From Rev Ben:
For celebration this week we worked a bit of Magic. For months now, John Lochner of Dallas, Texas, has been attending Montclair Presbyterian Church’s online celebrations. This week he is leading us in a call to Celebration and, magically, we have Dallas-like weather in Oakland (actually, on Friday when I wrote this, it was fifteen degrees hotter in Dallas than in Oakland; perhaps a church in Dallas invited someone from Phoenix to participate in their worship—who knows?). At any rate, it was sweltering when I recorded my portions of the service. Thank goodness for the God’s gift that is that flax that makes linen shirts.
In this week’s service we are focusing on the story of Jesus and the Syro-Phoencian (or Canaanite or Lebanese) woman, and all it says for our need to have many teachers in our lives.
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View August 16th Celebration online
- Marcia will play a prelude, “A Song Without Words” by Felix Mendelssohn, arr. Richard Wagner,
- Talitha will welcome us,
- John Lochner will lead us in a call to celebration,
- The opening hymn is “Morning Has Broken,”
- Cindy Gullikson will lead us in a prayer for peace,
- Maggie Harmon will read Matthew 15:21-28,
- I will preach a sermon,
- Special music will be “Don’t give Up” by Becky Reardon, performed by Kim,
- Talitha will lead us in a pastoral prayer,
- The closing hymn is “Open My Eyes That I May See,” and
- The service ends with a family life video that includes announcements, a invitation, our charge and a benediction.
MORNING HAS BROKEN
- 1. Morning has broken like the first morning; Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! praise for the morning!Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!
- 2. Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, Like the first dew fall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,Sprung in completeness where God’s feet pass.
- 3. Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning, Born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation; praise every morning,God’s recreation of the new day!
OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE
1. Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free
Silently now I wait for thee
Ready, my God, thy will to see
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
2. Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth thou sendest clear;
And while the wavenotes fall on my ear
Everything false will disappear
Silently now I wait for thee
Ready, my God, thy will to see
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
3. Open my mouth, and let me bear
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with thy children thus to share
Silently now I wait for thee
Ready, my God, thy will to see
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!
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.