What a week it has been. Please join us for online Celebration to reflect, mourn, pray, and hope together. This is a communion Sunday, so we will invite you to bring your own bread and cup to the table; you may partake of it during the youtube service, or, if you prefer to break bread in community, save it for the zoom coffee hour where we’ll take a moment for communion.
At the end of the email you will also see an invitation to join us, masked and socially distanced, in person to hold vigil on Thornhill Drive with signs for Black Lives Matter. There are many reasons to stand vigil but here’s one: yesterday would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday, if she hadn’t been murdered; and as of now the police officers responsible for her death still have faced no consequences. https://justiceforbreonna.org/
You can submit comments and prayer requests via our Comments Form at mpcfamily.org/comments . We’d love to hear from you!
If you are visiting today, we hope you’ll fill out our online Visitor Card at mpcfamily.org/hello .
View June 7th Celebration online
- Marcia’s prelude will be “Peace in Our Time, O Lord” arranged by Craig Phillips, and will include remote flower arrangements by our wonderful MPC chancel decor team.
- Talitha will welcome us, and the Santos family will lead the Call to Celebration.
- The opening hymn is “Spirit Open My Heart,” set to an Irish folk tune. The notes in our Glory To God hymnal remind us that “the pace and diversity of modern life often hinder us from remaining vulnerable to our emotions and to the humanness of other people.” In such a time as this, we need a moment of vulnerability.
- The heart-rending Prayer for Peace and Justice was a real team effort. It was written by Jean Gregory, read by Brenda Vallenas, tech-supported by Steve Smith, and accompanied by photos from their hike.
- Susan Spore, who recently became an MPC member, reads the scripture, which is Psalm 8.
- Talitha preaches on the themes of Psalm 8 and human dignity
- Special Music leads us to respond in contemplation; this week is a special treat from Leslie Louie and Kel and Carlee Bowen, covering the song “Heroes we could be” by Alesso.
- We will celebrate Communion together
- The closing hymn is In Remembrance of Me, lyrics available below.
- Kristen Bank (from the Membership & Outreach team) will share announcements, followed by the Charge led by Norah and Justine Bessette-Denwood and Melvie Koshgarian-Cash, and a Benediction from Talitha
- ONE MORE SPECIAL TREAT: we’ve been doing without postludes recently, but Kel Bowen’s amazing piece of music needs to be heard. They’ll sing and play a cover of “Change on the Rise” by Avi Kaplan which will send you into the world inspired. Whether you use that energy and inspiration to chalk some signs, protest in the streets, donate some funds, or call your elected representatives to demand systemic change is up to you!
GRIEF GROUP meets Thursday at 1. You may think this is a group for people who have lost a spouse or family member or beloved pet, and it is, but it is also an open place to process other griefs, whether they are personal or universal. Grief has many stages, and most of us who have been watching the news are pretty much guaranteed to be in one stage or another right now. Join us with whatever you are feeling.
IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME
In remembrance of me eat this bread
In remembrance of me drink this wine
In remembrance of me pray for the time
When God’s own will is done
In remembrance of me heal the sick
In remembrance of me feed the poor
In remembrance of me open your heart
And let your neighbors in, let them in
Take eat and be comforted
Drink and remember too
That this is my body and precious blood
Shed for you, shed for you
In remembrance of me search for truth
In remembrance of me always love
In remembrance of me don’t look above
But in your heart, in your heart
Look in your heart for God
Do this in remembrance of me
SPIRIT OPEN MY HEART
Refrain:
Spirit open my heart
To the joy and pain of living
As you love may I love
In receiving and in giving
Spirit, open my heart
1 God, replace my stony heart
with a heart that’s kind and tender.
All my coldness and fear
to your grace I now surrender.
2 Write your love upon my heart
as my law, my goal, my story.
In each thought, word, and deed,
may my living bring you glory.
3 May I weep with those who weep,
share the joy of sister, brother.
In the welcome of Christ,
may we welcome one another.
Birthday Blessing Lyrics:
God bless and cherish you, be gracious unto you,
shower you with favor and bestow the gift of peace
The Charge (say together) Go out into the world in peace. Have courage; hold on to what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, and help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
At 11 AM on Sunday please join us for family hour on Zoom (please email Rev. Ben or email Rev. Talitha for the password) and on Wednesday at noon, please feel free to join the pastor’s Bible study on Zoom.