PLEASE NOTE: Celebration is back in the sanctuary! Masks are optional, but encouraged. You also may watch the service on a live stream at home. Please use this option if you aren’t feeling well. To learn more about these choices, please visit mpcfamily.org/celebrate. In order to keep everyone healthy & safe, we will:
- encourage masking when indoors
- run the furnace filtration system for ventilation, doors and windows open only when necessary
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 .
If you’d like to support our work in the world (which is much appreciated!) please visit mpcfamily.org/donate .
In celebration this week:
- The prelude, “For the Beauty of the Earth”, will be played by Kim Rankin on piano and Sally Cole-White on alto saxophone
- Katie Kilby will welcome everyone to Celebration
- then Tara Flanagan will lead us in a Call to Celebration
- The opening hymn will be “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
- Next, Tara will lead us in a Prayer for Peace
- followed by Time with Children (children will then be dismissed to Godly Play)
- we will hear invitations next
- then the MPC Choir will perform “Be Simple Little Children”, a 19th c. Shaker text (anon); music by Bob Chilcott; directed by Kim Rankin
- Tara will read from John 10:11-18
- Rev. Ben Daniel will deliver a sermon, “Sheep Upstream and Down”
- Then we will sing the hymn of response, “Touch the Earth Lightly”
- followed by Prayers of the People, which will include a pebble and water ritual
- The offering plates will be passed while Gail Onion plays an offertory on the native flute
- The closing hymn will be “Soft Rains of Spring Flow”
- We will recite the Charge together
- We will then process out into the world (the front deck)
- There will be a creekside benediction
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. Care for Creation. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Celebration live stream recordings
Every week, we post a live stream recording to YouTube. You can view information about those live stream recordings and access a link to the playlist on our Celebration Recordings page.