the offices of the Christian Movement for Human Rights. In part, the letter was a response to a statement written by eight white Alabama clergy which called King’s efforts “unwise and untimely.” They agreed that racial segregation was a problem, but thought that it should be handled in the courts and not out on the streets. The eight clergymen said that King was an outsider who had come in causing trouble in Birmingham. To that charge, King replied, “I am in Birmingham because injustice is here … Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere … Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. [Therefore] anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider.” A second complaint that the white clergymen made was that there were demonstrations going on in Birmingham. King responded that the demonstrations were un-fortunate, but “it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative.” Finally, the clergymen questioned the timing of the protests and counseled King to be patient and wait for change. King replied that for blacks in the Unites States, “wait” almost always meant “never.” They had already been waiting for 340 years for their “constitutional and God-given rights.” In his letter from jail, King made reference to people throughout history who had made a stand for what was right, regardless of the cost. He mentioned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to follow the laws of King Nebuchadnezzar. He spoke of Socrates practicing civil disobedience in ancient Greece. He mentioned the American patriots who participated in the Boston Tea Party. And, of course, he men-tioned the early Christians who faced persecution for their faith. The story in Acts 5 tells of two of those early Christians who faced persecution, who chose civil disobedience, and who ended up in prison for their efforts. Peter and John had been going to the Temple daily, healing many people and teaching about Jesus, and they were attracting quite a crowd. The high priest and the Sadducees be-came jealous and had the two apostles arrested. But during the night, an angel came and opened the prison doors and set them free. Then the angel told them to go again to the Temple and preach the good news. And so they went back the very next morning and continued their work. When the Sanhedrin, or Jewish Council, gathered to consider the case of Peter and John, and sent for them to be brought up from the jail, they discovered that the two men were not there. Someone told them that the apostles were back in the Temple teaching the people. So the Temple police were sent to bring them to stand before the Sanhedrin. The high priest questioned them and reminded them that they had been told not to teach any more in the name of Jesus. Now, you might think that Peter and John would be intimidated, standing before the very men who had condemned Jesus to death only a short time before. You might think that they would plead for mercy, or promise not to disobey the Sanhedrin again. But instead, they replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” The members of the Sanhedrin were enraged by this response, and wanted to put Peter and John to death. But a man named Gamaliel, who had opposed the condemnation of Je-sus, cautioned the Sanhedrin to wait. He said that if their effort was not of God, it would fail on its own; but if their effort was of God, then it could never be stopped. The Sanhe-drin agreed to take his advice. But they had the apostles flogged and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus again and let them go. And with that threat echoing in their ears, the apostles returned to the Temple and did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus Christ as Messiah. They practiced civil disobedience for a cause that they be-lieved was right and of God. They were willing to risk arrest, and even death, for the sake of obedience to God. People today have shown that they are willing to get involved in issues that re-quire civil disobedience. They march in rallies or participate in demonstrations or join a movement. These actions might not always be popular, or enjoy quick or easy success. Those who participate encounter resistance, persecution, or even arrest. But they take a stand and act on it as they feel led to do because there are some things more impor-tant than personal reputation or safety. Frederick Douglass, in 1857, said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.” I never thought of myself as someone who would break the law. Aside from speeding on occasion, I think I have been a law-abiding citizen. And I have attempted to live in obedience to church law, as well. But back in 2012, I took a stand on an issue in a way that could actually get me in trouble with the denomination. I signed a pledge – which has also been signed by hundreds of other clergy in New England and other states – that if a same-sex couple comes to me and wants to get married, and I believe after counseling with them that they are ready for marriage, then I will perform the cere-mony. That is in direct conflict with our denomination’s policy stated in the Book of Dis-cipline that no United Methodist clergy person shall perform a same-sex union. The pledge also means that all the clergy on that list will support each other should charges ever be made against one of us. Clergy members of other conferences have had to surrender their credentials after undergoing church trials because of their ecclesiastical disobedience to this provision in our church law. They have literally lost their jobs and their ordination status. To date, no one has asked me to do a same-sex marriage. But I am committed to following through on my promise. I believe that it is the right thing to do. I would have agreed to do the same thing even if I lived in a state where same-sex marriage was not legal at that time. I believe that it is not only a basic civil right that is being de-nied to many couples across our country, but that it is a religious rite that is being de-nied to many couples in our churches. Christians for whom church has an important place in their lives want to get married in their churches, or at least by their pastors. And pastors are being put in the untenable position of being told they must deny this aspect of pastoral care to certain members of their congregations and communities. I thank God that this has been changed by law in our nation, and I hope and pray that it will be changed by General Conference action in our denomination. But until it does, I find myself practicing ecclesiastical civil disobedience. If there is a cause that you believe you have been called to support, even if it is not popular or safe to do so, I hope that you will have the courage of your convictions to take a stand. I know that I have felt better about myself ever since I signed that pledge, because I feel that I am doing something that might make a difference in the long run. And I can live with myself if I follow my convictions on this, rather than obey a church policy that I so adamantly believe is opposed to the will of God. I know that you will also feel better if you are living a life of integrity where your convictions are concerned. Fol-lowing the example of the apostles, and of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., millions of people in our country have shown that they were willing to take a stand for something that mattered, and keep standing until it was changed. I hope that I might have their courage and commitment as I stand for what matters to me. Song I Sing a Song of the Saints of God Emmanuel Episcopal Church Southern Pines, NC https://youtu.be/iJxwfA1TZwU Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer For those who are behind closed doors, trembling with fear, hiding from unjust authorities or invading armies, we pray today. Ruler of the earth, hear our prayer. We pray for those who doubt because all they see is despair and devastation. We pray for those who face trials for speaking truth to power. We pray for those who have been so hurt that they cannot forgive and be healed. We pray for those who suffer from illness or injury, from wounds of body, mind, or spirit. We pray for those who mourn the loss of a loved one, whose grief seems too great to bear. We pray for those who feel that they carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, but don’t know how to lay it down at your throne. We pray and we ask that you hear our prayers as we wait for your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts. (David Gambrell, adapted) We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, as we pray together the prayer that he taught his disciples: 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 With lute and lyre, with clashing cymbals and joyful songs, we bring our gifts and our lives to the one who is and was and is to come. Amen. Song We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations First Methodist, Houston, TX https://youtu.be/DL54_OP1ldk Benediction Go and obey Christ rather than any human authority. Go and serve the One who made us to be a kingdom of peace. Go out and declare what God has done for us! Amen. April 24, 2022
Festival of God’s Creation Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering *Call to Worship We walk in wonder beneath the sun and stars. Creation is God’s masterpiece and we are blessed to share it. We give thanks for the air, the land, and the water, and for all the creatures joined together in the web of life. Beauty is before us, around us, over us and beneath us. We join our hearts, minds, and spirits as one in thanks and awe. Gathering Song This is My Father’s World Amy Grant https://youtu.be/C9g-uidS6wE Announcements Thursday, 7:00 PM Zoom Bible Study Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,*762435# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyTFEtQFq Opening Prayer Maker of all things wise and wonderful – elephants and egrets, pineapples and pelicans, striding camels, waddling ducks and hedgehogs that curl into prickly balls – You fill our world with miracles and mysteries and humor. Fill us now with the wonder and delight that are our ongoing worship. God, oh God, may our delight be the acceptable worship in which you can delight. Amen. (Beverly Osborn) Hearing the Word Scripture Psalm 104 (NIV) Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes the winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate – bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart. The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees. The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys. The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number – living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works – he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord. Sermon God Rejoices in His Works One of the most amazing things to watch is parents with their newborn babies. The look in their eyes is unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else. It is a look of wonder, a realization of the miracle that they’ve been a part of, the miracle of creating life. It is a look of love. One father commented that he never really understood love at first sight until he first laid eyes on his new daughter. It is a look of hope, full of wonderful dreams and plans for that child. And it is a look of fear, as the new parents begin to recognize the enormous task ahead of them. Mostly, it is a look of pure joy. It must be something like that, what you might see in God’s eyes as he looks at the world he has created. This God who creates out of nothing, whose vastness we can never understand, whose love is unlike that of any other, whose will is always for our good. His heart is also full of love and hope and fear, because he knows better than any earthly parent would what lies ahead for each new life. But God’s heart is also surely full of joy, joy over his creation, joy over life. Psalm 104 describes some of the wonders of the created world and makes the statement that God rejoices over all of it: springs, mountains, animals, birds, fish, grass and plant life. God provides for the beasts of the field, the creatures of the sea, and all of humankind. God made the moon to mark the seasons, and a sun that knows when to rise and when to set. God made time for both light and darkness, and time for men and women to work. God wraps himself in light. He makes the clouds his chariots and he rides on the wings of the wind. And, can you imagine, God even created one sea creature for the sole purpose of playing! God made the leviathan to frolic in the ocean. We sometimes take the world around us for granted, which must cause a sense of sadness in God’s heart. After all, he took such joy in creating it, and after each stage of creation, according to Genesis, God declared it to be good. When you pay attention to the world around you, you begin to share the joy of God over all creation. The smell of the lake and the sound of the water as it ripples up to the shore. The flowers whose bright colors catch our eye. The warmth of the sun as it shines on our backs, the songs of the birds in the trees, the smell of the bark mulch that you spread around your shrubbery, the sound of the wind in the trees. Of course, it can be a little hard to appreciate some of God’s creatures. For ex-ample, horse flies, mosquitoes, and fire ants. There is a story about a church camp for children, where the counselors were leading a discussion about the purpose God had for everything that he had created. The children began to think of good reasons for the clouds, the trees, the rocks, rivers, animals, and just about everything they could see around them. Then one child asked, “If God has a good purpose for everything, why did he create poison ivy?” That one had the counselors stumped. But another child gave a great answer. “God made poison ivy to teach us that there are some things we should keep our hands off of!” Great answer! There are many scientists who are not reluctant to discuss the fact that the universe had to have been created by something greater than random chance. Even Carl Sagan, the famous astronomer and author, has recognized the complexity of the design of creation, in spite of his own profession to having no belief in God or the Bible. In his book, The Dragons of Eden, he described the complexity of just one chromosome: A single human chromosome contains twenty billion bits of information. How much infor-mation is twenty billion bits? What would be its equivalent, if it were written down in an ordinary printed book in modern human language? Twenty billion bits are the equivalent of about three billion letters. If there are approximately six letters in an average word, the information content of a human chromosome corresponds to about five hundred million words. If there are about three hundred words on an ordinary page of printed type, this corresponds to about two million pages. If a typical book contains five hundred such pages, the information content of a single human chromosome corresponds to four thousand volumes. It is clear, then, that the chromosome contains an enormous library of information. It is equally clear that so rich a library is required to specify as exquisitely constructed and intricately functioning object as a human being. There is a story about a science professor who constructed a planetarium, a precisely scaled model of the known universe. A student came into his office and asked him who made it. The professor said, “No one.” The student laughed and asked again, “Come on, who made this piece of work?” The profession responded again, “No one. It just happened.” The student was getting confused and a little angry, and the professor finally said, “Well, if you can go out of this classroom and look at nature around you and believe it just happened, then you can also believe this precise piece of work just happened.” David Ben-Gurion, a former prime minister of Israel, once commented, “Anyone who doesn’t believe in miracles isn’t a realist.” Look around you this afternoon and ask yourself how many miracles it takes for this life to work. The miracle of photosynthesis produces oxygen, the miracle of a human nose and lungs convert that oxygen to pro-vide for the body, which the vascular system pumps through miles of intricate plumbing, if you will, and back again, disposing of the waste products as you exhale. The miracle of sunshine, from a sun just exactly at its precise location from the earth, allows for things to grow, including food, which is miraculously processed into nourishment by means of our gastro-intestinal system, which also provides for waste removal. The miracle of rain provides water for the grass in our yards and the crops in the fields. The miracle of sound allows us to communicate with each other, by means of vocal chords and a diaphragm. The miracle of hearing allows us to hear one another speak, laugh, cry, or pray. The miracle of electricity keeps our homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The list goes on and on. Take time today to notice the miracles. And take time to rejoice over the wonderful works of God the Creator. Think about hummingbirds and jellyfish, dandelions and orchids, cotton and corn, sea horses and pack mules, pine trees and azaleas, oaks and dogwoods. Think about the way the sound of the water relaxes your mind. Take a minute to look at the clouds the way you did when you were a child, and notice what kinds of shapes you find. Look up at the sky tonight and try to count the stars and pick out the constellations. Look into a friend’s eyes and think about how many good times you’ve had together. Hold your children or grandchildren and think about the miracle of life. Laugh. Sigh with contentment. Walk through the grass. Pet your dog or cat. Look at photographs and remember fun times. Rejoice! God does. Leslie Brandt has written a wonderful paraphrase of Psalm 104 which is a fitting way to close this sermon: O Lord, how great and all-powerful you are! And how beautiful is the world you created for our habitation! Even before man was brought forth from the dust, you prepared for him a place in which to live and grow. And everything man saw about him reflected the beauty and power of the living God. There was clean air. Pure water from snowcapped mountains flowed through green valleys and gather-ed together to become great lakes. The skies shone with a million lights. The land brought forth flowers and fruits to delight the eye and the palate of God’s creatures. And every part of the land and the waters that covered the land and the skies that looked down upon the land were filled with uncountable forms of life; the world was vi-brant and alive. Your power and your beauty were spread throughout the universe, but it was only upon the heart of man that you imprinted your image. And this creature, in his short stay upon this world, was destined to be your child and co-worker in the ever-continuing process of creation. Your creative activity has never ceased. It continues in and through the life of creature human. Limited and fallible as human is, his mind and his hands are assigned to corral your life-giving energies and to direct them in control- ling and replenishing the earth that life might be given and sustained throughout the world. O Lord, how great and all-powerful you are! And how beautiful is the world you created for our habitation! Song All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter https://youtu.be/n9cPMSTFObI Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God, who created the great giraffes that glide through the jungles and the little slugs that slither among the flowers in our gardens, we praise you for the glories of your creation: for children and laughter, for songs and clouds, for mountains and seas, for birds and cats, for storms and sunshine and honeysuckle blossoms. O God, who gives us joy in the morning and rest at night, and teaches us to see the world with contentment of spirit, we exalt your name for the love you have shown us; for the gift of your Son Jesus and his ministry, death and resurrection; for our new life in your kingdom; for existence in this world and hope in the next one. We remember today our friends who are in the hospital, and those who are ill or who are confined at home. Let your healing spirit be upon them to mend their bodies and lift their hearts and give them peace. Minister to the hurts and needs of the members of our congregation. Give courage to the weak and hope to the despondent. Comfort the hearts of the lonely. We pray for peace in the world wherever there is conflict or oppression, and especially in the nation of Ukraine, where war is going on. (John Killinger, adapted) We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, as we pray together the prayer that he taught his disciples: 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 You have given us an unbelievable world, O God, of lakes and rivers and flowers and trees and laughing birds and wide-eyed children. Now we bring our gifts and ask for hearts of sensitivity and gratitude in order that we may properly celebrate it and revel in your love. Through Jesus Christ. Amen. (John Killinger) Song Look at the World John Rutter https://youtu.be/6Gpdc5Mjjq8 Benediction Now may God, who has made the world and filled it with beauty, give you eyes to see the mysteries and miracles around you and make your hearts rejoice this day and evermore. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Benediction Now may God, who has made the world and filled it with beauty, give you eyes to see the mysteries and miracles around you and make your hearts rejoice this day and evermore. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. April 17, 2022
Easter Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering *Call to Worship Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Gathering Song Christ the Lord is Risen Today The Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/cErtpg5hBSw Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, this past week has been one of mixed emotions; of faith struggling to understand. We have greeted you with palm branches; we have sat at table with you to share a farewell meal. We have witnessed your death on a simple wooden cross. Yet on this third day, you come to us again alive in victory. By this, we know that death is not the final word. As the sun boldly rises to meet a new day, rise in our lives this Easter morning, for you are our hope, our life, and our joy. Amen. Hearing the Word Scripture Luke 24:1-8 (NIV) On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words. Sermon Looking for Jesus in All the Wrong Places We all know what it feels like to go back to the cemetery for the first time. Some-how that first visit is always the hardest visit. Because it makes death real in a tangible way. The one you love is really gone, and they are not coming back. Shannon Michael Pater, Senior Minister at Central Congregational United Church of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia, relates his own experience of losing someone important to him when he was just a boy: I always refer to her as “the one who loved me the most, and I knew it.” My great-grandmother loved me in my formative years in ways that continue to inform how I understand myself. She would hold me close to her heart and sing “Jesus Loves Me” in her rocking chair; but it was the way she cherished me and treated others that instruct-ed me in the truth of the lullaby. “Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so”; but my great-grandmother showed me so. Like many of the women of her generation, she set an extravagant, welcoming table. Sunday dinner was where you went to be reminded who you are; at that table you knew that everything was going to work out, even if you could not currently see how. It was at that table that I acquired my theology of the Table; the seminary class-room paled in comparison. The presence of God was easy to see in the buttered biscuits, fried chicken, and lumpy mashed potatoes; the fellowship nourished the soul. My great-grandmother died days before my twelfth birthday and just months before dark shadows came to my family. At the time I needed her most, she was gone and the Sunday dinner table was cleared and not reset. My great-grandmother, who had been born Christmas morning, was buried on Valentine’s Day. My heart was sealed in the sarcophagus with her body; the light seemed so dim that I thought it had been extinguished. I was lost in the dark. That must have been what it felt like for the women who came to Jesus’ tomb on that first Easter morning. They were lost in the dark without him. They came to do the very last thing for him that they would ever be able to do: anoint his body with spices and wrap it in clean linens and lay it on the shelf in the tomb. But when the women got there, they were stunned to see that the stone that had been covering the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away. And when they dared to go in and look, they saw that Jesus’ body was missing. They couldn’t imagine what might have happened to it, and they just stood there, not sure of what to do. Suddenly, two angels appeared to them. The women were so terrified that they fell down with their faces to the ground. And who could blame them? It was probably a very frightening thing to see an angel right there in front of you. The first thing the angels said to the women was, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” What? What did they say? The women must have been so confused. The reason they came to look for Jesus in the tomb was because they knew he was dead; they had seen him die. They had watched as Nicodemus and Joseph laid his body in that tomb. There was no doubt about it in their minds; Jesus was dead. Where else would they come to look for him? But the angels also said, “He is not here; he has risen!” Jesus wasn’t dead. He was alive! He had left the tomb on his own; no one had taken his body away. He was nowhere to be found in that cemetery. The women should be looking for him some-where, anywhere else. Because Jesus had been raised from the dead and was alive! I absolutely cannot imagine what I would have been feeling or thinking if I had gone back to my mother’s grave for the first time and found that it had been dug up and her body was missing. I can’t even begin to picture two angels meeting me there, telling me that she wasn’t dead, but alive. I don’t know how I would feel if they said to me, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” But I understand what it means after the fact. I do visit my mother’s grave whenever I travel south and have the oppor-tunity; it is one of the top priorities on my list. I go there to remember, to cry, to smile, and to leave flowers. I know that my mother isn’t really there among the dead. She is not to be found at Cool Springs Cemetery in Forest City, North Carolina. She has risen. She is alive. She is in heaven. And she is with me, in spirit. We are sometimes guilty of looking for the living among the dead in other ways, too. Nancy Claire Pittman, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma, writes, “We want to tend the corpses of long dead ideas and ideals. We cling to former visions of ourselves and our churches as if they might come back to life as long as we hold on to them. We grasp our loved ones too tightly, refusing to allow them to change, to become bigger, or smarter, or stronger. We choose to stay with what we know in our hearts to be dead, because it is safe, malleable, and so susceptible to burnishing through private memory. The words of the [angels] are a challenge to stop hanging on to the dead and to move into new life. They are reminders that the Holy One dwells wherever new life bursts forth.” I have been thinking a lot about this idea of looking for the living among the dead as I consider the situation of our church. This church has a wonderful history. There were many good years in the past. I have heard about high attendance, large numbers of children and youth, plays and pageants that were put on, parties and fellowship times, dinners and fundraisers. And those were wonderful occasions and years in the life of the church. But they are only memories. Those things are all in the past. And the past will never happen again. It is, in some ways, dead. And new life is not going to be found there, however much we might wish it to be. You can’t go back and make the church like that again. Don’t look for the living among the dead. Instead, remember that new life is to be found in and with Jesus, who is risen from the dead. And new life is possible for our church, and it can happen well before the church is actually dead. New life can happen here, but not if we are looking backwards. New life is ahead of us, so we have to look forwards. I remember reading one time that there is a good reason why windshields are so much bigger than rearview mirrors. It’s because we are moving forward, not backward, and we need to see where we are going, not where we have been. In order for new life to come about, some things will have to change. And change is a scary word, a scary place to be. But we have to step out in faith and make it work. For months, the chairperson of my church council in Warwick had a saying at the top of the agenda for our committee meetings. It said, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” If nothing changes, then the church will see the same results of its actions (or inactions). But if nothing changes, the church is going to continue to decline in membership and in funding for ministry. And sooner or later, that will mean the death of the congregation. I know that nobody wants to see that. So the answer? Be willing to change. Be willing to look for life in new places. Remember that the living cannot be found among the dead. And claim the promise of Easter of hope and resurrection. Shannon Pater eventually found solace in his grief. He wrote: For many years, Christmas morning and Valentine’s Day were a source of bitter memories for me; the death of my great-grandmother was devastating to [me]. I never saw men in dazzling white, but I did have to come out of the tomb. I had to stop looking for the living among the dead and seek her among the resurrected; it required sacred memory. I had to remember what she taught me on her lap and at the table; I internalized her voice and now incarnate her love. The tale took a long time to tell, but finally, in my own time, I was able to whisper “alleluia.” The long journey of Easter starts at an empty tomb; you have to unpack your own wonder and amazement. I believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And I believe in the resurrection of my mother. I also believe in the resurrection of dying churches? Do you? Then let’s stop looking for the living among the dead; let’s move forward. When we do, we will be amazed at the new life Jesus will create there. Song He Lives First Methodist, Houston https://youtu.be/MLKGO5FzDsY Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer O God of love and life, Even as we are witnesses to Mary’s joy, we also hold space for her grief – joy at the power of love to defeat death, sorrow at relationships altered. As Mary shared good news with Peter and as Jesus comforted Mary, so we rejoice and weep together as we lift up our joys and our pains, our hopes and our disappointments. We pray for the laws and lawmakers, governance and governors that order our days and structure our lives. We pray for the institutions and teachers that steward the knowledge that shapes our imaginations. We pray for the caretakers and care receivers whose compassion keeps us human. We pray for those in our midst for whom joy and grief are present realities. God of resurrection, we know that even as new life is at hand and love overcomes death, we continue to grapple with death-dealing systems, fractured communities, and the broken realities they create. Help us to hold space for those things and people that must be carefully tended. Give us the strength and courage to remove stones from tombs that have too long housed the living. All this we pray in the name of the risen one, Jesus Christ our Savior, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: (David Gambrell) 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 abundance, we offer these gifts to you in thanks-giving and joy for the presence of the living Christ. May these gifts bring new life to those both near and far. And may we offer ourselves in service to you and to one another. Amen. Song He Arose Hymncharts.com https://youtu.be/vVs5QQA_gT8 Benediction As you leave this time of worship, do so with resurrection hope – that the God who loves the world enough to come back again, comes back for you. Go forth as agents of God’s steadfast and never-ending love, being bearers of good news and great imagination. Thanks be to God. Amen. |
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