From Rev Ben:
I’m writing this note on Friday morning, looking out of my dining room window at the smoky sky and, to be honest, I’m feeling a bit anxious. Fires scare me and smoke keeps me from exercising. Besides it’s hot, and the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn’t packed its bags and vacated the premises of our common existence.
True confession: in times like this, when I turn to God in prayer I tend to seek spiritual comfort with images of Christ in my mind that have been called up from the minor leagues of childhood spirituality. In times of stress it’s not uncommon for me to set aside adult spiritual concepts of a transcendent and universal Creative Holiness in favor of a Jesus who loves me (this I know), who walks with me and talks with me and tells me I am his own. As I contemplate a packing list for my evacuation go bag, I draw greater strength from Jesus who holds my hand, than from Christ who is the eschatological realization of the messianic paradigm.
In this week’s sermon I am inviting you to answer the question Jesus asked his disciples: “who do you say that I am?” There can be any number of answers to that question, but in these times of stress and worry, you should
absolutely feel free to imagine in Christ a God who draws close to you and brings you comfort and gives you strength.
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View August 23rd Celebration online
- Marcia will provide a prelude on Richmond, “One Holy Church” by Healey Willam
- Talitha will welcome us to Celebration,
- Jen Hansen and daughters Layla, Myra and Ada will lead us in a call to celebration, which is a paraphrase of Psalm 118:24,
- Kim will lead us in the opening hymn, “This Is the Day the Lord Has Made”, which is a setting of Psalm 118:24,
- Lin Gentry will lead us in a prayer for peace, using a poem by the Romanian poet and pastor Traian Dors,
- Keith Geckler will read Matthew 16:13-20,
- I will preach a sermon “Who is Jesus?”,
- The special music will feature Kim Rankin, piano; Talitha Aho, bass; Annalise King, euphonium playing “Amazing Grace.”
- The Closing Hymn is “Bring Many Names”, and
- A family life video will feature announcements, a charge and benediction.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE
This is the day the Lord has made,
I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day the Lord has made,
I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad.
This is the Earth the Lord has made…
This is the body the Lord has made…
This is a tree the Lord has made…
These are the people the Lord has made…
BRING MANY NAMES
- Bring many names, beautiful and good,
celebrate, in parable and story,
holiness in glory, living, loving God.
Hail and hosanna! Bring many names! - Strong mother God, working night and day,
- planning all the wonders of creation,
setting each equation, genius at play:
Hail and hosanna, strong mother God! - Warm father God, hugging every child,
feeling all the strains of human living,
caring and forgiving till we’re reconciled:
Hail and hosanna, warm father God! - Old, aching God, grey with endless care,
calmly piercing evil’s new disguises,
glad of good surprises, wiser than despair:
Hail and hosanna, old aching God! - Young, growing God, eager, on the move,
saying no to falsehood and unkindness,
crying out for justice, giving all you have:
Hail and hosanna, young, growing God! - Great, living God, never fully known,
joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,
closer yet than breathing, everlasting home:
Hail and hosanna, great, living God!
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.